Swami teaches... The Divine guidelines - the basis of knowledge and wisdom

[Guest guest]

Sai Ram

 

Light and Love

 

Swami teaches... 3 - 5 June 2006

 

The Divine Guidelines - the Basis of Knowledge and Wisdom

 

 

God creates the entire Universe from Truth.

Finally everything merges in Truth.

This pure and unsullied Truth

Alone pervades everywhere.

The entire world rests on Truth. Truth is the eternal witness and it cannot be hidden by any one not can it be altered. It is independent and cannot be affected by time and space. God and Truth are not distinct. It is the duty of humans to keep Truth as the ideal and adhere to it at any cost.

Just as the eyes, ears and other limbs are parts of the body, every individual is a part of society.

Society is a a limb of Nature and Nature is a limb of God. Human has to realise the integral relationship between him/herself and God.

Through sublime thoughts one can reach the highest state of direct perception of God. It has to be realised within oneself. One cannot visualize Truth or God until he/she achieves harmony in thought, word and deed.

 

All people everywhere are of one species. Yet, human hates human; one religion is opposed to

another; one race feels superior to another; one country avoids contact with another. How does

this conflict arise? When one delves deep into this question, the answer becomes clear. Though people are all equally subject to birth, life and death, though all are of one kind, why do they allow the Ananda (Bliss) which is the right of each to slip away through hatred and conflict? The answer has been deluding human being for ages.

All the world's ills arise from the evil thoughts and deeds of people. Human's actions are related to desires and aversions and based on thoughts. Human's desires are infinite. However, person needs things much more satisfying, much more essential, than comfort.

The narrow limited self, the Ego what creats the infinite amount of desires is at the root of the evil. (Here the nature of the food too has a significant role to play. The food - sathwic, rajasic,thamasic - alleviates or arouses, prevents or promotes emotions and passions, it moulds the behaviour, conduct and attitudes of people. For example, pungency in food heightens feelings of pugnacity, aggression and vindictiveness in people, against those who oppose, disagree with or disappoint them. Such people are worse than scorpions and snakes, sharp swords or serrated saws. It is the cause why Swami often underlines the importance of sathwic food and not any kind other food).

 

One of the key's of Swami's Teaching is to develop human's mind by different and endless approaches towards spiritual awareness.

 

Every object in the world has its origin in a primary source. It is a Primordial Source, which is responsible for all creation. (Very few care to enquire into the nature of this source).

Samsara (worldly life) is like a tree (created by this source) with roots, branches, flowers and fruits. The mind is the tap-root of this tree. It is when people change their attitude to their mind, (as the source of thoughts and desires) that society will change and the world will be reformed.

 

The mind has no existence apart from the thoughts that arise through the sense organs. That was why the sages declared: "Thoughts and doubts constitute the essence of the mind." To bring the mind under control we have to free ourselves from the entire process of mental agitation. If we want to take a bath in the sea, which is agitated by waves, we cannot afford to wait till the waves subside and the sea is calm. Likewise, it will be foolish to wait for the agitations in the mind to cease for experiencing Ananda.

Agitations are of the very nature of the mind. The state of cogitation or remembrance is the mind. By constant rumination over one's sensory experiences the mind acquires a form. By relating the experiences to the "I" as the experiencer, the consciousness of a distinctive individual the Ego arises. From that, desires develop and from the desires the mind acquires a form.

 

Aham ("I"), Ahamkara (Ego) and Atma are closely interconnected.

The Aham ('I') is of two kinds. One that is associated with attachment to the body and the other that dissociates it from the body. Both are "I." But the 'I' that is identified with the body becomes Ahamkara (the Ego). This Ego is not the natural state of Aham. It is by relating itself to a particular form that it becomes Ahamkara. It is pure and unsullied consciousness

But the formless "I" not identified with the body is the Atma. The Indian sages from ancient times have given the highest place of honour and esteem to the word Atma. This is also known as Eruka (Awareness or Consciousness). This awareness finds expression in the term Aham ("I").

 

The formless Atma has no attributes. But when it is associated with a form it has all attributes. Today people experience only the Aham. ("I") that is identified with the body. They, as a rule, cannot conceive of an "I" without a body. But, by treating the body as the basis, if the vision is turned inward, the Atma can be experienced in due course. This is called Direct Perception of the Self. This means tracking the "I" to its source. A human walking with back to the sun will be treading own shadow. Only when human reverses direction will be able to leave shadow behind. The same process applies to the realisation of the Self. The journey must be directed towards the Self within and away from the external world.

