Life 46 (Aug 23 - May 24)

[winston]

What is the difference in approach between Science and Spirituality?

The scientist is one who has an external vision. The one who has an internal vision is a saint.

If you draw the figure of a circle, that which ends wherefrom it started in the full circle has been described as Poornam (the full or the whole).

The Full Circle represents spirituality. For, in it the end and the beginning are the same. Spirituality knows no difference between beginning and end.

To understand what is science, you cut the full circle into two halves. The left half is a semicircle which resembles the English letter "C”. "C" is science, that is, it begins at one point and ends at another. Between these two points, there is a big gap, which is called agamyagocharam - it is beyond reach, invisible and incomprehensible.

Matter and Spirit may be regarded as two semicircles. Scientists are only investigating Matter and are ignoring the Spirit. The two parts have been described in Vedantic parlance as Prakruti and Paramatma (Nature and Divine).

The scientist is the one who enquires into the nature of creation. The saint is one who seeks to know the Creator. Once you understand the Creator, you can understand the whole of creation.

- Divine Discourse, May 06, 1988.

Spirituality = Spirit of Love. Science = Split of Love.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What should we do to understand our true nature and derive bliss?

If you wish to understand your true nature, you have to do three things:
1. Bend the body
2. Mend the senses
3. End the mind

The first step is to "bend the body" - you should not allow the ego to develop within your body. Cultivate humility and do your duties sincerely.

"Mend the senses" calls for examining how the senses behave, whether they are tending to go astray and correcting and restraining them when necessary.

"End the mind" calls for quieting the vagaries of the mind. How is this to be done? It is by turning the mind in a different direction.

For example, there is a lock and key. When the key is turned towards the left, the lock gets locked. If the key is turned towards the right the lock is opened.

In man, the heart is the lock. The mind is the key. When the mind is turned towards the Divine, the heart develops detachment. When the mind is turned towards the world, the heart develops attachment. Thus, both detachment and attachment result from the way the mind functions.

When the mind is directed towards the Nature or the phenomenal world, bondage ensues. When you turn your mind towards Divinity, you experience bliss.

"End the mind" means turning the mind towards the Divine. All you have to do is to dedicate every action of yours to the Divine. Then everything becomes easy and a source of bliss.

- Divine Discourse, May 06, 1988.

Devotion and an attitude of surrender, which is the best fruit of devotion, will give you great courage to meet any emergency!

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Is worship and duty two different activities?

The satwik (the pure and good), love all as embodiments of the Divine and engage themselves in humble service.

Pundalika was massaging the feet of his old mother when the Divine appeared before him! He did not interrupt the service, for he was serving the same Divine, in his mother!

Tukaram declared to Pundalika that it was the Divine who manifested before him but Pundalika did not waver. He asked Him to wait for a while until he had finished the service of the Divine he had started serving.

The prompting inside man to love his mother is an expression of the Divine Nature in him. If there was no spark of the Divine in man, he would not have loved at all.

A person who loves is a theist, whether he goes to a temple or church, or not. Pundalika was not guilty of sacrilege, for he was actually worshipping the Divine in His most accessible Form - his mother. You have to proceed from the known to the unknown!

- Divine Discourse, May 24, 1967.

The Divine showers His grace on those who make their parents happy.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the conviction and faith we must acquire through our spiritual efforts?

Cows may be of different breeds, colours or sizes but the milk they yield is the same, the world over. So too, all religions, whatever their origin or extent of influence, are all means to teach man this process.

Now, the law of human behaviour has become "each for himself", this is because the fact that all are "one-in-Divine" is not known and realised.

This is the product of Sadhana (spiritual practice) ; the conviction is of slow growth but it must be acquired.

Durvasa, the great sage who is famous in the epics for his asceticism, is also known for his anger when he is slighted or thwarted by others. He was so sensitive, so egoistic, so uppish, that he forgot the unity of all in the Divine. He was ready with a frightful curse when anyone showed disregard for his inflated ego.

Of what avail are all the years of austerity? Surrender all you have and gain the Divine.

- Divine Discourse, May 24, 1967.

Realise all beings as divine. Then you realise all are one.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is more important than the building of temples and going on pilgrimages?

In past ages, many sages, kings and ascetics, left home and dwelt in the solitude of the forests and having earned unlimited bliss themselves, they taught others the source of their bliss, namely, the Divine that is encased in the human.

Remove the vices of lust and hatred and put out the raging flames of anger and greed; then, they said, the innate tranquillity and happiness, one's own form and nature of man, will manifest unhindered!

Individual reconstruction is much more important than the construction of temples. Multiply virtues, not buildings; practise what you preach, that is the real pilgrimage; cleanse your minds of envy and malice, that is the real bath in holy water.

Of what avail is the name of the Divine on the tongue, if the heart within is impure?

