Acquire The Knowledge Of The Self

Bear All Troubles With Equanimity

All names and forms are the manifestations of the Supreme Being who is the embodiment of peace and auspiciousness. He is Existence, Knowledge, Bliss Absolute and non-dual. He is Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram (Truth, Goodness, Beauty).

(Sanskrit Verse)

Embodiments of Love!

Manavanaam Jnanam Uttamam (for humans, knowledge is supreme). There are various forms of knowledge in the world such as worldly knowledge, literary knowledge, knowledge of dance, music and so on. But of all those forms of knowledge, the knowledge of the Self is the noblest. The worldly or physical knowledge is useful in getting along with life and to earn a name. But it is the knowledge of the Self that gives you self-satisfaction and mental peace.

Fill The Body With Sweetness Of Humanness

Everybody struggles for livelihood from dawn to dusk. Man cannot live without livelihood. However, livelihood is based on worldly knowledge, which is just the reaction, reflection and resound of the reality. But the knowledge of the Self is eternal and pertains to truth and other permanent values. Worldly type of vision cannot bestow Self-knowledge. Disciples of Adi Shankaracharya carried out extensive studies on worldly knowledge. When Shankaracharya saw a person repeating the rules of Panini grammar, he admonished him and said, Nahi Nahi Rakshati Dukrun Karane (the rules of grammar will not come to your rescue when the end approaches). Everyone should follow the path of truth and attain Divinity. Man should make constant efforts to acquire Atma-jnana (knowledge of the Self).

You find in the world many people who are rich, charitable, powerful, educated and intelligent but rarely you come across people striving to acquire Self-knowledge. People constantly struggle hard for worldly pleasures. Atmananda (bliss of the Self) and Atma-shanti (peace of the Self) cannot be derived from worldly pursuits. It is not based on the physical world. Happiness and peace derived from individuals, sensual pleasures or objects are temporary. We must seek to experience permanent happiness and peace. Everything is present within man. Knowledge of the Self, knowledge of non-duality and knowledge of Brahman all are present within every individual. Constant effort is needed to bring out this hidden treasure. That which is manifested has to be refined so as to know its value. Upon mining, you get a diamond in rock form, which has little value as such. When it is cut into faces and polished, it acquires great value. This kind of refinement is called Samskar. Similarly, man has to undergo the process of refinement so that human values in him become manifest, promoting peace and happiness in society.

You get paddy by harvesting it. But you cannot consume it in its raw form. You can eat it only when it is cooked after its husk is removed. A bag of paddy weighing a quintal may cost 300 rupees, while a quintal of rice, that is after processing in a mill, may cost more than 800 rupees. You cannot wear cotton as it is. The cotton is to be converted into yarn and yarn woven into cloth. Then only can you make it into a shirt to wear it. This is the value of Samskar or refinement. It is refinement which gives value to a material. A human being comprising the five senses and the mind, along with its thought currents and agitations demonstrates merely human form. But he acquires immense value when he develops awareness and discrimination. You have a bamboo stick and a sugarcane stalk. The bamboo’s value is limited to its strength, whereas sugarcane is given a higher value due to its sweetness. Similarly, the human body becomes more valuable when sweetness of humanness is filled in it. When sugarcane is crushed, you get its sweet juice. When the juice is put on fire and made into sugar, its value increases substantially.

Similarly, man should bear all troubles and tribulations of life with equanimity. Pleasure is an interval between two pains. You find rocks and boulders everywhere. But a sculptor chisels a boulder into a beautiful statue of a deity. Neither the original boulder nor the chipped-off pieces have any value. Only the statue is revered. This is the effect of refinement. Our body is akin to a rock, and spiritual practice is like a sculptor. That Thou Art, say the Vedas. Man gets refined through Bhakti (devotion), Shraddha (steadfastness) and Vishwasa (faith). First of all, one should have faith in one's own self, that is self-confidence, and then faith in God. This is the secret of accomplishment. He, who has no faith in himself, cannot repose faith in anybody.

Faith develops when one starts enquiring, "Who am I? Am I the body? Am I the mind, intellect or the senses”? These are mere instruments. Thus, it is possible to arrive at the truth by making a deep enquiry through the instrument of intellect. When you wish to paint a wall, it is not enough if you have the paint and a brush. You should also have the skill to paint well. A knife is an instrument for cutting vegetables, and you are not supposed to kill people with it. You will attract punishment when you misuse the instrument. A doctor is authorised to use a knife for cutting a limb. Others are not authorised.