What is needed today in the world is the diverting of the mind from preoccupation with the external world of Nature to the Divinity within. In this way you see the Divine in everything instead of seeing Nature as a physical phenomenon. When you see the external world as a manifestation of God, you will not notice the phenomenal aspect of Prakrithi (Nature).

It is the mind that comes in the way of the proper understanding of Aham. Just as the clouds that

arise out of the vapours produced by the sun may hide the Sun for a time, the mind veils the

Aham by its thoughts and desires, though the mind arises from the Atma. The Ego operates as an obstacle to the awareness of the Atma.

From the worldly point of view, we have a kartha (doer), the karma (duty) and the kriya (deed). But from the spiritual point of view all three are one and the same - the doer, the duty and the deed.

It is said that Sath-Chith-Ananda (Being-Awareness-Bliss) are the attributes of the Atma (Self). In Swami's view these three are nor three distinct entities. They are not three different states. Chith (Awareness) and Ananda (Bliss) are present in Sath like sugar which is dissolved in water and becomes one with it as syrup.

 

Our conception of reality is related to the time factor. Time causes great difference between what

is directly perceived and what is indirectly experienced. The Atma is the unchanging entity that is able to recognise the changes brought about by time.

 

The awareness of the unchanging reality underlying the phenomenal world of change is the Atmic principle called Eruka. It is present in every one as the Aham ("I"). But each one views the world from one's particular circumstance, background and experience. The Atmic Principle is explained or described in different ways. There is no connection between its reality and the way it is experienced. The analogies used for explaining the Atmic Principle have their inherent limitations.

(The Sun rises in the East and sets in the West. This is the ordinary experience of human in daily life. The globe revolving round the Sun; neither sunrise nor sunset nor East and West has any reality.

The real truth is one thing and what is apparent from an experience is another. The Earth is revolving at the rate of several hundred miles per minute, people are not conscious of its movement. Our daily life is based on the apparent facts of day-to-day experience).

 

Everything in creation has five properties. The first three are Sath-Chith-Aanandha (Being,

Awareness, Bliss) and the last two are Ruupa and Naama (Form and Name), which are subject to modification but the first three are unchanging characteristics. In the language of Vedanta, the three are named Asthi, Bhathi, and Priya (existence, shining or expressing and loving). They are the innate qualities of every manifestation of the Divine. The last of the three Priya is Ananda i.e. the Divine Bliss. The awareness of this Ananda (Bliss) is the consummation of human life.

The Ananda attained through the objective world or through subjective means is only a fractional

expression of the Ananda which mergence in Brahman (Supreme Reality) grants.. We speak of

hot water, though heat is not a quality of water, fire has given it the heat. So, too Ananda are rendered through the grace of Supreme Divine Bliss (Brahma-Ananda).

 

The purification of the senses of perception and the senses of action, the mind and the intellect and the sublimation of the Ego-consciousness will happen spontaneously, once the attitude of total surrender is strengthened. (Devotion arises in the constant mind, not in the agitated, kaleidoscopic mind).

Once it is realized that the mind is the cause of "my-ness," and that it is made up of desires,

then one will strive to achieve the state of Samadhi (superconscious state of bliss during

meditation) in which all agitations in the mind cease. It may be difficult to achieve this state of

yogic serenity. An easier way to still the mind is to concentrate all thoughts on God. When that is done, file calmness that comes in the state of Sushupthi (deep sleep) will be realised. It is a state of equanimity in which one looks upon pain and pleasure, joy and grief, with equal indifference,

unaffected by them either way. In the same manner the identity of the Jivi (individual Self) and

the Brahman (Supreme Self) has to be experienced. (When happens that you feel angry, start reciting some song in praise of the Lord).

 

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna declares that sacrificing the fruits of your actions is the best and easiest way of realising God.

Even Aadhi Shankara, who was supreme exponent of jnana marga (the path of spiritual wisdom), in his later days came to realise that the bhakthi marga (path of devotion) is the best path for mankind to realise God.

You should, therefore, serve society, help the poor and needy in distress, and thus manifest the human quality of compassion. By doing seva to people, you are doing seva to God. It is by sacrifice only human can manifest humanness and rise to Divine heights. Unfortunately today most people are interested in bhoga (worldly pleasure) which leads to roga (disease).

 

In reality, there is One, it appears as two. One is Jiva and the other is Deva. The Jiva is absorbed in the external. This is a sign of forgetfulness (marupu). To turn the vision inwards is real awareness (eruka). The process by which the Divinity is realised by thyaga (sacrifice or renunciation of the worldly things) is known as Tarakam. What thyaga does to a human is to eradicate the selfishness.

