From Sai Baba

There are two kinds of things in this world.  The first are good and auspicious.  The second are dear and lovable.  The former pertains to spirituality, the latter to that of the world.  Only one should be chosen.  The wise prefer the former whereas the foolish select the latter. 

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Cosmic Story - Buddha Tells the Meaning of Sacrifice

A Maharaja, who was listening to Buddha's sermons on contentment and renunciation, wished to earn the approbation of Buddha.

Buddha used to keep with him always a rattle-drum. His disciples once asked him: "Master! Why are you always keeping this rattle-drum by your side?" Buddha replied: "I shall play on this drum the day a person who has made the greatest sacrifice approaches me." Everyone was eager to know who this person would be. Such persons are often the forgotten men of history.

 

Wishing to attain this distinction, the Maharaja loaded his elephant with considerable treasure and went to Buddha. He hoped to offer the treasure to Buddha and earn his praise.

 

On the way, an old woman greeted the Maharaja and pleaded: "I am hungry. Will you give me some food?" The Maharaja took out pomegranate fruit from his palaquin and gave it to her. The old woman came to Buddha with the fruit.

 

By then, the Maharaja had come to Buddha and was eagerly waiting to see when Buddha would sound the rattle-drum. For a long time Buddha did not use it. The Maharaja stayed on.

 

The old woman approached Buddha staggering on her legs, and offered to him the pomegranate fruit. Buddha took it and immediately sounded the little drum.   The Maharaja asked Buddha: "I offered so much wealth to you. You did not sound the drum. But you rattled it after receiving a small fruit. Is this a great sacrifice?"

 

Buddha replied: "Maharaja! In sacrifice, it is not quantity that counts, it is the quality of sacrifice that matters. It is natural for a Maharaja to offer gold. But what great sacrifice is made when a hungry old woman offers the pomegranate fruit to the Guru despite her hunger. She did not care even for her life and gave the fruit. What greater sacrifice can there be? It is not sacrifice to offer what is superfluous for you. True sacrifice means giving up that which is most dear to you, that which you value most."

Hinduism is the religion of sacrifice. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says there are three types of sacrifice. They are tamasic (dulling), rajasic (passionate), and sattwic (purifying).  As an example of each type, sleep is very dear to man.  If we stay up all night playing cards, we have made a sacrifice. We have given up something dear to us (sleep), in exchange for pleasure. But it makes us dull the next day. This is a tamasic sacrifice.  If we stay up all night to study for exams, we have made a similar sacrifice of sleep. This will help us succeed later in life.  This is a rajasic sacrifice, it moves us forward in the world.  If we stay up all night singing bhajans, we have made a similar sacrifice of sleep, but the result is to purify our mind.  In a similar way, all successful people make sacrifices, some tamasic, some rajasic, and some sattwic.

In this world, those who are willing to sacrifice anything substantial for God and Guru are very rare.  Jesus called such people "the salt of the Earth". Salt preserves food, and makes it tasty.  In the same way, the pure souls preserve the Earth.  To make spiritual progress, make sattwic sacrifices.  This can be done most easily through loving service to others.