Swami teaches... Spiritual education opens the doors of Absolut's Mansion

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Sai Ram Light and Love Swami teaches...

 

Spiritual Education Opens the Doors of Absolut's Mansion

 

From ancient times, wise sages and scientists have been investigating the

secrets of the Universe and Nature what is a part of the Universe. Everything

in the Universe, from subatomic particles to the biggest star, has a form. The

Universe contains innumerable objects. Whatever the Divine does, whether it is

something small or great, it is for the good of mankind. (By modern science it

is today called the Anthropic principle. In general it states that because

humans exist, the Universe must have the properties that humans can exist. The

term "anthropic principle" was used by professor Brandon Carter about 30 years

ago). So by Vedas, Swami and modern science there is a power at work about

which we are ignorant. Vedas described it as the Ajnaatha Shakthi (the unknown

power). The ancients called it also Dhivya Shakthi (power of God). In all of

them, the one unchanging, eternal principle is the Atma. That is Prajnaana.

That is Brahman. It is the power of this eternal principle which sustains the

evanescent and ever-changing objects of the Universe.

Is it the body that derives joy from looking at a thing of beauty? Or is it

the Atma? What is it that relishes the food that is consumed? The body or the

spirit? What is it that enjoys fragrance or is moved by companionship?

Enquiring in this manner, it will be found that it is the Atma that is the

enjoyer. The body by itself is gross and is incapable of experiencing joy.

(Body attachment is human and total detachment is divine). In reality, it is

the divinity that protects and safeguards human at every step from womb to

tomb. No one has the power to protect one’s own self. It must be realised that

the Spirit transcends the mind and the intellect and pervades the entire

cosmos. The Spirit is the basis for the cognition of the external world and

experiencing the inner world. To deny what is not perceptible by the senses

as nonexistent is foolish. Equally, to consider the apparent as the only reality

is foolish. For example, you see a tree full of branches. The scientist sees it

and says that is the truth. But the spiritual jnani looks at the roots, without

which the tree cannot exist. The one who looks at the branches will not see the

roots, the one who looks for the roots will not bother about the branches. The

question arises: Which are more important, roots or branches? If the roots are

there, the tree will remain even if the branches are cut. But if the roots are

gone, the tree will not survive.

Einstein, discovered the convertibility of matter and energy and declared

that energy is convertible into various forms but cannot be created or

destroyed. Einstein felt that the unchanging power that underlies energy may be

described as Divine. But he could not go any further as divinity cannot be

defined in this way or that as the General or Special Theories of Relativity.

The scientists today also conducted numerous experiments and came to the

conclusion that there is a unique power, without calling it God. People can

call it by any name. But the substance cannot be altered.

 

The term spirituality is bandied about in various ways. People regard

various rituals and forms of worship as spirituality. (Sanathana Dharma has no

set pattern. It admits of infinite variety, based on past achievement and

present accomplishment. Sanathana Dharma is the only religion that declares

that there is no religion that can be labelled 'one and only.' It says that all

religions are but facets of the 'one and only.' No religion can claim to

represent fully the Universal, Eternal, Truth). Truth relates to the unchanging

reality. It is changeless in all the three categories of time - past, present

and future. That is Divinity. Vedas declared: "The Truth is one, it is

described variously by the wise." The Vedhanta declared: "Ekameva adhvitheeyam"

(Brahmam is only one, without a second). Why did they not stop with saying that

Brahmam is only one? Why should they go on to say that there is no second? It

is to emphasise the oneness of Brahman that the second statement is added.

 

Many spiritual seekers undertook various exercises to discover God. At

ancient time, some aspirants approached to Buddha and asked him whether he had

any awareness of God. On this issue, Buddha remained silent. Later on he told

his disciple' "Son, there is no meaning in having controversies over the

unknown. Don't go into such questions. Divinity is not perceptible. It is

beyond human comprehension, not within the reach of the mind or speech.

However, the Divinity that I know has three forms: Truth, Righteousness and

Non-violence. First of all, follow the truth and act according to Dharma."

