Life 47 (May 24 - Jan 25)

[winston]

What is the barometer of success in the path of Sadhana (Spiritual Practice), especially what should pilgrimages do to us?

Do you love more, do you talk less, do you serve others more earnestly? These are the signs of success in Dhyana (meditation).

Your progress must be authenticated by your character and behaviour. Dhyana must transmute your attitude towards beings and things; else it is a hoax.

Even a boulder will, through the action of sun and rain, heat and cold, disintegrate into mud and become food for a tree.

Even the hardest heart can be softened so that the Divine can sprout therein.

You go on pilgrimage Nilayam as cars go to a workshop. You must go out, with new paint, with all damaged and loose bolts and nuts replaced, with the engine cleaned and reconditioned, every part spick and span, beautiful, trouble-free, in perfect trim, ready to speed on the journey that lies ahead!

Every bad habit must be replaced by a good one, no trace of vice must be allowed to persist, and your heart must be drained of all egoism. This is the fruit of this pilgrimage that you must acquire. Let this be your resolution!

- Divine Discourse, Jan 13, 1969.

Sadhana (spiritual practices) must make you calm, unruffled, poised and balanced.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What do we need to do to begin this spiritual quest?

Plunge into Divinity. What good is it to say “Divine” over and over again?

Today, many people memorise the entire Scripture. They know every verse but they see no end to their sorrow. Why? If you practise just one verse, that is enough.

There are fifty matchsticks in a matchbox. But you need only one matchstick to start a fire of any size. You don’t need all fifty.

Similarly, you have five human values in you - Sathya (Truth), Dharma (Righteous Action), Shanti (Peace), Prema (Love) and Ahimsa (Non-Violence). Practise one of them. That is enough.

Prema (Love) is the basis. Speak with Love - that is Truth (Sathya). Perform actions with Love - they are righteous actions (Dharma). Think with Love and you experience peace (Shanti). Inquire with Love. That will be transformed into nonviolence (Ahimsa).

There is no place for hatred where Love is present. Darkness has no place where light is present.

- Summer Showers, May 20, 1995.

Greatness lies in putting into practice, not in learning.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the progress that we must make in this quest for happiness, that life is?

Man still believes that Ananda (Bliss) can be obtained from the external world. He hoards wealth, authority, fame and learning, in order to acquire happiness. But he finds that they are fraught with fear, anxiety and pain.

The millionaire is beset by the tax-gatherer, the cheat, the donation hunter, the house-breaker and his sons and kinsmen who clamour for their share. The happiness of material origin is short-lived and has misery as its obverse.

Struggle to realise the Atma (Inner-Self), to visualise the Divine; even failure in this struggle is nobler than success in other worldly attempts.

The buffalo has horns; the elephant has tusks. But what a difference.

To live in the body, with the body, for the body is the life of a worm; to live in the body, with the Divine, for Him, is the life of man.

The dull, activity-hating tamasik persons cling to the ego and to kith and kin; their love is limited to these.

The rajasik (active, passionate) persons seek to earn power and prestige and love only those who will contribute to these.

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

- Divine Discourse, May 24, 1967.

The Divine alone and always is your sole refuge, whoever you are, wherever you may be.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How should we progress on the path of practising love and service? What must living in love do to us?

You have to proceed from the known to the unknown. Then the love expands in ever-widening circles, until it covers all nature, till even plucking a leaf from a tree affects you so painfully that you dare not injure it.

The green vitality of the 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 the wind. So too, if the roots of love in man go down into the spring of the Divine in 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.

- Divine Discourse, May 24, 1967.

One who sees the Divine in all and loves them, is very dear to Him.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

When we celebrate the bond between brothers and sisters, we must also expand this love.

Society has endowed you with all types of power. You are born and brought up in society and you lead your life in society. Should you not have gratitude for society, which has done so much for you?

Unfortunately, students today lack such broad feelings. They lead a self-centred life and are concerned only about themselves and their family.

If you lead such a selfish life, who will take care of the masses? All are the children of the Divine. All are brothers and sisters. Therefore, strive for the progress of all.

Work for the development of society with mutual cooperation and tolerance without giving room to any conflicts.

Develop the qualities of forbearance and empathy. Unity is very essential. You should put the principle of unity into practice. Only then can it grow.

Unity does not mean merely greeting each other “hello, hello”, it should be reflected in practice. You should work unitedly. There is great merit in unity.

Therefore, students should develop broad feelings and broad-mindedness. Develop expansion of the hridaya (heart).

- Divine Discourse, Jul 15, 1996.

The body and the mind have to be illumined by the light of Love that emanates from the awareness of the Soul and its essential Divinity.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How should we cleanse our minds so as to make our Sadhana (Spiritual Practisce) fruitful?

What is the use of having enormous wealth if one cannot derive any comforts and conveniences from it?

Even if there is plenty of water in a lake, a dog can only lick the water and not drink from it.

