God's energy eternally emanates creation, requiring reason perfected through the spiritual master's revelation.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Hayagrīva: This is St. Thomas, Thomas Aquinas, Thomas Aquinas who lived from 1225-1274. He compiled the entire body of Church philosophy called Summa Theologe, and the philosophy of Thomas Aquinas is the official philosophy of the Roman Catholic Church. He, unlike Augustine, he did not distinguish so sharply between the material world and the spiritual world, or between secular society and the city of God. He felt that the entire creation,
both material and spiritual has its origin in the Personality of Godhead. He acknowledges at the same time that the spiritual world is superior to the material world.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Ve..., very sane. [?] Material world means temporary, and some philosophers like the Myvds they say it is false. But we Vaiavas, we don't say it is false but it is temporary illusion. It is reflection of the spiritual world, but there is no reality. Sometimes it is compared with the mirage in the desert. There is no water in the desert, but sometimes by reflection of the sun, it appears that there is water. Similarly in the material world there is no happiness, but the transcendental bliss and happiness existing in the spiritual world is reflected here. And those who are less intelligent, they are after this illusory happiness forgetting real happiness in the spiritual life.
Hayagrīva: Aquinas believed that truths, religious truths are attained through both reason and revelation. He ascribed to Anselm's statement, "I believe in all that I may understand," and also to Abelard's, "I understand in order that I may believe." So that reason and revelation complement one another as a means to truth.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Truth through reason, that is... Of course human reason is not perfect; therefore revelation also wanted. So that truth arrived at by logic, philosophy and revelation that is real truth. So our process is to arrive the truth through guru, spiritual master and he is accepted as representative of the Absolute Truth, Personality of Godhead, and he carries the message of truth because he has seen the Absolute Truth through disciplic succession. So if we accept a bona fide spiritual master representative of God and please him by submissive service. Then by his mercy and pleasure we can understand God, the spiritual world by revelation. We offer therefore, our great respect to the spiritual master and say: yasya prasdd bhagavat-prasdo [Gurv-aaka 8]. If you can please the spiritual master, who is carrying the message of the Lord without any speculation, then God becomes revealed. Another place it is said,
sevonmukhe hi jihvdau svayam eva sphuraty ada [Cc Madhya 17.136]. When we engage our senses in the spirit of service to the Supreme Lord, then Lord becomes revealed. In another place it is said: te nitybhiyuktn, bhajat prti-prvakam, buddhi-yoga dadmi ta [Bg 10.10]. The Lord is there, but one who is engaged in loving service to the Lord he gets direct connection with the Lord, and the instruction also. So that the devotee may be able to enter the spiritual world.
Hayagrīva: Aquinas believed that God is the only single essence that consists of pure form. He felt that matter is only a potential and, in order to be real, must assume a certain shape or form. "Beings in the universe have to acquire an individual form in order to actualize themselves. When matter unites with form, the form gives an object its individuality and personality." A form gives an object its individuality and personality.