There were two neighbouring shops located in a narrow lane; one was a pan (betel) shop and the other, a coffee shop. One day the owners of these shops got into a fight, during which the pan shop owner brandished a knife at the coffee shop owner, resulting in a small cut on the hand of the opponent. He was arrested by the police because he had no authority to use the knife as a weapon. But a surgeon openly announces the date of an operation involving a deep cut in the abdomen. Most of these operations are normally successful. But sometimes an operation may fail, for which the surgeon cannot be taken to task. By this example, we may realise that a person obtains a right basing on his merits only. Today we see people fighting for rights without caring for responsibilities. Right and responsibility are like two wings, two wheels, two hands or two legs, which are complementary to each other in all activities. Truly speaking, man has no rights. There are only responsibilities. Do your duty sincerely. You have the right only to perform actions, but no right to the fruits thereof; they do come naturally. When a duty is discharged well, it gives you authority. Without discharging duty, how can you expect a reward?

Non-Duality Is Real Wisdom

There are three paths to attain the goal of life – the path of Karma (action), the path of Bhakti (devotion) and the path of Jnana (wisdom). Each of them can take you to the goal or destination. Suppose, three people are travelling in a train – one in third class, the second in second class and the third in first class. Even though all three are travelling in the same train, the one in third class will have to undergo stress and strain due to the crowded compartment. The second class passenger will be more comfortable, while the first class passenger will enjoy a very comfortable journey.

Let us consider another example, in which one passenger is required to change trains at two or three places; the second passenger is sitting in a through compartment which automatically gets connected to the next train on the route; and the third passenger is sitting in a compartment that takes him directly to his destination. The first passenger’s travel is like the path of Karma involving many difficulties. The second passenger’s travel is like the path of Bhakti (devotion) which is like a through carriage; the carriage does not change but it will be attached to another train. The third is the path of Jnana (wisdom) which is capable of taking you directly to the goal of life without any difficulty. It is like a run-through train, no need to change. What is Jnana? Ekatma Darshanam Jnanam (visualising one Atma in all is true wisdom). Anekatma Darshanam Ajnanam (seeing diversity is ignorance). You must consider all people as equal. You and I are one. All are one. Be alike to everyone. God is present in everyone. He is within you, around you, above you, below you. You can see God wherever you look at. Non-duality is real wisdom. It is unity in diversity. We should realise that this vision of oneness confers immortality.

The Upanishad says, Advaita Darshanam Jnanam (experience of non-dualism is wisdom). The attitude of fragmentation has to be curbed. Assume that you purchased a cloth of two metres length; and you gave it to the tailor for making into a shirt. The tailor first cuts it into several pieces, and then stitches it into a proper shape. While the scissor is that which fragments, sewing is the unifying process. Mind fragments or looks at diversity, but the intellect unifies. Just as the unified form of a shirt is fit to be worn, unified vision is required for a spiritual life. Many boys and girls carry a comb and a small mirror in their pockets. But an aspirant should carry with him the mirror of intellect and the comb of discrimination. If you carry these two with you, you will never look ugly and you will have true decoration and grace. Real decoration lies in the proper use of the mind and intellect.

Control Of Senses Is Yoga

How can you cook a good meal without the use of a clean vessel? How can any tradition be noble when there is no purity of heart?

(Telugu Poem)

Purity of heart is Yoga. Control of senses is Yoga. Using the intellect, one must keep a constant watch on the senses and the mind. The intellect should act like a master over the senses. Most people are always beset with doubts. Everyone is a doubting Thomas. As intelligence is increasing, so are the doubts also. Real intelligence lies in checking one’s own mistakes. Man should always be watchful of his words, thoughts and actions. This is real spiritual practice. Without achieving control over these, any amount of Dhyana is of no use. The process of meditation, the meditator and the object of meditation should merge into a state of blissful experience. This should be the case with devotion as well. Unity of these three is true devotion, true meditation. You say, “I am meditating on God”. You sit with closed eyes. But the mind is running hither and thither. Are you meditating? No! Who are you meditating on? You are meditating on the world. You should meditate on the Lord. You can meditate on the world also when you consider the world as divine. Vishvam Vishnumayam (Lord Vishnu pervades the entire universe). Always meditate with this feeling. This towel is God, this mic is God, this table is God, everything must be considered as God. You may worship a picture as God, but you should not worship God as a picture.

The vision has to be broadened to the level that you realise everything as God. That is true wisdom. God’s eyes, ears, hands and feet are present everywhere. You cannot find any place that is devoid of Divinity. The Upanishads and the Gita are not meant for mere reading. They are meant for practice. Taste their essence, but do not waste their purport. This is true spiritual practice.

– Bhagawan's Discourse in Sai Shruthi, at Kodaikanal on 16th April 1993.