Swami teaches....Part 103

Links to Swami Teaches - Part 102

Light and Love
 
  Swami teaches... 1 - 2 May 2007  
 
  Part 3. Human's Intellect Should Follow the Path of Dharma

 

  Many saints, sages, and people of sacrifice were born in Bharath. The sacredness and renown of Bharath are unmatched. That is why Buddha chose this country as his Motherland.


  Buddha sacrificed everything and went around in search of Truth. He said, "Dharmam sharanam gachhami (I take refuge in Dharma).


  (But, today, Dharma has declined. People think that money is everything. Just as the Earth revolves around the Sun, people go around money).
 
   By ancient scriptures the noble Dharma has followed by Agasthya (sage and author of several Vedic hymns), for example. He is called "potborn," but remember, he and Vasistha (one of the greatest sages of ancient times; priest of the solar race of kings; revealer of several Vedic hymns) were both children of Mithra-Varuna (Mithra always mentioned together with Varuna as rain gods). He put an end to the evil deeds of the ferocious giants Ilvala and Vaathaapi. He made the high-peaked Vindhya bow his head and become low; that is why he is known by the name, Agasthya. He taught humility to the proudest in the land. Agasthya is reported to have drunk off the ocean all in one sip.


  That is to say, he dried up the ocean of Samsara, with its waves of grief and joy, prosperity and adversity, success and failure. It is not any sidhi (perfection; yogic power), this feat; it is a parable explaining that though he was a married man with a son who recited the Vedas as soon as he saw light, he had conquered all attachments of the world. Be attached only to the ideal - that is the sign of the sage.
 
  Vyashti means individual, samashti means society. So, you should progress from vyashti to samashti, from samashti to srushti (creation), and ultimately merge in Parameshti (God). You should attain the unity of individual, society, creation, and the Creator.
 
  Only spiritual transformation can bring about social welfare. Young people are struggling hard to acquire worldly education. They are spending hours together concentrating on it. Even this education can be used for the welfare of the society. Leave selfishness and aspire for the happiness of all. Loka samastha sukhino bhavantu. (May all the people of the world be happy!). This should be our prayer and aspiration.
 
  Swami stresses that our life will be sanctified when we cultivate broad feelings. Develop broadmindedness. Never give any scope for any doubt on Divinity. All such doubts are but imaginations. Never succumb to them. Swami's famous verses declare:


  Follow only the Divine feelings.
  Follow the Master,
  Face the devil,
  Fight to the end,
  Finish the game.
  That should be the goal of life.
 
  The goal of life veils into smog, when human does not have unity of thought, word, and deed. The unity of these three constitutes humanness. The proper study of humanity is human.
What does HUMAN stand for?


  1. 'H' stands for gaining the vision of humbleness;
  2. 'U' stands for gaining the vision of unity in diversity;
  3. 'M' stands for giving up Maya (illusion);
  4. 'A' stands for gaining the vision of Atma; and
  5. 'N' denotes attaining Nirvana.
 
   Bliss can be attained only through control of senses. Santhi is full of spiritual feeling and wisdom that is the natural accompaniment of bliss. Genuine santhi is won by control of the senses. Then it can be call prasanthi. The experience of that stage is as a stream of peace.  


  There is no easier path to peace and bliss other than controlling one's own senses. This is possible when the vision is properly utilized. Once the vision is controlled, other senses can also be easily controlled.
 
  There are pictorially forty lakh light rays in the human eye. Nevertheless, their radiance is destroyed on account of wrong vision. When you look at wrong things, you waste the enormous power of radiance of the eyes. There are thirty lakh taste buds on the tongue. They get destroyed because of bad talk. Therefore, the first and foremost vision and tongue should be kept under check. Otherwise human may lose humanness and ultimately ruin own life. Along with right vision and right talk, cultivate right listening. (If someone were to indulge in bad talk in your presence, leave the place at once).
 
  In order to understand this truth, one should cultivate sadgunas. Sadgunas do not denote good qualities alone. "Sath" means Being, that which is permanent. So, sadgunas mean having Divine feelings. Similarly, the word sathsang means being in the company of the Divine, not merely in the company of good people. Divinity is within us. That is Sath. One has to develop friendship with Sath. That is true sathsang and true friendship.
 
