Sri Sathya Sai Speaks

Man wants to enjoy bliss. In the process, he listens to the wise words of his elders, performs rituals and austerities, reads scriptures, and undertakes pilgrimages. Yet, he has no experience of bliss.

Buddha also went through this routine and finally discovered the Truth - that he was himself the embodiment of Bliss. Man undertakes sadhana (spiritual exercises) in the hope of enjoying Bliss. Whatever is seen and heard is in the material world contributes merely to external happiness. True Bliss is internal.

Man is the embodiment of five elements: earth, water, fire, wind, and ether. God resides in each one of the five elements. Since there is no place in creation where the five elements do not exist, it can be argued that God is all-pervasive. And yet, why is man not able to experience this Divinity?

Water can certainly reflect objects. However, the reflection is not steady like the object. Similarly, God cannot be seen as a reflection in each of us if we suffer from manochanchala (a wavering mind). Such a mind leads to confusion and depression, and such a mind can never enable a seeker to realise the Divinity within. What is essential for a steady mind is control of the five senses.

Too many desires also contribute to a wavering mind. One must therefore exercise a ceiling on desires if one is to experience Divinity. Don't maintain foolish aspirations. The Buddha prescribed good vision, good hearing, good words, good feelings, and good thoughts as the prerequisites to God-realisation. Good vision in particular is of primary importance. Today, cinema, TV, and advertisements show all kinds of perversions. There is nothing good to see there. Lack of good vision goes hand-in-hand with bad hearing. Both cause humanity to degrade to demonic and bestial stages.

There is a severe degradation of noble traits like honesty, mercy, compassion, cooperation in people. One must first develop good habits. Good habits lead to peace of mind, which in turn gives good thoughts. One must master the mind and be a master mind by controlling one's senses. Today, people are slaves to their senses. They have become highly intolerant to criticism. This intolerance is a sign of body attachment. Body is perishable, like a water bubble. Hence, why should you be so agitated when someone criticizes the body?

When you say, 'My Body', 'My senses', 'My intellect' and the like, who is this 'My'? Clearly, you are the master, and the body, mind, senses, and intellect are merely your instruments. Identifying your true Self with these is bhrama (illusion), which is dragging you away from Brahma (Divinity). Today, social action is also contributing to the confusion of the mind and creating illusions. Several people start with the ideals that they do jana seva and samaja seva (service to society). What they actually do is swayam seva (serving oneself)!

Buddha realised the temporary nature of the world and renounced it. He knew that it could give him nothing but misery.

You aim to run abroad with the view to earn much. You only lose what you have in the process. You take to lowly jobs there to sustain yourself and earn a little extra. Can't you do those jobs in your own country? The mistake lies also with the parents for encouraging such foolishness. They proudly declare, "My son is earning well abroad!" He is only earning sin! Instead of going abroad and earning sin, stay in the country and earn some merit. Follow the dictum

Do good to the society you live in. People from several countries have been inviting Swami to come to their country. Your body is itself not yours; how can you then claim a country to be you own? Give up this attachment to the body. By all means foster the body; but extinguish body attachment. Otherwise, you will fall into the endless cycle of rebirth.

Don't be swayed by praises people shower on you. Craving such praises is also a sign of body attachment. It builds up your ego. Don't feed your ego. Instead, foster peace. Peace is your biggest asset. Bliss is your greatest property. The Buddha came from a royal family. He lacked nothing by way of material comforts. Yet it was only when he sacrificed everything that he realised his Self.

When he was moving about on the streets once, a lady said that she would give him some food since he was starving. The Buddha said, "I am starving for the food of wisdom. The food that you want to give me is eaten by all. Why should I aspire for that?"

At another time, he saw a farmer gathering in his harvest and giving the workers their share. He went to him and asked for his own share. The farmer replied that the distribution was being made only for those who put in an effort to till and cultivate the land.

Buddha replied, "I have also tilled the land of my heart and have watered it with love; I tilled the land with my sadhana (spiritual exercises) and have grown the trees of wisdom on it. I now enjoy the fruits of bliss from the trees!"

Your sadhana like bhajans and meditation give temporary results. Bliss is eternal. The eternal sadhana to do for attaining the eternal bliss is to watch your breath. The answer lies there. When you inhale and exhale, you chant everytime SO-HAM - I am that! This is the Hamsa Gayathri. Know that you are verily divine. Watch, and your true form will reveal itself. What must you 'watch'?

Chanting the names of Gods is essential up to a certain extent, until the mind is steadied. After this stage, silence is best. The fewer words you speak, the greater the stillness of the mind. That is the only way to kill the mind. Students today aspire to earn only dhanam (wealth), balam (power) and kalimi (friendship). Of what use is an education that will serve you only till your death? Earn the wisdom that will help in releasing you from bondage and put you on the road to immortality.

If you entertain bad thoughts, you will not have a peaceful death. God's love can give you a peaceful, pure, and serene mind. Obstacles in life must be overcome and not bowed to; God's love can be got by the best namasmarana - the chant of 'I am God'. Today, you do not see G-O-D but see D-O-G instead! If you face problems head on, you are making a front entry - 'G'; you see GOD. If you buckle and turn back, you see the rear entry - 'D'; you see DOG!

No visit to temples, mosques, churches, or other holy places will confer bliss on you. Your body is itself a temple. Why look for God elsewhere? Buddha's biggest bodha (teaching) was to undertake thyaga (sacrifice) and not bhoga (indulgence). If you increase your body attachment, suffering will multiply. The body is the temple of God; He will look after it. When several people prostrated to the Buddha, he said, "I am Myself saluting My body because it is the temple of God."

Your body is given to you to seek and experience Bliss. Do your sadhana (spiritual exercises), by all means. But never forget that God is in you, with you, around you, below you, and above you. Believe "I am never alone! God is always there with me."