- Divine Discourse, Mar 24, 1965.

The good and evil in the world can be changed only by the change in men’s actions. Transformation of society must start with transformation of individuals.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How firm should our love for the Divine and faith in the Divine be?

The green vitality of a tree is a sign of the Divine Will, which sends its roots deep into the soil. The roots keep the tree safe from storms, holding it fast against the violent tug of winds.

So too, if the roots of love in man go down into the springs of the Divine within him, no storm of suffering can shake him and crash him into disbelief.

As a lump of sugar sweetens every drop of water in the cup, the eye of love makes every person in the world friendly and attractive.

Begin loving service, this day, this moment. Each act will urge you to the next, for the thrill is so inspiring!

- Divine Discourse, May 24, 1967.

Love gives rise to truth. Love begets peace. When you have love, you practise non-violence. Love is the under-current in all these.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the purpose of our human body? How can it serve the aspirations of the heart?

The Divine has endowed man with the body and so, every limb and every sense is worthy of reverent attention.

Each must be used for His Glory. The ear must exult when it gets a chance to hear wonderful tales of the Divine.

The tongue must exult when it can praise Him. Or else, the tongue of man is as ineffective as that of frogs which croak day and night, sitting on a marshy bank.

The animal fears; the beast terrifies. Man should be neither. He should neither be terrify nor get terrorised! He must be neither a coward nor a bully.

If a coward, he is an animal; if a bully he is an ogre! It’s because you feel the urge to use the body with which you have been endowed for this higher purpose that you are here.

The kinship amongst you and of all of you with the Divine is ageless, eternal! It’s not based on worldly relationships; it’s based on aspirations of the heart! It’s the bond of the abode of Supreme Peace!

- Divine Discourse, Feb 18, 1966.

You are waves; The Divine is the Ocean. Know this and be free, be Divine.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the continuous yajna or sacrificial worship we must perform and why?

One must constantly strive to get rid of evil tendencies. Inherited evil traits rooted in the mind must be given up at the sacrificial altar.

Of these traits, the worst are hatred and envy. They arise from intense selfishness. They are qualities of a leopard and should not find a place in a human being.

Some people try to pretend they have overcome anger, hatred, jealousy and pride. The devices adopted by such persons are only the cunning tricks of the fox. As these traits make their appearance from time to time, they should be immediately cast off.

This calls for continuous internal yajna (sacrificial worship), as against the external yajna which is performed only once a year at one particular place.

Internal yajna must be performed at all times, in all places and under all circumstances. The sacrificial altar for this yajna is within each one of us.

Whenever an evil thought or desire occurs, it should be mercilessly scotched. Only by constant vigilance and continuous endeavour, divine grace can be earned.

- Divine Discourse, Oct 10, 1983.

Only when evil traits are banished, can Divinity manifest itself in all its glory.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What are the false identities we must discard?

If anybody accosts a person and asks him, "Who are you?", out of his identification with the body he gives his name in reply.

In answer to further questions, he introduces himself as a doctor, a farmer, or student, or the like.

When the enquiry goes further, he identifies himself with his nationality as an American, an Indian, a Pakistani or so on.

When you examine these answers deeply, you will find that none of them gives the truth.

He got his name from his parents. It did not belong to him at birth. His identification with one or other of his professions is not true because he is not the profession. What then is the truth about him?

"I am the Atma (Inner Soul). That is my true Self." That is the truth. But people identify themselves with their names, professions and nationality and do not base their lives on the Atma.

No driver of a car identifies with the car. Likewise, the body is a car and the Atma is the driver. Forgetting one's true role as a driver, one is identifying one's self with the body, which is only a vehicle.

- Divine Discourse, Aug 23, 1995.

The body is auspicious as long as Atma dwells in it: it becomes a dead body once Atma leaves it.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What are the false identities we must discard?

If anybody accosts a person and asks him, "Who are you?", out of his identification with the body he gives his name in reply.

In answer to further questions, he introduces himself as a doctor, a farmer, or student, or the like.

When the enquiry goes further, he identifies himself with his nationality as an American, an Indian, a Pakistani or so on.

When you examine these answers deeply, you will find that none of them gives the truth.

He got his name from his parents. It did not belong to him at birth. His identification with one or other of his professions is not true because he is not the profession. What then is the truth about him?

"I am the Atma (Inner Soul). That is my true Self." That is the truth. But people identify themselves with their names, professions and nationality and do not base their lives on the Atma.

No driver of a car identifies with the car. Likewise, the body is a car and the Atma is the driver. Forgetting one's true role as a driver, one is identifying one's self with the body, which is only a vehicle.

- Divine Discourse, Aug 23, 1995.

The body is auspicious as long as Atma dwells in it: it becomes a dead body once Atma leaves it.

Source: radiosai.org