A few notes on existentialism.
- Gita says “Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that of the nonexistent (matter) there is no endurance, and of the existent (spirit) there is no cessation. This seers have concluded by studying the nature of both.” Jean Paul Sartre had this backwards; he considered the soul non existent or “no- thing” and described in man an innate craving for permanency which he felt seemed to exist in the solidness of matter.
- Vedically the nature of the soul is confirmed as sat-cit-ananda. The sat feature refers to an eternal existence, thus stems the desire for permanent residence, relationships and so on although these cannot remain long in the world of matter.
- Satre said that we need to treat each other as persons instead of objects. His materialistic propaganda, however, reinforces the propensity for people to treat each other as sense objects.
- Satre says we are prone to the bad faith, to shirk responsibility. It sounds similar to the concept ”born to sin” or as the Vedic literature says, “conditioned by material nature. It is not easy to overcome as he also states. And when things go wrong we want to blame everyone but ourselves. For example, Christians blame Adam and Eve!
- Agreeably, Sartre says that we have to be responsible for ourselves. We cannot blame God for our troubles.
- Sartre puts himself in the position as some kind of an authority on God, denying his existence and saying that any attempts to find Him will all ultimately be in vain. This sort of teaching without perfect knowledge is actually cheating. Prabhupada says such persons exist because people want to be cheated.
- If we really want to know God , Gita says that He is seated in everyone’s heart and gives us knowledge, remembrance and forgetfulness. So if we truly want to find Him instead of forgetting, He helps.
- In Gita Krsna declares His supremacy, but not everyone can accept. First, we need proper qualification. Krishna said: "My dear Arjuna, because you are never envious of Me, I shall impart to you this most secret wisdom, knowing which you shall be relieved of the miseries of material existence." (Bg 9.1)
- Envy is the disease of the soul in this world, our desire to be God. Sartre says man is fundamentally the desire to be God. This is true but only partly because he is looking at the diseased condition only.
Sartre presents ostrich philosophy, a concern with our present condition only, called existentialism. “I exist, therefore I am.”
But,"What am I?" Sartre completely ignores that question and focuses on our present material existence only. He gives no concern whatsoever to how we got here in the first place or on having anything to do with God. Yudhistira called this the most amazing thing- death is coming, we see it happen all around us, but we just ignore it and get really busy with the present existence and with no concern for the future. It’s like sticking one’s head in the sand.
The danger is that death is approaching. Prabhupada also compared Sartre to a moth that leaps into the blazing fire. A brave fool.QUOTES - WHAT KRSNA HAS TO SAY ABOUT OUR EXISTENCE
““Never was there a time when I did not exist, no you, nor all these kings,nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.” Bg 2.12
