Life 34 (Sept 19 - Jan 20)

[winston]

Of the three pathways to the Divine, which is the best?

You can hold fast to the Divine either through the paths of Knowledge, Worship or Work.

You may travel first, second or third class in the train; the destination is the same.

Knowledge proceeds on the assumption that the Divine is immanent and transcendent.

Worship believes that the Divine is Creator, Preserver and Destroyer, that He is to be adored, and propitiated by deeds that He appreciates, that He is the Master and you are privileged to serve.

Work (Duty) takes into account a third category - Nature! M an has to utilise Nature, live in Nature, live by Nature, always dedicating one’s activity to the further Glory of The Divine, resigning oneself to the worshipful activity, unconcerned with the fruits of the activity, for they are in the hands of the Divine.

The three colours - Knowledge, Worship and Work, are different only when the white light of the Divine passes through the prism of human reason and mind.

Activate them in deed, they are but parts of one ray.

- Divine Discourse, Oct 29, 1970.

Do your duty; leave the rest to the Divine.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

The Power of a Single Person

You need to pay attention to what is going on.

You should never think that you can’t make a difference in this world.

You can. That is very, very important to understand.

—Interview with Losang Samten by Anne Doran and Frank Olinsky, “The Mandala Master”

[winston]

What is the secret to win showers of Divine Grace?

Love unfolds first on the lap of the mother. The eyes of Love fasten themselves on the caressing face of the mother. It then spreads towards the father, brothers and sisters, kith and kin, friend and playmate, region and language, world and its "Maker".

The ‘I’ that lives within the body is like a lion in a cave. It is the monarch of the forest; but it limits itself to the few square feet of rocky floor.

Let it come out, renouncing the petty possession. So long as you crib yourselves into the body-consciousness (I am the body), you are the lion moping in the musty cave!

Do not feel that I am the body. Roar that I am Divine; I am all this and more, I am all this is, was and will be. Then the littleness, time, space, ego - all will flee from your heart!

You will be Love, Love, Love and nought else. That is to say, you will be Divine, one with the One.

- Divine Discourse, Oct 29, 1970.

Wherever and whenever the lamp of love is shining bright, the Divine manifests and showers His Grace.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Letting Your Desires Pass

The next time you have some wanting or desire in the mind, investigate what the wanting feels like and then notice how it feels when the wanting passes away.

Given the great law of impermanence, it always will.

—Joseph Goldstein, “The End of Suffering”

[winston]

Why is good character a supreme virtue that must be carefully guarded and nourished?

Human life is undoubtedly the highest in evolution, and to give it meaning, spiritual endeavour and effort that is pure and holy, is essential.

For this way of life, character is most important.

Character makes life immortal; it survives even death. Some say that knowledge is power, but it is not true. Character is power.

Even the acquisition of knowledge demands a good character. So everyone must yearn to attain flawless character, without any trace of evil.

The great sages, saints and devotees of the Divine, are treasured in the memory of people even to this day!

What quality made them all memorable for all times? It is their character!

Without character, wealth, education, and social status are of no avail. Character is the fragrance of the flower; it gives value and worth.

Poets, painters, artists, and scientists may be great, each in their own field, but without character, they can have no standing in society.

- Prema Vahini, Ch 1.

Good Character is Power!

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is real worship?

Develop faith in the Inner-Self principle and love it earnestly —this is true worship.

The Inner-Self is the one and only Loved One for humanity.

Feel that it is more lovable than any object here or hereafter —that is the true adoration one can offer to the Divine.

You must live in the world where they are born like the lotus leaf, which, though born in water, floats upon it without being affected or wetted by it.

Of course, it is good to love and adore the Divine with a view to gain some valuable fruit, either here or hereafter but since there is no fruit or object more valuable than the Divine or more worthwhile than Him, the Scriptures advise us to love Him with no touch of desire in our minds.

Love, since you must love for love’s sake; love Him since whatever He can give is less than He Himself; love Him alone, with no other wish or demand.

- Sathya Sai Vahini, Ch 1.

The Divine is all mercy; adore Him as long as you have breath, so long as you are conscious.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How can we reform our character?

Perfect character lasts till the end of one's life, nay end of all ages; it is immortal and is associated with the Inner-Self.

Such immortal qualities are - compassion, kindness, love, forbearance, integrity and patience.

Habits form only because of the deeds we indulge in. These habits shape the intelligence. All that we weave in our imagination, our aspirations and deeds, leave an indelible imprint on the mind.

Due to these, man makes his own perception of the world. Man’s present condition is the result of his past birth. These habits mould man’s character.

Whatever be the nature, just by the process of imagination and practice, it can be modified.

A bad person will not remain so always. Man has within him the capacity to change his evil propensities and habits.

Selfless service, renunciation, devotion, prayer, enquiry - these will enable the inculcation of new svabhava - conduct.

- Prema Vahini, Ch 1.

Your thoughts manifests as word, words manifest as deeds, deeds develop into habits, and habits harden into character. So watch your thoughts and its ways.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the supreme victory we must aspire to achieve in this very life?

To battle against the tendency of body identification and to win the grace of the Divine, spiritual exercises such as philosophical inquiry, mind and sense control and other six-fold spiritual disciplines, have been laid down.

Their practice will ensure the purification of the consciousness; it will then become like a clean mirror that can reflect any object, and the Inner-Self will stand revealed clearly.

For the attainment of the highest wisdom, cleansing of the consciousness is the royal path.

For the pure in heart, this is easy to achieve. This is the central truth of our search for the ultimate reality. This is the very vital breath of the teaching.

- Sathya Sai Vahini, Ch 1.

Reining in your senses is a mark of growing in wisdom.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How should we train our minds to attain lofty and noble goals?

As our vision, so is the creation.

Will not the colour of creation change, based on the colour of glasses we wear?

There have been and there are great masters now too, who demonstrate to man, the great heights one can attain, and also reveal the great power that is latent in the human body.

Mind of man is often wasted wandering on things outside, criticising others and similar such activities.

When one is always engaged in seeing faults in others, how can one attain one-pointedness?

Ask yourself this question: When many valorous and great ones, who have physical bodies just like me, have attained such exalted status, why should my position be anything less?

What do I gain in finding faults of others? I have to search within myself for my own faults and keep my mind under control.

Making this firm resolve is the first step in spiritual practice.

- Prema Vahini, Ch 3.

Close your eyes to others’ faults, but keep them open to recognize your own faults.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Appreciate the Precious Present Moment

All things already have their endings within them.

If we become attuned to this, then we can appreciate the moment.

We can appreciate the extraordinary fact of our unique and precious lives.

—Thanissara, “The Grit That Becomes a Pearl”