The Divine Lifestyle (5b)

January 31, 2008

WHATEVER I DO, I DO FOR THE HAPPINESS OF OTHERS(Chapter 5)- continuation -'Like

the tadpole's tail, the ego will fall away when one grows in wisdom. It

must fall away; if it is cut, the poor tadpole will die. So don't worry

about the ego; develop wisdom, discriminate, know the ephemeral nature

of all objective things - then the tail will no longer be evident.'(Sathya Sai Speaks Vol IV, Chap 39 - pg 245)

The

clarion call here is to develop wisdom. In order for wisdom to develop,

we need to reduce our selfishness. If we come out from our selfishness

and comfort zones and serve others with joy, the heart slowly expands

to higher consciousness or wisdom. Wisdom naturally repels false

attachments and brings about an inner glow of beauty and perfection.

When the body has consumed too much food, it will feel uncomfortable.

The prescription is sometimes to detoxify the body. Certain purgative

given will purge the excess food consumed, thereby relieving the

stomach of the extra burden. Likewise, when the self is too filled with

'I' and "my', clouds of identity fail to perceive the true picture.

Many misunderstandings arise out of misperceptions born from ego.

Bhagavan has always reminded us that we are three in one :the one you think you are, the one others think you are and the one you really areIn

my mind, I might be doing my charity for fulfilling my own desires of

wanting to serve humanity but to the perception of others I might be

doing so with the motive of attracting publicity. Hence what I think I

am and what others think of me are two different opinions. Yet they are

just opinions, for there is a third reality which is what you really

are. I am not my mind which is what that lends me my identity. I am

beyond my mind. I am I! My real nature... Hence in order to be in touch

with our real nature, the self in us need to be purged.'First

of we all have to eliminate the feeling of ego (ahamkara). Ahamkara is

misinterpreted as arrogance, pride or carelessness. This is not the

correct meaning. Aham means I, akaram means the form of the body - I am

this body. Considering the body as the self is real ego. you have to

destroy this feeling...'(Sathya Sai Newsletter Summer 1995 - pg 28)Elimination

of ahamkara is what sadhana is all about. Bhagavan prescribes the

medicine of service for man to purge selfishness. Self restricts and

limits, whilst Love expands. Hence, if we love someone, it must mean

that we are prepared even to serve the one whom we love.A youth

who was only concerned with his own work spent all his time at work.

His mother's insistence that he should marry fell on deaf ears. His

concern was only to increase his bank balance and therefore worked

tirelessly for this mundane purpose. He only sought for more time so

that his cold and calculative mind could conjure scheming ways to

increase profits for his business, until at long last, he was

introduced to his friend's sister. The moment his eyes fell on her, his

heart started only to beat with her name. Wherever he saw, he only saw

a vision of her. Whomever he came across, the face of his beloved was

superimposed. He closed his shop early everyday and took the bus to a

distant town to see her. He would take her to the movies and attend to

all her shopping needs. The stingy, business minded individual who was

only concerned about his own welfare suddenly by the touch of love

began to be concerned about another individual. Mere repetition of his

beloved name would not bring any relevance to the relationship.Effort

is now exerted and sacrifice needed to rush and meet her. This ordinary

example is enough for us to see that service follows love. Hence, for

the selfish individual to be purged from his attachments, he must

associate himself with greater cause or higher motive. The child

holding the knife will clasp it tighter if its mother screamed for the

knife. However, it a chocolate bar is dangled above the child, the

enthusiasm to reach for it will weaken the hold on the knife to a point

where it can be taken away from the child.To make anyone

selfless, the mind must cling on to a higher ideal or goal. Sometimes

it will be difficult to analyze what ideal should be sought for or what

goal to strive for. It is for these reasons that people who already are

constantly exerting time to serve should motivate their friends to

join. The joy of service should be spread and the river of such

experiences would have the power to sweep along those who stagnate with

complacency. Even by merely joining others for service activities, one

can motivate the mind to acquire a tendency to serve.

'Many

good deeds are being done all over the world. People should participate

in such good activities, render help to others and regard them as

spiritual exercises.'(Sanathana Sarathi April 1994 - pg 89)People

of the same attitude of service, if multiplied can produce a tidal wave

of love. It is important to note that many participate in service

activities. Many spend hours attending to the same service activity

such as attending to the elders in an old folks home or serve the

lepers in a leprosarium. Continuous participation in service activities

should become such a joyous experience that we must share and transmit

to others. If the movie one watches is thrilling and exciting, the joy

felt will make one insist his friends to see the same so that they too

can get the same experience of happiness. It is important that we begin

to spread the joy of service and encourage our colleagues and friends

to participate in such meaningful activities.'A

wave of service, if it sweeps over the land, catching everyone in its

enthusiasm, will be able to wipe off the mounds of hatred, malice and

greed that infests the world.'(Sanathana Sarathi March 1995 - pg 82)We

need to create a wave of service activities and invite people from all

walks of life to participate in such activities. The joy of service,

the health benefits and other aspects of this activity need to be

highlighted and publicized. There is a need to make these activities

more public through mass media. We must break away from the chain of

routine activities that feed selfish behavior. Service activity breaks

the pattern and rearranges our thinking. When we break from the chain

of selfishness and enter the field of service, a shift in consciousness

takes place.'Offer

service and receive love in exchange. In this heart itself, God shines

in all His glory and manifests Himself. But we are not able to offer

selfless service today, and therefore we are unable to receive His Love

either. The love that is given is not uninhibited, vast, expansive and

selfless. We are allowing our love to grow only up to the limits of our

family. It must go beyond the family, extend itself to the society,

nation and the world. This was what the Buddha too had taught.'(Divine Discourse 1987 - pg 6)

