Buddha's Gospel of the Good Life (USEFUL INFORMATIONS,BIBLIOGRAPHY,INDEX OF QUOTATIONS)

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Buddha's Gospel of the Good Life

 

In Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's own words

Compiled by Rameesh & Ananda Kasturi

 

 

Offered with lots of love and happiness at the Lotus feet of our beloved Swami,

on the occassion of Buddhapoornima on 30.05.1999

 

 

 

Contents

I. CHILDHOOD

II. BUDDHA'S TEACHINGS

III. UNDER THE BODHI TREE

 

IV. THE NOBLE TRUTH TAUGHT BY BUDDHA

V. LAST MOMENTS OF THE ENLIGHTENED ONE

VI. THE DHAMMAPADA, THE VEDAS AND SATHYA SAI BABA

VII. THE BRAHMIN - A POEM

 

VIII. THE FIVE HUMAN VALUES

 

IX. SATHYA SAI ABOUT SATHYA SAI AND 'SANATHANA DHARMA'

X. USEFUL INFORMATIONS

XI. BIBLIOGRAPHY

XII. INDEX OF QUOTATIONS

 

X. USEFUL INFORMATIONS

Contents

NIRVANA: Cessation of suffering is achieved by extinction of the personal self. He explained that by denying the ego, and turning firmly in the direction of Reality, the soul sees clearly the impermanence of the sense-world, and is freed from craving which is the root of sorrow. With extinction of self, the soul passes into the state called NIRVANA. Many understand Nirvana to be the annihilation ofthe soul. This is incorrect.

 

Nirvana is indefinable. It signifies Absorption in the Divine; the Peace which passeth all understanding; the joyous merging of the soul with ifs Source.

 

...It is to be recalled that the Holy One said to Dhaniya: "I have passed over to the Nirvana. " How could this be when the Holy One still lived in this world? What is Nirvana? The ignorant have taught, since the departing of the Perfect One, that Nirvana is an extinction of man himself. This is not so. THAT WHICH IS EXTINGUISHED ARE THE CRAVINGS AND PASSIONS IN MAN. When these have been vanquished, hatred and illusion are extinguished forever, and man enters Nirvana whether still in this world or not." 57

BUDDHISM, like Christianity is no longer confined to its original form. Many sub-traditions have been emerged in different countries of the world. Naturally it is shaped and influenced by the culture and traditions of the respective country.

Today Buddhism has grown into two major branches, namely Mahayana Buddhism, (Mahayana means Great Vehicle) which is regarded by its followers as a more progressive form. More than 100 Mi. followers are from China, 50 Mi. from Japan and also from Tibet, Korea and Mongolia. Theravada or Hinayana (which means small vehicle) Buddhism has the preservation of the traditions of the elders as a main subject.

It is to be found in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia etc. Most of the Buddhists are from Asian Countries (320.7 Mi.) with 56% Mahayana, 38% Theravada and 6% Tantrism (Lamaism). 58

'Manorama' Yearbook' 98

In His Discourse on February 5, 1998, the Chinese New Year Celebration in Prasanthi Nilayam, India, Bhagavan Sathya Sai Baba mentions:

"Devotees have gathered here from Malaysia, Singapore, Hongkong, Indonesia, Taiwan and Japan. You may have come with many problems and worries. Leave all of them here and return to your places with your hearts filled with bliss. Leave all your bad thoughts and feelings and fill yourselves with the peace and joy of Prasanthi Nilayam.. .Think about God alone. There is nothing more vital than that.

 

"Try to acquire Divine Love.

Love is God. Live in Love.

The best way to love God is to

Love all, serve all.

All are embodiments of God."59

 

 

S.S.B.

 

 

 

With this Divine Guidance of Bhagavan, which is surely useful for all of us, whichever path to God we might have chosen, we close this small booklet. It is a humble offering at His Divine Feet on the occasion of Buddha Poornima on 30.05.1999.

