720422 - Conversation with Dai Nippon - Tokyo

Conversations by Date, 1972

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

720422R3-TOKYO - April 22, 1972 - 35:47 Minutes

Prabhupāda: . . . so many assistants. Similarly, God can expand Himself for different . . . so Lord Buddha appeared to stop animal killing. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare (Śrī Daśāvatāra-stotra 9). This is Sanskrit. Lord Kṛṣṇa, Keśava, He was very much compassionate on the poor animals. "And now You have appeared as Lord Buddha," buddha-śarīra, "taking the body of Lord Buddha." Sadaya-hṛdaya darśita-paśu-ghātam. He was so much compassionate by seeing unnecessarily animal sacrifice. When there was too much animal sacrifice in India, Lord Buddha appeared.

And in the Vedas there is recommendation for animal sacrifice in some sacrificial ceremony, not ordinarily. And that sacrifice is meant for testing the power of chanting mantra. An animal would be put into the fire, and it would come again with renewed life. In this way, there is recommendation in the Vedas that some animals . . . but people misunderstood it. People began to sacrifice, rather, slaughter. At that time Lord Buddha appeared. So we worship Lord Buddha as Kṛṣṇa. You are all Buddhist?

Dai Nippon Rep: I am Buddhist.

Prabhupāda: So Buddhist religion, I think animal sacrifice is prohibited, or what? Animal killing? What your religion says about animal killing? Stop or not?

Dai Nippon Rep: In Buddhism, in my religion, originally it was prohibited, but now, (laughs) somewhat changed. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: So you come into again to the original. Yes. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we are teaching no animal killing, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxicants. All my students, they are strictly following these principles all over the world. They are American, Europeans. So I have got students all over the world. Some of them from Christian; Buddhist also. I have got Japanese, Chinese, my students. Perhaps you have seen one of my students. His name is Bhānu. Formerly what was his name?

Sudāmā: Bruce Enimoto.

Prabhupāda: Come on. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Dai Nippon Rep: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Yes. Thank you very much.

(two men speak in Japanese)

Dai Nippon Rep: In our religion also, the priests are vegetarian, but it is not for all.

Prabhupāda: Only priests? Only priests?

Dai Nippon Rep: Priesthood. Priesthood. (Japanese) . . . (indistinct) . . . it has somewhat changed now.

Prabhupāda: We are all priests, because we are preaching. All my students and myself, we are preaching. We are on the priestly level. So our philosophy is:

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā

varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ

svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya

saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam

(SB 1.2.13)

Everyone has got some professional or occupational duty. Just like you are printers, we are preachers, somebody is something else. Everyone has got different occupational duties. So our philosophy is that it doesn't matter what business you are doing, but see that your life is successful. That is our philosophy.

And how our life can become successful? Varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ, svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam. If you can please Lord Buddha or Kṛṣṇa, it doesn't matter—I have already explained, Lord Buddha is expansion of Kṛṣṇa—so if Lord Buddha is satisfied, then your life is successful. It doesn't matter what you are doing, but by your action Lord Buddha must be satisfied. Just like your assistants: their business is to satisfy you. Whatever they may do, it doesn't matter. If you are satisfied, their business is successful.

Japanese devotee: Your Divine Grace? I would like to explain the background between your activities and . . . (indistinct) . . . (Japanese with men)

Prabhupāda: Thank you.

Dai Nippon Rep: (Japanese) After I asked Mr. Karandhara if he would like your organization to publish more and more books, he said yes, and in order to improve our service . . .

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dai Nippon Rep: In order to makes ourselves better, you know . . .

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is success.

Dai Nippon Rep: And Mr. Karandhara give us suggestion that Dai Nippon would open a liaison office in Los Angeles in order to save time and in order to make a good communication.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dai Nippon Rep: And our president would like to hear of your opinion or comment on that suggestion.

Prabhupāda: So how do you think, that suggestion? What is your idea?

Dai Nippon Rep: (Japanese with others) He would like to see our liaison office in Los Angeles, but . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: So Karandhara, you speak.

Karandhara: Mr. Sumoto and I already spoke at length about this, and we came to . . . (indistinct) . . . so much time in our communication like we do. In that way we could expedite all of our work. So we were hoping . . . he was very enthusiastic about the idea of opening an office there.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Dai Nippon Rep: (indistinct) . . . the details were discussed already. (Japanese discussion)

Dai Nippon Rep: Divine Grace, please allow that we are, we getting to the businesslike (laughter) conversation, but . . .

Prabhupāda: One thing I shall request you, that our missionary activities, we are not exactly businessmen. You see? Our only idea is these books are published for missionary activities. So exactly we are not business part. So I will request your chairman that even sometimes you find something discrepancies, you don't mind it, because we are not strictly businessmen. Yes. But we, we are very sincere. We shall reciprocate very sincerely. But sometimes we are not strictly like businessmen.