The

regular service activities such as the visit to the hospital or the old

folks become an orientation program to facilitate the expansion of

love. But from these regular activities, every individual must possess

the dynamism to spring to greater fields of service. Even such

opportunities are not grabbed by some who give feeble excuses that they

are doctors and lawyers and as such their work itself is service. No

doubt any field of work becomes service, however, one must realize that

in all their respective occupations, their monthly pay packet could

become the incentive for their performance.Duty without Love is deplorableDuty with Love is desirableLove without Duty is DivineThese

maxims of Bhagavan, if practiced, can unlock our jail doors. There are

many who perform duty for the sake of the roles that they have been

forced to take up and hence, half hearted work which is devoid of any

interest and passion definitely would be deplorable. Such bored people

usually need pushing and forcing. Their motivation will most likely be

the incentive which they will depend on. There is no higher motivation

to provoke excellence. Living day to day, complaining and forever

making decision when they come to the bridge, will be the lifestyles of

such people who fall in the first category of deplorable people whom

Swami has specified.The second will be the most common sort of

attitude people will have or aspire to possess, i.e., Duty with Love

which Bhagavan calls Dharma. Each does his duty to the best of his

ability. Dharmic excellence is what is asked and the world today lacks

this category of people. It is a rare few in this category that

graduate to a higher level of existence where they are gushers of love,

regardless of their role or circumstance. Continuous shower of love,

sacrificing their comforts and going beyond the expectations of norm,

they continue this excellence. History endorses the existence of such

heroes and the memory of people never fails to recall their inspiring

tales. They become divine or at least reflect the grandeur of divinity.Love

without duty is a lifestyle that can change paradigms, cause waves and

enhance goodness all around. Such a life does not demand or ask

anything from the external world. They totally live for a cause. Hence,

people who participate in such service activities mature faster and

thereby are able to serve with inspiration in whatever position or role

they play in their day to day living. Hence, the call to all men and

women holding whatever position is to serve those who are less

fortunate.'All

those who are in high positions will acquit themselves as true human

beings only when they render selfless service to their fellow men.

Plunge yourselves in society and take part in service activities.'(Sanathana Sarathi January 1994 - pg 6)They

give their best because their motivation comes from within and not

external incentives. Such workers add a dazzle of brilliance to their

effort and always will leave a mark wherever they go. Such a lifestyle

will gain its rewards. This scriptures assure. Bhagavan too has

reminded us many times. There is also another reason why people of high

position should serve. Such people who are very busy and totally

engrossed in meeting their daily obligations will be a source of

admiration for their peers and juniors if they render service. The

entire civilization can be crow barred to higher levels as the lives of

these high position leaders will be quoted to inspire the younger

generation. 'If he can, why can't you?' is a question that will

whiplash the feeble excuse givers to roll their sleeves and emulate the

behavior of these people of high position.'Engage yourselves in selfless service. The reward of it will come of its own accord. Do not have any doubts on this score.'(Sanathana Sarathi April 1994 - pg 90)

Hence,

the scientist in Bhagavan reminds us of the natural law 'what is given

will return' for was it not James Matthew Barrie who said that those

who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from

themselves. The nature of the sun is to be emulated as the sun knows

only how to give. It is common knowledge that without a fraction of a

second's influence of the sun on earth, all living things will perish.

Would it not be natural to assume living things when sprung to life by

the touch of light from the sun must also transmit the nature of the

sun which is to give? The flora and fauna of life expresses the nature

of giving. Paradox as it might sound that the only creature that

divorces itself from this principle is man. Those who followed this

simple natural law have their names recorded in the annals of history.The

love for his partially deaf wife motivated him to try and invent the

hearing aid, but instead, the process of research led him to discover

the telephone which shrank the world so much smaller by creating

effective communication. The story of Graham Bell reminds one that if

he starts caring beyond himself or herself, then the light which he

emanates rebounds back with greater intensity to glorify him, his

family and society at large. A mother's love planted self-esteem into a

hopeless child who was turned away from school for his pitiful

performance. Her radiant love planted confidence and he grew to give

the world light by inventing the bulb. The story of Thomas Alwa Edison

is another example of what radiating love and care can do. Hence, the

Divine Utterance of 'Whatever I do, I do it for the happiness of

others' is a clarion call to move away from living a life satisfying

only the selfish needs of one but to expand the periphery of love to

the field of service.'Whatever

you undertake to do, do it with all your heart and to your full

satisfaction. That satisfaction will give you all the reward and

recompense. It will confer all strength. This is the quality you have

to cultivate. Acquire this true wealth. Without goodness, all other

riches are of no avail.'(Sanathana Sarathi April 1994 - pg 90)THIS IS THE KEY TO DEVELOPING THE ATTITUDE OF SERVICE, FOR SELF SATISFACTION IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS SELF SACRIFICE.(From : THE DIVINE LIFESTYLE by DR SURESH GOVIND,With the consent of Sathya Sai Central Council of Malaysia)

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