Life 49 (Nov 25 - Dec 27)

[winston]

How can one move from restless seeking, to steady spiritual progress?

There are three types of approaches towards Him:

1. The eagle type, which swoops down on the target with a greedy swiftness and suddenness, which, by its very impact, fails to secure the object coveted;

2. The monkey type, which flits hither and thither, from one fruit to another, unable to decide which is tasty; and

3. The ant type, which moves steadily, though slowly, towards the object, which it has decided is desirable. The ant does not hit the fruit hard and make it fall away; it does not pluck all the fruits it sees; it appropriates just as much as it can assimilate and no more.

Do not fritter away the time allotted to you for sojourning on Earth in foolish foppery and fanciful foibles, which always keep you outdoors.

When are you going to walk indoors into the warmth and quiet of your own interior?

Retire into solitude and silence, now and then; experience the joy derivable only from them.

- Divine Discourse, Oct 26, 1961

When the fruit is ripe, it will fall off the branch of its own accord. Similarly, when vairagya (renunciation) saturates your heart, you lose contact with the world and slip into the lap of the Divine.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How can a person redeem their life through right thoughts and actions?

He has provided everything for man’s good in the world. But there is one condition that must be observed.

The result of your actions will be according to their nature, whether they are good or bad.

Men today want to reap the fruits of good deeds without performing good deeds. This is impossible.

Nor can they escape the consequences of their evil actions. He is only a witness.

From now on, develop good thoughts, do good actions and redeem your lives. You must start with Karma Marga (Path of Action) and end with Jnana Marga (Path of Knowledge).

In between, there is Upasana Marga (Path of Worship). This is the path you must follow today.

For this, you must get the conviction that He is omnipresent. When you have that conviction, you will not indulge in falsehood or practice deception, you will not abuse others or cause harm to them, you will acquire all virtues.

- Divine Discourse, Feb 27, 1995

Develop the firm conviction that He is within you and that you are Divine.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is one necessary attitude we must develop to lead a joyful life?

For man, there are two kinds of states in this world. They are: Hita (Pleasant) and Ahita (Unpleasant).

Whether the state is pleasant or unpleasant, depends on your innermost attitude or outlook.

The same object becomes pleasant once and unpleasant on another occasion! The thing welcomed with great fondness at one time becomes hateful at another time and there is not the desire even to see it.

The condition of the mind at those times is the reason to wean so. Hence, everyone must train their mind to be pleasant always.

The waters of a river leap from mountains, fall into valleys and rush through gorges; besides, tributaries join it at various stages and the water becomes turbid and unclean.

So too, in the flood of human life, speed and power increase and decrease. These ups and downs can happen at any moment during life.

No one can escape these; they may come at the beginning of life, at the end or in the middle.

So, what man must firmly convince himself is that life is necessarily full of ups and downs, and that, far from being afraid and worried over these, one should welcome them.

One should not only feel like this, but should be happy and glad, whatever happens! Then, all troubles, whatever their nature, will pass away lightly and quick!

- Ch 3, Dhyana Vahini

Faith in Him can ensure equanimity and balance.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Why should we surrender? How are troubles, grief and pain, preparing us to surrender?

When man realises the inefficiency of the senses, the mind and the intellect, to grapple with the Reality and know the inner core of his truth, he discovers he is the Atma (Inner-Self), which is Sathya, Dharma, Shanti, Prema!

Or he realises there is the Divine, who is the basis of all superstructure, who designed and contrived all. Then he surrenders his ego to Him. “Let Your will prevail,” he proclaims and resigns himself fully to His plan.

That moment is a supreme moment of Ananda. Troubles, miseries, handicaps, grief, and pains that were causes of distress, suddenly take on a new and magnificent role: they are ‘His handwork, His gifts, His Grace.’

They are no longer unwelcome; they are as welcome as success, pleasure, and happiness! Both are His Will.

When you go to a new place, you seek out a friend and hand over to him all the money you have for safekeeping, but, if you start suspecting him later, you will have no peace.

Have faith in him; you are free; you have no worry. So too, give all your desire-driven activities to Him; have faith in Him and be unconcerned forever.

- Divine Discourse, Jul 21, 1967

Believe in the Supreme and engage yourselves in the practice of living. You will then find that you can manage to detach yourselves from the world, though you are in it.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Why is discharging duties important in one’s life?

A whetstone is used for sharpening the razor and not for making the stone smoother.

Similarly, good qualities have to be fostered for refining one’s nature. These qualities are essential, like the different limbs in a body, for its well-being as a whole.

People should realise that human birth has been given to them to lead ideal lives. Good qualities enable one to lead a good life.

But even for the good life, a price has to be paid. That price is good conduct.

This means that you derive the happiness that results from a good life only when you discharge your duties.

Pleasures are of two kinds: temporary and lasting. Permanent happiness can be obtained only by performing your duties. First do your duty and then enjoy the fruits.

Today, people do not discharge their duties but wish to enjoy the fruits thereof. This cannot give them happiness.

Everyone should realise that he is born to discharge various obligations and not to enjoy rewards for unrendered services.

Man should realise that he has no claim to rights. His role is to carry out his duties. When he performs his duties, he will reap the rewards in due course.

