Template for Study Material Preparation

Template for Study Material Preparation

My Life Is “MY” Message – You Are In Me, I Am In You, You

And I Are One

Research Topic:

My Life Is MY Message : Worship The Spiritual Preceptor – Manasa Bhajore Guru Charanam

Sai Center / Group Name: Boston Regional Team

My Life Is “MY” Message

2 | P a g e

Table of Contents

1. Theme & Topics ...................................................................................... 3

2. Questions To Ponder ............................................................................... 6

3. Center Summaries: Your Life Is His Message ......................................... 8


3 | P a g e

1. Theme & Topics


4 | P a g e


5 | P a g e


6 | P a g e

2. Questions To Ponder

On the Theme My Life Is “MY” Message: • Examine the Theme: My Life Is “MY” Message : What is the meaning of this? • Swami said: You will be adhering to My message if you so live that your lives are

evidence of the dispassionate quiet, the courage, the confidence, the eagerness to serve those who are in distress, that My life inspires you with. - World Conference of Bhaagavan Shri Sathya Sai Seva, Organisations, Bombay, 17-5-1968

• In Geetha Vahini chapter XXV, Swami mentions twenty five holy qualities or Daivi Sampaththi. What are these qualities?

• Is there a difference between spiritual life and practical life? Did Swami address this in

his discourses - Sathya Sai Speaks? • Does spiritual quest or inquiry have a place in our lives right now? Is it relevant? • What do the sub-topics a) You are in me, b) I am in You c) You and I are One mean to

you? • What do the words a) Saameepyam, b) Saaroopyam, Saalokyam c) Saayujyam mean? • In Geetha, Krishna declares: Jnaathum, Dhrashtum, Praveshtum–Three stages of

knowing, seeing, be-ing on the path to self-realization. Do they -or- How do these apply to our life?

On the Topic of “My Life Is MY Message -> You Are In Me -> Worship the Spiritual Preceptor - Manasa Bhajore Guru Charanam”:

• Worship the spiritual preceptor: Manasa Bhajore Guru Charanam, Dustara Bhava Sagara Taranam – Swami’s first message What does this mean?

• Who/What/Why Guru? • Worship? Why/How worship? • Swami said: “Your true guru is God alone. He transcends all gunas. He is beyond all

forms. He is the only one who can dispel the darkness of ignorance and light the lamp of Prajnaanam (Supreme Wisdom) – SSS23 – Let us find this passage and discuss the meaning and context

On Practice:

• “Cheppinattu Chestara”? Will you practice what you say – or learnt? • How would practice of “Simplicity” look in real life?

• What could be 2-3 specific goals or actions which we can focus on and work on to

inculcate “Simplicity” in our daily life? • How can we implement a self-audit or self-reflection to assess progress?

Please feel free to add more Qs to this list that may be beneficial to the Center members.

• How does one worship the preceptor?

• What do we offer Him while worshipping the preceptor?


7 | P a g e


8 | P a g e

3. Center Summaries: My Life Is MY Message

Please capture summaries of discussions from study-circles and your own understanding / suggestions / scenarios or situations / activities to help put these learnings into practice in daily life.

I called on all those suffering in the endless round of birth and death to worship the Feet of the Guru (spiritual preceptor), the Guru who was announcing Himself, who had come again for taking upon Himself the burden of those who find refuge in Him. That was the very first Message of Mine to Humanity. Manasa bhajare - Worship in the mind! I do not need your flower garlands and fruits, things that you get for an anna or two; they are not genuinely yours. Give Me something that is yours, something that is clean and fragrant with the perfume of virtue and innocence and washed in the tears of repentance! Garlands and fruits you bring as items in the show, as an exhibition of your devotion; poorer devotees who cannot afford to bring them are humiliated and feel sorry that they are helpless; they cannot demonstrate their devotion in the grand way in which you are doing it. Install the Lord in your heart and offer Him the fruits of your actions and the flowers of your inner thoughts and feelings. That is the worship I like most, the devotion I appreciate most. Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 1 (1953 - 60)