   The body needs a house but the body is itself a house of Atma (Indweller) in that house too. Health of the body is the most essential pre-requisite for success in all aspects of life, for realizing the four ideals that should guide humans - namely, spiritual outlook, moral living, prosperity, fulfilling beneficial desires and liberation from grief. What is liberation (moksha)? Getting rid of moha (attachment) is liberation. Giving up body consciousness (not body itself) is liberation.

 
  Everywhere human seeks to live happily and peacefully but happiness and peace are not won from worldly activities. The body that yearns to be happy and secure, is subject to disease, decay, and death. The dweller, the Self, within the body, is however not born, nor does it die. It is the Atma, God. 
 
   It is human's prime duty to keep this body-temple in good condition. It is the essential part of human's actions on the path of dharma. Health is necessary for gaining this world and the next, for earning worldly and other worldly progress, to realize the very purpose for which the Self has embodied itself in this human form, namely, to become aware of its source, the Paramatma. In order to attain this goal, the ideals of righteousness, prosperity, moral desire and release from grief have to be practiced with the help of a sound mind in a sound body.
 
  The billions of cells in the body are inter-dependent that when one is weakened or damaged, all of them suffer. There is a limit and a balance which every limb and organ has to maintain.    


  Insufficient or improper food will endanger this balance. (An occasional cough helps to strengthen the lungs and to clear them of extraneous matter, but fits of coughing are signs of illness).


  Disease means feeling uneasy, disturbed, on account of the upsetting of one's temper or balance or equilibrium, which affects the physical as well as mental condition. It is wise to prevent disease than run after remedies after it has happened or grown beyond control. Human does not attend to precautionary measures and then the disease is aggravated by fear, uncertainty, and anxiety. 

 
  /Human being  today does meditation in the morning like a yogi, eats sumptuous food during the day tike a bhogi (pleasure seeker), and sleeps at night like a rogi (sick person)/.
 
  What are the main causes of ill-health? Billions of living beings grouped as species dwell on the Earth; they sustain themselves by means of food secured from Nature, as provided by Nature. It is only human that is an exception. In order to cater to his/her palate and other senses, human changes the natural composition and characteristics of the things and prepares, through the process of boiling, frying, and mixing. The vitamins and other valuable bioactive ingredients are mostly destroyed while the food is cooked.
 
  The breakfast does not serve to break any fast, for; there has been no fasting at all. It is as good as a full meal. Lunch is pressed in and consists of many dishes, chosen for the palate rather than to assuage hunger. Tea is tea only in name; it includes rather heavy fare, out of all proportion to the needs of the body. Dinner at night is the heaviest meal and includes the largest variety and so one goes to bed, weighted with unwanted stuff, to roll from side to side, in a vain effort to get a few minutes of sleep. The shortage of food grains is mainly due to bad and wasteful eating habits; it can be set right, and people can live longer and more healthily, if only they eat the minimum, rather than fill themselves with maximum.
 
 Let us consider some points on which we have to be vigilant, in order to avoid breakdowns on the road. This is good for the body as well as for the country. Do not eat a dozen plantains, half a dozen puris, drink a quart of milk, and call it a fast! Take water, so that all the dirt is washed away. Do not crave for fruit juice or other liquids. Even physical machinery is given rest; they cannot run forever, continuously. What then shall we say of this delicately organized human body.

 

  The older generation in India used to take some quantity of rice soaked in curds, first meal in the morning. It is good sathwic food; or, they drank some raagi gruel, which is equally good.


  Dogs have better eating habits. If a dog has fever, it will refuse food; but human ignores even the warnings of the doctor and eats on the sly. Through dieting alone, birds and beasts set their health all right.


  Nevertheless, human lives on tablets and pills and injections, after venturing into forbidden realm, so far as eating and drinking are concerned. Drink large quantities of water, boiled and cooled, not during meals, but some time before and after.
 
  Eat in moderation and live long. This is the advice handed down through the ages by the seers of the past. This advice is seldom heeded. People fill themselves with such large quantities of food that they find it hard to rise from the eating plate. Ruining their digestive system by consuming heavy, rich foods, the affluent are proud when they host costly banquets. In rich countries, over-eating has become a fashion.


  Those who know that physical health is the greatest treasure take great care to eat only sathwic food.


  Coconut kernel, coconut water, sprouting pulses, uncooked or half-cooked vegetables, and greens are good for health. Uncooked food, nuts, and fruits, germinating pulses are the best. Use these at least at one meal, say, for the dinner at night. This will ensure long life. In addition, long life is to be striven for in order that the years may be utilized for serving one's fellow-beings.
 
