Swami teaches... Directions to the students

[Guest guest]

Sai Ram

 

Light and Love

Swami teaches.... (28 - 31 August 2005)

Directions to the students

Students should acquire spiritual knowledge along with secular knowledge.

They should also cultivate total awareness. You have to acquire Atma Jnaana

(knowledge of the Spirit) along with worldly knowledge. Spiritual knowledge is

the adornment for human. It is hidden wealth. It is the basis of fame,'

happiness and comforts. It is a teacher for teachers. It is like a third eye

for a human. Such sacred knowledge qualifies the person for honour at the

courts of kings. It is more precious than riches. Scientific knowledge is

subject to continual change, while spiritual knowledge is changeless and will

help you to realise the Eternal Truth. The scriptures declare that the whole

Cosmos is rooted in righteousness. This is the Truth. The planets, the sun, the

moon and the stars are all moving in a set pattern according to their Dharma.

You must understand this harmony and unity. Make use of the things in the

world with the awareness that it is all God's creation and you should be

grateful to the Divine for everything. Have everything within limits, including

your desire for comforts. Even the five elements should be used within limits.

Otherwise they will spell danger.

Students acquire human values, in addition to their scholastic, intellectual

and other attainments. Technology has made great strides in modern times. The

advances in other fields need no mention. The revolutionary advances in

technology have brought about many changes in human's life. The most important

change is the decay of morals. Spiritual and ethical values have been

undermined. Moral standards have collapsed. Today ideals have been perverted.

"Qualities like compassion and goodness have been replaced by unrighteous

conduct. (Today, people talk about a new social order and so on. There is no

need for a new social system. We need only boys and girls of high character).

Who are responsible for the failure of the educational system? The parents

at home tell the children one thing and act differently themselves. Teachers

likewise teach one thing and act differently themselves. Leaders also preach

one thing and practise another. Students are intelligently observing these

double standards. Every student today wants to lead a comfortable life. But

they have no idea what comfort really means. They argue that comfort consists

in eating, drinking and leading a free and easy life. But spending one's time

in this manner is unworthy of a human being.

The educational process should aim at developing character and not merely

intellectual abilities. Of what use is it to get a doctorate without character?

Education should have a practical bias which will make the student useful for

himself and society. You must win fame for the country. You must share in the

prosperity of the nation with all others. To whatever country you may belong,

cherish 'love for your country. "All are one. Be alike to everyone." Don't give

room for differences of race, creed or nation. There is only one God, the

Supreme Divinity, that is present in all beings and permeates the entire

cosmos. The Divine is present in every atom. Everything in the world is

composed of energy and matter. Einstein called it "Supreme Power." Vedic saints

described it as Dhivya-Shakthi (Divine Energy).

Though the Divine is in everything and everywhere it is not easily

cognisable. The seed sprouts and grows into a tree. The child grows into an

adult. This is evidence of Divinity, which is the life force stimulating the

growth. You enjoy the sight of the mighty mountains, the big rivers, the

vast ocean and the dense forests.Who is the creator of all these beautiful

manifestations in Nature? Though it is not possible for most people to realise

the existence of God as the eternal truth, yet a few have acquired this highest

wisdom, the wisdom of the Atma. Having experienced the Divine they have given to

the world the bliss that they have enjoyed.

There is one machine that is more powerful than others. That is the human

body. The marvellous powers of the human body are not fully recognized by any

one. You should examine your own potentialities. It is human's potent power

that has created all the wonderful machines and devices for mankind. All the

powers in the world are within you. The outside world is a reflection of your

inner being. Various scientists are being praised. But all powers are within

you, electrical power, magnetic power, the power of light and fire and

radiation. Every human being is a computer. Every individual is mini-generator.

Every person is a lamp and a radio station. Just as the most complicated and

expensive machine cannot work without power of physical energy, the human

machine cannot work without divine energy. In the cosmic context, the Atma

is as unseen sugar what dissolved in water. So the Atma or Paramatma cannot be

seen, but has to be experienced. This is cosmic consciousness and is infinite.

It is in the form of consciousness in human beings. The infinite, universal

Spirit is omnipresent. No one can determine what is good and what is bad in

this all-pervading Cosmic spirit. For Divinity there are no such distinctions

and no one can attribute such qualities to the Divine.

