Swami teaches... Experience the Divine by the vision inwards

[Guest guest]

Sai Ram

 

Light and Love

Swami teaches... 13 - 19 September 2005

Experience the Divine by the Vision Inwards

The motto: You must see, hear, study, observe, experience and reflect; only

then can you understand Me. Sathya Sai Baba

This is tragic: when good things are spoken, usually people find it

difficult to pay attention; but when demeaning, distracting things are spoken,

the ears are on the alert.

Many modern films pollute human minds; they teach crime, violence and greed;

they destroy the basic humanness and degrade it into bestiality. Many novels too

corrupts equally, with salacious pictures of bestiality.

Attachment, affection, interest - these will create prejudice, partiality,

illusion, they hide the Truth; they dull the intelligence. One does not become

a Yogi to have affection; one must be free from favourites, fancies and

fondness. Once you attach yourself to some person or habit or mannerism, it

will be difficult for you to shake them off.

Human should be the master of own behaviour; one should not be led away by

the impulse of the moment. One should so carry on the daily tasks that does not

make others suffer or suffer him/herself. That is the sign of intelligent

living. In this spiritual sphere of mental peace and inner joy, the

responsibility for success or failure is entirely one's own. Do not add fuel

to the fire of the senses. The negative Shakthi (power) and the positive

Shakthi both together will give the Light.

Life is a struggle between the forces of good and evil, of joy and grief, of

success and failure. The doubt may arise whether, in the face of this perpetual

fight, human can ever escape from the bonds of duality. Is it after all a vain

hope, or a tantalising prospect or is it the sport of God?

The Universe is a University for those who care to watch and learn.

Awareness is life; so, the farmer, the carpenter, the smith, the sculptor, the

merchant, all have the need to be aware of their duties and their

responsibilities, their skills and standards, which education must foster and

fix. Spiritual education is not a distinct and separate discipline; it is

part and parcel of all types and levels of education, In fact, it is the very

foundation on which a lasting edifice can be built. Secular and spiritual

education are like the two halves in the seeds of pulses; the germ that sprouts

is in between; It is fed by both. All worldly knowledge and physical prowess are

of no avail if there is no spiritual strength. This is illustrated by the lives

of Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaaksha in the Bhaagavatham, of Karna and the

Kauravas in the Mahaabhaaratha and of Raavana in the Raamaayana.

It is doubtless essential to acquire skills of various kinds. But they have

to be used for the realisation of the four main goals of human life, described

compendiously as the Purushaarthas. /The term Purusha has to be properly

understood. In-common parlance, it is applied to a male person. But Purusha

refers to the Jeeva, the Aathma, Praana and the Brahman. It is the Chaithanya

(awareness or consciousness) in every being, as distinct from Prakrithi, which

represents the body (and the phenomenal universe). Prakrithi represents the

feminine principle, while consciousness represents the male aspect. Purusha

applies to both man and woman)/. The four main goals are: Dharma

(righteousness), Artha (wealth), Kaama (desire) and Moksha (liberation).

1. Among the Purushaarthas, the first goal of life is Dharma. Dharma is

commonly understood as referring to activities like going on pilgrimages,

offering charity and performing good acts. But these activities serve only to

provide mental satisfaction and do not lead to the Divine. But Dharma is the

very embodiment of Divinity. All efforts to achieve oneness with the Divine can

alone be termed Dharma.

Dharma (Righteousness) is the root of human life. Its importance is not

realised just as people looking at the fruit of a tree do not recognise the

roots from which the tree and its fruits derive their sustenance. The tree has

grown because of the water supplied at its root. Karma is the tree and the

fruit you see in the tree is the result of your karma. What is it based upon?

That is the marma (the secret). It is the unseen Dharma that is the secret. It

is the unseen root of the tree. The meaning of this marma is that we should

follow Dharma which determines the nature of the fruit borne by the tree. 2.

Artha is ordinarily understood as referring to wealth. But what is the wealth

that one should really seek? It is the wealth of Jnaana, the wealth of Brahma

Jnaana (Divine Wisdom). Pursuit of this knowledge is the real quest for wealth,

not the pursuit of money and possessions.

3 - 4. Kaama is not mere fulfillment of worldly desires, which are transient

and momentary. The desire should be for Moksha, which means liberation from

attachment to all worldly objects and cultivating attachment to the Divine.