The first Guru is the mother; her example, her advice, her admonition affects man deepest and longest. The second is the father, who is admired by the child for his strength and knowledge and feared for the punishments he inflicts. Next is the teacher, who leads him and guides him into the maze of material knowledge. But, the Guru (spiritual preceptor) alone can open the inner eye and cleanse the inner instruments of intuition. He induces you to question yourself, “Dheham?” (Am I this body or is this body only a vehicle which I am using) and discover the answer, “Naaham” (I am not this Body). Then the investigation starts to delve into the reality of the I, “Koham” (Who am I then?) and the answer reveals itself in the purified consciousness, “Soham” (I am He); I am a spark of that Glory; I am Divine.

• Divine Discourse July 26, 1972

A guru is a spiritual preceptor. He transmits wisdom to his disciple. His duty ends here. It is the disciple’s duty to receive and respond to his master’s spiritual wisdom. He must put into practice what he has learnt. A guru is like a guidepost on the highway. He shows the path to the disciple. A signpost indicates the road to be followed but does not indicate anything about the ups and downs and the pitfalls on the road. It is the traveller’s duty to beware of all pitfalls and obstacles on the road. Similarly, a guru is only a guide. The disciple has to find for himself all the obstacles on the mountain path of spirituality. He must personally experience all the vicissitudes of the spiritual life.

• Summer Showers In Brindavan 1979


9 | P a g e

Qualifications of the preceptor This spiritual treasure can be obtained from another too. However, the giver has to possess supreme attainment, and the recipient has to possess the special merit that deserves the achievement. The seed may have life in it, but the soil must be ploughed and made fit to activate it. When both conditions are satisfied, the harvest of spiritual success is assured. One who instructs in the field of religion has to be of enthralling excellence; the listener, also, has to be of sharp and clear understanding. When both are surprisingly supreme and extraordinarily enthusiastic, the result will be spiritual awakening of the highest level. Otherwise, rarely can such results follow. The real gurus steal your hearts, not your wealth. The pupil has to concentrate on service to the guru and ruminate over their teachings. The pupil must be eager to translate the teaching into daily activity and actual practices. The pupil must fill the heart with devotion and dedicate all their skill for the actualization of the guru’s counsel. Such a person deserves the name pupil

• Sathya Sai Vahini Chapter XIII

http://media.radiosai.org/journals/Vol_06/01JUL08/02-ssspeaks.htm

CULTIVATE LOVE TO ACHIEVE FULLNESS

Dear readers, on July 18 of this year falls the sacred festival of Guru Poornima. It is the day on which the Guru, or the preceptor, is adored and worshipped. Marking the first festival in the academic calendar of Sri Sathya Sai University, this festival is much awaited for by both Swami’s students and His devotees. For one, this day, Bhagavan Baba, the Supreme Teacher, has always blessed His students and devotees with an enlightening discourse. Below are extracts from His message delivered on this occasion way back in the year 1983.

Sathya Sai Speaks

Even when the Divine appears in human form, moves freely amongst men and women, and is near in various ways to people, only a few are able to recognize Divinity in its physical form. Remember it is not easy to recognize the nature of the Divine through the corporeal form alone. You need a true guru (spiritual preceptor) to reveal the real nature of Divinity. And such a guru has been equated with the Trinity Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

The devotee who regards God Himself as his guru will not have any difficulties. Today, many who are looked upon as gurus utter the manthras (sacred formula) in the ear, but they also stretch their palms for money. In everything they do, they expect money. Such gurus are "baadha" (harmful) gurus and not "bodha" (enlightening) gurus.

http://media.radiosai.org/journals/Vol_06/01JUL08/02-ssspeaks.htm


1 0 | P a g e

The true guru is like an ophthalmic surgeon. The surgeon removes the film in the patient's eye and restores his natural vision. In the same way the guru should also remove the veil of ignorance and attachment that blurs the vision of his disciples and restore their natural spiritual vision.

