Life 48 (Feb 25 - Dec 26)

[winston]

How should we approach the sadhana of contemplating on a "Name of the Divine" and what should we supplement it with?

To realise the Divine, the only easy method is chanting the Name.

There are, of course, many great ones who chant the name of the Divine incessantly.

There are many others who recite the Name for days, months, and years but this affects no change in them.

What is the reason for this? All their sense organs function with the feeling: "I am the body”.

Those who utter the name of the Divine while being immersed in the body consciousness cannot realise the Divine, however long their penance may last.

People belonging to different faiths and cultures pursue various spiritual practices according to their different backgrounds.

When they find that these practices have not produced the results they expected, out of frustration or disappointment, they go after a different form of worship or a different faith.

Spiritual change cannot come merely by chanting a different name or even adopting a different creed.

Divine grace is not secured by a change of faith. It is the mati (mind) that has to undergo a change, not one's matam (religion).

By merely changing the garments you wear, you cannot acquire divine qualities.

Virtues have to be cultivated. Only the person who transforms his character can sublimate himself.

- Divine Discourse, Jun 21, 1989.

The body can be cleaned by water. But the heart can be cleaned only by chanting the Divine's name.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Are we doing enough as messengers? What must we do to serve Him better?

You are trying through various means to live and spread the ideals and the principle of love.

How far have these efforts succeeded? How much good has it done to the world? How much has it helped in recognising the humanness in man?

Along with the process of listening to the exposition of the ideals and of the message, they must be practiced in daily life. Only then can you declare that you grasped the meaning and purpose of ideals.

Everyone must become the embodiment of love. The principle of love can be promoted only through love. The absence of love is at the root of the anarchy that stalks the world today.

Unchecked self-interest, misdirected activity, the wild antics of the ego, pompous living and the feeling of envy have caused this monstrous situation.

Do not allow even a trace of ego, pomp, or immorality, to pollute your actions. These three qualities strengthen the feeling of selfishness.

Peace and prosperity can dawn on the world only when you move in society with love, that is free from the taint of selfishness.

- Divine Discourse, Nov 19, 1980

Whatever spiritual discipline you may practise or not, cultivate love for all. Offer that love as a divine offering to all.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

During festivals, we listen to talks by Pandits and great devotees. What must we internalise from such discourses?

The discourses of the Pandits are only reminders; they have to kindle the thought-process in the listeners; then only they can be considered beneficial.

In fact, the truth regarding Divine, Man, Nature, etc., is so simple that a few minutes of quiet contemplation, can reveal it to anyone of ordinary intelligence.

Everyone will admit that anything which undergoes change, cannot be the truth.

Truth must remain as truth, in the past, present, and future.

The world and all objects of Nature, are constantly being subjected to change — building up or breaking down, evolving or mutating, flowing or festering, growing or dying. How can it be true then?

The subjective feelings, attitudes, impulses, beliefs, instincts, intuitions — these too are changing; they are pleasant one moment, unpleasant the next moment; the same thing is welcome at one time, repulsive at another time;

Malaria makes sweet things turn bitter; jaundice turns all things yellow. So, there must be something stable and permanent and eternal as the background, the base, the foundation, for this changing scene to appear on.

Appearance is untrue; reality is eternal.

- Divine Discourse, Oct 04, 1965

Only the Divine is your eternal friend. He will never leave you; He will never let you down.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

As we observe the holy festivals, what resolve can we make to improve ourselves?

On this sacred day, take an oath to give up vices such as smoking, drinking and partaking of non-vegetarian food. Many do not realise the evil effects of these bad habits.

If a smoker blows air on a white handkerchief, he will find yellow spots on it. This is a sign of disease. Smoking leads to cancer.

Drinking is a demonic quality. It makes you intoxicated and forget yourself.

Consuming non-vegetarian food is also a bad quality. When the human body itself is made of flesh, where is the need to consume the flesh of birds and animals? You should partake of only sacred food. Only then will you have sacred feelings.

For sacred thoughts and sacred deeds, sacred food is essential.

In order to have sacred feelings, apart from partaking of sacred food, you also need to have sacred vision.

Do not cast bad looks on anybody. Do not speak ill of others. Do not hear anything that is bad. Do not entertain bad thoughts. Do not indulge in bad deeds. Do not hurt anybody. More than this, there is nothing else that one needs to do to improve one’s own Self.

- Divine Discourse, Oct 1, 1998

All acts of ours must be elevated to the level of Yajna, offering to the Divine. That is to be the goal, the consummation.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the contemplation that will slowly lead us to permanent peace?

A few minutes of investigation, will convince anyone that he is not the body which he carries about with him.

As the snail carries its home; he is not the eye or ear or tongue;

He is not the mind or intelligence for, he refers to them as “my mind is not in it” etc., meaning that he is separate from his mind;

“My intelligence failed me”, meaning that he is different from his intelligence.

He is a witness; it is the body that dies; he survives; he is reborn when he takes on a new body.

Physical beauty is just a matter of health; a couple of days of fever or purging makes an angel a scarecrow.

Insanity pounces upon a genius someday and reduces his talk to unintelligent blabber.

When the mind is deranged, the eyes see strange sights that are not there; the ears hear eerie noises that never were.

