Transcendental Nectar of Sadhu-Sanga

by

Sushen Krishna Das, Ph.D.

Bhaktivedanta Institute

www.mahaprabhu.net/satsanga

jaga.suresh@gmail.com

Mob: +91-9748906907

A few weeks back we sent a posting with a video entitled "Did Scientists Create Artificial Life?" (see) as a response to the question asked by one of our group member, where we have shown that the claims made by J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) sounds very exciting, in news columns but the reality is that they are presenting only the old news.

On 13^th November, 2003 USA Today published news about artifical virus.[1] This is also a work carried out by Craig Venter. The first few paragraphs of this news article are as follow:

[It is the stuff of science fiction and bioethical debates: The creation of artificial life. Up until now, it's largely been just that.

But an important technical bridge towards the creation of such life was crossed Thursday when genomics pioneer Craig Venter announced that his research group created an artificial virus based on a real one in just two weeks' time.

When researchers created a synthetic genome (genetic map) of the virus and implanted it into a cell, the virus became "biologically active," meaning it went to work reproducing itself.

Venter cautioned that the creation of artificial human or animal life is a long way off because the synthetic bacteriophage - the virus that was created - is a much simpler life form. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria.]

Craig Venter said that "Virus is a much simple life form." We have posted in the e-group a few days back an article entitled "raja-vidya - King of Education" (see), where we have shown that modern science doesn't have any solid definitions for both matter and life. We have discussed that following one definition of life we have to accept that a virus is dead matter and on the other hand, following some other definition we have to accept a virus as a living entity. Since a virus has to use the metabolic machinery of the cells of the host body to reproduce, it is reported that, "Viruses are not living organisms since they are incapable of independent existence".[2] In contrast, in[3] it is mentioned that, "It seems unreasonable to deny that viruses are living just because they need help to do so." There is no doubt that modern science doesn't know whether a virus is alive or not.

In Wikipedia, it is mentioned that "A virus (from the Latin virus meaning toxin or poison) is a small infectious agent that can only replicate inside the cells of another organism."[4] The major distinction between life cell and virus is that viruses cannot utilize their genetic material by themselves but living cell does. Virus needs a living cell to start functioning and reproducing. Independently they are only dead matter. Moreover, viruses are not cells; hence no way they can divide by binary fission like bacteria. On what scientific basis Craig Venter claimed that virus is a much simpler life form?

We have to question these big scientists who are misguiding the society on the name of advanced scientific research. They have to learn what is matter and what is life from Vedanta and Srimad Bhagavatam. All scientists should learn this wisdom and verify the same in their scientific research in order to establish the Vedanta and Srimad Bhagavatam as the genuine scientific knowledge by which humanity can make real progress in understanding the difference between matter and spirit.

In Bhagavad-gita 13.3 a definition for knowledge is given where it is said that "ksetra-ksetrajnayor jnanam." It is noticeably mentioned here that the understanding the difference between the field of activities or ksetra (matter) and the knower of the field of activities or ksetrajna (life) is called knowledge or jnanam. Modern science has no clue about the difference between ksetra and ksetrajna, and is in serious need of this knowledge indeed to make itself enlighten first and in the process it can also enlighten the entire humanity with this most confidential knowledge.

Now we must know how to begin this special and most secret journey of enlightenment. In Srimad Bhagavatam it is explained in verse 1.2.10 that "jivasya tattva-jijnasa". The meaning is that human is meant for inquiry about the Absolute Truth. Inquisitive nature is inherently present in the human being and the open scientific proof of this reality is the continuous development of so many scientific theories leading to many wonderful discoveries. However, the explanation in Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.10 is explicitly mentioning about that particular inquiry which is directed towards Absolute Truth.

It is not difficult to understand this topic. If a person wants to experience what is the taste of the salt, which he has never tasted before then he/she must taste the salt to have this knowledge. But, is it possible to know the taste of the salt based only on some experiments using machines? No it is impossible. Similarly, if we want to know what is the difference between ksetra (matter) and ksetrajna (life) then we must be inquisitive about this subject matter and it needs some introspection. We have both ksetra (matter) and ksetrajna (life) with us and we must know the difference between the both with our own experience.

We cannot succeed in gaining this knowledge by following the path adapted for past two hundred year by modern science, based on the observations of some machines such as microscopes, telescopes and so forth. Hence the journey of enlightenment begins with the self inquiry or with the question 'Who am I?' This introspection makes one meditate deeply upon the element deciding the difference between a dead body and a living body. This process is similar to the one followed by scientists. When scientists want to solve a research problem they think deeply on that particular problem for certain period of time and all of a sudden scientists get the brilliant ideas from a source that is unknown to them. Only the scientist who has passed through this process has knowledge about this process. Others who have not passed through this process cannot realize this experience fully.

However, the major difference between the ordinary material research and the spiritual education is the object which is to be studied. In ordinary material research works the object of study includes everything except the subject or scientist who is carrying out the research. But if we want to understand the difference between ksetra (matter) and ksetrajna (life) then subject itself must be the object of its own scientific study. In other words this research topic will lead us to mediate on the research problem, "Who am I?" This is the most important beginning step for an individual towards real knowledge. This step further guides the individual to follow the rest of the steps leading towards an understanding where he/she can clearly distinguish the ksetra (matter) and ksetrajna (life.)

The Vedanta-sutra, which consists of aphorisms revealing the method of understanding Vedic knowledge, is the concise form of all Vedic knowledge. It begins with athato brahma jijnasa: "Now is the time to inquire about the Absolute Truth." According to Vedanta the human form of life is especially meant for this purpose only.

Reference

---

[1] Refer: http://www.usatoday.com/news/science/2003-11-13-new-life-usat_x.htm

[2] Orians, Gordon H. The Study of Life: An Introduction to Biology. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 1969.

[3] Feinberg, Gerald and Robert Shapiro. Life Beyond Earth. New York: Morrow, 1980.

[4] Refer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virus.