The Divine Lifestyle (1b)

January 23, 2008

I AM KNOWLEDGE

(Chapter 1)

- continuation -'There

are five sheaths within which the 'I' shines. Of these, the Annamaya -

the material sheath, is the gross body. The subtle body consists of the

next three sheaths, the vital (Prana-maya), the mental (Mano-maya) and

the intellectual (Vijnana-maya). The causal body is the bliss

conscious, the Ananda-maya Kosha or sheath. Even this is a limitation,

a phase, a characteristic. The 'I' has no such bounds or bondage. The

Guru who can make you cognize this 'I' is your own mind. Turn it

towards intelligence and Ananda, you are on the right path. Turn it

towards the material, you slide down the path of perdition.' (Sathya Sai Speaks Vol Chap 21 - Pg 125)Here

Bhagavan repeating the knowledge in the ancient scriptures which He

Himself had conveyed through the great Saints and Sages explains that

there are 5 sheaths in each one of us. The outermost is the gross body

and the innermost is the bliss sheath. In the middle lies the mind

sheath. If the mind moves towards the body and seeks only physical

gratification and questions only on how to survive and succeed in the

rat race, it will be only time before stress lands him in the hospital.

However, if the mind also possess the serenity to question about his

inner nature and possess knowledge of higher states of consciousness,

his curiosity will transport him to deeper realms of peace. If we turn

within, we will touch the bliss sheath and therefore feel love all the

time. A man of bliss always enjoys life fully and in doing so will also

enjoy and be contented with the material rewards that are surely to

follow such a divine 'lifestyler'.'The

knowledge that you are the Divine Spark, encased in the sheaths of

bliss, intelligence, feelings, sensations and organic substances - this

knowledge is the light. You must light your own lamp. You cannot walk

in the light of another's lamp. You cannot exist on the money in the

purse of another. Have your own money; then alone you are free. Earn

the knowledge yourself. Even knowing it is not enough, you must

experience it.'(Sathya Sai Speaks Vol VI, Chap 39 - pg 182)Hence,

the purpose of all knowledge seems to be to discover the latent

divinity within. In a journey, especially to an unknown place, it is

always safe to go with a friend. Thus, we often seek the assistance of

an ally. In this spiritual journey, the mind can be a friend or foe. To

make anyone your friend or an ally, you must first understand and know

the mood and temperaments of such a person. Hence, knowledge gained in

the first instance must empower one to know the mechanisms of the mind.

This knowledge will help one to master the mind and hence, master his

own destiny. To achieve this, we need initially to depend on those who

are enlightened to help us but time and experience must empower our

conscience to be our inner guide. How long are we to depend on other's

light to illuminate our mind?

The

reminder is timely as devotees cannot for the rest of their lives be

passive beggars in the halls of prayers. Hands that are folded in

reverence must develop strength to stretch for the purposes of

services. Heads crammed with information gathered from the experiences

of others must get translated into a sensible conviction. Hearts

initially beating only for the Lord's attention to satisfy selfish

requests must transform to give love and attention to the sick and

needy. The realization must dawn that the sick and the needy are also

His embodiments. This realization is what that will open our limited

jail doors and set us free. Hence, the call is simple. Search for the

knowledge, practice what you have learnt and ultimately, become that

knowledge itself.'Water

flows downwards at all times and at all places. This is its nature.

Only when you put this water in a vessel will it be stable. If you

allow it to flow, it will always flow downwards. Similarly, our mind

moves always outward and only when you can do something to contain it,

will it remain stable. There are two types of flows associated with the

mind. One is related to the time frame and the other to the material

world. Spirituality is intended to help man to regulate the flow of the

mind. It helps him to know what is true, what is permanent, and

inspires him to perform actions which are beneficial to him in his

quest for the divine.'(Divine Discourse 1987 - pg 99)Bhagavan

here clearly points out the nature and tendency of the mind. If one

knows which direction the wind blows, the sail then can be

appropriately set up, so as to take the ship safely to the shores. Here

we are warned of the tendency of the mind so that we can alert our

intelligence to keep guard. This would entail subliming and curtailing

the flow of the mind to greater potentials.'The

mind is the wind that brings to us the smells of the world. When the

mind turns to foul things, it makes you feel disgusted. When it turns

to fragrant things, you are happy.'(Teachings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba - pg 129)Hence,