It is only when man discovers the ultimate unchanging base that he can derive permanent peace; until then, he too will have to swing and sway in the changing world, between joy and grief.

- Divine Discourse, Oct 04, 1965

Do not get attached to this evanescent body; utilise the body as an implement.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What are the two pathways that can be used to understand and thus become one with the Divine?

People must be urged by the thirst to know the Creator behind Creation, the person behind the puppets.

Nag Mahasaya started from the attitude of Dasoham (I am the servant) and he made himself so small by shrinking his individuality that he was able to wriggle out of the shackles of delusion and escape into the Universal Eternal Truth.

Vivekananda, on the other hand, started from the attitude of Soham (I am He); he made himself so vast and grand that he broke the shackles and merged with the Supreme Sovereign Truth.

When you have earned that Jnana (wisdom) of the identity of your reality with the reality behind the Universe, maya (illusion) cannot affect you.

The fly sits on all objects, fair and foul but it does not sit on fire, for it will be scorched to death.

- Divine Discourse, Oct 04, 1965

You should fill your hearts with love. That is the only way in which you can reach the eternal truth of the Divine.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the desire we must all cultivate and what must we do to realise it?

Bharat has sought to ensure the peace and security of nations for generations, through instruction on spiritual development.

She herself has been an example to others for spiritual virtues. “May all the worlds be happy” is the prayer echoing from the Scriptures through centuries and over the globe.

The sages, monarchs, scholars and women of past ages, dedicated their lives to solving the fundamental problems of the human situation and promoting world prosperity. They accepted sacrifice as their duty and destiny.

Due to the degenerated time-spirit of today, self-interest has polluted the thoughts, words and deeds of man!

He acts as if things and persons have to be sought and loved because they are useful for him. This is only another instance of selfish love.

Man is activated by desire; he plans and designs to win what he desires.

Human life is a process where man awaits the harvest of the desires he sows. The desire has to be not for selfish personal advancement but for peace, happiness, and prosperity for all. Only then can the Vedic prayer mentioned above be realised.

- Divine Discourse, Oct 27, 1982

He who is ever ready to sacrifice his comfort for helping another is the genuine devotee.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

In this life, which is a ceaseless pursuit of happiness and bliss, which is the path we must take?

Man struggles variously to attain Ananda (bliss).

Ananda is the height of happiness, becoming the embodiment of joy.

It is sought in three different ways, according to the innate quality of the seeker – the Satvika, the Rajasika and the Tamasika.

The Satvika path is bitter in the early stages and nectar while coming to fruition. It involves firm control and regulation of the senses, of cognition and action.

This will be very hard to accomplish. But as one progresses in practice, the joy increases, and bliss is attained.

How can such a goal be secured without undergoing hardship? The scriptures say, “Happiness cannot be won through happiness”;

Happiness can be won only through misery. Pleasure is but an interval between two pains.

To achieve the Satvika happiness that is positive and permanent, man must perforce take on trials and tribulations, loss and pain.

- Divine Discourse, Apr 05, 1981

Man, who ought to enjoy the greatest bliss and peace, is the victim of sorrow and worry because of limitless desires.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What are the ways to avoid misery in this life, which is a pursuit of happiness?

The second way of experiencing Ananda (the height of happiness), after the Satvika way, is the Rajasika way.

In the early stages, this path is nectarous but later, it slides into misery, for the happiness is derived through the senses from objects of the external world.

The pleasure soon reveals itself as unreal, false and exhausting.

Once the process starts, it drags on with no facility for rest. Man becomes too weak to pursue the goals of Dharma (righteousness), Artha (prosperity), Kama (wish-fulfilment) and Moksha (liberation), which are laid down for him.

His intellect, imaginative skill and intuitive faculty — all are rendered lame.

Man can even lose his humanness. The blind pursuit of objective sensual pleasure has today resulted in this very calamity.

Lastly, we have the Tamasika path. People who prefer this way of life are unconcerned with the problems of the world; they sleep away their lives, deriving joy in sloth and darkness.

Of these three paths towards the goal of Ananda, man must accept the Satvika road, whatever the hardship, the loss, the misery, the anxiety and the labour.

He must attain the awareness of Divinity, the experience of the Divine and be established in the Ananda.

- Divine Discourse, Apr 05, 1981

If we just let go of our senses in a wild fashion, the result will be sorrow and not joy.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How can we live in peace and prosperity and secure the welfare of our country?

We find unrest and agitation in the world today because people have forgotten truth.

"Speak the truth, speak pleasantly, do not speak unpalatable truth". Only truth and righteousness can confer peace and prosperity in the world.

"Speak truth; practice righteousness". This is the most important principle of our culture.

Once you develop truth and righteousness, peace and love will automatically follow.

Righteousness is the head of our culture and Truth its feet. But today, people have severed the head and feet of our culture.

They are clinging on to the trunk of Artha and Kama (wealth and desire). What is the use of a mere trunk without a head and feet?

People are striving to protect the country. If you protect and practice truth and righteousness, they will, in turn, protect the country!

You need not make any special efforts to protect the country. It’s enough if you protect truth and righteousness.

The entire world is based on these two principles.

- Divine Discourse, Apr 14, 2003

One may undertake any activity, do any job or business but one should make truth and righteousness, the undercurrent of all their endeavours.

Source: radiosai.org