Issue 246 - September 19, 2021 |
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Sairam Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Divinity permeates every atom of this creation, and yet cannot be seen, or touched, or tasted with the senses. Like Swami often reminds us, “Everything is born out of divinity, exists in divinity and merges in divinity, but some effort is required to understand this! You cannot see your own face and you need a mirror to see yourself. Likewise, in order to know your own divinity, first and foremost you need to be in the company of divine people.”
To be in the company of noble individuals, is the first step when we are in the process of unravelling our divinity.
“Only through a process, the divinity inside you can be understood and experienced. This process is sādhana or spiritual austerities. One may contemplate on the divine principle, or one may chant the divine name so much so that they become one with the divine name. Whether you meditate, chant or serve the Lord, these are various processes by which the divine principle inside can be experienced. This process becomes faster and easiest in the company of Divine people”, reiterates Swami.
Therefore, some solitude, some meditation, and some good company is much needed in the path of spirituality.
Sairam
Bhuvana Santhanam
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ātmano mokshārtam
(Emancipation of one’s self)
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Excerpt From the Book - Inner View |
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What is advaitā, and how is it
different from dvaitā or viśiṣṭādvaitā?
Answer: There are three approaches or three schools of philosophy which have been propounded to enable us to know the ātmatattva (ātmic principle). These three are advaitā, viśiṣṭādvaitā and dvaitā. Sri Ādi Śaṅkarācārya taught the philosophy of advaitā (non-dualism) which advocates the oneness of jīva (individual soul) and Brahman (cosmic soul) - “I am God”. Three centuries after Sri ĀdiŚaṅkarācārya, Sri Ramanujacharya advocated the viśiṣṭādvaitā system of philosophy, which presupposed that jīva and Brahman are different – “I am from God”. Two centuries after Sri Ramanujacharya, Sri Madhwacharya arrived on the scene and propagated the dvaitā system of philosophy emphasising that there are, in fact, three concepts, namely, dehātma bhava (body consciousness), jīvātma bhava (individualised form of God) and paramātma bhava (the universalised soul or the Supreme Self) - “I am different from God”. However, the fundamental principle underlying all the three schools of philosophy is one and the same, that is, ātmatattva. upaniṣads declare that the entire universe is permeated by the same ātmic principle. That truth is contained in the upaniṣadic dicta:
ekātma sarva bhūtāntarātmā (one ātmā dwells in all beings)
īśhvaraḥ sarva bhūtānām (God is the Indweller of all beings)
īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (the entire universe is permeated by God)
The rain, the water that flows into the river, and the water in the ocean, are all one and only one. Everything is Brahman. Since every object in this universe is Brahman, nothing can be disregarded or ignored. This principle of Brahman is called ‘Divine’ in the English language.
An excerpt from the book ‘Spirituality 101’ authored by Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai, pg no. 08.
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Learning about myself
By Sentooran Sanmugarajah
Financial Services, United Kingdom
The stillness of the recent lockdowns has brought many residual thoughts, feelings and layers of conditioning to the forefront of my being. I did not appreciate just how much mental clutter had accumulated without my notice, not least because these destructive attitudes and behaviours can become deeply entrenched within us if they are not eliminated swiftly. On reflection, it is not surprising that it took the onset of the lockdowns to bring this to my attention. Looking back, it seems that we often subconsciously opt to engage in a variety of activities and pastimes to somehow avoid the discomfort of the inner work that needs to be done. However, this constant engagement in activities will not solve the underlying problem. As much as we may try to pretend otherwise, we cannot be at ease or fulfilled until we acknowledge our faults and address them, steadily but firmly.
Observing these thoughts and feelings impartially as they arise has shown me that, although, they are habitual, the negative mental patterns that I am familiar with are entirely false. On tracing them back, I notice that they originated during periods of setbacks and adversity in my life. However, with careful introspection, I have learnt that our inner potential can never be limited by our circumstances at any time, no matter how difficult they are. The true nature of the sky can never be affected in any way by passing clouds. This can be a great source of courage for us all.
