Quotes: Ethics (Srila Prabhupada)

Section Description

1. Meta-ethics (The Nature of Morality) This section explores the deepest, most fundamental questions about the essence of ethics, without offering specific rules of conduct.

The ontology of morality: Are there objective moral facts, or is morality a social construct?

Epistemology: How do we know what is good and evil, and can we justify our moral beliefs?

Moral semantics: What exactly do words like "right", "duty" or "good" mean?

2. Normative Ethics (Theories of Right Action) Here, systems are studied that offer specific criteria for determining how one should act.

Ethics of virtue: Focus on human character, the development of inner qualities and the pursuit of the highest good (from classical ancient philosophy to modern and traditional models).

Deontology: Ethics of duty and rules, where the morality of an act is determined by its compliance with universal laws (for example, Kant's categorical imperative).

Consequentialism: Evaluating actions solely based on their results and consequences (for example, utilitarianism).

Quotes from Srila Prabhupada

Meta-ethics

The ontology of morality

The Divine commandment of Morality (sad-dharma)

ШБ 5.3.20 к.: «Дхарма, придуманная людьми, не принесет им никакого блага… Однако истинная дхарма не может быть создана человеком. Дхармам̇ ту са̄кша̄д бхагават-пран̣ӣтам. Дхарму устанавливает Бог, Верховная Личность, так же как законы страны устанавливает правительство». https://vedabase.io/ru/library/sb/5/3/20/

(естественное право) ШБ 6.3.19 Истинные законы морали (дхармам) устанавливаются Самим (са̄кша̄т — непосредственно;) Верховным Господом (бхагават). Этого не могут сделать ни великие риши с высших планет, ни полубоги, ни правители Сиддхалоки, хотя все они пребывают в гуне благости. Что уж говорить об асурах, обычных людях, видьядхарах и чаранах?

The Epistemology of Morality

Transcendental morality

Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.20–21. June 17, 1972, Los Angeles. So not you; everyone. Nothing belongs to us. There is no question of morality unless one surrenders to Krsna. Everything immoral for a person who is not Krsna conscious. Everything immoral. Therefore Caitanya-caritamrta says,

'dvaite' bhadrabhadra-sakale samana

'ei bhala, ei manda' saba mana dharma

[Cc Antya 4.176]

In this material world, which is called duality, these, our listing, "These things are good. These things are bad," bhadra abhadra -- bhadra means good; abhadra means bad -- these are all the same. It is simply mental concoction. Here, the so-called morality, ethics -- all nonsense. Because you, you are trying to lord it over on the property of somebody else. So where is your morality? So these sentiments -- morality, immorality, good, bad -- they are simply manufactured. Actually, unless one surrenders to Krsna, there is no question of this ethics and morality. We are now discussing in our philosophical class Huxley's morality. These are all crazy man's proposals. Actually, there is no morality <...> Don't manufacture. You are not so expert that you can manufacture things. That is illegal. Just like we do not read any rascal's book. They are manufacturing so many ideas. We read Bhagavatam, authorized. We read Srimad Bhagavad-gita. We read Brahma-samhita. Not rascal's book. What these rascals can write? They're imperfect.

Knowledge of God, religion - the basis of morality

Morning Walk. April 25, 1973, Los Angeles:

Religion, religion is the source of moral and ethics. Because religion means to come to the perfectional point. So as soon as there is perfection, moral and ethics are already there. So-called moral ethics, that is artificial. Harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-gunah [SB 5.18.12]. If one is not a devotee of the Lord, his morality has no value. That is artificial. Harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-gunah. Mahad-gunah, high qualities, moral, ethics, they are high qualities. So Bhagavata says that unless one is devotee of God, he cannot have high qualities. That is artificial.

by Mahajano

Moral semantics

What is the definition of morality?

Morning Walk. April 25, 1973, Los Angeles:

There is no question of morality. First of all, define what is morality. What is the definition of morality? Value of life, everyone has got his own value of life. A drunkard, he has got his value of life, that "When I drink, it is value." Is that morality?... Why do they not make their own law, that "I have got my own law. I don't care for state law." Will it be accepted?... Suppose the state says, "You must drive to the right." Why don't you drive on the left? Why do you obey the state laws? What does he say? You do whatever you like... Immediately he'll be kicked on his face. "You rascal, why you driving? Kick on your face." [laughter] And what he will say at that time? Can he say that "Yes, it is my law. I'll do this." Can he say like this?... Then, then what is this? The insanity. What you cannot do, if you say, "I can do it," then it is insanity.

Evil means absence of God conscious

Room Conversation With Mr. John Papworth and Mr. E. F. Schumacher. August 4, 1973, London:

When there is no God consciousness that is evil. This is the sum and substance, if you're not God conscious then everything is evil for you. This may be different, but you are in evil or as you say in the Christian, Satan. If you're not under God then you are under Satan. And Satan is evil. So anyone who is not God conscious he is in evil. That's all <...> Anyone who is not God conscious he is overwhelmed with evil, inside and outside both. We have to purify therefore inside and outside both.

Relativity of the material moral

Morning Walk. January 9, 1974, Los Angeles:

Then what is the good? You cannot protect yourself from death. Then what is the meaning of this "good"? "This is good. This is advancement, and this is not advancement." Relativity, relativity. Law of Relativity. What is..., what is food for one is death for other, the same thing. So how you can say the food is good or bad? Is it not? "One man's food, another man's poison." So how you can distinguish this is food or poison? One man will say, "No, it is food." Another man will say, "It is poison." So how you'll distinguish? So this good and bad is simply mental speculation. Because it is in the material platform, there is nothing good. Everything is bad. Otherwise why Krsna said, sarva-dharman parityajya [Bg 18.66].

Normative Ethics

Ethics of duty (deontology)

(общее благо) ШБ 10.22.35 Долг (ш́рейах̣ — ради вечного блага;) каждого живого существа — действовать на благо другим (дехишу —воплощенных;) своей жизнью, имуществом, разумом и речью

(отклонения от дхармы) ШБ 7.15.13-14 Различные предписания, которые мешают человеку выполнять его религиозные обязанности, называются видхармой. Религиозные принципы, предназначенные для других, именуют пара-дхармой. Новая религия, созданная самолюбивым гордецом и противоречащая принципам Вед, носит название упадхармы. А когда кто-то с помощью казуистики истолковывает религиозные принципы на свой лад, он изобретает чхала-дхарму. https://vedabase.io/ru/library/sb/7/15/13/  Псевдорелигия, выдуманная тем, кто сознательно пренебрегает обязанностями, соответствующими его уровню духовного развития и положению в обществе, называется абхасой [бледным отражением или ложным подобием]. Разве мало человеку исполнять обязанности, которые соответствуют его ашраму и варне, чтобы обрести умиротворение и избавиться от всех материальных страданий?

(дхарма ограничение для дальнейшего роста) ШБ 11.5.11 Обусловленная душа в материальном мире всегда хочет заниматься сексом, есть мясо и пить спиртное. Однако священные писания на самом деле никогда не поощряют ничего подобного. Хотя писания допускают секс в законном браке, а также поедание мяса после заклания животного в соответствующем обряде и употребление алкоголя в виде ритуальных чаш вина, истинная цель этих церемоний — помочь человеку отказаться от таких действий. https://vedabase.io/ru/library/sb/11/5/11/