To understand the true meaning of Paratatwa (Self-realisation), the first step is to grasp the

significance of the Love-principle. For everything, Prema (Love) is the basis, the cause and the

consummation.

Love is One; it transcends caste, colour and creed, if it has to be genuine. Truth is One; there cannot be two. For two can only be one occurring twice. The goal is One; for, all roads must lead to the One God. Why then should people quarrel and fight over the

Eternal and the Absolute?

 

Without having an inner set of human values (as some inner call) there is impossible to correct mind and sense organs. It is the spiritual path what helps to cultivate the virtues of Truth, Love and Self-sacrifice.

However, even in the spiritual field, there is a wide gap between verbal knowledge and real understanding of spiritual truth. People perform japa, dhyana and bhajana (repetition of sacred formula, meditation, and group singing of devotional songs), but there is often no understanding of their inner purpose or what they are expected to achieve.

 

The human values must cherish as human's lifebreath. They are: Sathya (Truth), Dharma (Righteousness), Shanthi (Peace orTranquility), Prema (Love) and Ahimsa (Non-violence). Of these five vital principles Prema is the foremost. It is Prema that flows as the under-current for the other four values.

How does it flow this way? When Prema is associated with feelings it produces Shanthi. When Prema animates actions, it results in Dharma. When Prema is combined with understanding it becomes Ahimsa Therefore whenever you feel angry, think of Prema, develop thoughts of love in your heart. You will have peace.

There is no penance equal to peace;

There is no happiness greater than contentment;

There is no worse disease than desire;

There is no righteousness equal to compassion.

 

Real penance consists in nor leading the life of an ascetic in a forest but in worshipping God in thought, word and deed. Where is the need for any penance to acquire peace if that peace is already present in the heart?

Peace can be got when one's vision is turned inward. How many miserable people are there in the world who have all the comforts they need. Creature comforts cannot be equated with peace.

Contentment, it is said, confers the greatest happiness. It follows that true happiness resides in the heart and everyone should, seek it there. There is no right conduct equal to compassion - for the simple reason that a compassionate heart is the abode of the Divine. Where there is compassion there is no need for other acts of charity.

 

God is declared to be omnipresent. How do you decide this omnipresence? There is a practical means of deciding this. We are aware of the basic elements - earth, water, fire, air and space with five qualities - smell, fluidity, illumination, touch and sound. The earth has all the five qualities, including primarily smell. Water has fluidity. It is lighter than earth and is mobile. It has four qualities. Fire has three qualities of which form is most prominent. It is lighter than water. Then you have air, which is lighter than fire and has two qualities: touch and vibrant movement. Last comes akasha (ether or space) which is the subtlest of the five elements and is all-pervading. Transcending space is God, who is omnipresent.

 

When you pursue your enquiry in this manner you find that the different qualities account for

feelings and reactions. These qualities have to be brought under control. Simultaneously one has

to reduce the burdens of mundane existence and the desires that fill the mind. Spiritual progress is directly related to the reduction of desires. God's Grace goes with human effort.

 

The Divine power does not operate independent of human effort. Every individual has this Divine power. They are invoking Divine power as an auxiliary to their own power, which comes from the Divine. Failing to recognise their inherent divine power, they attribute it to someone other than themselves.

 

Some devotees rend to blame Swami if their desires are not fulfilled. When devotees pray with

pure hearts, their purity itself helps to bring them relief. But they are thankful to Swami for saving

them. Swami is not involved in either of these results. They are the fruits of the devotees efforts and attitudes.

 

Swami illuminates His Divine vibrations equally over the whole world, over the whole humanity, over the rich and poor, over the young and adults, over the men and women, over the worldly great and not so great persons, over the members of SSO and not members,,,,. All people have an opportunity to be equally in inner connection with this Divine power i.e. Swami's Cosmic Form. How to obtain this skill? Swami Himself has prepared and prepares constantly the guidelines for this in the form of His Teaching.

When your faith in the Divine is total, that faith will help you. Develop that confidence in the Self. People must develop strong faith. That will confer all spiritual experiences. The Upanishads

declare: "Arise from the slumber of ignorance and go forward towards awareness of the Self." The Self alone is eternal and changeless. Carry on your normal duties. Spiritualise all actions and treat whatever happens as actions for your good. Learn to experience perennial bliss by seeking union with God.

(Reet's compilation from, Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 16. "Food and character," Chapter 19 and "Conquest of the mind," Chapter 26; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol.. 18. "Face the challenge of Krodhana," Chapter 8; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 27. "Let Truth prevail," Chapter 24; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 30. "Discovering the Aathma," Chapter 28).

 

Namaste - Reet