Life 49 (Nov 25 - Dec 27)

[winston]

What is the essential message of the spiritual tradition and why is it important to lead future generations to it?

The Divine is the seed, which has expressed itself as all this. But this fact, so deeply implanted in the hearts for centuries, has been overlaid by veils of doubt and man has lost the courage and the energy that faith in Him had given him for so long.

The fascination for Western fashions of thought weakened the belief in one’s religion; that led to the giving up of the disciplines which shaped one’s daily life;

This in turn led to deterioration in moral standards; this has bred misery, disunity, hatred and disgrace.

It is time to open one’s eyes to the tragedy and retrace the steps. The saints and seers never spoke lightly or acted irreverently. They always had in view the good of the generations.

When they invested some places as holy and named some days as sacred, they also prescribed the rules and ceremonials to be observed by pilgrims and spiritual aspirants so that time, expense and effort could be used for the expansion of love and the education of the instincts and impulses.

The object of every rule was to bring the realisation of the Atma, as one’s Reality, a few steps nearer.

For the Atma in the individual is the Atma in all; Shivoham (I'm Divine) is the Truth; and the Truth alone can make man free and full of Bliss.

- Divine Discourse, Feb 20, 1974

The removal of the recurring sorrow of existence (samsara) can be effected only by the attainment of Brahman.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the power of the mind and why is managing it, an important responsibility?

Mind has both animality and humanness. You should try to understand what is meant by animality and humanness.

When the mind is overpowered by the six inner enemies of man (desire, anger, greed, delusion, pride and jealousy), man forgets his humanness, takes to the path of animality and degenerates to the level of an animal.

On the other hand, when the mind follows the path of humanness and makes proper use of mati (mind), gati (destiny), sthiti (position) and sampatti (wealth) given by the Divine, man can rise to the level of divinity and do great good to his country and society at large.

Mind is the root cause of good and bad. The nobility that is there in the mind cannot be found anywhere else.

Similarly, wickedness found in the mind cannot be found anywhere else. Mind is as much good as it is wicked.

- Divine Discourse, Jun 23, 1996

To get close to Him you have to go beyond the mind.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the relationship between the Atma and the mind? How can we experience the bliss of the Atma?

Man performs all activities due to sunlight. But there is no connection between the activities and the Sun.

Similarly, the mind and intellect work due to the light of the Atma. Without the light of the Atma, the mind and intellect cannot function.

Like the Sun, Atma has no attachment to duties and activities. Just as man gets sunlight from the Sun, he gets strength from the Atma.

Atma is the witness. The results of good and bad deeds do not affect the Atma.

When the water is flowing, the image of the Moon in it appears to move. But the Moon does not move.

What is the cause of man’s troubles, sorrows and worries? Ego and attachment are the cause.

Attachments, happiness, sadness - all of these arise in the mind.

Mind and intellect are the instruments. It is through these instruments that we get the experience of everything.

The instruments are the cause of our problems. If we remove these instruments, we can experience the bliss of the Atma.

- Divine Discourse, Apr 26, 1997

Man is unable to go up spiritually because he allows himself to be weighed down by the heavy loads of his possessiveness and ego.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Why should we consciously choose good company, and what is the effect of such choices on the mind?

Mind, by nature, is absolutely pure. It is only due to the influence of bad company, that it becomes wicked!

For example, if you wrap jasmine flowers in newspaper, it will acquire the fragrance of jasmine flowers.

Similarly, if you wrap pakodas (Indian savoury) in it, it will emit the smell of pakodas.

The newspaper on its own does not have any smell. Whatever item is wrapped in it, it will acquire its smell.

Similarly, if the mind follows the noble path and you associate the mind with everything good, then the mind will also become good.

What is the noble path? How noble would the mind become when it is associated with sacred feelings, good thoughts, noble behaviour, good company, spiritual activities, moral values and righteous actions?

On the other hand, when it is associated with wicked qualities, wicked thoughts, evil company and bad behaviour, it becomes extremely wicked. In fact, it becomes demonic!

There is nothing good or bad in the mind itself. Only due to good or bad influences, it becomes good or bad.

If you want your mind to be good, you should associate yourself with good company!

- Divine Discourse, Jun 23, 1996

Good habits, good speech, good conduct and good behaviour, will ultimately make us good.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the true role and proper use of the human body?

The body has no power of discrimination or knowledge; Only the mind and intellect have discrimination (viveka), knowledge and power.

People today do not exercise fundamental discrimination. They have only selfishness, selfishness, and selfishness.

They use their intelligence to obtain what is good for themselves alone, without giving attention to the good of society.

In this way, they use the body in wrong ways. They do not use it to follow the path that leads to enlightenment.

If you put wheat in the flour mill, you will get wheat flour. If you put rice, youwill get rice flour. But if you put food in the body, only faecal matter comes out.