Dai Nippon Rep: (Japanese discussion) What Mr. Tajima would like to tell you, that he is also businessman. So our talking is getting to become businesslike. So please allow him. But if we send one liaison officer in Los Angeles, we need some expenditure over there. You see? So we, Mr. Tajima(?) expects you to increase the publishing of your books more and more.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Oh, yes. That we shall do, certainly. That is certain. We are very much enthusiastic to see more publication, more publication. We take this publication work as big drum. You know we play drum? So this is big drum. Just like when we play drum, it is resounded within some quarters. But this drum is going from country to country. So it is bigger drum.

Dai Nippon Rep: (Japanese discussion)

Karandhara: Printing of the books is our most . . . one of our most important activities. And if you will study our . . . the Society, ISKCON Society, you will see that it is growing very fast, more and more growing now all over the world. The publishing of our books is growing also. Just like last year we had so many jobs, this year so many jobs. Next year at least twice as many jobs again. Your work will continue to increase more and more.

Dai Nippon Rep: (Japanese discussion)

Prabhupāda: I explained Kṛṣṇa, as good as Lord Buddha.

Dai Nippon Rep: (Japanese)

Prabhupāda: You don't go to India to see the birthplace of Lord Buddha? You do not go? In Kapila-vastu. Kapila-vastu, on the valley of Himalaya. Lord Buddha was prince.

Dai Nippon Rep: Yes. Yes. He was.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So many Buddhists pilgrims, they go to see. And there is one stūpa, stūpa, Buddha stūpa. What do you call in Japanese, that dome?

Dai Nippon Rep: Dome, yes, yes.

Prabhupāda: So Saket, in Madhya Pradesh, so that is considered . . . Buddhist pilgrim, they go.

Dai Nippon Rep: (Japanese conversation) I understand that Buddhists can eat pork only.

Prabhupāda: Ah. But originally, Mr. Chairman said that they did not. Originally it is prohibited.

Dai Nippon Rep: (Japanese conversation) Originally, Buddha didn't like to eat pork.

Prabhupāda: Buddha?

Dai Nippon Rep: He ate pork, (Japanese) and then he became sick and died.

Prabhupāda: But in our India . . . of course, Lord Buddha was kṣatriya. The kṣatriyas were allowed to eat meat by hunting.

Dai Nippon Rep: Hunting.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because king—the kṣatriya means royal order—they, sometimes they had to kill somebody. If somebody is criminal, "Cut off his head." So in order to become powerful in cutting head, so they had to practice hunting. Yes. This hunting was allowed to the kṣatriyas. There are four divisions: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra.

Four divisions, means intelligent class, administrative class, mercantile class and laborer class. So these kṣatriyas, they are royal order, giving protection to the citizens. And the brahmiṇs giving good advice to the royal order. And the mercantile class, they work under the regulation of the royal order, and the worker class, they give simply service.

Dai Nippon Rep: (Japanese conversation) Year and a half ago, Mr. Tajima, he lose his son, twenty-eight years old.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I heard. In some accident?

Dai Nippon Rep: By traffic accident.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dai Nippon Rep: And since then Mr. Tajima has been very sad . . .

Prabhupāda: Religious.

Dai Nippon Rep: . . . because of his loving son was dead.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. He was the eldest son?

Dai Nippon Rep: Twenty-eight years. He was youngest son. And so how do you think about death from Kṛṣṇa? How do you value death? How he can relieved from such sadness?

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Karandhara: He's asking how can he be relieved from such sadness when his son has died? How do we evaluate death?

Prabhupāda: Oh. Yes. So our program is that, as I have already explained, the success of everything depends how Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. So if you try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, then whatever you want, He will give you, benediction. I will give you one instance, it is stated in Kṛṣṇa book. Kṛṣṇa was a student of Sāndīpani Muni.

So when Kṛṣṇa finished His education, it is the system that the disciple gives some, I mean to say, reward, presentation to the spiritual master, because he has educated. So the disciple requests the spiritual master, "Now I have finished my education. I am going home." Formerly the student used to live with the spiritual master. "So how can I serve you?" So at that time the spiritual master, whatever he wants, the disciple will supply.

So in the case of Kṛṣṇa, the teacher knew that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So when Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma asked His teacher, "How can I satisfy you?" so they requested, "My dear boys, I lost my child very young. If You kindly bring them, then I shall be very much pleased." So Kṛṣṇa went underneath the sea and brought his son back. This incidence is there. So my point is that whatever you want, Kṛṣṇa will give you. You try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That's all.