- Divine Discourse, Jan 14, 1997

Eschew ideas of “me” and “mine”. You will then become one with the divine.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the essential message of Gautama Buddha?

Buddha taught that we should not have anger, we should not find others’ faults and we should not harm others because all are embodiments of the pure, eternal principle of the Atma.

Have compassion towards the poor and help them to the extent possible.

You think those who do not have food to eat are poor people. You cannot call someone poor just because he does not have money or food to eat. Truly speaking, nobody is poor.

All are rich, not poor. Those whom you consider poor may not have money but all are endowed with the wealth of Hridaya (the heart).

Understand and respect this underlying principle of unity and divinity in all and experience bliss.

Do not have such narrow considerations as so and so is your friend, so and so is your enemy, so and so is your relation, etc.

All are one, be alike to everyone. That is your primary duty. This is the most important teaching of Buddha.

- Divine Discourse, May 13, 2006

Buddha taught that the principle of unity of the Atma was the only true principle in the world. One who realised it by using his spiritual intelligence was a true Buddha, he said.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

In what form is the Divine Principle present in each one of us?

The Divine is Premaswarupa (Embodiment of Love); He is in every being; so the fruit of every life is full of the sweetness of that Prema (Divine Love).

Like the bitter skin of the fruit, which is sweet, which casts the cover of ignorance over the precious juice within, so too, the bitter skin of envy, egoism, hate, malice, greed, lust and pomp, does not allow the sweetness to be patent to all.

Every being is entitled to partake of that Prema, irrespective of nationality, colour, creed or status in society.

When He and His Prema are activating every atom, who can dare say, ‘Stand out’ to anyone? All this is Divine is Prema.

The lights that the Sage Vyasa lit to reveal this great reality have become dim; no one is pouring oil into the lamp; all are interested in pursuing false ideals and fleeting pleasures.

Sage Vyasa taught Dharma (Righteousness), Bhakthi (Devotion) and Shanti and Prema (Peace and Love) in the Scriptures; he also taught the knowledge of “knowledge, knower, and the known”.

He emphasised that harming others is the seed of sin and serving others the seed of merit. That is the lesson of Prema, pure and simple.

- Divine Discourse, Jul 21, 1967

Prema (Love) is the spring that feeds the roots of all the virtues.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Why are pure thoughts and a strong mind, very essential to attain the Divine?

A resolution adopted by the mind, is like a stone thrown into a lake. It produces ripples that affect the entire surface and unsettles equanimity.

A good sankalpa (resolution) sets up a series of such thoughts, each contributing its quota to the process of purification and strengthening.

Bharatiya culture insists on the purity of sankalpa because like a fragrant flower in the hand, it will spread its beneficial influence on others and through others, on society and community, in which the individual operates.

A bad thought desecrates the individual as well as the community.

Misery, too, is infectious; your impurity can pollute too.

When the Mind acts in subordination to Intellect or the Discriminating Reason (Buddhi), it will help the realisation of the Inner Truth.

When it yields to the pull of the senses, it will tighten the bonds.

Good ideas have to be accepted and bad ones eschewed.

Each idea has to be judged in the Supreme Court of Viveka (Wisdom). And, the ruling has to be treated as inviolable.

- Divine Discourse, Mar 30, 1973

When one’s thoughts are centred on Him, one’s feelings, speech and actions, get sanctified.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How does understanding the divinity within everyone, transform our attitude toward others?

Even if others trouble you and pose problems for you, bear it with patience, believing that it will do you only good.

The body, which is made up of five elements, has to fall and perish one day or another.

The indweller of the body is eternal, is birthless and deathless and is not bound by any chains of bondage.

In fact, this indweller is the Divine Himself!

When a beggar begs for food, he is really begging from the Dehi, the indweller and not you. Recognise the truth that he is praying to Him in you for alms.

It is your ignorance if you think that he is begging from you. It amounts to arrogance.

Divinity resides in everyone, irrespective of whether one is a prince or a pauper. You have to adore this Divine principle in everyone and love them but love should be selfless.

Love bereft of attachment to the body flows equally towards everyone.

- Divine Discourse, Nov 23, 2001

We need a mirror to see our face. Likewise, with the help of the mirror of wisdom, we can experience the Divinity that resides within us.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Why is developing a sense of spiritual oneness necessary in today’s world?

In the economic sphere, when human desires are governed by righteousness, a Divine impulse will arise in man.

When the quest for wealth and the concern for sensuous pleasures, are based on dharma (righteousness), the mind will spontaneously turn towards Him.

In the vast cosmos, man is like a speck. Essentially, there is no conflict between man and creation.

Just as a child is entitled to enjoy the milk from its mother and the bee is entitled to enjoy the honey from flowers, there can be no objection to man enjoying the resources of nature.

But, as a result of uncontrolled desires and reckless exploitation of natural resources, Nature is exhibiting frightening disorders.

Natural calamities like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, droughts and floods, are the result of disturbances in the balance of Nature.

Mankind, today, can be likened to a foolish man who is wielding the axe at the branch of a tree on which he is sitting.

Men have to develop a sense of spiritual oneness. Out of that sense of oneness, love will grow. Love alone can bind the whole of humanity into one unit.

- Divine Discourse, Feb 13, 1997

When the mind is trained to see the oneness of all creation, there will not be perversions of any kind.

Source: radiosai.org