   Evil thoughts also cause ill-health. Anxiety, fear, and tension contribute their share. All these result from greed, greed to have more of things, of power and of fame. Greed results in sorrow and despair. Contentment can come only from a spiritual outlook.

 
  One should not distinguish between "my work" and "work for God." All work should be worship. Whatever the reward, it is the gift of God. It is for our lasting good. If this attitude is developed, suffering and pain can toughen us and help us to progress towards Divinity.
 
  Anger is another enemy of health. It injects poison into the blood stream and brings about profound transformation, which damages it. Two women, who were neighbors turned into bitter enemies on account of a dispute over a very trivial incident. The cow belonging to one woman while going on the road dropped its dung in front of the other woman's house. The owner of the cow ran to collect the dung, while the other woman claimed that it belonged to her since it lay on her doorstep. From words, they very nearly came to blows. Just then the other woman's little baby wailed from the cradle.


  She rushed in to feed the baby and while the child was drawing in its food, she shouted most ferociously at her neighbor. Her anger poisoned her blood so much that the child died while drinking her milk!


   The cause of ill-health may be also vice and vile conduct. Many diseases are mental illness, fundamentally.


  Doctors have to deal with patients sweetly and softly and consider their profession as one calling for dedication to their fellowmen. It is best to preserve one's health by good thoughts and good deeds. 


  (Try earnestly to live long, without falling into the hands of medical practitioners. When they give you one injection, they keep another ready to counteract its reactions. While trying to cure one disease, they cause a dozen more. Moreover, the drugs they recommend are mostly spurious, since manufacturers want to amass a fortune by hook or by crook). 

 

  All people are individualized Selves of Creation, expressions and experiences of the Cosmic Consciousness, The Divine Play of God. Let us follow the path of Dharma happily with Atmic vision what as illuminates our conscience, our intellect (buddhi).

 

(Reet's compilation from, Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 3. "Griha or guha" Chapter 6 and "A drama within a drama," Chapter 9; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 9. "Seaworthy boat," Chapter 21; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 15. "Good health and goodness," Chapter 21; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 27. "Cherish the sweetness of sacrifice," Chapter 18; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 32. Part 1. "Control Your Senses," Chapter 15).
 

       Namaste - Reet


 
  Swami teaches... 28 - 30 April 2007  
 
  Part 2. Human's Intellect Should Follow the Path of Dharma
 
  An empty iron box gets value when it contains jewels and valuables; then it is carefully guarded. The body is honored when it contains the jewel of an awakened consciousness and the valuables called virtues. World is a text and hridaya (heart) is your preceptor. Your life will find fulfillment if you understand this truth and put into practice.


  Having taken human birth, you should try to experience bliss. You have the desire to attain bliss, but you are not making the necessary effort. You cannot collect even a drop of water if you keep the vessel upside down, although there may be a heavy downpour. Some water will be collected in it if the mouth of the vessel is turned upward. 


  If you want to attain Divinity, you have to practice dharma what must also lead to the welfare of all. This is the inner meaning of the teachings of Buddha.
 
  Once, Buddha was traveling from village to village giving spiritual discourses. One day, he felt tired and asked one of his disciples to address the gathering. He went inside to take rest.


The disciple during the course of his speech said, "In this world, there has never been a spiritual master greater than our master, Buddha, and there will not be another like him in future." The audience gave a thunderous applause.


  On hearing this, Buddha came out. One of the disciples told him the reason for the people's joyous applause. Buddha smiled and called the disciple who delivered the lecture. "What is your age?" he asked. The disciple said he was thirty-five years old. "How many kingdoms have you visited so far?" Buddha asked him again.


  The disciple said he had visited only two kingdoms. Buddha said, "You are thirty-five years old and have seen only two kingdoms. You have not understood the present completely.


Then how can you say anything about the past and the future? It is meaningless to say that a master like Buddha was never born before and will never be born again. Many Avatars and sages have taken birth in this sacred land of Bharat. Many more Avatars and noble souls will be born here in future also. There are many noble souls in this world, I offer my respects to all of them."
  In this way, Buddha reproached his disciple and taught him to follow his dharma.
 
  Truth endows one's life with sweetness. Loving words sweeten life. The body has to go through certain ordeals to manifest its sweet nature. These are termed: Samskara - the good thoughts, good feelings and good actions that bring about refinement. Love is essential for their refinement. Hence, Love is the means to realize the nectarine sweetness of life.


