Life 23 (Jul 14 - Jan 15)

[winston]

What must we overcome and conquer to be successful in life?

All of you have a whole set of animals within: the dog, the fox, the ass, and the wolf. You must choose to suppress the tendencies of all these beasts and encourage the human qualities of love and friendship to shine.

Above all, begin the cultivation of virtues; that is more important and beneficial than mere book-learning. This will give real Ananda (bliss); that is the essence of all knowledge, the culmination of all learning.

Treat everyone as your own and even if you cannot do them any good, desist from causing them any injury.

Light the lamp of love inside the niche of your heart and the nocturnal birds of greed and envy will fly away, unable to bear the light.

An unbending person is infected with egoism of the worst type; Love (Prema) makes you humble, it makes you bend and bow when you see greatness and glory. Use that capacity and derive the best advantage out of it.

- Divine Discourse, March 3, 1958.

Causing harm to others is displaying animalistic behavior. The real sin is to regard what is spiritually one as manifold and diverse.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the barometer to know if we possess true Love for the Divine? Why should we cultivate selfless love assiduously?

The one who is filled with love has great peace of mind, is pure at heart and is unruffled by any adverse circumstances, failures or losses. This fortitude is derived from love of the Lord, and it endows one with self-confidence.

Self-confidence generates an immense internal power. Everyone has to develop this power to experience the bliss of the Self (Atma-Ananda).

Love should be free from feelings of expectation of any return or reward. Love which arises out of a desire for something in return is not true love.

Utterly selfless and motiveless love should be developed. This is the bounden duty of all.

You should not pray to the Divine seeking this favour or that, for your vision is limited. None of you can fathom what immensely precious, Divine and magnificent treasures lie when you secure the treasure-house of Divine Grace.

- Divine Discourse, Oct 9, 1989.

You must give up pomp and pride to experience the Divine.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What are the two principles that if we adhere to, can make our life so much more simple and straightforward?

Have faith that Truth will save you in the long run; stick to it, regardless of what might befall. For if you are true, the sense of guilt will not gnaw your insides and cause pain.

It is cowardice that makes you hide the truth; it is hatred that sharpens the edge of falsehood.

Be bold and there is no need for a lie. Be full of love and there is no need for subterfuge.

The easiest habit is speaking the truth, honesty; for if you start telling lies, you will have to keep count of them and remember how many you have told to whom, and be always alert not to contradict one lie with another!

Love a person and you need no longer deceive the person with a lie; you will feel that the loved one deserves the truth and nothing less than the truth. Love saves a good deal of bother.

- Divine Discourse, March 3, 1958.

t is only purity that attracts Divinity. If the iron filings are rusted, even the most powerful magnet will not attract them.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Even in the most painful, difficult, trying and testing situation, what should we pray to the Divine for?

By praying to the Divine and asking for trivial and petty things, people demean the Lord’s Divine estate. No one appreciates the valuable, sacred and divine favour, the Divine may choose to confer on a deserving devotee. Hence never seek from the Divine, nor desire, nor pray for some petty trifles.

More precious and desirable than everything else is the Divine's love. If you wish to ask for anything from the Divine, pray to Him thus, "O Lord! Let me have You alone." To crave for anything other than Divine Love is like asking for coffee powder from the Kalpataru (Wish-fulfilling Tree)!

For, once you have secured the Lord, you will naturally get everything you want! While praying to the Divine for His grace, do not indulge in extravagant praise and flattery to win His approbation and seek His favours; that prayer then acquires a commercial tinge! Pray sincerely and earnestly from within.

- Divine Discourse, Oct 9, 1989

Prayer must come from the depths of feeling; the Lord looks for sincerity of feeling not outward pomp.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Equality

Do not be led away by all this present-day talk of equality, either of men and women, or of all men.

Each has a certain fund of intelligence, and a peculiar bundle of instincts, impulses and vasanas (past impressions).

To the extent that you develop them or divert them or diminish their strength, to that extent there is bound to be difference in your equipment and achievement.

Use all chances you get to develop your skills, your health and your character. That is your present duty.

Do not by any action of yours cause pain to another; nor suffer pain yourself, by foolishness or sheer bravado. Do not dishonour your elders; cultivate the spirit of service and learn how to serve the sick and the needy, and seize every chance to help others. Or at least, desist from causing sorrow to others.

- Divine Discourse, March 3, 1958.