The sages regarded the body as a shrine in which the Divine is the

Indweller. Human is not a fragment of Nature or a combination of the five basic

elements (earth, water, fire, air, ether). Human is an "amsa" of the immortal

Omni-Self. To reach the Divine within, one has to qualify himself to pass

through four gates -Shama, Vicharana, Thripthi and Satsangam (sense-control,

enquiry, contentment and the company of the good).

Control over senses is the first gate in Self-realisation. Shama must be

taken up early in one's life. One should not wait till old age to embark on

this vital exercise. Shama calls for steadfast faith in God and complete

control of the senses and the mind. Thereare five sense organs and five organs

of action, besides the mind, through which these ten function. Once the

jnanendriyas (the sense organs) are controlled, it is easy to control the

karmendriyas (organs of action). Shama (sense control) makes one a master of

mind and indriyas (sense and action organs), instead of being their slaves.

Such a person transcends the animal nature and can go forward from the human to

the Divine. Birds, beasts and other creatures are concerned with the

enjoyment of external things. Human alone is gifted with the capacity to

discriminate between the transient and the permanent and seek what is

everlasting. It is the consciousness in the physical body that enables human to

enjoy the pleasures derived from the objects experienced through the senses.

The second gate that you have to pass through is Vicharana (enquiry). Human

has to distinguish between the Atma and the Anatma (the spirit and the matter),

the real and the unreal, good and evil, right and wrong, and then follow the

right path. The light of intelligence grasps what is beyond the senses. We have

to transcend the senses and reject the ephemeral and the perishable in our

Godward journey.

The third gate requires "Tripti" (contentment). At this stage human must

learn to be content with what he has and what he gets and look upon whatever he

receives as gift from God. When he is satisfied with what he has, he can be

happy. When he desires for more, he gets discontented and miserable. Today

there are people who are never content with what they have and are ceaselessly

seeking more wealth, position or power. They are perpetually harried by

discontent. They claim rights of every kind, but have no awareness of their

responsibilities. The contented man is the most praiseworthy person.

The fourth gate to be passed through is Satsangam (the company of good).

Youth today are in great need of good company. Students should eschew totally

bad company of every kind. You need a lamp to find a way through a dark jungle.

Likewise, in the jungle of life, you need the light and guidance of good

persons to keep you company on the right path and to take you to the right

goal.

 

In Bharatia culture, the four goals of human existence - Purusharthas -

have been declared to be: Dharma (righteousness), Artha (earning of wealth),

Kama (fulfilment of desires) and Moksha (liberation).

There are four important qualities which human has to develop if he is to

pursue properly the four Purusharthas. These four are: Maitri (friendship),

Karuna (kindness or compassion), Muditha (appreciation)and Upeksha (dislike or

disinterestedness).

1. Maitri is regarded as mere friendliness. One should not cultivate

friendship with all and sundry. Friendship should be cultivated only towards

those who are one's equals in age, status, culture, etc. When you try to

befriend those above you in status etc., they may try to patronise you. When

you do not like to be lorded over, the friendship will break. When you develop

friendship with those below you, you may attempt to boss ever them. When they

do not acquiesce in this, the friendship will break up.

2.Karuna (kindness or compassion) should be shown towards those who are in a

lower position than ourselves in respect; of age, wealth, health, status,

education, and the like. Only then compassion becomes meaningful and valuable.

Kindness justifies itself in such cases. 3. Muditha (appreciation) relates

to the attitude to be shown towards those who are better off than you. You

should feel happy when you see such persons. They may look wealthier than you

or better placed than you in position and possessions. Muditha means freedom

from envy and feeling happy over the better fortunes of others. 4. Upeksha

includes two terms Apeksha (liking) and Upeksha (dislike or disinterestedness).

We should have no liking for those who indulge in bad deeds or entertain bad

thoughts. They should be kept at arm's length. Keep away from all those who are

filled with bad thoughts, indulge in bad talk and bad actions. This is Upeksha.

Brahmacharya (Celibacy) is the foundation for the structure of life. The

first floor is the stage of Grihastha (householder leading a married life). The

second floor is Vaanaprastha (preparatory to renunciation) and the third floor

is Sanyaasa (Renunciation). People think that the world is separate from

them. The entire universe is in the heart of each individual.

There are three states of human's consciousness - the waking state, the

dream state and the deepsleep state. All the three states are in every

individual. The three governing powers in these states are Vishva, Thaijasa and

Prajna respectively. The Gaayathri manthra "Om Bhur Bhuvas Suvah" is related to

thee three.