XI. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Contents

Sanafnana Sarathi, the monthly magazin from the Ashram of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam, India

Glimpses of World Religions, Jaico Publishing House, 1957, India

Selections from the World's most sacred Literature, by Eknath Easwaran, Jaico Pub.House, 1997, India

The Holy Vedas by Pandit Satyakam Vidyalankar, 1996, Clarion Books, India

Manorama Yearbook, 1998, India

Holy Scriptures, Sri Ramakrishna Math, 1989, Madras, India

Your God is my God, by Gladys de Meuter, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan 1951, India

Generate God's Peace, by Moyia and Dorothy O'Brien, 1998, Australia,

My Baba and I, Dr.John Hislop, Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam, India

 

XII. INDEX OF QUOTATIONS

Contents

* SSB means Sri Sathya Sai Baba

* SS means Sanathana Sarathi

* The Quotation of the Vedas are all taken from the book 'The Holy Vedas'and are not mentioned here again

 

1. SSB, 11.05.1998, SS, Vol.41 No.6

2. SSB, 05.02.1998, SS, Vol.41 No.2

3. SSB, 05.02.1998, SS, Vol.41 No.2

4. SSB, 05.02.1998, SS, Vol.41 No.2

5. Yajur Veda, 5.8

6. SSB, 05.02.1998, SS, Vol.41 No.2

7. SSB, 20.04.1998, SS, Vol.41 No.7

8. SSB, 20.04.1998, SS, Vol.41 No.7

9. SSB, 23.11.1997, SS, Vol.40 No.12

10. SSB, 11.05.1998, SS Vol.41 No.6

11. Your God is my God

12. SSB, 11.05.1998, SS Vol.41 No.6

13. SSB, 11.05.1998, SS Vol.41 No.6

14. SSB, 23.11.1997, SS, Vol.40 No. 12

15. SSB, 11.05.1998, SS Vol.41 No.6

16. SSB, 11.05.1998, SS, Vol.41 No.6

17. Glimpses of World Religions, p.53-54

18. SSB, 05.02.T998.SS, Vol.41 No.2

19. SSB, 11.05.1998, SS, Vol.41 No.6

20. SSB, 25.12.1997, SS, Vol.41 No.1

21. SSB, 11.05.1998, SS, Vol.41 No.6

22. Your God is my God

23, 24. SSB, 05.02.1998, SS, Vol.41 No.2

25,27,29,31,33,35, from Selections from the World's most sacred Literature, by Eknath Easwaran

26. SSB, 11.05.1998, SS, Vol.41 No.6

28. SSB, 25.12.1997.SS.Vol.41 No.1

30. SSB, 25.12.1997, SS.Vol.41 No.1

32. SSB, 11.05.1998, SS, Vol.41 No.6

34. SSB, 05.02.1998, SS, Vol.41 No.2

36-39, 41-43, 45, 47, 48, 50, 52, 57, from 'Your God is my God' by Gladys de Meuter

40. SSB, 17.02.1980

44. SSB, 16.02.1977

46. SSB, Generate God's Peace

49. SSB, 29.03.1998, SS, Vol.41, No.4

51. SSB.23.11 1995

53. SSB, in Dr.John Hislop, My Baba and I, p.246

54. SSB, Vol.41, No.12

55. SSB, 19.11.1980

56. SSB, 25.12.1979

58. Manorama Yearbook

59. SSB, 05.02.1998, SS, Vol.41 No.2

60. SSB, Vol.41, No.12

May the Divine

shower grace upon you;

may your life blossom

the Divine love for all!!

 

"Be pure in words and deeds and keep impure thoughts away. I am in every one of you and so, I become aware of the slightest wave of thoughts.

When the clothes become dirty, you have to be born again for the cleansing operations. The dhobi beats the clothes on the hard stone and draws over it the hot iron to straighten the folds. So, you too, will have to pass through a terrain of travail in order to become fit to approach God.

See me as a resident in everyone.

Give them all the help you can, all the service they need.

Do not withhold the sweet word, the supporting hand, the assuring smile, the comforting company, the consoling conversation."60

 

 

Sri Sathya Sai Baba

 

 

 

SaiSewak, Bear all and do nothing;Hear all and say nothing;Give all and take nothing;Serve all and be nothing.

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