The Moon is the deity that controls the mind. And only the day on which the mind is rid of the darkness of ignorance and achieves fullness of illumination, is the real Guru Poornima day for man. Looking merely at the full moon in the sky and calling it Guru Poornima is only worshipping the external, while internally there is a sunna (void). It is only when you have cleansed your heart by getting rid of ignorance, sorrow, worry, greed, and envy, that you can celebrate your Guru Poornima and realise the fullness of your reality.

Carry with You the Divine Experience and Enlarge It To achieve this poornathvam (fullness) you have to cultivate Prema (love). You have to go through all the three stages of shravana, manana and nidhi dhyaasana (hearing, meditating and practicing) to achieve the goal of human existence. You must all realise that the relationship between you and Me is not related only to the physical body. Do not waste your time thinking only of the physical relationship.

The body is a passing thing. You should concentrate on the attainment of that which is permanent and beyond the limitations of time and space. You have seen for yourself and experienced the Divine here. You must carry this experience with you and enlarge it by contemplating on it internally.

As long as we are involved with external appearances, we will have to carry the burden of doubts and weakness of faith, for we will not be able to get rid of involvement in unnecessary things. Faith is like a live volcano and doubts are like seeds. No seed will sprout on such a volcano. If the doubts multiply, it means that your faith is weak and unstable. It is like an extinct volcano. If your faith is strong, no doubts will ever crop up. Where there are doubts, there can be no faith.

But remember we alone are responsible for our doubts. The Divine acts only as a witness. While the Divine shows you the path to self-realization, your doubts arise or disappear because of your past karma (action). To realise Divinity you must first get rid of all your doubts. From time to time, God subjects you to various tests. These are not intended to be punishments as you may imagine. These are intended to strengthen your faith.

Look Upon God Alone as Your True Guru

Arjuna himself was subjected to such a test by Krishna on the eve of the Kurukshethra battle. Arjuna was worried about how to wage the war against his kinsmen and what strategy he should adopt. Krishna took him to a forest in the evening. It was twilight.


1 1 | P a g e

The light of knowledge was setting and the darkness of ignorance was emerging. Krishna wanted to find out whether Arjuna was fit for receiving the Geethopadhesa (spiritual initiation to Geetha) the next day. He pointed out to Arjuna a bird on a tree and asked him whether it was a peacock.

Arjuna said, "Yes, my Lord". "No, no. It is a dove," observed Krishna. Arjuna immediately said, "Yes, it is a dove." Krishna then said, "You senseless fellow. It is not a dove but a crow!" "Yes, Lord! It is a crow," said Arjuna. Krishna then told Arjuna, "You have no power of discrimination at all. You cannot decide whether it is a peacock, dove or crow and you are only saying 'yes' to whatever I say. Should you not have this much of understanding?" Arjuna replied, " Krishna, if one does not know Your real nature, one may attempt to agree or disagree with You.

"But I have understood the truth about You. If I declare that it is not a peacock, a dove or a crow, You have the power to turn it into a peacock, a dove or a crow. I have therefore no need to enquire into what it is. Your word alone matters for me. That is sufficient authority for me." When Arjuna displayed such implicit faith, Krishna felt that Arjuna was fit to receive the message of the Geetha. And Hence Krishna told him "Nimittha maathram Bhava!" ("Be thou My instrument").

Have Faith in God’s Words

Therefore, the first requisite is deepening of one's faith in the words of the Lord. It is not possible to know the Lord by bookish knowledge or by human intelligence. When the Lord comes in human form, His measureless powers are not to be judged by looking at His age, size or innocent behaviour.

Such judgment will only lead to greater misunderstanding of the Divine. When child Krishna was brought before His mother Yashodha and was accused of eating mud, Krishna protested to His mother that He was not an infant, or a naughty boy or a madcap to eat mud. Krishna then revealed to His mother His divinity. The Avathaar is not to be judged by reference to age or actions.

On this holy day of Guru Poornima, take a resolve to purify your minds and to install in your hearts the Supreme Lord. Look upon God alone as your true Guru.