  Human can get limitless powers through Love of God. However, today, human is not making any effort to understand the Principle of Love. Human's love is like an atom when compared to the Divine Love, which is infinite, eternal, and nectarine. Human should see through the eyes of Love, hear through the ears of Love and cultivate the feelings of Love. Only then, there will be morality in society.
 
    People today become scholars and acquire great wealth. Nevertheless, all that they achieve as a result is conceit - the arrogance of study and riches. People cherish the sweetness of wealth and not the sweetness of Love. There are no riches above Love. Through Love, you must develop the spirit of sacrifice. Human life should be filled with love and sweetness, which are shared with others. 


  An insidious disease is now rampant among most people, namely, unbelief. It sets fire to the tiny shoots of faith and reduces life into cinders and ashes. You have no criterion to judge, yet you pretend to judge. Doubt, anger, poison, and illness - all these have to be scotched before they grow.


  Repeat the Ramanaama, whether you have faith or not; that will itself induce faith; that will itself create the evidence on which faith can be built. The sea of Samsara (worldly life) has to be crossed and all its waves transcended, with the help of Ramanaama or the other Divine name, Swami, for instance.

 
  The heart should be set on achieving the task of realizing the Lord within you, as the motivator. Buddha said, ?O man, you don't need to search for God anywhere. You are God yourself.? The Avatars of the past and present incarnated in human form teach this to humanity. The Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and the Vedas echo the same principle. The Vedas declare: Tat Thwam Asi (Thou art That). 
 
  You may celebrate any number of festivals and undertake various types of spiritual exercises, but all this will go waste if there are no Divine feelings in your heart. You will understand and experience the sacred principles like Sarvam khaividam Brahma (Brahman is immanent in everything), Viswam Vishnumayam (Vishnu pervades the entire Universe), Easwara sarvabhoothanam (God is the indweller of all beings) when you cultivate noble qualities. In order to cultivate Divine feelings and noble qualities, you have to control your senses.

 

  A person with sincerity will make the best use of even the smallest opportunity given to him/her. For example, person can turn even a small bit of live ember into a big fire. On the other hand, a person who lacks sincerity cannot make fire even if large quantifies of live embers. Such person will turn all the live embers into charcoal. 
 

  A river should flow within its banks; otherwise, it will flood the villages causing untold sufferings. Similarly, human life, which can be compared to a river, should also have two banks with steadfast faith, and otherwise, a doubting person perishes. Only then will the river of life merge in the ocean of grace. If your river of life does not flow within its two banks, not only will your life be wasted but you will also cause harm to others.
 

    Individual reconstruction in general is more important than the construction of temples. Multiply virtues practice what you preach, that is the real pilgrimage; cleanse your minds of envy and malice that is the real bath in holy waters.


  Swami has noticed by two different, but interconnected modes the inner meaning of the name 'SAI'.


  The first:


  1.'S' in the name Sai stands for service (work),
  2. 'A' for adoration (worship), and
  3. 'I' for illumination (wisdom).
  So, the very name of Sai symbolizes the unity of work, worship, and wisdom.
 

  The second:


  1. 'S' denotes spiritual change,
  2. 'A' denotes association (social) change, and
  3.'I' denotes individual change.
  Human's mind will become pure and sacred when these three changes take place.


   Swami as stresses that without work, worship, and wisdom there is no individual reconstruction. It is very pictorial and simple example to install the aspirants mind.
 
  You attach importance to quantity; but, the Lord considers only quality. He does not calculate how many measures of "sweet rice" you offered, but how many sweet words you uttered, how much sweetness you added in your thoughts. Offer Him the fragrant leaf of faith, sacrifice and devotion, the flowers of your emotions and impulses, freed from the pests of lust, anger, etc.; give him fruits grown in the orchard of your mind, sour or sweet, juicy or dry, bitter or sugary.
 
   Cultivate the spirit of sacrifice and be prepared to face any difficulties. Ancient sages and seers had to undergo a lot of difficulties. They had to live in the forest eating leaves and tubers. They could have the vision of God only after all this suffering. They declared to the world, "O people, we have seen God who is beyond the darkness of ignorance, shining resplendently like a thousand suns".

