Swamii teaches... Mental transformation as creative process

[Guest guest]

Sai Ram

 

Light and Love

 

Swami teaches.... ( 29 March 2005)

 

Mental Transformation as Creative Process

Agriculture is for living; mind-culture is for life. Educational system that

keeps youth away fromGod - the only refuge, the only kinsman, the only guide and

guard - is really a system where theblind are engaged in blinding those who

depend on them. There should be change in the mental attitude of the people, as

the prelude to a change in the national and later world wide scene.

 

True education should be the life-breath of human beings. Aathma vidhya

(science of the Self) alone can fix the mind in Dharma. The spiritual aspirants

as well as students will develop a keen desire to know about it - knowledge and

desire that will stand them in good stead, when they encounter the problems of

life.

The war of Kurukshethra, for which the Mahaabhaaratha is the background and

the stage,lasted for eighteen days; other wars have lasted longer, seven years'

thirty years and even ahundred years. They had a finish, some time. But the

battle between Jeevi and Maayaa, the individual and the fascinating, deluding

wiles of the really unreal Nature with its enticing multi-fariousness - this

battle is continuous. Maayaa can be conquered only by allying yourselves with

the Master of Maayaa, Maadhava. This is the lesson that Aathma vidhya teaches.

 

 

In every padaartham (object) in the Universe there is a Paraartham (Supreme

Principle). The Vedhas proclaimed this by saying that the Supreme is in the

Anoraniyaan (subtlest of the subtle) and the Mahathomahiyaan (vastest of the

vast). By deriving pleasure from a small fraction of the Pancha Bhuuthas (Five

Elements - Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth) we are forgetting the truth of

the Cosmos. Five Elements that constitute the natural environment are kept in

balance, the world is in a healthy state.

Great sages, filled with magnificent sympathy for their fellowmen, laid down

rules, regulations,limits and directions for daily life and conduct, so that

human's hand and brain, instincts andimpulses may not turn against

oneself/selves, but may turn towards the ideals of sathya, dharma, shaanthi and

prema. They declared that every karma must be weighed in the balance and

approved only if it cleanses the emotions and passions; it has to be cast aside

if it curdles or fouls them. Bhaavashuddhi (purification of mental

disposition) was the fruit of karma and any act thatbefogs the bhaava (thought

process) or excites it into Rajas (passion) or demeans it into thamas(inertia)

has to be avoided. Yajnas and yaagas (sacrificial rites and sacrificial

offerings) wereprescribed so that one may learn the glory of renunciation, not

the glitter of pomp andconspicuous waste. Yajnas imposed on the performer

and participants a rigorous routine of physical and mentalcleanliness that: led

them on to the presence of the Supreme. Like the attractive pictures

inchildren's primers, they drew attention and held it fast; they took the

delighted readers along thelessons and helped them to master knowledge itself.

They learnt Akshara (the unchanging eternaltruth) through the changing karma.

The worship of idols, temple rituals, vows and fasts, festivalsand holy days,

all these are designed to tame the human's wildness and train one to tread

thestraight and sharp path to self-realisation through spiritual/mental

transformation.

 

It is significant to stress that ethical transformation depends on social

transformation. Social transformation is related to spiritual change. Spiritual

transformation is the basis for ethical transformation. As you notice, all are

interconnected into one grid of spiritual wholeness.

For women spiritual transformation have a special role. Women are the

mothers of the coming generation; they are the teachers of that generation,

during the first five years of life. The mother is the first of the five

Maathas (Mothers), that the Indian child encounters: Dhehamaatha (the mother

that gave birth to this body); Go-maatha (the cow that gives sustaining milk);

Bhoo-maatha (the land that grows the crops which feed the body); Dhesa-maatha

(the Native country that gives protection, care, love, rights and chances to

serve and elevate oneself to one's full height), and Vedha-maatha (the heritage

of spiritual treasure that reveals the aim and purpose of human life and takes

one step by step, towards the Goal of Self-realisation).

The essence of spirituality is mental transformation. Without mental

transformation, what is the use of all spiritual sadhanas, experiences? What is

the use of prayer? It must come from the heart.

