Life 47 (May 24 - Jan 25)

[winston]

What is the aim of spirituality?

For a seed to become a plant, earth and water are necessary. Likewise, for the divine seed in man to grow into a tree and blossom into the flower of Sat-Chit-Ananda, it needs bhakti and shraddha (devotion and earnestness).

Humanness does not consist merely in turning the mind towards Him. The Divine has to be experienced within.

The human estate is the manifestation of the infinite potential of the Divine. Man is the individualisation of the infinite rays of the Divine. Not recognising his divine essence, man is wasting his life in the pursuit of transient and trivial pleasures.

What is spirituality? It is the resolute pursuit of cosmic consciousness. Spirituality aims at enabling man to manifest in all its fullness the divine chaitanya (cosmic consciousness) that is present within and outside him.

It means getting rid of the animal nature in man and developing the divine tendencies in him. It means breaking down the barriers between the Divine and Nature and establishing their essential oneness.

- Divine Discourse Feb 12, 1991.

Born as manava (human being), people should rise to the level of Madhava (Divine). They should not degenerate to the level of an animal.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How can we ensure that the knowledge we acquire, truly becomes our ornament?

Education should be for leading a good life and not for earning a livelihood.

To learn from a scientist, the chemical composition of water, is a kind of knowledge which may help one to get a job. But how to make the right use of water so that all can share its benefits is knowledge of the Spirit. This higher knowledge elevates life and makes it meaningful.

When worldly knowledge and spiritual knowledge come together, human life is divinised.

There is a saying: "For water, lotus is the ornament. For a town, the home is the ornament. For the ocean, the waves are the ornament. For the sky, the moon is the ornament. For man's life, virtue is the ornament."

Without good qualities, all other ornaments are worthless. The beauty created by the Divine cannot be excelled by any other ornament. It is that beauty which should be esteemed.

Beauty is Divine. Why attempt to enhance it? When you have natural beauty, why go after artificial cosmetics? True beauty consists in good qualities!

- Divine Discourse, Nov 23, 1991.

Whatever be one's wealth, knowledge or position, the most essential quality is character.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Why are we unable to discover the Divinity that is inherent in us?

To realise the state of divine consciousness, devotion is essential.

Devotion aims at awakening consciousness of the Easwara (Divine) in man. All activity aimed at turning the mind towards Him, is a form of devotion.

To think of Him for attaining worldly desires and physical comforts, is not devotion. To envisage and experience the Divine Sat-Chit-Ananda (existence, consciousness and bliss) within him. is the true mark of devotion.

Because from ancient times, man went after external material objects, he forgot the Eternal Divine Reality within him. Imprisoned within his qualities, man forgets the Divine.

The one who is immersed in spirituality is indifferent to the Prakriti (phenomenal world). Spiritual transformation calls for changing the mind from a prisoner of the three gunas (qualities) to one that is bound to Him.

You have to acquire the firm conviction that the Divine is the basis and sustainer of the Universe. Goodness is a synonym for Him. The power of the cosmic consciousness consists in making the good qualities manifest in a man.

- Divine Discourse Feb 12, 1991.

The essence is the same in all names and forms. The realisation of this truth is spirituality.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How can we draw the Divine's unsullied, motherly love upon us?

Sacred books are worshipped; flowers are showered on them; even food is sanctified by being offered to them; they are carried in procession with pipers and drummers in front through the streets.

But, as to reading them or trying to understand what they contain, or practising a bit of what they were written for - that is an impossible task, for most!

Just one thing which those books teach; one thing which you should resolve to follow:-
"Do not seek to find fault in others, give up maligning and injuring others; do not scandalise anyone, do not feel envy or malice. Be always sweet in temperament, in talk. Fill your conversation with devotion and humility."

Live with love, in love, for love. Then the Divine will grant you all that you need, in spite of your not asking for anything. He knows; He is the Mother who does not wait to hear the moan of the child to feed it. His love is so vast and deep; He anticipates every need and rushes with help you must have.

- Divine Discourse, Jul 13, 1965.

Strive to arrive at the stage when His Wish alone will count and you are an instrument in His Hands.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Why should we not shrug away from the experiences that we label as unpleasant and unwelcome? How do they help us in our life?

To get rid of the darkness of sorrow, you have to light the lamp of happiness.

To dispel the darkness of disease, you have to install the light of health.

To get over the darkness of losses and failures, you have to usher in the light of prosperity.

These apparently opposing conditions are not totally separate from each other. They are interrelated.

You see in the world, the prevalence of heat and cold. They appear to be opposed to each other. But nevertheless, according to the prevailing situation, both are useful for man.

During the cold weather, we welcome heat. In the summer, coolness is desired. Hence, it is clear that both heat and cold are aids to man and not harmful to him.

Likewise, joy and sorrow, loss and gain are helpful to man and not inimical. If there is no sorrow, one cannot know the value of happiness. If there is no darkness, the value of light cannot be appreciated. Hence, if the greatness of light is to be realised, darkness is necessary.

- Divine Discourse Nov 05, 1991.

The truth about sorrow and joy will be realised when they are considered as equal from the spiritual point of view.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the mistake we make in our spiritual pursuit? How can we start making amends?