 

  The poet Mallamma in Kannada described the nature of the Divine beauty. She said that to a pond the lotus lends beauty. The moon imparts beauty to the sky. For a devotee, the vibhuthi on his forehead confers beauty. Without virtue, life ceases to be beautiful. Virtue implies conduct, which evokes the approbation of others. Talk less and work more. Then will the individual, society, and country as a whole prosper.
 
  The fact is, doubt grows wild in the absence of faith. (Falsehood looks easy and profitable; it binds and pushes into perdition). Faith can be established when one grasps the inner significance of each incident and remark. People should ponder over what is their aim in life, whither they are going and what they should achieve before embarking on any activity.

 

  Below are some examples by Ramayana to understand the importance of the inner significances of different behaviors and actions.

 
   1. In this context, the Ramayana furnishes a lesson for all. Dasharatha, without any concern for the future, granted two unconditional boons to Kaikeyi in return for the help, which she rendered to him. He gave two boons saying that she could have what she wanted, whenever she might choose to ask. She chose the time and the boons she wanted. She asked for the exile of Rama and the crowning of Bharatha. The lesson to be learnt from this is that when you give your word, you must be aware of all its implications. Promises made thoughtlessly lead to grievous situations.
 
  2. Dasharatha did not invite the king of the Kekayas for consultation along with the other leaders and princes who were called to give their opinion on the choice of Rama; in that case, subsequent events in furtherance of the Master plan would have been rendered difficult. Why, Dasharatha did not command Rama to go into exile in so many words; he only acknowledged to Kaikeyi that he had granted her two boons and that he was now helpless to back out of that grant. It was Kaikeyi who communicated the news to Rama.


  Silence was as good as approval and Rama had to accept silence as the command from His father. Kaikeyi had to intervene, so that the purpose of the Avatar might be fulfilled. The sense of righteousness in Rama was so strong that when he heard of the dilemma in which Dasharatha was caught, He helped him to come out of it unharmed; he insisted he would go into exile as his father had promised by implication.


  3. Sugriva, (monkey-king, brother of Vali; with his army of monkeys headed by Hanuman, assisted Rama in defeating Ravana) forgot his plighted word and indulged himself in the newly won revels of the court; he ignored the fact that the jagath (mundane world) is based not on dhana (wealth) but on dharma (virtue); so, Rama prodded the snake Anantha, to raise its angry hood and hiss furiously. That is to say, he reminded Lakshmana of the ingratitude of Sugriva and made him furious. An ungrateful king is as worthless as an ungrateful subject is.
  The death of Vali (a great monkey-king; brother and enemy of Sugriva) gave him the throne. But, remember, it was not Vali alone that died. His ajnana (primal ignorance) also died with him. He saw Rama with all His Divine glory, as filling the entire Universe, which is but a fraction of His personality.

 

  There are four types of human beings.  The divine, the demonic, the human and the animal are present in human beings in varying degrees.


  1."Brahmaratho Dhaivah" (A human being who is Divine). This implies that the human who is wedded to truth, who performs righteous actions, who renders help to others, who thinks about the well-being of others, who indulges in acts of charity and beneficence, is filled with Divine qualities and is immersed in the knowledge of the Brahman.


  2. "Sathyadharmaparo marthyah" ( A human being who adheres to Truth and Righteousness). A true human being should uphold truth and right conduct. If truth and righteousness are safeguarded, the nation will be safe and secure. It is not the army or bombs that will protect the nation, Truth and Righteousness will protect the nation.

 

  3. "Madhya paana ratho dushtah" (A demonic human being revels in intoxicating drinks). Eating meat and drinking liquor are demonic vices. Those indulging in drink lose all sense of propriety, have no compassion or love, and become demons.

 

  4. "Jnanena shuunyah pashubhis samaanah" (One who lacks wisdom is equal to an animal). Jnana (wisdom) is the capacity to discriminate between right and wrong, the permanent and the transient. Animality in human is indicated by the absence of this jnana. A human being has to have the power of discrimination. He should know what to say, when and to whom, and he should know how to behave towards elders, towards friends and different kinds of people.


 Jnana, in its deeper sense, means Atma-Jnana (knowledge of the Self). This is mainly absent in modern human being. One who is selfish and self-centered is manifesting the animal nature.
 
  It is a pity that people today are not aware of the supreme greatness of sacrifice, faith, and devotion. There is sacrifice in every aspect of life. The joy to be derived from sacrifice is incalculable. For instance, one has to learn the supreme value of sacrifice from one's own parents who sacrifice so much for the sake of their children. It is your duty to keep your parents happy as long as they live.