Similar is the fate of a miser. People today are endowed with all types of knowledge, wealth and power but what is the use?

The wicked quality of greed makes all these things useless for them. Greed is limitless today due to the influence of Kali Yuga (the age we are in).

One neither utilises the wealth for oneself nor shares it with others. It does not matter if one does not share one’s wealth with others but one cannot also see others being happy.

Even animals do not have the foolishness of concealing and the wicked quality of plundering. But these defects have become rampant in man today.

Without getting rid of these defects, spiritual practices like japa, dhyana, and puja (chanting, meditation, and worship) become useless.

Worship without love, devotion without faith is useless.

One may not have any type of knowledge, one may not listen to the teachings of the sacred texts or one may not understand their inner meaning, it is enough if one has love and faith.

- Divine Discourse, Jul 15, 1996.

Man is transformed when the mind is transformed.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Why should we practice right conduct regardless of the situation or circumstances?

When we practise Dharma (Righteousness), the Divinity in us will manifest itself spontaneously.

One should not limit Dharma to mere words. Man is regarded as the very embodiment of righteousness. But he will not be worthy of this appellation if he does not lead a life of Dharma.

Everyone should realise that to attain oneness with Divinity, is the goal of human life. Hence, it is everyone's duty to develop faith in the Divine.

With the growth of faith, if one leads a life devoted to Dharma, Satya and Neeti (Righteousness, Truth and Justice), he will be achieving the purpose of life.

The man who does not follow Dharma is a burden on the earth. All the wealth he may accumulate will not accompany him when he leaves the world.

It is more important to earn the grace of the Divine than earn all the wealth in the world. Develop love of Him and realise the bliss that is beyond all words.

- Divine Discourse, Jan 19, 1984.

All the capacities given by Him should be used in the service of the Divine.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the significance of the words Satyam Shivam Sundaram (Truth, Goodness and Beauty) and why is it important to understand and manifest it?

All the animate and inanimate forms that we see in this world are embodiments of peace.

The physical forms of all living beings are the embodiments of beauty.

Divinity, which is the embodiment of Satyam, Shivam, and Sundaram (truth, goodness and beauty), is present in all elements and in all living beings as the principle of Oneness.

The same was stated by Plato, the mentor of Aristotle, hundreds of years before Christ. He said that truth, goodness, and beauty formed the basis of the world.

Truth is the basis of everything. Truth remains unchanged in the three periods of time —past, present, and future).

Goodness is the real Divinity. In fact, goodness is godliness.

Though people are endowed with the principle of Satyam Shivam Sundaram, they are unable to realise their own truth, beauty, and goodness.

Only when one realises the principles of truth, goodness and beauty, can one understand the true meaning of humanness.

- Divine Discourse, Jul 15, 1996.

Harmful tendencies and thoughts multiply in man’s mind as fast as white ants, unless he establishes himself in his Satyam-Shivam-Sundaram essence.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is our heritage that we must seek and claim?

You know that first you must plough the land, feed it with water; then, sow the seed, pluck out weeds, guard crops by a fence from cattle and goats and wait patiently for harvest time.

So also, the heart must be ploughed by virtues, fed with the water of divine love, before seeds of divine name are sown; later, the field must be watched and weeds have to be destroyed.

It is best to prevent the cattle of unsteadiness and doubt, by putting the fence of discipline; then, the name of the Divine will flower into meditation and the rich harvest of knowledge can be reaped.

Now, you are allowing the precious fertile field to lie fallow; the field of the heart is infested with thorns and weeds; it yields no joy to anyone.

Cultivate the heart and garner the grain of Atma-ananda. That ananda (bliss) is your heritage; it is yours for the asking!

- Divine Discourse, Mar 29, 1965.

Grief will disappear as soon as you discover its real origin, for it has arisen out of ignorance.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

How can we ace the test prescribed by the Divine for us?

Whenever a student is asked what they are doing, they reply that they are concentrating on their studies. But the real meaning of concentration is fixing one’s mind on a particular object.

Contemplation is the next step. The final step is meditation. Thus, concentration, contemplation and meditation, are the three steps in spiritual practice.

Meditation is not simply silent sitting and closing one’s eyes. Maintaining an unwavering and steady mind is meditation.

People think concentration is a great exercise but it is the first step in spiritual practice, the others being contemplation and meditation.

Concentration is like the primary school education. Contemplation is the high school education and meditation is the college level education. Only after one reaches the college level is one eligible to acquire a degree.

All our ancient sages reached up to this stage and meditated upon Divinity. When one reaches the stage of meditation, there is no scope for any wavering and one’s faith in Divinity becomes steady.

You have to attain that stage. You may study a number of books and pass your examination in school or college but only one who reaches the meditation stage, passes the test prescribed by the Divine.

- Divine Discourse, Feb 21, 2009.

Do not entangle yourselves in kinship that lasts only for a day or two, a span of months or years. Attach yourselves to Him who is your closest kin, today, tomorrow and always.

Source: radiosai.org