Man today is like a horseman riding two horses at the same time. He aspires for the Divine but also yearns for worldly pleasures.

He forgets that the creator contains the creation. Forgetting this truth, he goes after the phenomenal world, regarding it as different from the Divine.

He is foolish like the man who cries for ghee while having milk in his hand, not realising that ghee is latent in the milk.

Today's devotees study the Scriptures as a ritual but do not put into practice any of the injunctions contained in these. Of what avail is it merely to know how the Scriptures have described the Divine?

If this book lore is not reflected in one’s life, it is like a blind man who hears about the existence of the world but cannot see it.

There is no difference between this physically blind man and the spiritually blind person who merely studies the scriptures.

The scriptures are intended to provide guides for practical living and not merely to be learnt by rote.

- Divine Discourse Feb 12, 1991.

Man should utilise the pure and sacred thoughts that arise in him to turn away from the transient attractions of the world and to set himself on the path towards the Divine.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What parallels can we draw from the act of lighting a lamp and our spiritual journey?

If the darkness of ignorance is to be dispelled, man needs a container, oil, wick and matchbox corresponding to what an external lamp needs.

For mankind, your heart is the container. Your mind is the wick. Love is the oil and sacrifice (vairagya) is the matchbox.

When you have these four, the Atma-jyoti (Divine flame of the Spirit) shines effulgently. When the light of Spirit is aflame, the light of knowledge appears and dispels the darkness of ignorance.

The flame of a lamp has two qualities. One is to banish darkness. The other is a continuous upward movement. Even when a lamp is kept in a pit, the flame moves upwards.

Sages have therefore adored the lamp of wisdom as the flame that leads men to higher states.

Hence, the effulgence of light should not be treated as a trivial phenomenon. Along with lighting the external lamps, you should strive to light the lamps within yourself.

- Divine Discourse Nov 05, 1991.

When the lamp of love is shining, He manifests! Keep it burning bright and pure, He persists! Allow all to light their lamps from it, He showers Grace!

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What are the qualities necessary if we wish to know and experience the Divine?

Everyone utters the word God, but how many really seek to know Him? What efforts do they make to know Him?

Goodness is another name for Him. How much of goodness is there in you? When there is no goodness, how can He be understood?

For understanding anything, subjective experience is essential. In the fast-flowing river, a small fish is able to swim freely and joyously, without fear of the depth or swift flow of the river. But in the same river, a big elephant is likely to be swept away by the current. One should know how to keep afloat in the current and protect oneself.

A tiny ant, for instance, is able to get at the sugar that is mixed with sand, because it has the ability to distinguish between sand and the sweet sugar in the mixture. But another animal, however big it may be, if it does not possess this ability, cannot separate the sugar from the sand.

Likewise, if a man has experienced the bliss of the Divine, will he go after worldly pleasures? Only the person who has not tasted the nectar of Divine love, will seek these pleasures. This Divine love is within man. All Divine feelings and thoughts emanate from within him.

- Divine Discourse, Feb 12, 1991.

There is no separate path to knowing Him other than knowing one’s own Self.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What must we do to experience peace and security in our hearts?

Today, man is bereft of gratitude, which is one of the most essential qualities. He forgets the help rendered to him by others. As long as man is alive, he should be grateful for the help he received from others.

There are two things you have to forget: the help you have rendered to others and the harm others have done to you.

If you remember the help you have rendered, you will always expect something in return. Remembrance of the harm done to you by others generates in you a sense of revenge.

You should remember only the help you received from others. The one with these sacred qualities is an ideal man.

In this ephemeral and transient world, man always aspires for peace and security. But money, education, position of authority and physical comforts cannot confer peace and security.

Peace originates from the heart. Man can experience peace and security only when his heart is filled with love.

Love is Divine, love is Nature, love is life and love is the true human value. Bereft of love, man is equivalent to a corpse.

You should lead a life filled with love. Love even the worst of your enemies.

- Divine Discourse, Mar 18, 1999.

The Divine incarnates to inculcate love in mankind and teach how love should be promoted and practised. Only when such love is developed will man be free from sorrow and trouble.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the purpose of meditation? How will it help every aspirant?

There are two roads to fulfilment, Prayer and Meditation.

Prayer makes you a supplicant at the feet of the Divined; Meditation induces He to come down to you and inspires you to raise yourselves to Him. It tends to make you come together, not place one on a lower level and the other on a higher.

Dhyana is the royal road to liberation from bondage, though by prayer too you earn the same fruit.

Meditation needs concentration, after controlling the claims of senses. You must picture before your inner eye the Form on which you elect to contemplate. Or, you can elect to meditate on a flame, a steady straight flame of light.

Picture it as spreading on all sides, becoming bigger and bigger; enveloping all and growing in you, until there is nothing else except light. In the glory of that all-enveloping Light, all hate and envy, which are the evil progeny of darkness, will vanish.

Know that the same light is in all. Even he, whom you were treating as your worst rival, has the selfsame light in his innermost heart!

- Divine Discourse, Jan 22, 1967.

Meditation should be practised as a means of cultivating pure and selfless love, renouncing all attachments to worldly things.

Source: radiosai.org