- Divine Discourse on Guru Poornima at Prasanthi Nilayam, 24 July, 1983


1 2 | P a g e

9/5/2019

• Who is a Preceptor? a teacher who is responsible to uphold a law or tradition

or a precept.

http://www.sathyasai.org/events/festival/2016/Guru-Poornima

• Who plays the role of preceptor in our lives? It’s (mata) Mother, (pita)

Father, (guru) Teacher, (daivamu) God

The first Guru is the mother; her example, her advice, her admonition affects man deepest

and longest. The second is the father, who is admired by the child for his strength and

knowledge and feared for the punishments he inflicts. Next is the teacher, who leads him

and guides him into the maze of material knowledge. But, the Guru (spiritual preceptor)

alone can open the inner eye and cleanse the inner instruments of intuition. He induces

you to question yourself, "Dheham?" (Am I this body or is this body only a vehicle which I

am using) and discover the answer, "Naaham" (I am not this Body). Then the investigation

starts to delve into the reality of the I, "Koham" (Who am I then?) and the answer reveals

itself in the purified consciousness, "Soham" (I am He); I am a spark of that Glory; I am

Divine.

Sathya Sai Speaks V11:Ch44, Divine Discourse July 26, 1972

• Meaning of the word “GURU”

This day is a day set apart for the worship of the Guru. Who is the Guru? How can a person

who has not reached the goal guide you towards it? When he is himself groping in the dark,

how can he illumine your path? Most Gurus who profess to lead are themselves not quite

sure of the road or quite convinced of the rightness of their path. 'Gu' means darkness, or

ignorance; "ru" its removal. So the Guru must know the process by which ignorance can

be removed in another. How can he do it when he has not done it for himself? The blind

cannot lead the blind.

Guru has another meaning too. 'Gu' means gunaatheetha (beyond the three strands of

energy of which the Cosmos is composed) and 'ru' means rupa-rahitha (devoid of any

particular form). Now, no mortal has transcended the guna (quality) and rupa (form). God

alone can be described as unaffected by these. And, God is the Guru, right in your heart,

ready to lead and enlighten. He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-pervading.

Sathya Sai Speaks V12:Ch42, Divine Discourse July 1974

SIGNS and QUALITIES of a true Guru The true Guru is one who has no ego or selfishness, and who can raise the student to his

own level. Donning the saffron robe, mouthing a few mantras (sacred formulas) and

http://www.sathyasai.org/events/festival/2016/Guru-Poornima


1 3 | P a g e

expounding some texts are the signs of many gurus these days. The signs of a true Guru

are large heartedness, absolute selflessness, purity in living, freedom from acquisitiveness,

absence of envy, and equal mindedness in his conduct towards everyone. Freedom from

envy is an essential quality in a Guru or student, because envy is the root cause of many

evils.

The Guru's role is to lead the student on the Godward path. He must teach the student the

true purpose for which each of his sense organs is to be used--his eyes, his tongue, and his

limbs. All the senses are to be used for discovering and experiencing the Divine.

Sathya Sai Speaks V17:Ch14, Divine Discourse July 13, 1984

• Satya Sai baba says “If you want My relationship with you to be

permanent, then regard me as your Guru. Take Me as your revered Master

and be a steadfast pupil. Then this bond will last not for a lifetime but

for lifetimes together.”

• This is no ordinary revelation if we think about it deeply. Swami is not just a

mother who will always cover us with love or a friend who will simply stand by

us irrespective of what we do, or a father who is constantly engaged in

providing for us. He is all this, yes, in more ways than one.

• One of the fundamental lessons that Swami teaches – is the lesson of

underlying divinity being the basis of humanity.

Sharing a small story. Just like Lord Jesus washed the feet of His disciples

and Lord Krishna gladly wiped clean the feet of the guests who came for the

Rajasuya yagna organized by Yudhisthira after the Mahabharata war, here

was Lord Sathya Sai humbly saluting every soul when there wasn't enough

energy in His physical frame to even raise His palm a few inches. Yes He did

it again and again, hiding the strain behind His smile. And He did it, not once

or twice but again and again, scores of times.

That day His actions truly summarized the saga of Swami's life and His

message.

The Master Supreme does not just guide and preach; He lives, demonstrates

and exemplifies those principles more eloquently in His life than in His words.