the mind creates a need and therefore man runs after the many elements

of the objective world to satisfy the need. The drinking houses (pub)

have 'happy hours', clearly implying that people are not, and offer an

alternative as to how each one can achieve such a state. Spending time

and money into the wee hours of the morning, the solution that is

supposed to make them happy creates in them all sorts of problems. Why

in the first place gulp the drink? The reply from any experienced

drinker will be 'to be happy'. Why did you smoke? Out comes the reply, 'For an experience'. What experience were you looking for? Clearing the smoke and coughing away he would reply, 'I feel a sense of peace and well being'.

Hence, it can be seen that the mind travels only to activities that

enhance happiness or joy or peace. This temporary pleasure creates a

bondage and thereby develops a need.

'The mind is the cause of both bondage and liberation. It is only by controlling the mind that man can achieve liberation.'(Sanathana Sarathi, July 1994 - pg 169)

The

understanding of the workings of the mind is critical to a person who

wants to increase his capacity to love. Loving our kith and kin is

natural but why is it that we cannot expand our love orbit to include

others, including our enemies. The mind is the main culprit and unless

we know the workings of the mind, we will be ignorant of the ways to

extend the periphery of our boundaries and limitations.Mind

is a sharp sword. Man will be able to fulfill himself if he realizes

the subtle and the mysterious workings of the mind. Mind travels fast,

is strong, lighter than ether and subtler than electricity....(Summer Showers In Brindavan 1993 - pg 35)'It

is the five attributes of feeling, form, quantity, color and energy

that the mind pulsates, activates and energizes the universe. Since the

universe is suffused with the mind, these five attributes too suffuse

the universe. The power and might of the mind is immense. We can

understand the workings of the universe by understanding the power and

potency of the mind. By tasting one drop of water from the ocean, we

can experience the very taste of the entire water of the ocean. The

drop is the ocean and the ocean is the drop.'(Summer Showers In Brindavan 1993 - pg 40)

The

proficiency of handling a gun is a prerequisite in shooting an aimed

target. Likewise, here Bhagavan is orientating us to the understanding

of a faculty within us which is directly responsible for increasing our

competence, i.e., our mind. The workings and nature of the mind, once

understood becomes a ready made tool available to any individual to

procure valuable information. A computer capable of a million tasks is

useless to a computer illiterate. Once he is exposed to the nature and

mechanisms of this wondrous machine, the computer is at the beck and

call of its owner, prepared to obey the minute instruction.The teacher here holds our hand and raises us to a higher platform to appreciate the nature of our own mind. 'Mind travels fast, is light and subtle'.

We can understand the workings of the Universe if we understand our

mind. This statement has the potential to completely create a mental

revolutions in the minds of earnest seekers who wish to go beyond the

media unity of the rat race of movely grabbing and searching for new

unformal. The simple philosophy is really the antidote for all our

present problem. In order to know the world, first know the mind.It

is of no wonder that great sages of only limited formal education who

spend their time meditating express deep insightful knowledge of the

world that can stun even scientists. Scientists such as Einstein who

spent most of his life understanding complex physics and laws governing

natural laws of science bordered into metaphysics and ended in deep

philosophy. This is a classic evidence of science merging with

spirituality. Here Bhagavan, by pointing out the nature of the mind,

hopes to inspire us to take the challenge of mastering this equipment.