  In path of spirituality, have the determination to face any constraint that you may come across. You are determined to achieve something, do not give up until you achieve what you want. You have desired for something, do not give up until your desire is fulfilled. You have asked for something, do not give up until you get what you have asked for.

 

  If wealth is lost, nothing is lost. If health is lost, something is lost. If character is lost, everything is lost. This is the teaching of the culture of Bharath. But, for the modern human, everything is lost if wealth is lost; something is lost if health is lost and nothing is lost if character is lost.


  It is through pain pleasure is gained. Darkness enables us to appreciate light. Death teaches us to love life. Diseases that torment human are many in number; of these, hatred, envy and egoism are the worst. (Even doctors cannot cure them). One should develop equanimity and serenity, if one desires to be free from these diseases. These diseases are imprinted, like a carbon copy, through the senses in the heart.

 

(Reet's compilation from, Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 3. "Griha or guha" Chapter 6 and "A drama within a drama," Chapter 9; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 9. "Seaworthy boat," Chapter 21; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 15. "Good health and goodness," Chapter 21; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 27. "Cherish the sweetness of sacrifice," Chapter 18; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 32. Part 1. "Control Your Senses," Chapter 15).
 
    Namaste - Reet


    
    Swami teaches... 25 - 27 April 2007  
 
  Part 1. Human's Intellect Should Follow the Path of Dharma
 
  Today, human reads sacred books to attain bliss, but all these books have their own limitations. One cannot get infinite bliss by studying scriptures. One must study an infinite book in order to experience infinite bliss. This world itself is an infinite book. There are so many things to be learnt from this world.


  It is with the help of the friend, who is God, that you will be able to study the infinite book, the world. When one studies this infinite book, one has to put into practice the five important teachings of Buddha.


  They are samyak drishti (right vision), samyak bhavam (right feeling), samyak sravanam (right listening), samyak vak (right speech), and samyak karma (right action). Truth, righteousness, and sacrifice should be the way of life. Buddha said that buddhi (intellect) should follow the path of dharma, and dharma should be fostered in society.
 
  Buddha was born in this sacred land of Bharath. Buddha's mother, Mayadevi, passed away when he was just 8 days old. His stepmother Gautami brought him up. That is how he got the name Gautama. He was christened as Siddhartha at the time of his birth. Buddha was the Crown Prince and had the entire kingdom under his control, but he sacrificed everything and tried to control his senses. He came to be known as Buddha because he developed buddhi (intellect) and discrimination power.
 
  Discrimination is of two types: individual discrimination and fundamental discrimination. Individual discrimination arises out of selfishness, whereas fundamental discrimination is concerned with the welfare of one and all. One should discard individual discrimination and have only fundamental discrimination. This was the teaching of Buddha to Ananda, son of Gautami, before he attained Nirvana.


  Buddha made a concerted effort to control his senses. Meditation and penance confer only temporary happiness. Eternal happiness results from control of the senses.


  He declared to the world, "Ahimsa Paramo Dharma" (nonviolence is the greatest dharma).


  Love will be fostered only when nonviolence is practiced. When love is fostered, there will be peace in the world. When there is peace in the world, human will naturally take to the path of Dharma and will attain Truth.


  If you love others, you will be loved in turn. If you utter harsh words, they will come back to you as resound. Your heart should melt with compassion when you see the poor and needy.


  Hridaya (spiritual heart) is that which is filled with daya (compassion). When you practice truth and righteousness, you will be successful in all your endeavors. That is why the Vedas teach, "Sathyam Vada, Dharmam Chara" (speak truth, practice righteousness).
 
  Buddha undertook penance for several years, met many noble souls, listened to spiritual discourses, and studied various scriptures. Nevertheless, he was not satisfied. Human aspires for bliss, but how can he attain it? The path of spirituality starts with faith and ends with bliss. Bliss cannot be attained from materialistic pleasures or people of the world. It can be experienced when the five senses are put to proper use.
 
  True ideal is to give practical knowledge of dharma to others.


  "There are two modes of knowledge, through argument and experience. Argument brings conclusions and compels us to concede them, but it does not cause certainty nor remove doubts in order that the mind may remain at rest in truth, unless this is provided by experience" (Roger Bacon,1268).