All the three worlds are in our heart only. The outside world we see is the

material world formed of inert matter. The world that you see is Bhu and the

power that causes the movement is: Bhuvah or Praana shakthi (Life-force) which

can be termed as Vibration. It is the force of vibration that activates all the

limbs of the body. Because of the Prajnaana, which is inside, the Life-force is

able to cause vibration and activate the limbs. The source of prajna is Suvaha

(Radiation). When you analyse in this manner, it will be seen that

Bhur-Bhuvas-Suvah represents the forces of Radiation, Vibration and

Materialisation.

It is the existence of these potencies in human that makes human birth

precious. Humanness is born with the human being. It is there in everyone.

People are not able to understand this truth today.

You are considering the bodies which are different in form as different from

you. To do so is sin. You must only see the Aathma in all. "To see diversity is

sin" says Vyaasa. He taught the world to see theOne in the many. You should

follow this principle and develop Prema, the principle of love, towards all.

When love is directed towards the ephemeral world it is Anuraaga

(attachment). When it is directed towards God it is true love. Every individual

should know the difference between Prema and Anuraaga. Many people profess that

they love God. They may love God for securing some selfish material benefits.

This is not true devotion at all. Devotion is not merely offering several types

of worship or going on pilgrimage. Unalloyed and true love for love's sake alone

constitutes devotion. Love is the intimate bond ofrelationship between the

devotee and the Lord.

There is no power greater than Prema (love) in this world because it is

selfless and pure. Thoughseveral yogas are available for practice, each and

every yoga contains an element of selfishness. But prema, is free from

selfishness. It is only because of the absence of such selfless love that

chaos, conflicts and confusion are prevalent in the world.

The ancient sages, who were doing Thapas and finally had a vision of the

Reality, declared that they had realised-the Divine, whose effulgence was that

of the sun, beyond the darkness of ignorance. They also taught that God is the

embodiment of Truth and had to be experienced as such. Truth issues from Prema.

Love shines as the eternal truth in every one's heart. However, it will be

dormant in the heart of the selfish. Love cannot co-exist with ego and pomp.

Love is the royal path that can take you to the highest state of the Divine.

Real love is beyond the three categories of time past, present and future. Love

towards God, thepermanent changeless entity, alone is fit to be called Prema.

 

Don't never forget the meaning of Gaayathri what is pervading everywhere and

teaches you the great lesson. It consists of three deities, Gaayathri, Saavithri

and Sarasvathi. Hence it is Trinity of the senses, the mind and speech.

Gaayathri has five faces and is the embodiment of all deities. Sthothra

(description of the glory), Dhyaana (meditation) and Praarthana (prayer) are

all contained in the Gaayathri Manthra. The basis for this is to meditate, pray

and experience. It is essential to achieve harmony in thought, word and deed. A

prayer become meaningful when you stabilise your mind and turn it towards God.

Every small word or phrase in a manthra has immense inner meaning. It cannot

be dismissed assuperstition. Upanayanam is a Samskaara (sacrament) that makes a

child fit for pursuing the highest wisdom. There is no difference between one

child and another at the time of birth. All are born out of the mother's womb

only. This is the first stage of life (sudra). The second stage is getting the

upadhesha of Gaayathri at the time of Upanayanam, when the child becomes a

Dhvija (twice-born) and is then purified.The third stage is Vipra, when one has

mastered the study of the Vedhas. The fourth stage is Braahmana when he actually

realises the Brahman through the knowledge of the Self. One becomes a Braahmana

by action and not by birth. Gaayathri will protect your body, make your

intellect shine and improve your power of speech. That is why Gaayathri is

considered to be very important for this second stage of life. You should live

in accordance with the Upanishathic prayer' "Sahanaa Vavathu Sahanou Bhunakthu

Sahaveeryam Karavaavahai" (Let us grow together, live together and develop love

together). From such living, you get divinity. The Vedhik saying also teaches,

"Let us live together, strive together, impart to others what we have learnt

and lead a life of harmony and unity." (Reet's compilation from, Sathya Sai

Speaks. Vol. 20. 4. "The Four Gates," Chapter 4; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 22.

"The four qualities," Chapter 13; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 28. 11. "Nearness to

God," Chapter 11; "Restoration of Moral Values," Chapter 12 and "The quest for

Aathma Jnaana," Chapter 15).

Namaste - Reet