 

Education confers beauty on human;It is his secret treasure;It confers pleasure,

fame and happiness;It is the' teacher of teachers;It is one's kinsman-when

abroad;It confers supreme vision;In a royal assembly it is learning alone,Not

wealth, that counts;One without learning is an animal.

It is enthusiasm, inner spiritual motivation what turns learning a creative

process. The guide for this is to consider truth as own life-breath. If you

speak the truth and practise righteousness, you will attain the highest state.

Truth and Righteousness are inter-related. Together they constitute humanness.

Be aware that the rulers are not different from the ruled; the people

themselves select the rulers and entrust them with powers, responsibilities and

funds to plan and perform programmes of all-round uplift. Above all, people must

hanker after God more and after gold, less.

 

Some advises for spiritual aspirants for inspiring their learning.

God is in you, but like the woman, who fears that her necklace has been

stolen or lost, recognises that she has it round her neck when she passes a

mirror, one too will recognise that God is within, when some Guru remindsof it.

The joy' that you then get is incomparable. Everyonemust realise that the

science of Self, discovery is self-heritage. Now, there are many scholars, able

to expound that heritage, but few who practise it and earn the reward. That

science was explored by sages and laid down in clear and simple terms. Not to

know it and not to practise it is the greatest loss. Get rid of the desire for

sense-enjoyment. It is through desirelessness or vairagya (detachment) that

fear can be banished. Today people do not understand the meaning of

desirelessness. They think that giving up hearth and home is renunciation. This

is not what vairagya implies. Whatever we do should be done in a spirit of

goodwill and service. Regard yourself as an integral member of society.

Desires are like the pleasure you get while scratching itching eczema, only

makes the complaint worse. You cannot cure it by yielding to the temptation to

scratch. The more you scratch, the more you are tempted to continue, until

bleeding intervenes. So, desist from that vain pursuit and concentrate on

spiritual matters, or at least, move in the world with the everpresent

consciousness that it is a morass, a net, a trap, into which attachment and

desire will precipitate you. Be a true bhaktha and become so small that you

wriggle out of the shackles of the senses or be a true jnaani and become so

huge, that you escape by breaking the shackles.

You should not be swayed by the demon of doubt. Doubt comes only from

ignorance; itdisappears when knowledge dawns. When a man was tiding on

horseback with another carryinga bed behind him, passersby concluded that the

rider was the master and the man behind was hisservant. When both reached a

caravanserai and when the rider was feeding the horse and the manwith the bed

was sleeping on it in the verandah, others thought the former was the servant

and thelatter, the master! Conclusions drawn on flimsy grounds are always

subject to revision. You have to cure yourself of the disease of ignorance,

just as you have to cure yourself of the disease of hunger. No one else can

save you from both. Save yourself by yourself.

Most of the troubles tormenting the world today stem from loss of

Aathma-Vishvaasa (self-confidence). The eternal verities proclaimed in the

scriptures have assumed bizarre forms. Sacred nature is divorced from humanity.

The ancient wisdom is in eclipse. Perverted knowledge is growing. In such a

situation, how can ethical and spiritual values appeal to youth?Does knowledge

of how to cause mass destruction merit the name of science? Cannot their

scientific investigations be devoted to causes which promote human welfare and

betterment?Many scientific discoveries of today were excelled by the

achievements of Hiranyakasipu. Thepowers obtained from them are prone to be

misused.

In the field of science today, there is great emphasis on research and

discovery. But unless the results of research are applied in practice, it will

be an expensive futility. If all the time is spenton research when is it to

find useful application in practice? Those engaged in research seem to be more

concerned about boosting their name and fame by their research than about

promoting public well-being through the results of their research. Nor do they

seem to be bothered about the harmful consequences of their discoveries. There

is nothing great about causing harm to others. To destroy a million persons by

a single bomb is no great thing. To do good to a single individual in the world

is more praise-worthy.

(Reet's compilation from, Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 4."You are born for your own

sake," Chapter 47;

Vol. 6."The taming of the wild," Chapter 31;

Vol. 8."The five mothers," Chapter 26;

Vol. 16."Develop devotion to Dharma," Chapter 13;

Vol. 23."Give up selfishness: Cultivate unity," Chapter 7;

Vol. 26."Education should develop human values," Chapter 35).

 

Namaste - Reet