That mind is fast and subtle implies the speed and the pervasiveness of

knowledge that the mind is capable of accessing. This vast potential of

mind is minimally tapped today and only utilized to meet daily

obligations and commitments.'When

you think of the world, it exists for you'. When you do not think of

it, for you, it does not exist... As long as the mind exists, it is not

possible to comprehend the mind and its activity clearly. When thought

ceases, there will be no mind. Mind is a bundle of thoughts... Do not

follow the thoughts. Then the world will not develop for you.'(My Baba and I - pg 226)This

is a paradox. As long as mind exists, it cannot comprehend the nature

of the mind. Einstein once said that a problem cannot be solved at the

same level it has been created. Hence, in order to understand the

workings of the mind, let alone master it, one must move to higher

subtler realms of consciousness. This again emphasizes the point which

has been made why sages meditating high up in the mountains glow with

wisdom even though they must have had only limited formal education.

They must have dived deep within and from that level examined their own

mind and thereby understands the beauty and glory of the universe.

'The

mind is of four types : The Super Mind, the Higher Mind, the

Illuminated Mind and the Over Mind. Man can know himself when he

understands the nature of these four types of mind. One has to travel

from the Super Mind to Over Mind to understand Divinity.'(Summer Showers In Brindavan 1993 - pg 2)A

teacher of any field must provide the scope of the syllabus to a

student who is keen to pursue a certain subject. Likewise, here

Bhagavan provides an entire scheme of development to reach a Divine

state. The super mind must grow to a higher mind, then reach an

illuminated mind before transcending to an over mind. Only then can his

mind become a divine one. By introducing four terms, He has provoked a

deep curiosity within each of us what the terms mean. This provoking

curiosity flames a passion to search for the answers.It is for

this reason that study circles and reading of spiritual literature have

been encouraged so that we slowly climb to higher platforms of

awareness. Seeking knowledge is a prerequisite to seeking perfection,

let alone attaining a divine status. We will know that the world is

changing when we see a few individuals panting to ask someone the

meaning of a spiritual statement made by Bhagavan or discussing with

great earnestness a spiritual implication found in scriptures. What is

implied in this Divine utterance is that one must go beyond the present

level of understanding. Hence, the Teacher is pointing out the

necessary qualifications to step into the Institution of Understanding

Self. The spiritual discontent to know what the Self is would naturally

prompt one to participate in all the other activities so as to earn the

necessary prerequisites to experience the Ultimate.The Grand

Utterance of the Divine must make us uncomfortable and inadequate so as

to feel a discontent. Many have been aspiring devotees and have been

regular at many of these activities. The critical question one must ask

is 'How have I improved' 'Have I become a better person?' and more importantly, 'Who am I really?'

'I have come to repair the ancient highways of all religions',

Bhagavan has said many times. The call of course to all devotees is to

enrich the knowledge and practice their traditional religion of their

birth. We must know about the religion of our birth and being devotees

also understand the teachings of all other religions. We must help

others understand their religion and become poles that help unclog mud

and debris that blocks each one from experiencing the spirit. Knowledge

must be shared to help each understand the significance of the rites

and rituals to as to help the aspirants bring out their latent divinity

within (EDUCARE). Devotees of God must be knowledgeable in the religion

of their birth and understand the truth in other religions.Only

true Love and passion for the spirit can accomplish this. Einstein, in

the pursuit of his truth, would have read and understood the findings

of all other contemporaries simply to understand perspectives and

appreciate the science more. If this is so natural for a man of

science, surely a man of God swimming in the ocean of spirituality will

find it fascinating to learn and love what is found in the various

rivers of religions.This Divine Utterance is also a clarion

call to become an authority in the chosen field of profession. Become

agents of change and instruments for improvement in your respective

working environment by constantly upgrading knowledge and the

respective working skills. Devotees of any God or Master must aspire

for excellence and be a positive role model in their career, home and

society. All this requires knowledge. Hence, it must be remembered that

to become ultimately divine, one of the requirements is increase our

own proficiency and this comes from a constant questioning curiosity

which sheds complacency and limitations.There is something over the hill! There is something across the bend! What is it? Pursue and the truth shall set you free!(From : THE DIVINE LIFESTYLE by DR SURESH GOVIND,With the consent of Sathya Sai Central Council of Malaysia)

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