Sai Ram Light and Love
Swami teaches...29 November 2005
The Life-Long Learnig to Master the Mind
The motto: "I draw you to Me and then re-form and re-shape you. I am a
kind of smith who repairs broken, leaky, damaged hardware. I repair broken
hearts and fragile minds, warped intellects, feebleresolutions and fading
faith" (Sathya Sai Baba).
It is the human's duty in this life, as also in later lives, to know and
experience the Basic Cause of the Universe, the Source of all, what is
Sath-Chith-Aanandha (Being, Awareness, Bliss , Absolute) and human too is a
spark of the same Basic Cause.
(Those who deny God or the Supreme Will or the Basic Cause, can give no
really satisfactory justification for their stand; nor can those who assert
that there is God. Both have to rely on their own experience. After all how can
sweetness be denied by one who refuses to taste sugar? How can one be convinced
that sugar is sweet until one tastes it?
The wise are buoyed up by the bliss of their genuine awareness; the seekers
and aspirants have their urges satisfied by the experiences of people in whom
they have faith. The atheists hang on, by the slim thread of reason, to the
beliefs they have once entertained. If they had faith in their own selves, they
would have inferred that their selves derive strength and joy only from the
Overself or God or the Cause of the Universe or the First Source). All
human's misery is due to separation from that Source of all. The simple truth
that everything is permeated by the One has been lost sight of. If human
realises that he/she is one with the Omni-self, there will have no cause for
sorrow. When human realises that the Divine is all-pervasive, there will be no
room for acquisitive selfishness or divisiveness.

The fear and anxiety, the grief and pain, the defeat and distress of human's
earthly existence - these are the result of person's identification with
falsehood. Human ought to proceed from one truth to another, from one facet of
truth to another brighter and clearer one. No one really moves from untruth to
truth. What is called untruth is only partial truth, or dulled truth or clouded
truth. The ultimate goal is the uncovering of Truth.

The Divine assumed a myriad amazing variety of forms in the Universe and
taught in the Gita to realise the magnificence of the Divine. Human has been
engaged in exploring the infinite wonderful secrets of Nature in this
marvellous creation in all possible ways.
But because of the vagaries of his mind, human has failed to understand the
true eternal, spiritual basis underlying everything in the Universe and has
lost himself in the pursuit of the external phenomenal world as if it were the
only reality. In the process human has failed to realise own true nature and
has totally perverted own mind. The root of all trouble is the uncontrolled
ill-directed mind. The mind fancies that it can get joy from the objects
around, about which the senses give it information.
The mind is like a boulder which the intellect transforms into an image,
even as a sculptor does. If the intellect allows the senses to dictate the
design, the boulder will be shaped into a horrid idol. If, however, the senses
are sublimated by the spirit, the image wrought by the intellect will be simply
adorable. One must have the mind fully co-operating in the spiritual discipline
and not obstructing its progress at every step. The mind can be mastered by
Jnana (supreme knowledge) and should not admit any activity that is contrary
to Dharma (righteousness) or injurious to spiritual progress.
The mind will disappear as soon as the enquiry starts, for it is like cloth
composed of the warp and woof of yarn. Each yarn is a desire, a wish, an
attachment. Remove them and the cloth vanishes. Delusion is the cotton, desire
is the yarn, mind is the cloth. Through vairagya (detachment) the warp and the
woof can be pulled out. The sadhaka (spiritual aspirant) must have as own
security personnel, viveka (wisdom) and vairaagya. Then he can move through the
world unharmed.
However, how can you expect quick success in the control of the mind? It is
very difficult to overcome its vagaries, for it is many-faced and very adamant.
If you rub a bit of iron on a hard surface, it develops heat; continue to
rub it vigorously; then it can be made red-hot: If you do so with long
intervals, the iron bit will become cold and all the effort up till then is a
waste. The mind is as iron. The work has to be repeated over again.

Samartha Raamadas, while a boy, was going through the bazaar reading books.
Some one reprimanded him for reading while walking. He said that Raamadas could
read when he reached school. But Raamadas replied, For me, the entire world
appears as a school, which I must attend throughout life. I do not see any
difference between the school where I learn some lessons and the world where I
learn other lessons. The process of learning lasts until death and is resumed
at birth. Samsaara (worldly life) is the saara (the essence) of all
experiences.
By the first three primary goals of life - Dharma, Artha and Kama
(righteousness, wealth and desire - fulfillment) - the practice of Dharma is
the Art of Living. That is why in the Gita Krishna taught Arjuna to give up the
fruits of action, not to give up the body.
Human's career in this world is a perpetual struggle with the down-dragging
impulses and the raising impulses. It is Dharmakshethra, where the Kurukshethra
battle is being waged, from birth to death. Life is a game with fire; one has to
derive the warmth without getting burnt. One has to use the senses and the
intellect wisely, for liberation rather than get entangled in their wiles.
The joy one has lost has to be recovered from the inner consciousness which
has been covered by the darkness of ignorance. Search for the joy in the inner
vision; set it right and you can discover it there. Practise the attitude of
joy when others are joyful and of grief when others around you are grieved. Let
your heart move in sympathy. But the joy and grief have to be translated into
service; they should not be mere emotions. It is not by your wearing the 'bush
coat' which all others wear that you should demonstrate the principle of
equality. That is external uniformity. How are all equal? Because they have all
the same Atma within them. Every being has to reach the Goal, however slow they
walk or however circuitous their road.