Dai Nippon Rep: (Japanese conversation)

Prabhupāda: (aside) What is this?

Dai Nippon Rep: Japanese tea.

Prabhupāda: Japanese tea? I see. Water? Cold water. Ice water. (Japanese man is explaining in background) So you try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, and you will be blessed and your son will be blessed. You pray to Kṛṣṇa. Wherever he may be, he will be happy. You believe in incarnation, next birth? Next birth?

Karandhara: Reincarnation?

Prabhupāda: Reincarnation?

Dai Nippon Rep: (Japanese translating)

Prabhupāda: Yes. So your son, he must have taken some body somewhere. So if we pray to Kṛṣṇa, wherever he may be, he will be happy. He will be happy. How many sons?

Dai Nippon Rep: This is my only son now.

Prabhupāda: Be blessed. He is youngest. He was eldest?

Dai Nippon Rep: No. My younger brother also died. My younger brother.

Prabhupāda: Oh, your younger brother. Oh, you are eldest.

Dai Nippon Rep: He is my son.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I can understand. How many sons you have got?

Dai Nippon Rep: Three.

Prabhupāda: Three. That is nice. And daughter?

Dai Nippon Rep: Two boy and one daughter. (Japanese) (drinks being served)

Prabhupāda: Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ (BG 9.26). Kṛṣṇa says: "Anyone gives Me patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ . . ." Patram means leaf; puṣpam means flower. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ. Phalam, phalam means fruit, and toyam means water. So if anyone gives with faith and love to Kṛṣṇa patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam, He eats and drinks. And if Kṛṣṇa eats and drinks our offering, then our life is successful. Yes.

Dai Nippon Rep: (Japanese with other) Divine Grace? Meija Tajima was once vegetarian too. From eighteen years old up to twenty years, for two years, he did eat only vegetables.

Prabhupāda: So now?

Dai Nippon Rep: No. (laughter) (Japanese) Since Mr. Tajima lost his son, he has been reluctant to eat beef or meat. He doesn't like meat. Maybe that he . . .

Prabhupāda: We have got so many nice vegetable preparation. We prepare from milk casein, with nice preparations. If you want, some of our assistants will teach you. So I think instead of eating meat, if you eat that preparation, it is tasting almost like meat, but it is strictly milk preparation. That is as much nutritious also, full of vitamins.

Dai Nippon Rep: (Japanese conversation) Even you catch cold, you don't go to . . . you don't consult with doctor, medical doctor.

Prabhupāda: Yes. We avoid doctors' bill. Yes. As far as possible. And we, because we are vegetarian, hardly we get sick. Yes. If you take strictly vegetarian food, you will avoid so many doctors' bills. Yes. Because our constitution is meant for eating vegetable. Just like this teeth. This is not meant for eating meat. It is meant for eating fruits, vegetables, grains. Our constitution is made like that.

In India still, 80% population . . . (break) . . . these five things: grains, milk products, vegetable, fruits and sugar. You can make hundreds of nice palatable dishes. Sometimes we invite Mr. Tajima. You accept our invitation, you'll see. The other day I invited your assistant.

Dai Nippon Rep: (Japanese) There are some special vegetables for the Buddhists also. Vegetable meal.

Prabhupāda: Vegetable meat?

Dai Nippon Rep: Vegetable meal for Buddhists.

Prabhupāda: Oh, vegetable meal. Yes. Yes, Buddhist, I know that. They are strictly vegetarian, those who are strict followers.

(aside) So now we have to go to some train?

Karandhara: Are there any other points?

Dai Nippon Rep: . . . (indistinct)

Karandhara: Yes . . . (indistinct) . . . on this point. Is there any . . .?

Dai Nippon Rep: Yes, well, at present also, we are going to open our liaison office in Los Angeles . . . (indistinct)

Karandhara: Yes. Have you heard from Mr. Oyage yet?

Dai Nippon Rep: Yes. I think he has to come in Sunday. So it will be . . .

Karandhara: Yes, he's probably meeting with Jayatīrtha . . . (indistinct)

Dai Nippon Rep: Other ways we are quite satisfied.

Karandhara: Oh. Thank you. We are also very satisfied.

Prabhupāda: You started this business? I am asking your father.

Dai Nippon Rep: (Japanese) This company is going to have ninety-seven year anniversary. And Mr. Tajima has been working for this company since . . .

Prabhupāda: What is his age?

Dai Nippon Rep: . . . twenty-three years old, for forty-seven . . . forty-three years.

Prabhupāda: He is in connection.

Dai Nippon Rep: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So by God's grace he is a successful businessman.

Nice. So I take your permission.

Dai Nippon Rep: (Japanese) (end)