  One should be a hero in practice, not merely in preaching. This was the ideal of Buddha.
 
  Once, Buddha entered a village along with his disciples. A lady approached him and requested him to have food in her house. Buddha blessed her and accepted her invitation. Seeing this, many villagers, including the village headman, warned Buddha, saying, ?O Buddha, you are one of wisdom and have renounced everything. She is not a woman of good character. It is not proper for you to have food in her house.


  Buddha smiled and asked the village headman to come forward. Buddha, holding the right hand of the headman, asked him to clap. The headman said, it was not possible for him to clap since one of his hands was in Buddha's hold. Buddha said, ?True, it is possible to clap only when two hands come together. Likewise, this lady cannot turn bad by herself unless there are men of bad character in the village. The men of this village are the root cause of her bad character.


  The villagers realized their folly, fell at Buddha's feet, and sought his forgiveness. Through such practical (pictorial) action, Buddha instilled sacredness and wisdom in people.
 
  For saplings to grow soil is essential; for ideals to get implanted, knowledge of the struggles and successes of saints and sages is essential.
  These experiences are not uniform; each sadhaka has a different story to tell, depending upon his/her equipment and enthusiasm. So, the vision and the glory are different, though all are divine. The mansion of India's glory is built of charming stones, each block being the hardy thapas of some sage or other. No one sage can be neglected, for if his attainment is ignored, the wall of the mansion would be so much the weaker.
 
  All Avatars and noble souls led their lives in the most exemplary manner and helped people to experience Divinity. The Avatar behaves in a human way so that humankind can feel kinship, but rises to superhuman heights so that humanity can aspire to those heights. The Avatars all play a drama, within the drama of this Universe.
 
  The entire Cosmos, consisting of animate and inanimate objects, is dependent on God. The Divine is governed by Truth, that Truth is governed by noble beings. Every human being is inherently noble.


  The Atmarama (Eternal bliss; Divinity, Rama in the heart) in every one prompts to stick to truth and to the moral code; you have only to listen and obey and get saved. Some hear even its whisperings; some listen only when it protests loudly; some are deaf; some are determined not to hear. But, all have to be guided by it, sooner or later. Some may ascend a plane, others may travel by car or board a bus, some may prefer a train journey, others may like to trudge along - but, all must reach the goal, some day or other.
 
  When Buddha was on the verge of attaining Nirvana, Ananda started shedding tears of sorrow. Then Buddha consoled him, saying, "Ananda, why are you unhappy over my attaining Nirvana? I have been craving this state of Nirvana for the past many years. Why do you shed tears of sorrow when I am experiencing supreme bliss?"
 
  From the earliest times, the sages of Bharath looked upon human life as madhuram (sweet). This life is associated with Madhava, the Divine and not anything else. To experience this sweetness the spirit of sacrifice is essential. This nectarine sweetness is the outcome of thyaga (sacrifice). As the Vedas declare: "Not by deeds, or progeny, or wealth is immortality gained. It is realized only through sacrifice." Whatever good deeds one may do, whatever wealth one may acquire, without sacrifice the Divine cannot be experienced.
 
  It is out of the feeling of sacrifice that the nectarine sweetness arises in human. Krishna is extolled as "Madhuradhipathe! Madhuram! Madhuram!" (Lord of Madhura, who is all sweetness). When the Lord is described as the "Master of Madhura," what is this sweetness? The heart is sweet, the feeling is sweetness. The Love (one feels) is sweet. The action (of the devotee) is sweet. The Ananda (bliss) is sweet. The Atma is sweet. This bliss filled sweetness pervades human from head to foot.
 
  Bharatheya culture contains illustrations of this sweetness. There is nothing in the world sweeter than the love of a mother for the child. For the well-being of the child, the mother is ready to sacrifice her all, including her life. Such nectarine sweetness is manifest only in the mother who is the embodiment of the Divine. Hence, the Upanishadic injunction: "Maathru dhevo bhava!" (Esteem the mother as God).


  Likewise, the heart of the father who fosters the child, and develops his personality, is also sweet. The Upanishad, therefore, enjoins everyone to treat the father as God. Mother and father are equal to God.


  Therefore, at the outset, one has to honor one's parents. The mother is the visible manifestation of God. If ignoring the divinity of the mother, who is visible and adorable, one seeks to worship what is invisible, it must be regarded as a sign of ignorance. God is subtle form. He is invisible and is infinite and immeasurable. The mother is a visible and tangible proof of Divinity.


