Sai message for the day

[Guest guest]

Swami! Illusion is a non-atmic feeling or worldly approach. To

identify myself with that which I am not is illusion. Truly ­speaking,

the " I " we often speak of is in reality only atma. Nothing else. How

is one to know this truth, to recognise and experience this truth?

Kindly tell us about this Swami!

 

Sai Baba: Actually, `I' is only atma or brahman. A sincere attempt to

know this truth is called `enquiry'. Self-enquiry is most essential

in the spiritual path. Puja, namasmarana , dhyana, tapas, yajna,

yaga, and such rituals are not truly spiritual. They are good

activities to attain purity of heart. True spirituality indeed, is

self-enquiry. I do not mean that you should give up all rituals and

sacred actions. Self-enquiry is the most important in my view. Since

you do not have people properly experienced in this field of

knowledge to teach you, you find it tough and difficult to move in

the right direction.

 

If this question, " Who are you? " is put to a group of people you get

different answers. One says in reply, " I am an Indian " . This is not

correct, because you may shift to America and then you become an

American. If you go to Russia, you are a Russian and so on. India is

the country where you are born. But you are not the country. So to

say, " I am an Indian " is wrong. To the same question " Who or you " ?

Another would say, " I am an engineer " . This is not correct, because

you are an engineer by virtue of your profession. You are not the

profession you are in. Some answer in a different way, saying, " I am

so and so ...I am Ram, I am Syam. " It is a name given to you by your

parents. You are not born with that name nor did you come to this

world with a signboard on your forehead. You are not the name as you

may change it according to your taste at any time.

 

One may prefer to answer the question " Who are you? " in another way

saying, " I am a young man " , " I am an aged person'. " I am a boy " and

so on. This is also wrong. Why? Boyhood, youth, and old age are the

different stages that you pass through in your life. But you remain

one and the same person all along. At one time, you were a boy. Then,

a man. Later a father and finally a grandfather. But you have been

the same person throughout. Then, how can you identify yourself with

your age which does not remain the same? Another person may feel like

saying, " I am a tall person " , " I am a handsome man " , " I am a lean

man " . These are again the replies related to the nature of the body.

This is not correct, you are not the body, which is merely an

instrument, because while you are in deep sleep your body is passive

and static, and you are not aware of its existence. You are not the

mind also.

 

If you think you are the mind you lead the life of ego and pride.

Even the mind does not exist in susupti, deep sleep. You are not the

intellect either. You may be intelligent but you are not the

intellect. Intellect is God's gift for you to discriminate, judge,

decide and thus to be discreet. But, when it turns selfish, it is

called " individual discrimination " . But, what is expected

is " fundamental discrimination " , which is universal, and is good to

everybody. You will also know that buddhi, intellect, does not exist

in deep sleep. So, definitely you are not the intellect which is only

an instrument like the body and the mind.

 

So, what is the correct answer to this question, " Who are you " ? It

is " I am atma " . This atma is the eternal witness and is the

experiencer of all. This exists in all the three states of

consciousness, jagrata - waking state, svapna, dreaming state, and

susupti, deep

 

sleep. You may be named in any way, you may belong to any country,

you may be of any age group or profession, etc., but as a matter of

fact, you are the `Eternal Atma' only. This is the correct answer you

get in the path of self-enquiry. This is true spirituality.