Sai Baba and Sufism

[Guest guest]

Dear Sai-Janas, (Abdul Baba reading from Koran) Sai Baba gave Abdul Baba Islamic preachings and explained the lineage and various aspects of Sufism periodically. Abdul Baba used to make notes of Sai Baba's sayings and later used them as reference when people approached him with problems. These sayings were translated into English in the book by Dr. Marainne Warren titled Unravelling the Enigma, Shirdi Sai Baba in light of Sufism. Sufi theory and practice reveals a very similar path to reality as any other spirtiual path and is briefly outlined below. The Sufi methods can be considered broadly under four headings a)Shariat, b)Tariqat, c) Marifat , d)Haqeeqat. By their definitions one may say that the first phase of "Shariat" is the moral code laid down by institutional religions. Once a person adheres to these social and individual norms of conduct he qualifies for "Tariqat" which is the discipline laid down by the master for him to move up the spiritual ladder. This is determined by the master according to the needs of the disciple. Once the disciple adheres firmly to both social conformity and the master's discipline he enters the third phase of

"Marifat" which means awakening to a state of inner consciousness on the path to the transcendent truth or reality. It is a state or comprehension. Once these three preliminary stages are crossed the disciple enters the fourth and final stage of "Haqeeqat" which is merger with the transcendental truth or reality. SIMPLE TEACHINGS What Baba preached was actually quite simple. According to him, real sorrow is the cycle of birth and death and the real happiness is liberation. He suggested: • Accept your lot cheerfully. If you acquire wealth, become humble the way a tree laden with fruit bows down. Money is a necessity but don't get obsessed with it.

Yet, don't be a miser, be generous. • Perform your duty conscientiously and with detachment, not regarding yourself as the doer. • Surrender the fruit of action to god so that action does not bind you. It is ties of indebtedness from previous births, which bring humans and other beings together. • Satisfy your sexual desire, albeit only with your spouse. Don't drown in lust. Rein it with discrimination. • Give rein to the negative states (avariciousness, anger, hatred, pride, etc.) only as much as is essential to go through the karma earmarked for this physical existence. • To steady the mind, idol worship is a way, even though the idol is not God. If you do puja with devotion and emotion, you can concentrate better. • Herculean effort is necessary for god-realization. There are four elements in sadhana: Discrimination between the eternal and the ephemeral: that Brahman alone is true, the world is not. Next, renouncing all

desire about this life or the thereafter. The third is to inculcate these qualities: control of the mind, bearing without anguish the fated pain and sorrow, remaining ensnared by maya, knowing that money, wife, children and relatives are all ephemeral. The fourth is an intense desire for liberation. Allah Mailk! Shyamakarana