Life 23 (Jul 14 - Jan 15)

[winston]

Where is Divinity? Is the Divine accessible only to a select few?

A scabbard is a sheath for the sword. Rice is sheathed in a husk. A tamarind seed is sheathed by tamarind pulp, which in turn is sheathed by the outer shell. Thus when one thing hides another thing and its identity, it is called as a Sheath.

Every human body is made up of five sheaths –
1. The Annamaya (food) Kosha sheath covers the Pranamaya (life) Kosha.
2. Pranamaya sheath covers Manomaya (mind) Kosha
3. The Manormaya Kosha covers Vijnanamaya (intellect) Kosha.
4. The Anandamaya (bliss) Kosha is the kernel hidden in Vijnanamaya Kosha, wherein the soul resides.

Thus the Divine Soul is safely secured within each being without exception. Hence, everyone has the equal right and opportunity to seek the soul within them.

But then one has to feel an urge to attain it and direct their activities towards it.

By birth, the urge to attain and experience the Atmic status has been gifted to everyone, automatically.

- My Dear Students, Vol 2, Ch 16, Jul 23, 1989.

To experience the Divine, people should close their mouths and open their hearts.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Why is it absurd for us to see inequality amongst the Divine’s creation?

All five elements are present in the human form.

From the Element of Space, emotions, prejudices, apprehensions, shyness and the like are born.

The Element of Air within the body causes the reflexes and movements like walking, respiration, etc.

Hunger, thirst, sleep and fear are aspects of Fire.

Blood, mucus and saliva emanates from the Element of Water.

Finally skin, muscles, veins, bones and nails are the aspects representing the Earth Element.

When you internalise this truth, who can argue, “This is mine, that is yours”, “I am greater, you are inferior” and so on. Anyone who speaks thus is dull-headed, unable to appreciate and see the reality.

If only they have a deeper understanding, they can comprehend the truth in creation.

Never be bogged down by the prevailing times or circumstances. That will amount to leading a narrow life.

Develop an expansive way of life and carefully tread the path, that is ever new, holy and eternal.

- My Dear Students, Vol 2, Ch 16, Jul 23, 1989.

The state when your mind and intellect unites, is called freedom, also known as liberation (Moksha).

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the highest and the most worthiest goal in life?

There are four goals (Purusharthas) in the world that people aspire for. They are Righteousness (Dharma), Wealth (Artha), Desire (Kama) and Liberation (Moksha).

Realising the Divine is the worthiest and highest goal in life. When such Divine is seen, realised and a close relationship is established with Him, the happiness one enjoys then, that state of liberation, that principle of love has been called as devotion of the highest order (Parabhakthi). This devotion is liberation itself; it is attaining oneness with the Divine.

Liberation is the ability to look for unity in diversity, rather than calling out the obvious differences.

Attaining Parabhakthi is not easy. It is definitely possible for those who yearn and work towards it.

Do not get confused that you are unique and others are different. You will be in doubt if you miss the principle of unity in your daily lives. So long as there is doubt, you cannot realize the eternal truth.

- My Dear Students, Vol 3, Ch 7, July 9 1989.

Devotion to the Divine will give you bliss, prosperity and peace

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Total Abandonment

Perhaps you have never experienced that state of mind in which there is total abandonment of everything, a complete letting go.

And you cannot abandon everything without deep passion, can you? You cannot abandon everything intellectually or emotionally.

There is total abandonment, surely, only when there is intense passion.

Don't be alarmed by that word because a man who is not passionate, who is not intense, can never understand or feel the quality of beauty.

The mind that holds something in reserve, the mind that has a vested interest, the mind that clings to position, power, prestige, the mind that is respectable, which is a horror;such a mind can never abandon itself.

- Krishnamurti, The Book of Life

Source: www.jkrishnamurti.com

[winston]

Why is there so much conflict in the name of caste and religion?

Today there is much controversy and conflict that brews amongst all religions. There is nothing wrong with any religion. All religions are here to teach good sense.

All religions propose the same Truth; they adore the same One Divine and the essence of all texts is the same. Hence every being must depend upon their own sanctity and morality, and try to nurture them.

Morality is the lamp within every individual. Without this lamp, there will only be darkness around.

This is the essence of the chant, “Lead us from untruth to truth, from darkness to light, and from death to immortality (Asathoma Sadgamaya, Tamasoma Jyothirgamaya, Mruthyorma Amrutham Gamaya)”.