To reach the Goal quickly, without passing through the ordeals of the long
journey and stopping at one caravanserai after another, passing from birth to
birth, learn sadhana - especially, the easiest and the quickest, Namasmarana.
So, attach yourself to Swami and the current will flow through you and get
things done for your good. The light you get from the current that flows always
along the copper wire depends on the power of the bulb you fix. The rain falls
of its own accord uniformly on the land; the lands bring forth the fruit
according to the quality of soil and seed.
A little practice will teach to hold fast to the Feet of God, while roaming
about in the world doing all duties and carrying all responsibilities as
dedicated to Him. No attempt need be made to run away from the duties of one's
station and status. Remember, those duties have to be done as worship, as
offerings of one's intelligence and skill, qualities and thoughts and feelings
to the Feet of the Lord in a spirit of thankfulness for the chance given,
without a trace of egoism or a sense of attachment to the fruits of the
actions. The obligatory actions have to be carried out, wherever you are, with
care and sincerity. They award the needed viveka (wisdom) and vairagya
(detachment).
Do not worry about the consequences; leave it to God who prompted the act
and made it possible. Develop physical health and mental alertness and
cleverness in discovering the way to lasting happiness; then you will have
attachment, which if turned to God becomes devotion which promotes detachment
from all that distracts the mind away from God and leads to liberation. So,
with the Lord of the Universe in your heart, you can wander over the entire
world. Like a lamp held in the hand which will illumine every foot of the
journey, because it will come with you however far you go, the Name of God will
illumine every minute of your life. Devotion is not something objective and
concrete. It is an inner experience which springs from the heart. As you think,
so you become. Hence, the heart must be filled with good feelings. The senses
must be engaged in good actions. When the eyes are turned towards God, all
creation appears Divine.

It is part of human nature to desire to reach the presence of God. For deep
within the human heart is the urge to reach the place from which he/she has
come, to attain the lost joy and the missed glory. Human being is divine and
so it is a matter of the' deep calling unto the deep, of the part calling for
the whole, of the sky in the pot yearning for the sky surrounding it.
To reach the presence of the source of Bliss, that is, God, you must tread
the foot-steps of the great saints and seekers. Practise their teachings,
follow their example.
Give the world only secondary importance; the primary place should be
reserved for loosening its coils. The Jagadjanani (Mother of the Universe) will
hurry towards you and caress you only when you cast off the dolls and cry. Yearn
from the very depths of the heart, yearn with your whole being. Leave no balance
of attachment in the mind.
Scientists have to feel the great marvel of energy manipulating both the
minutest atom and cell and the vastest, most distant star. They consider the
atom as all-important and the Atma as insignificant. This is a tragic reversal
of values. As human's knowledge and skills have increased, the moral calibre
has declined. To indulge in demoniac actions while having the human form means
degrading human nature.

Of what use are wealth and position if one has no peace of mind? A quiet
conscience is human's brightest jewel. To achieve inner peace, desires have to
be subdued. Engage yourselves in service activities in a spirit of dedication.
Prepare yourselves for serving the people with God in your hearts and strength
in your arms!That sense of real value must influence every choice that you
make. The goal is God-realisation, the realisation of the reality over which
all this is but appearance. If your heart is filled with love of God, all your
feelings are sanctified by that love. Other undesirable thoughts drop away.
Everything in the Universe testifies to the glories of God. Everything is a
gift from the Divine.

The reconstruction of humanity on moral foundations is a world problem
today. In all countries the emphasis is on the standard of life, not on the way
of living. Once you turn towards the path of worldly happiness, you will be led
on and on to greater and greater discontent, competition, pride and jealousy.
As long as the ego is dominant, the Atmic consciousness will not develop. The
egoist cannot recognise the Atma. Egoism is the kind of delusion that is based
on the misconceived notion that the body is real and permanent. The truth is
otherwise.
The bubble rises from the water, floats on water bursts and finally merges
in the water itself. The bubble is a temporary phase of water with a temporary
name and a temporary form. If it should feel that being light and bright, it is
separate from water, the idea is a delusion born of ignorance. So, too, with
human who is Atma (Soul), lives as Atma (Divine Self) and merges in Atman
(Infinite Self). Anything conceived besides Atman is false. However, few have
solid faith in the Scriptures or in God; very few have the steadiness to stick
to Dharma and brave the temptation to stray from the straight path.
Just stop for a moment and examine your own experience; whether you are
happier when you grow richer and whether you get more peace as and when your
wants are satisfied. Then you will bear witness to the truth that an improved
standard, of living is no guarantee of happiness. Nor is education or the
mastery of informationand the acquisition of skills any guarantee of mental
equanimity.
The majority of persons get glimpses of discrimination and detachment off
and on; but they soon forget the call and ignore it and cover it up by excess
or excuses. One step forward and one step back - the journey does not take them
far. Even if some do take up sadhana, steadiness is absent. Like a ball of
thread which slips out of the hand on to the floor, it all comes off because
the grasp is not firm.
Steady perseverance alone will tame your mind; and it is through a tamed
mind that you can experience God. In this case, you must become your own tutor;
train yourself by using the spark of wisdom that has been implanted in you. Once
you try with all your might, the Lord's Grace will be there to help you forward.
(Reet's compilation from, Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 2. "Steps in Saadhana,"
Chapter 6; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 6. "The one Purusha," Chapter 36 and "A
constable on each side," Chapter 39; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 14. "At every
level of consciousness," Chapter 4; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 21. "Man's Divine
Destiny," Chapter 3).
PS: Now and herafter the spelling of names and other special expressions
are coordinated by glossary Vahini. http://www.vahini.org/glossary/s.html . In
the original texts (1963 - 2005) the spelling of the same names/words is
different.
Namaste - Reet

dear brothers and sisters

Well said the cause of every problem is attachment
hence we should start getting detached from this
moment.

sairam