However, though it can never be affected, the sky can be obscured by these clouds, particularly if they are dark and dense. This has been an important lesson for me. Only knowing that our inner potential is infinite and indestructible is not enough to manifest the implications of this highest truth in our life. Having caught a glimpse of its boundless possibility, our understanding will remain incomplete if we do not strive to go through the process of transformation that moves us towards this reality. When the sunlight of sincere effort and deservedness drives away the clouds of conditioning, the attributeless and dimensionless nature of the sky, as the indweller, can be seen.
With time, I have learnt that those who excel in life do so by turning challenges into opportunities through their maturity of perspective and strength of character. More importantly, they never allow their confidence in their abilities to be limited by labelling themselves based on the outcome of any situation, whether or not it seems favourable to them at the time. Observing my mind has taught me that any repeated beliefs that we hold about ourselves in response to events in our life are entirely self-imposed by our own ego. They simply have no substantive reality whatsoever. This is the primary delusion from which we must break-free.
I humbly submit that only those who can do so should be regarded as educated. For all that was expected of me, it is now strikingly evident that the modern education that I received was largely inadequate in addressing the most essential aspects of my life. Although it trained me to think critically, it completely overlooked any examination of the source and nature of the mind itself and the methods by which it is to be brought under our control. To know ourself as we truly are is the only absolute knowledge. Any educational system that does not guide its children and youth towards this understanding is failing them altogether.
Once we recognise our true nature, we can break the chains of unconscious living that bind us down. Can you imagine the collective joy if every person in the world was lifted from the burden of their self-limiting beliefs? It would elevate society as a whole to the zenith of its well-being and performance. This has to be amongst the most meaningful change that can be made in the world. We can all contribute towards this vision. It begins with reforming ourselves first. Our progress is our responsibility.
I pray sincerely to Swami to grant us all the inspiration and conviction to arise, awake and stop not until the goal is reached.
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To help reach Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s human values-based education to the world, and to resuscitate the humanness of humanity, the Sri Sathya Sai University for Human Excellence launched a unique, first-of-its-kind Institute of Human Values, to offer tailor-made courses totally free of any charges, curated by experts from around the world. The Vision of the Institute is to make better humans in their personal and professional spheres, by making them more sensitive towards society’s needs and exploring ways of their contribution to society in a meaningful and selfless manner, thereby creating a sense of global citizenship and responsibility.
The courses will help an individual balance the inside and outside, while progressively being a better human being, that will ultimately help him or her unravel the true meaning and purpose in life.
Learning from the heart is spiritual awakening, Baba would say. The Institute of Human Values is the first step to help lead the world into the beautiful awareness of its heart – a heart that operates from the universal human values of Sathya, Dharma, Shanti, Prema and Ahimsa.
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When one realises the true Self, at that point in time one stops making decision for oneself. One stop thinking for oneself. Brahman takes the complete control over the jīvātmā and the buddhi (intellect), manas (mind) and deha (body) cease to exist.
It is this process of transcension, where the indriyas (senses) are to be merged in mind, mind to be merged into buddhi, intellect to higher cosmic intellect and finally lose the individual identity into the ultimate consciousness. This way jīvātmā becomes a mere puppet in the hands of Divine.
Surrendering to the great Divine intelligence is the only way to become a perfect instrument in the hands of Brahman wherein His will can flow without any interruptions.
In the episode 34, Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai explains about wisdom and knowledge. Under the guidance of the Divine Master, let us learn these profound teachings of vedanta and follow Him in the path of Self-Realisation.
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INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE FOR THE WEEK |
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“The Absolute can be reached by absolute devotion only. Don’t be half-hearted.”
-Nisargadatta Maharaj
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jagat hitāya
(Welfare of the World)
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Food Distribution
Every Sunday the Sai youth distribute meals in Almaty city. This month close to 160 meals which included sandwiches, sweets, cookies and tea were distributed to the needy individuals.
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Supporting Single Mothers and Children
Every month, the Sai youth in Kazakhstan help the single parent families, primarily single mothers and widowed mothers, who raise many children. Basic necessities such as food and hygiene products were distributed to them.
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