Swami does not insist on all people following one path and accepting one

discipline. There are many doors to His Mansion. The main entrance is the

overcoming of attachment. This is what Krishna exhorted Arjuna to achieve.

Krishna had to demonstrate to him that the kinsmen whom he dreaded to kill, the

teachers whom he wished to live, those whom he loved and hated, all were but

instruments of His Will. That made Arjuna the recipient of the greatest lesson

in history. This lesson is valuable for the theist as well as the atheist, for

both have attachment to the consequences of their tasks, an attachment which

will colour their eagerness and double the distress when disappointed.

Moha-kshaya (overcoming of attachment) is necessary for both Asthikas (theists)

and Nasthikas (atheists), in order to secure lasting joy. Both do not take from

here any minute portion of their acquisitions, both can earn the gratitude of

people only by sacrifice and love.

This does not mean that for obtaining the skill of sacrifice you have to

renounce hearth and home and flee to the forest. There is no guarantee that the

hearth and home will not follow you into the silence and solitude of the forest;

for, if your mind clings to worldly desires, you cannot escape them by simply

putting some distance between you and them.

You may be in the jungle, but your mind may wander in the market place.

Similarly, you may be in the market place, but by Sadhana you can still secure

a patch of peace in the heart in the midst of the busiest thoroughfare.

 

Culture grows out of the spirit of love. Spirituality implies a power that

is associated with love. Most people in the world do not know the true

significance of life. Many do not even seem to care about it. One in a million

may be concerned about knowing the purpose of life. When the tree of life

sends its roots into the Atmic reality, the unchanging, eternal, universal,

immanent entity, it will flourish grandly, yielding fragrant blossoms of loving

service, sweet fruits giving nourishment and joy to all, the sweetness of virtue

rendering every bite and chew delightful. The Divine is inside, outside and

everywhere. The Divine is in the air you breathe and the words you utter. The

Divine is in sound as Shabdha Brahman. It is the same Dhivya Shakthi (power

that manifests itself as magnetism, electricity, atoms, molecules, photons,

gravitation, etc. There is limitless Divine powers latent in the cosmos. (It is

the invisible qualities which lend meaning to the visible features. It follows

that what is not apparent provides the proof for what is apparent).

 

The phenomena of the external world are what the eyes see, the ears hear,

and the mind cognises. All these are sensory phenomena. The inextricable

connection between the phenomenal world outside and the world of consciousness

inside eludes the understanding of ordinary people. Immersed in the desire for

enjoying worldly pleasures, they do not attempt to discover the boundless joy

to be derived from the inner Spirit. This is because all the sense organs are

open only to experiences from outside. It is not surprising that the common

human being is subject to the outward vision.

Every human has to enquire every moment about the purpose and goal in life.

Eating, drinking, sleeping and passing time cannot be the meaning of human

life. All these are common to birds and beasts.

Today we find restlessness, anxiety and worry prevalent everywhere. Due to

lack of spirituality, human is a victim of depression and disease. Lack of

peace of mind results in depression, which in turn leads to disease. Today also

everyone talks about his/her rights and "fights" for them. But people are

forgetting their duties and responsibilities. Rights and duties are like the

positive and negative ends of a battery.

In our daily life, there is an object of general worship. It is wealth.

People even consider a hundred rupee note as sacred and press it on their eyes

before placing it in the pocket. What is this hundred rupee note? It is made

from some pulp. What virtue or merit is there in it? Both theists and atheists

value the note for its value as currency.

In spite all of these examples from worldly life, human is endowed with

faculties which can enable to rise above the animal to the human and divine

level. Vaak (speech), Manas (mind) and Prana (vital breath) are

manifestations of the Atma. Each is related to a state of consciousness. They

are: Jagruti (the waking state), Svapna (dream state) and Sushupti (deep

sleep). In the Jagruti state human experiences the outer world through the five

sense organs. The experience in the waking state is known as Visva. In the dream

state the experiencer has tejas (an effulgent form) and is known as Thaijasa.

Sushupti is the state of deep sleep. In this state, Prajna (intuited awareness)

alone remains. The experience in this state is called Praajna (the Knower).