Sages searched for the Divine and finally declared that they have identified Him and have known Him. Where did they see Him? It is within their hearts. They said that they saw the Absolute Being who is beyond all darkness.

- My Dear Students, Vol 2, Ch 16, Jul 23, 1989.

When the mind is filled with good thoughts, such as truth, love, forbearance and compassion, one’s life is filled with peace and serenity.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

This Pure Flame of Passion

In most of us, there is very little passion. We may be lustful, we may be longing for something, we may be wanting to escape from something, and all this does give one a certain intensity.

But unless we awaken and feel our way into this flame of passion without a cause, we shall not be able to understand that which we call sorrow.

To understand something you must have passion, the intensity of complete attention. Where there is the passion for something, which produces contradiction, conflict, this pure flame of passion cannot be; and this pure flame of passion must exist in order to end sorrow, dissipate it completely.

- Krishnamurti, The Book of Life

Source: www.jkrishnamurti.com

[winston]

What causes the descent of a human nature to that of an animal?

The stream of life is marked by different stages - in each stage you fall a prey to vices like egoism, jealousy and falsehood instead of cultivating truth, righteousness and humility.

During your childhood, you lead an innocent life without being aware of the distinction between the worldly and sacred paths (Preyo and Sreyo Marga).

But as age advances, you take to the worldly path, rather than to the sublime path. Plunging into the river of desire, tossed by the waves of delusion, getting immersed in the waters of family life, and submerged by peacelessness and strife, you are swallowed by the whale of discontentment.

To turn human life from this mundane existence towards the Divine it is essential to have association with Truth, Sath sangam.

Sath refers to that which remains the same regardless of time, place or circumstance. One should associate oneself with this Truth.

Merging the consciousness with this Truth you should experience the bliss of such association.

- Divine Discourse, 31 Aug 1992.

Body attachment gives rise to ego in an individual. Success eludes one who is egoistic. True humanness is being egoless.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the "language of the heart" and how do we make use of it?

In a large gathering, people speak many languages. Each person understands only their language, and wants that they should be spoken to in that language. But there is a language of the heart, which all can understand and all would like to hear.

That is the language which I speak, the language that goes from My heart to yours. When heart speaks to heart, it is love that is transmitted without any reservation.

Trials, turmoil and thrills - these are constant for all of mankind. The responsive heart listens to these with sympathy and answers with love.

Everyone is eager to be happy; everyone wants to work less and gain more, give little and get amply, but no one experiments with the other method, that is, wanting less and giving more.

Every want is a shackle that hinders movement, and is a drag on the foot.

Reduce wants; live simply, that is the way to happiness.

- Divine Discourse, 15 May 1969.

You must close your mouth more often and open your hearts. That is the surest way to experience divine bliss.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the real secret to experiencing happiness?

No one will like the one who is conceited and egotistic. Even your spouse and your own children, though they may appear to respect you externally, will not be happy with you, when you are an arrogant person. Not just that, as long as you are filled with ego, it is highly unlikely that you will really be happy.

Therefore at the very outset, you should get rid of your ego (ahamkara). So too, when you are filled with anger, you cannot experience joy; you are bound to be miserable. Only when you subdue anger you will be able to experience happiness.

Similarly, when you are filled with insatiable desires, you will not really feel wealthy. The moment you give up desires, all riches will come to you.

If you stay greedy, you will be a stranger to happiness. Give up greed, and you will feel endowed with all riches.

- Divine Discourse, Aug 25, 1998.

I – want – peace. ‘I’ is ego, ‘want’ is desire. Remove ego and desire and you have peace.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How can one live in the world yet not be attached to it?

A young college student can roam free on his two legs; when he marries, he becomes four-footed!

A child makes him six-footed; now the range of his movements is restricted. The more the feet, the less the speed, the stronger their grip on the ground; a centipede can only crawl. More hurdles, more handicaps.

Accumulation of sofas, chairs, cots, tables and shelves clutter the hall and render movements slow and risky. Attachment brings sorrow in its wake; at last, when death demands that everything be left behind and everybody be deserted, you are overpowered with grief!

Be like the lotus on water; on it, not in it. Water is necessary for the lotus to grow; but it will not allow even a drop to wet it.

The objective world is the arena of virtue and the gymnasium for the spirit. But use it only for that purpose; do not raise it to a higher status and adore it as all-important.

- Divine Discourse, May 15, 1969.

When the Divine is pleased with you, the whole world will be pleased with you. Therefore let all your efforts be to please the Divine.

Source: radiosai.org