People today engage themselves in many outward spiritual practices. These

must be internalised.The scholar may expound the texts, but lacks the internal

experience. One who has mastered the Vedhas may be able to explain the words,

but cannot recognise the Vedha Purusha, the Supreme Person hailed by the

Vedhas.

Many read the Raamaayana as a daily ritual. But how many carry out the commands

of their fathers? How many practise the virtue of fraternal affection and love

proclaimed in the Raamaayana? Is there anyone standing for the gospel of Dharma

as upheld by Shri Raama? Of what use is it endlessly to listen to discourses

without putting anything into practice? Also the Geetha is being read and

expounded all the time. But simply reciting the Geetha is valueless. What is

meant by practice? Direct your sacred love rewards God. Get immersed in that

Love. There is no need for any severe spiritual exercise. You can experience

the entire cosmos within your heart.

To proceed on one's life's journey successfully is like driving a car

safely. This requires right understanding of how to handle the switch, the

steering wheel, the gears and the brakes. One should also follow the Vedhic

Maxim; "Sathyam Vadha, Dharmam Chara." It is an injunction to human to speak

the Truth and practise right conduct. This will help to be true to person's

conscience.

It is God within that inspires you to good acts, that warns you against the

bad. Listen to that Voice. Obey that Voice and you will not come to any harm.

Act according to the promptings of your conscience and concentrate on the

present, which is a product of the past and the parent of the future. How can

human exist without God? There can be no people without the inner kinship that

God ensures for each. He is the Brahmasuuthra - the Brahman String, invisible,

but inevitable.

From the most ancient times, people have been engaged in the search for God.

The questions, "Who is God?" and "What is the means to realise God?", are not of

today. They have been there from the earliest times and have agitated mankind

ceaselessly.

Scientists employ all kinds of instruments and declare that they have not

found God anywhere. But the saints, seeing God with the inner vision, see Him

everywhere. They use the power of manthra to see God; they see God through the

lens of Love. The ancient sages, however, regarded realisation of the Divine as

their main goal and practised various austerities. There after, they went our

into the world and proclaimed: “Vedhaaham etham Purusham mahaantham" (We have

experienced the effulgent, all-pervading Supreme Divine). Where did they

experience Him? They declared: “We have found Him beyond the darkness, beyond

the mind and the senses, in our hearts."

A few yogis, who comprehended the nature of the Divine and who felt that

the purpose of human existence is to seek the Divine, undertook various

spiritual exercises to discover how to achieve this objective. The purpose of

human life is to realise the Divine. The ancient sages, recognizing this truth,

pursued different kinds of penances to experience the Divine. Some of them,

feeling that the task was beyond their powers, gave up the quest in the middle.

Some others, recognizing that this was the sole purpose of human life persevered

in their efforts with determination. When human sets heart upon achieving

anything, there is nothing impossible.

 

When some people ask you, "Can you show God?" you should reply: “You are

God; that is why you are able to talk and act." There is nothing in the world

other than God. Swami told that once a person came to Him and argued that there

was no God and he was not prepared to believe in one. Swami asked has he faith

at least in yourself? You have faith in your judgement, your intelligence, your

ability, because God within you tells you not to falter or fear. That assurance

wells from within, from your basic truth, which is otherwise called God. It

does not matter if you do not call it God; it is enough if you believe in

Yourself; that is the real test of theism. Such was Swami's answer.

Hence the scriptures declare, "The body is the temple of God in which the

individual Spirit dwells as the Ancient One." The Spirit (as consciousness)

resides in the earthly body. The body is of the earth, earthy.The Aathma is

consciousness. Humanness is the coming together of the mundane and the

spiritual consciousness. It is a combination of good and evil. It is a mixture

of the transient and the eternal.

The body is a Kshethra (shrine). The Indweller is the Kshethrajna (Knower).

The source of Bliss, the Spirit, is within himself. Kith and kin are outside

one, but God is within the body. It is a waste of time to try to secure in one

way or other a direct vision of God. God is manifesting Himself in the heart of

everyone. Forgetting the God who is nearest and closest to them, people are

trying to seek for an invisible God elsewhere "Dhaivam maanusha ruupena" (God

appears in human form). It is sheer human fancy to imagine that God is

effulgent light or that he has four arms with conch and discus, and dwells in

some remote place.