Visva, Thaijasa and Praajna are all different names of the Atma (in the

different states of consciousness), according to the different forms assumed by

the Atma in the various states. Atma is common to all states of consciousness.

The different states of consciousness are mutually exclusive. You cannot

experience in one state what you have gone through in another. The

Upanishad declares that Jnana, Vijnana, Prajnana, Sujnana and Ajnana are

modifications of one and the same principle of Universal (Cosmic)

Consciousness. Prajnana comprehends all that is experienced through impressions

received by the sense organs. The eyes, for instance, are like the bulb in a

lamp. The bulb cannot emit light. Likewise the eyes cannot see by themselves.

It is the Prajnana which sees through the eyes. It is Prajnana that animates

sense organs and makes them instruments of the Chaitanya (Consciousness). All

our senses function because of the Consciousness that operates in every being.

 

By merely learning the alphabet, one cannot start writing letters.

Letter-writing calls for knowledge of words and sentences. Likewise, knowledge

of worldly matters will not enable the understanding of God. Spiritual

knowledge is also necessary. So together with academic studies education should

cultivate spiritual sadhana. Just as water stored in a reservoir is used for

irrigation through canals, the knowledge acquired should be diverted to useful

channels for the benefit of society. (How is possible to understand divinity

without understanding the importance of human values? First practice human

values, then divinity manifests itself). Education must include the

education of the mind of human. It is not merely the acquisition of certain

skills by which the materials found in nature can be reshaped into utility

products; it is not merely the acquisition of information about the laws of

nature. It is the process by which human makes the best of own inner equipment,

Anthahkarana (inner consciousness), to know him/herself. It should open inner

eye, more than outer; the outer must reveal the glory of God, the inner must

reveal the God within.

(In the practice of devotion to God there may be some ludicrous exercises.

But even in such exercises, there is a spiritual under-current. For instance, a

student may pray to God for passing in his/her examination. A litigant may pray

for success in his dispute. Some people pray even for securing a seat in a bus.

In this manner people have looked to God for help in trivial and serious

matters).

 

Students must learn to be good and steady Sevaks and Sadhakas (servants and

aspirants of spiritual discipline). They have to be taught the Yoga of mind

control, not breath control which under incompetent leadership might endanger

health. (The body is a shrine and when it moves, the Divine moves with it.

Hence the body should be cared for the same way in which an iron safe which is

of little value in itself, is safeguarded for the sake of the valuables kept in

it).

Children should grow in the awareness of the brotherhood of human and the

fatherhood of God. Faithin human involves faith in God; faith in God creates

faith in human. Children can be easily made aware of this inner I, which has

the body as its apparel; they will grow in mutual love and cooperation with

all people of all lands, when they know that colour and caste are but apparel

which do not affect the real Reality.

The parents have to be imbued with faith in the basic truths of this

Universal Religion, Sanathana Dharma. They must be seen worshipping at the

family altar, meditating in silence, forgiving the lapses of others,

sympathising with pain and grief.

The teachers should be simple, sincere, straight-forward sadhakas, radiating

joy and love. Teacher must be like the rishis (sages) of old; balanced,

contended, quiet, calm scholars who have practised self-control and who carry

about with them an atmosphere of cool equanimity. The friends that the child

collects at school and around the home have a beneficial or deleterious effect

on its growth. (Comics, horror stories, terrorism, gunmen pictures and cinema

posters that degrade human into flesh and skin - these drag the prospective

hero into a zero. The child learns to worship money and things which money can

buy; he/she admires cruelty and cunning, rather than sympathy and love).

************* You have to read the newspaper to know how mad and

foolish the world is; how futile is heroism, how momentary the glory. Use the

world as a training ground for sacrifice, service, expansion of the heart,

cleansing of the emotions. That is the only value it has. (Reet's compilation

from, Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 7. "The world, a training ground." Chapter 13

and "Precept and example," Chapter 15; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 20. "The Human

Destiny," Chapter 13; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 28. "Experience the Divine,"

Chapter 13; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 32, part I "Divinity protects and

safeguards man," Chapter 1).

 

Namaste - Reet