“The best guru today is God. In the spiritual world, the guru is the doctor who takes the temperature, is able to gauge his condition and what is best for him. But if the guru himself has


1 4 | P a g e

a temperature, then the temperature of the aspirant would be disturbed by the temperature of the guru. So, the best guru today is God.” Conversations with Sathya Sai Baba, pg 16

“Who is the genuine Guru? He who teaches by precept and example, good conduct, right thinking, loyalty to truth, mental discipline, sense of duty.” SSS, vol IX, pg 21

Pray to the Lord to show you the wayIn order to bring conviction to you in all

this, it is best you approach a guru (spiritual preceptor) who knows the truth

by experience and whose daily activities, words, and thoughts reflect this

realisation. The guru is called so because the letter GU signifies gunatheetha

— one who has transcended the three gunas (qualities), the thama-sic, the

rajasic, and even the sathwic (ignorant, passionate, and virtuous) — and the

letter RU signifies one who is rupa varjitha (one who has grasped the

formless aspect of God-head). Of course, one could come to that stage only

through the sublimation of the lower into the higher qualities and the steady

and conscious ignoring of the part played by mere name and form.In the

preliminary stages of spiritual discipline, name, form, and quality all have

their part to play in the moulding of the spirit. The guru destroys the illusion

and sheds light; his presence is cool and comforting. That is why this day, a

full-moon day, is allotted for paying due honour to the guru. Moreover, the

moon is the presiding deity of the mind, and the full-moon dayis the day on

which the mind has become fully beneficent. Of course, you must know what

you have lost, so that you may start on the search to recover it! The guru has

very often to tell you that you have forgotten your real name or that you have

lost the most precious part of yourself and yet are unaware of the loss. The

guru is the physician for the illness that brings about the suffering of alternate

birth and death. He is an adept at the treatment needed for the cure. If you do

not get such a guru, pray to the Lord Himself to show you the way and He

will surely come to your rescue. SSS, Vol 1, pgs. 22-23

Satya Sai Baba Speeches http://www.saibabadice.org/8/7.htm

THE MAN is NOT a simple biped, an animal that struts around on two legs instead of four. He has the unique destiny of realizing and appreciating beauty, truth, goodness, harmony, melody,

http://www.saibabadice.org/8/7.htm


1 5 | P a g e

and of giving himself and others love, compassion and goodness. He can think, not only about the secrets of nature, but also about his own mystery and discover God, who is behind both nature and himself. The clouds of conceit and ignorance hide this destiny from their sight. He can install Shivam in his heart, that is, the motivator of all creation, all existence and all dissolution. Shivam is both Sathyam and Sundaram, that is, goodness is truth and beauty. On this auspicious occasion of the Shiva Festival, resolve to worship it as your own breath of life.

The one who experiences Love is the inner self, which is the reflection of the true Self, the Soul. When the senses are out of action, that I shines in its full glory. The senses are your mortal enemies, for they drag your attention and move you away from the source of happiness that is within you to the objects outside. When they are convinced that it is they who are at the bottom of this conspiracy because they want to mislead them, they will surely stop giving them food. The fisherman uses aria cane and a fishing line; This line has a float from which a very pointed hook hangs in the water. The cork shakes, the fisherman feels the pull of the fish, and. he drags him to the ground, where he is unable to breathe. The body is the cane; the longing, the longing, the line; intelligence is the float; discernment is the hook; Knowledge is the worm. This is how the Soul, the fish, is caught by the intelligent fisherman. If you come to knowledge, beatitude will approach you.

Set your mind on that illuminated lotus and supreme peace will reign in your hearts. That is the best preparation to understand the mystery of the creation of lingam.

“Parents should feel that they are servants appointed by the Lord to attend to the little souls that are born in their homes, as the gardener attends the trees in the garden of the master. They must awaken the latent goodness in those little hearts by telling them stories about the saints and sages of the past. They must ensure that children do not generate fear and become cowards suspicious of the right path. ” (Sb01_11)

Template for Study Material Preparation

Documents

Transcript of Template for Study Material Preparation