Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's Discourses About RIGHT CONDUCT (DHARMA)

[Guest guest]

Om Sri Sai Ram

 

RIGHT CONDUCT (DHARMA)

 

[Extracts compiled from Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's

Discourses]

 

 

Dharma is the foundation for the welfare of humanity; it is

the Truth that is stable for all time. God is the embodiment

of Dharma; His Grace is won by Dharma; He is ever fostering

Dharma; He is ever establishing Dharma. He is Dharma itself.

 

Dharma is a body of principles that are fundamental to

social stability and individual progress. " Dharma

Moolam Idam Jagath " . Dharma is the root of this world.

Obey it and you are happy. One common definition of Dharma

is that it is the adherence to the rule: 'Do unto others

what you wish them to do unto you. Do not have a double

standard. Treat all as your own self'.

 

 

The basic principles of Dharma are Sathya (Truth), Prema

(Love), Sahana (Fortitude) and Ahimsa (Nonviolence).

" Dharmo Rakshathi Rakshithah " Dharma protects

those that protect Dharma. Dharma means certain obligations

and duties and regulations over actions, words and behavior.

For example, elders have certain obligations towards younger

people and vice versa; neighbors have mutual duties and

rights.

 

The task of everyone is to do the duty that has come upon

him, with a full sense of responsibility to the utmost of

his capacity. There should be complete coordination between

what one feels, says and does. Then work becomes worship.

 

How are you to decide in any particular case what is Dharma

and what is not? That which does not inflict pain on you and

others - that is Dharma. This follows from the recognition

that same God resides in everyone and if you injure another,

you are hurting the same God who is in you. Dharma enables

you to come to the recognition that anything that is bad for

another is also bad for you. So act in such a way that you

get joy and others too get joy. Or take another standard for

your actions: Make the mind, the speech and body agree in

harmony. Act as you speak; speak as you feel; do not play

false to your conscience. That is the Dharmic way of life.

 

Dharma trains you to be calm, level headed, secure in

equanimity. You know the transitory nature of success or

failure, riches or poverty, joy or grief. You are not elated

or deflated. You are serene, unmoved. Anything that helps

you to maintain this unruffled stability is Dharma. To

summarize: sensual life is Adharma; the spiritual life is

Dharma.

 

Dharma is not a matter of time and space to be modified and

adjusted to the needs and pressures of the moment. It means

a number of fundamental principles that should guide mankind

in its progress towards inner harmony and outer peace. When

man stays away from Dharma, he meets with greater harm than

even physical slavery. These principles are called

Sanaathana because their origins are not dated, their author

is not identifiable; they are the revelations made in the

clarified intellects of impartial sages. They are basic and

eternal.

 

Dharma is the eternal source. Dharma is a great virtue.

Dharma is the basis for everything. In this world nothing is

higher than righteousness. Man must follow the path of

Dharma, to know himself, to discard demonic qualities, to

foster human qualities, to develop divine qualities and to

achieve a good life.