Habits mould character and character determines your destiny.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Each one of us may have a unique way of calling out to the Divine. But which is the way He likes?

To pray to the Divine with excessive adulation and request a favour stems from a tone of despondency.

Describing Him as One who is beyond praise and narrating glories beyond description of how He helped devotees and then asking, "Oh Lord! You have talked to them and given them so much! Why don't You come to my help?" appears to stem from jealousy.

It is only when He is regarded as a friend and a companion that He is pleased the most. When you address Him as, "O my dearest friend! My beloved One! The darling of my heart," you are giving Him the greatest joy.

We use words of praise towards an unfamiliar person to show respect and regard as he/she is a stranger. But we welcome an old friend with easy familiarity and intimacy. Hence approach the Divine as your loving friend, He will come to your aid and fulfill your needs.

- Divine Discourse, Oct 9, 1989.

The Divine alone is totally selfless as a friend and benefactor.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Why do we suffer? What is the one small correction, if we make, that will make us happy?

People suffer because they have all kinds of unreasonable desires and they pine to fulfil them and they fail.

They attach too much value to the objective world. It is only when attachment increases that you suffer pain and grief.

If you look upon Nature and all created objects with the insight derived from the Inner Vision, then attachment will slide away, though effort will remain; you will also see everything much clearer and with a glow suffused with Divinity and splendour.

Close your external eyes and open your inner eyes - What a grand picture of essential unity you get? Attachment to Nature has limits, but the attachment you develop to the Divine when your inner eye opens, has no limit. Enjoy that reality, not this false picture.

- Divine Discourse, 2 Feb 1958.

When suffering comes in waves, one behind the other, do not be like cowards throwing the blame on some outside power or develop dislike for the Divine. Be glad the shore is near and bear them bravely

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What should pilgrimages do to our relationship with the Divine?

Enter upon that task of Sadhana from now on; that is the lesson you must learn here. Otherwise pilgrimage leads only to the accumulation of objects and souvenirs.

Devotion is something sweet, soothing, refreshing and restoring. It must confer patience and fortitude.

The devotee will not be perturbed if another is blessed with more grace. The devotee is humble and bides one’s time, knowing that there is a higher power that knows more and that it is just and impartial.

In the light of that knowledge, the devotees will communicate their troubles and problems only to their Lord; they will not humiliate themselves by talking about them to all and sundry, for what can a man, who is as helpless as another, do to relieve them?

It is only those who have that implicit faith in the Divine, who will deign to communicate only with the Lord and none else, who deserve Amrita (nectar of immortality).

- Divine Discourse, 28 Dec 1960.

The Divine is always with you, for you, above you, below you, behind you and above you – guiding and guarding you at all times.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

We all indulge in spiritual practices, but how do we evaluate our progress?

Mere reading of spiritual texts is not enough. You may master all the commentaries and you may be able to argue and discuss with great scholars about these texts; but without attempting to practise what they teach, it is a waste of time.

I never approve of book-learning; practice is what I evaluate. When you come out of the examination hall you know whether you will pass or not, is it not? For you can yourself judge whether you have answered well or not. So too in sadhana (spiritual effort) or in conduct or in practice, each of you can judge and ascertain the success or failure that is in store.

The moon is reflected in a pot, provided it has water; so too the Lord can be clearly seen in your heart, provided you have the water of Love (Prema).

When you don't see the Lord reflected in your heart, do not say that there is no Lord; it only means that there is no Love within you.

- Divine Discourse, 2 Feb, 1958

The Divine is always with you, for you, above you, below you, behind you and above you – guiding and guarding you at all times.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Why is it futile to educate a person who does not wish to learn?

The conflict between persons who accept the Divine and deny Him, those who declare that He is to be found in this or that place and those who affirm that He can be found nowhere, is never ending; it has been continuing throughout the ages.

Remember that it is unnecessary to awaken a person already awake and it is easy to awaken a person who is asleep. You cannot awaken, however much you try, a person not wanting to awaken!

Those who do not know, can be taught by means of simple illustrations what they do not know. But those afflicted with half-knowledge and proud of that acquisition are beyond any further education.

Your two eyes give a picture of a vast expanse of space, but they cannot see your whole body! For that, you need two mirrors – one in front of you and one behind. So too, to know your reality, you need the mirrors of Self-confidence and Divine Grace.

- Divine Discourse, 23 Nov 1976.

Where there is confidence there is love, where there is love, there is peace.

Source: radiosai.org