  When a child is born, the first person it beholds is the mother. The mother bears patiently much travail for the sake of the child. It is sweet to love such a mother. You may have love for God. Nevertheless, if you have no love for the mother who is physically present before you, how can you love the invisible Divine?


  Love is the primary source of sweetness for human. There is nothing greater in this world than the Divine Love. Life acquires sweetness when one reveres one's father and mother. 
 

  However, today, human has forgotten this and is getting deluded by the worldly, ephemeral pleasures. Sathya (truth), dharma (right action, truth in action, righteousness, morality, virtue, duty, the dictates of God, code of conduct; dharma defies a simple translation into English), santhi (peace), prema (love), and ahimsa (non-violence), right are verily human's five life principles. Losing sathya amounts to losing one part of his life-breath. And when one loses all four, viz., sathya, dharma, santhi, and prema, one loses four parts of the vital life breath. As a result, human is confronted with sufferings and violence from all sides.
 
  People tend to worship stones, but do not revere living beings. Worship of inanimate idols has been in vogue from ancient times. However, people are forgetting to revere their living parents. To experience the love of your parents you should show your gratitude to them. This is a debt you owe to them. Nevertheless, in this Kali age children show no regard for the parents. This is the disastrous sign of modern times.


  One's first and foremost obligation is to revere one's parents who are in flesh and blood, who are verily your life itself.
 
  Here is an example from the Ramayana.


  Immediately after Rama broke Shiva's bow, Emperor Janaka declared that he would offer Sita in marriage to Rama. Janaka brought Sita to the assembly hall. Rama, however, without any hesitation, but in sweet firm words, declared that he would not agree to the wedding without the approval of his parents. Rama said that he owed his body to his parents and that he would abide by their wishes. He declared that until his parents arrived (in Mithila) he would not even set his eyes on Sita.
 
   Before leaving for the forest, Rama approached his father, Dasharatha, and said, "I am not sorry I have to go to the forest. Not does it pain me that you have given this command to me. I am to uphold your plighted word. Of what use is a son who does not uphold the word of his father? I derive the greatest sweetness from carrying out my father's word of honor."


  In another episode in Ramayana, sage Vasishta (one of the greatest sages of ancient times; priest of the solar race of kings; revealer of several Vedic hymns) accompanied Bharatha to meet Rama in the forest. Intervening in the argument between Bharatha and Rama (over the issue of Rama's return to Ayodhya), Vasishta said, "It is your right and duty to role over the kingdom. You are the eldest son of Dasharatha. You are well versed in the scriptures relating to Dharma. You have won the affections of the people. You are committed to the well-being of the people."


  Vasishta appealed in this manner to Rama to assume the reins of rulership. Speaking sweetly, eschewing harshness of any kind, Rama replied; "Guruji! Without honoring the plighted word of the father, if I disobey the command of my deceased father, I will be rendering my life worthless. My primary duty is to carry my father's injunctions. I may even transgress the command of the preceptor, but I will not go against the command of my father."


  Thus, carrying our the commands of his father, Rama spent fourteen years in exile and demonstrated to the world the joy and fulfillment to be derived from such an exemplary life.


  Human life should be sweetened by honoring one's pledged word. Sweetness in life consists in setting an example in righteous living to those around one. There is sweetness in doing a good turn to one who has done you a good turn. Gratitude is sweet.


  You should be grateful all your life to one who has helped you.
 
  Injustice and discontent are spreading everywhere due to this one fault in human: saying one thing and doing the opposite, the tongue, and the hand going in different directions. Human has to set him/herself right and correct food, recreation, method of spending the leisure as well as his habits of thought.


  All Swami's Works are directed to the transformation of human's mind and senses. Human's real nature can be transformed into the Narayana Thathwa (principle, truth, essence, real nature of God), for both are basically the same. Only, you have to switch on to the particular wavelength. Know it, adjust correctly and the all-pervading will be grasped clearly with no distortion.

 

(Reet's compilation from, Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 3. "Griha or guha" Chapter 6 and "A drama within a drama," Chapter 9; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 9. "Seaworthy boat," Chapter 21; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 15. "Good health and goodness," Chapter 21; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 27. "Cherish the sweetness of sacrifice," Chapter 18; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 32. Part 1. "Control Your Senses," Chapter 15).
 
    Namaste - Reet
 

 


Home Page