However, a person who is attached to the body cannot, as a rule, experience

a formless, incorporeal God. Hence, as long as one has attachment to the body,

one must adore God in a physical form. When people worship Dhurga, Lakshmi

Sarasvathi, and other deities, gods externally in pictures or icons, they are

giving physical forms to the subtle potencies that are within them. When a

person goes to a temple, he/she doses eyes in front of the idol, because what

person seeks is an internal vision of God and not a sight of the external form

of the idol.

This is the Life Principle and with this you can lead a purposeful life. You

must understand your Dharma without which you cannot act in the right manner.

You are the master with the intellect and mind as instruments.

Human is unlike animals whose vertebral column is horizontal. Human can

stand erect on his two legs. Animals have instincts but no mind or intellect.

What is the difference between human and birds and beasts? Can eating,

drinking, sleeping and ultimately dying, be the be-all and end-all of human

life? All these are common to animals and human beings. What, then, is the

difference? Although human is endowed with intelligence, discrimination and

wisdom, without endeavouring to know the truth, human regards physical

phenomena as the only reality, and forgets the main goal of life.

Human is swayed by the delusion that life is meant to enjoy; eat, drink, and

sleep. There is no attempt to understand the purpose for which human being is

born in this world. Though person attempts to pursue right action, he/she fails

because of greed, ambition, lust and other temptations.

This is due to the delusion caused by Maya what is a strange phenomenon that

envelops human in spite of all precautions. It is like a shadow that chases one

everywhere. The shadow's size depends very much upon the direction of the light.

When one moves towards the light and comes under it, the shadow disappears and

there is no Maya.

 

The mysteries of creation are marvellous. When two persons meet at any time

or place, the differences between them are patent. Their forms and manners

differ. They differ in their cleverness and intelligence. Their opinions also

vary. Without understanding what underlies these differences, the materialist

thinkers emphasize the differences. At present good persons who realise the

unity behind the apparent diversity are dwindling in numbers from day to day.

If one enquires into the matter with a pure and unselfish mind, one will

see what is common to all beings. Birth and death are common to all. Hunger and

thirst are experienced by every person. These are truths that apply to all

persons, whether they are destitutes or millionaires, whether they are scholars

or ignorant men. Every human being has a body and a Spirit. Consequently

everyone enjoys a certain degree of freedom. This is described as "Free Will."

Not comprehending the nature of this freedom, people tend to stress the

differences rather than the unifying factors. All things, good and bad, in

the world are related to human's actions. Your well-being is based on your

conduct. Your wealth is dependent on your actions. You will secure peace and

prosperity when your conduct is good. This calls for Sahana (forbearance).

Forbearance is not a sign of weakness or cowardice. No other weapon has the

power of forbearance. It should not be used only as an individual instrument.

It has to be experienced collectively also. That is the reason why the

scripture has commended collective forbearance at the very outset of the

spiritual quest.

The ability to practice and experience forberance depends on the state of

the mind what in turn depends on the nature of the thoughts with which it is

filled, even as the smell of a paper depends on what is wrapped up in it,

flowers, fish or potato chips. The same mind is responsible for either animal

or divine behaviour.The mind is the mischief-maker; it jumps from doubt to

doubt; it puts obstacles in the way. It weaves a net and gets entangled in it.

It is ever discontented; it runs after a hundred things and away from another

hundred.

Purify your minds. Shed jealousy and hatred. Chanting God's name will confer

bliss on you. You are unable to understand the inner feelings of joy that the

chanting of the Divine name will yield. You should identify yourself with the

Divine vibrations which are like electric waves creating boundless energy.

Remember aslso that speech constitutes the wealth of the world. Speech promotes

friendship and kinship. Speech, also leads the way to death. Speech is endowed

with immense power. The power and potentialities of speech represent the

human's Divine feelings. (Hence, one has to be very vigilant in speech).

In all lands the true sense of values has to be restored, and faith in the

divinity of human being has to be implanted. This is the work for which Swami

has come. The world has to be saved from the consequences of limited knowledge,

and from the blinding pride that precedes a fall. (Reet's compilation from,

Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 2. "Believe in yourself," Chapter 3; Sathya Sai

Speaks. Vol. 13. "My wish, My vow," Chapter 17; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 26.

"The Divine and destiny," Chapter 26; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 27. "Sathya and

Dharma : bases of life," Chapter 8 and "Divine potencies in man," Chapter 27).

 

Namaste - Reet