Page 14 - Metaphysical questions of life

One may believe that ignorance (avidya) is bliss. The truth is however
that ignorance is not bliss. It is unending suffering. The Cycle of Suffer-

ing begins due to this ignorance which is amplified in one’s mind by
materialis c educa on be er known as humanis c educa on. This
false educa onal system convinces unwi ng people that the goal of
life is material happiness a ained by different varie es of sense gra fi-
ca on. The animal propensi es of ea ng, ma ng, sleeping and defend-
ing become glorified by modern adver sing and propaganda promoted

by social media, television, internet, and all forms of modern communi-
ca on.

The constant barrage in the media grossly inflates one’s illicit desires
(Kama bijam) for sex, intoxica on, meat ea ng, gambling and unending
philosophical specula on. These gross material desires eventually lead
to sinful acts (papam) that cause sinful reac ons (bad karma) summa-
rized as miseries caused by the body, miseries caused by other bodies

and miseries caused by natural cataclysmic events of nature. At first
the sinful reac ons are not manifest (aprarabdha karma), but later they
become manifest (prarabdha karma). Ini ally they appear as uncontrol-
lable lusty desires, bad dreams, mental anguish and distress. Later, the
reac ons mature into congenital afflic ons, lack of educa on, poor

health, financial problems, mental problems, legal problems, ugliness,
etc. A er suffering terribly, there s ll remains the propensity or dispo-
si on for sinning (kutam), which goes to the next life and the subtle
propensity becomes grossly manifest as ignorance by materialis c edu-
ca on and associa on with people who have strong material desires.
The Cycle of Suffering begins again due to ignorance of one’s eternal

rela onship with Lord Krishna.

Personal responsibility for ac ons caused by material
a achments

When there is a achment to the result of ac on for personal sense en-

joyment, one becomes responsible for the good or bad reac on to
14