Newspaper article - Religion: Attaining enlightenment

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RELIGION: Attaining enlightenment

Enlightenment is what most Sai Baba (and Hindu) followers strive to achieve.

Enlightenment is a spiritual process in which the devotee is "one with God" and

will have eternal life when he dies. To gain enlightenment, the follower must

have pious faith and resignation toward the Guru; direct all his thoughts,

feelings, and actions toward God; he can no longer think of himself as an

individual or think of material rewards; act like he is totally vulnerable at

the grace of God; and surrender all material things and live in near poverty.

Sai Baba himself begs for food sometimes and lives in old huts around India.

Knowledge of God or religion is the most important value that a person can

have. One cannot become smart by knowing material subjects such as the sciences

but he can only become smart by reading the scriptures and following it. Knowing

enlightenment and devotion to God is the ultimate knowledge. People's flesh and

bodies are nothing; it is their eternal conscience which matters and if they

direct it toward God, their thoughts and actions will be noble. In fact, Sai

Baba encourages people to help others more than just sitting and praying. Sai

Baba strongly encourages people to follow moral and good behaviour each day and

follow the values of truth, proper conduct, peace, selflessness, non-violence,

and morality. Therefore, the followers of Sai Baba strongly believe in doing

good deeds. (Rigoplouso, 1993: 285-290) Sai Baba's Beliefs through Action Sai

Baba believes that good action and helping people is more important than

sitting down and simply praising God. All followers should act with love, care,

and selflessness and dedicate themselves to helping people. Sai Baba strongly

encourages helping the helpless and needy around the world.

MEDITATION:

Aum bhoor bhuwah swaha, tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasaya dheemahi dhiyo yo

naha prachodayat. Summary of the Mantra Oh God! Thou art the Giver of Life,

Remover of pain and sorrow, The Bestower of happiness, Oh! Creator of the

Universe, May we receive thy supreme sin-destroying light, May Thou guide our

intellect in the right direction. Word for Word Meaning of the Mantra Aum =

Brahma ; bhoor = embodiment of vital spiritual energy(pran) ; bhuwah =

destroyer of sufferings ; swaha = embodiment of happiness ; tat = that ;

savitur = bright like sun ; varenyam = best choicest ; bhargo = destroyer of

sins ; devasya = divine ; dheemahi = may imbibe ; dhiyo = intellect ; yo = who

; naha = our ; prachodayat = may inspire ; Meaning of Gayatri Mantra Rishis

selected the words of various Mantras and arranged them so that they not only

convey meaning but also create specific power through their utterance. Gayatri

Mantra inspires wisdom. Its meaning is that "May the Almighty God illuminate

our intellect to lead us along the righteous path". All the problems of a

person are solved if he/she is endowed with the gift of righteous wisdom. Once

endowed with far-sighted wisdom, a man is neither entangled in calamity nor

does he tread the wrong path. A wise man finds solution to all outstanding

problems. Only those persons who do not think correctly find difficulty and

take wrong steps due to foolishness. Chanting of Gayatri Mantra removes this

deficiency. The teachings and powers incorporated in the Gayatri Mantra fulfill

this purpose. Righteous wisdom starts emerging soon after Jap(recitation) of

this Mantra is performed. Rishis selected the words of various Mantras and

arranged them so that they not only convey meaning but also create specific

power through their utterance. Gayatri Mantra inspires wisdom. Its meaning is

that "May the Almighty God illuminate our intellect to lead us along the

righteous path". All the problems of a person are solved if he/she is endowed

with the gift of righteous wisdom. Once endowed with far-sighted wisdom, a man

is neither entangled in calamity nor does he tread the wrong path. A wise man

finds solution to all outstanding problems. Only those persons who do not think

correctly find difficulty and take wrong steps due to foolishness. Chanting of

Gayatri Mantra removes this deficiency. The teachings and powers incorporated

in the Gayatri Mantra fulfill this purpose.

© Central Chronicle 2005.

Links to articles from newspapers, journals, magazines related to Bhagavan Sri

Sathya Sai Baba:http://www.saibabalinks.org/saibabainthemedia.htm