If you keep pickle in a jar, it remains intact for one year. If you put pickle in the body, it will rot in a short time. '
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The nature of the body is such. But the body is necessary for one to attain high ideals. So, in order to attain the goal of life, one should dedicate the body to the Divine.

One should put the body on the right path and shine as an exemplary human being.

- Divine Discourse, Apr 26, 1997

Sharpness of intellect and high learning are valuable. But good conduct is of highest importance.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the relationship between the principle of love and Divinity?

Love is the embodiment of ambrosia.

In the mundane world, man keeps the four Purusharthas (goals of life) alone in view as the path for an aspirant of liberation. This is not correct.

Dharma (Righteousness), artha (material wealth), kama (the satisfaction of desire) and moksha (Liberation) alone, are not the aims of human existence.

There is a fifth aim for mankind which transcends even moksha. This is Paramaprema (Supreme Love).

This Love Principle is Divinity. Love and Divine are not distinct from each other.

The Divine is love and love is Divine. It is only when the truth of this Love Principle is understood, that the meaning of human existence can be realised.

“He who teaches the principle of Love, instils affection and equality of all beings and reveals the Human Values.

That Embodiment of Love is the Divine Atma.”.

Therefore, Love itself is the Atma, Atma is verily Love

- Divine Discourse, Jan 14, 1995

In what form is He present in all? He is present in all in the form of love.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What can we do to win over evil and deal with people who indulge in calumny?

Each individual’s conscience is his own witness. Do not waste your energy on negative criticism.

You should never abandon your faith and your self-confidence. Some people become jealous of the growth and prosperity of others.

Jealousy is a dangerous pest. If a pest enters the root of a tree full of leaves, fruits and flowers, the entire tree dies quickly. The pest is not visible to the eye and works insidiously.

A jealous person conceals his jealousy and harms others like a pest. These are evil ways.

However, there are no evil persons. All evil behaviour changes sooner or later.

Purity follows unity, and from purity, Divinity is attained.

- Divine Discourse, Nov 23, 2000

Only love can win people’s hearts. If you have love within, the whole world will be with you.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is it that we must learn from the Avatar?

Karma (action) and upasana (contemplation), the two stages of sadhana devoted to the attainment of Divine-realisation, can be noted and seen; but jnana (wisdom), the stage of ripeness, cannot be seen.

The karma symbolised by the Yamuna (river), and bhakti (devotion) symbolised by the Ganga (river), meet at the point where the jnana (Wisdom) flows unseen.

But today, people have lost the enthusiasm for karma, the exultation for bhakti and the eagerness for jnana.

The true learning is that which reveals the Atma (the true self) to man.

When these facts are neglected, the Avatar (Divine Incarnation) takes place to re-teach the duty of man, the Dharma.

What is the Dharma (the moral code) that has to be re-established today? It is Sanathana Dharma (the eternal law), nothing less.

Not that there are no sages even now on earth. Great kavis (poets), noble beings and great scholars, are with us even today.

But in the mad pursuit after pomp and pageantry, the feverish struggle to defy and defeat others, there is no time to imbibe their messages and taste the sweetness of the sadhana they prescribe.

- Divine Discourse, Oct 23, 1966

The goal of karma (action) is jnana (wisdom), and for jnana, karma is the base. To combine the two in practice constitutes Seva (Selfless Service).

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the path to supreme peace?

The senses should not be allowed to override man. They must be instruments within the control of man. They are mere servants, orderlies, helpers.

The knife is best used to cut fruits or vegetables; you should not use it for cutting your throat.

The senses have to be trained to be free from tamas (inertia) and rajas (passion); they must be neither dull nor dragging, neither dormant nor dangerously diverting. The gunas (qualities) must be overcome.

A student approached a guru and asked for the road for shanti (peace). He replied that he must develop sahana (tolerance) towards all men and all things and all events.

Nothing should arouse an interested reaction, disgust or desire. The highest alone must be sought; The Divine alone must be desired.

Steady, unchanging, undiminishable Prema can only be "Love towards the Divine of all the worlds".

- Divine Discourse, Oct 23, 1966

Let not your faith in the goal or the path quake before trouble or trial, toil or travail, distress or despair.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the Divine’s gift to you and me? What is the return gift He expects from you and me?

You cannot attain Him by your wealth. He is to be attained only through devotion.

The body is the leaf, the flower is the flower of your heart, your mind is the fruit and the tears of joy constitute the water which is the acceptable offering to Him.

You will have everything in life if you have love in you.

Do not hate anybody. This should be the main ideal of your life.

- Divine Discourse, Nov 23, 2000

Without resorting to extravagant adulation of the Divine, not seeking petty favours from Him, yearn for the Divine alone and you will get everything.

Source: radiosai.org