(This is a translation from Telugu to English.)

DIVINE DISCOURSE

BY

BHAGAVAN SRI SATYA SAI BABA

Delivered on 21-05-2000

In

Sai Ramesh Hall,

Trayee, Brindavanam

First and foremost, we have to increase Buddhi (intelligence). That intelligence has to increase in Sangham (society). This Sangham has to have Dharma and thus joy will be experienced.

Don’t weaken anyone or give pain to anyone mentally, physically, or with words. Yet you may wonder, ‘Is this possible?’ When you feel you must do it with strong determination, you can achieve any great thing at all easily.

Every single man is wishing for bliss. From where is this bliss? We have been born from bliss. We are living in bliss. We will end in bliss also. Therefore, our life is full of bliss. It is not difficult to recognise the goal of our life. No one can forget the goal of his life. Therefore, we have to wish for bliss; we have to experience bliss; we have to merge in bliss.

Body is impermanent for man. With this body, which is impermanent, we cannot attain permanent bliss. In order to understand this truth, Buddha left his home. He saw a dead body. He saw a sick man. He saw an old man. It is not possible to not become old. It is normal for the body: childhood, youth, and old age. Therefore, these are all changes of Nature. They are physical changes. Due to changes like these, we should not worry at all. You want that the body should be permanent.

What is the reason for death? What is the cause for old age? What is the reason for birth? What is the reason for disease? Buddha enquired into these and experimented. Finally, he realised that the body is only a water bubble. It is the mind that is responsible for bringing all the diseases on the body. By the resolves of the mind, the body gets illnesses. They call this psychological. Due to the psychology of the mind, the body undergoes changes. Therefore, this mind is only like a cloth.

The head of the Yagna turned around. "I am giving it liberation by sacrificing it." When Buddha heard that he was giving it liberation, Buddha joked about it. "You are giving liberation to the animal which does not ask for it. Why should not liberation be given to man who desires it? Therefore, I do not have faith that you are giving liberation to these animals that do not desire it. What Shasta taught this, what Upanishads taught this, what Veda taught this? So, there is no truth in it. If one living creature is killed, will it get liberation? No, I won’t, it won’t! This is untruth. You may have faith in it, believe in it, and worship it.

There is an example for it. This animal does not want liberation. Your mother wants liberation. You father wants liberation. Your wife wants liberation. Your son wants liberation. Why should you not offer them as sacrifice and give them liberation? Therefore, if there was liberation in this, why should you not start it in your own vision? You are giving liberation to these animals who do not desire it. But why should you not give this liberation to man who desires it? Why? Because liberation will not be gained by sacrificing on any day. This begins to be a big sin."

Therefore, he obstructed it saying "Don’t do harm." In this way, he purified a few wrongs and he started non-violence, considering Ahimsa as the highest Dharma. The love that is in man is also in animals. Therefore, the love that is in man, share it equally between bird and beasts. Share this love with every single human being. Share this love with every single living creature. This is the true quality of love. This is the true liberation.

What does liberation mean? They are thinking that liberation is going to some certain place or living in some certain place. Not this, not this! When one attains full, perfected love, this is liberation. We have to try to achieve this full love. Then only we will begin liberation. Nowadays saying "Moksha, Moksha (liberation)." They are undertaking so many types of Sadhanas. We get only temporary peace from these Sadhanas.

However, the elders taught nine types of paths: Sravanam (listening), Kirtanam (singing), Vishnu Smaranam (remembrance), Pada Sevanam (worship of the Feet), Vandanam (salutation), Archanam (ritual worship), Dasyam (service), Sneham (friendship), Atma Nivedanam (surrender). In these nine types of paths also, the only result we get is temporary bliss. In these nine paths, we have to make the stream of love flow. Love must be the undercurrent in all Sadhanas. That is the true devotion.

Devotion doesn’t only mean to do bhajan, do puja, to say mantras, to chant Vedas. These are not only devotion. These are all only parts of devotion. Devotion means to send the love that arises out of you directly to God. To love God with pure, steady, selfless love is true devotion. We have to worship God without desires. Whatever Sadhana is done, there is some little selfishness involved. We have to offer to God selfless love, without selfish interests. That only is the true liberation. That is the true Moksha.

To destroy Moha (infatuation) is Moksha. Therefore, this is not to be attained from a book. It cannot be attained from teachings of another. It does not arise from discourses. It has to arise from the inner feelings. That Moksha is within us. That bliss is within us. You only are the abode of bliss. Your heart is the abode. Therefore, we have to offer to God the love that arises out of a heart like that.

In that same way, a son comes and calls one individual, ‘Father, father!’ The daughter-in-law comes and calls him, ‘Uncle, Uncle.’ The younger brother comes and calls him "Elder brother, elder brother." Grandson comes and calls him ‘Grandfather, Grandfather.’ There is only one individual, but numerous people are calling him by numerous names. They are experiencing him with numerous names. The experience is different but there is only one individual. He only is grandfather, he only is the elder brother, he only is the son, he only is the uncle.

In that same way, in every single religion also, one will say, ‘Allah,’ one will say ‘Jesus,’ one will say ‘Zoroastra,’ one will say, ‘Hindu,’ one will say ‘Rama,’ one will say ‘Krishna,’ one will say ‘Buddha.’ In this way each one will experience God in a different way. These are all only based on relationships with the body. Yet, God is one. We should not keep any differences at all.

Therefore whatever religion, whatever castes, don't keep differences. The Minister said, ‘caste of humanity’, ‘language of the heart’, ‘omnipresent God’. There is one God. So, you can put any name to Him. These are all names which have been given, but actually God has no name at all. He is the Embodiment of power. We have to make correct effort to put this power to the right use.

So many different types of qualities enter into this Love. It is polluted due to food and pastimes, desire, anger, greed, infatuation, pride and envy. Due to food and pastimes, so many types of qualities begin. We have to try to take satwic food. Due to this satwic food, we will also get satwic qualities.

First a small flower is born. Then it gets the form of a small, unripe fruit. Then that only will become a fruit. Where did this fruit come from? It came from the unripe fruit only. Where did this unripe fruit come from? It came from the flower. Flower, unripe fruit and fruit: all three are one. Therefore, in the nature of God, Karma (action), Jnana (wisdom), Bhakti (devotion), in all three there is unity. In the nature of Love everything is contained. Therefore, we have to increase the nature of Love.

We have to develop Divine, good feelings. One should not criticise the other. One should not scorn another. Buddha wandered and wandered while propagating Dharma and his body become a little tired. So when he reached one village, he went inside to take a little rest. He called one youth, one boy who was with him, and said, "Oh disciple! You give bliss to the people today by giving them a discourse. Today I must take rest."

That disciple became very blissful. Thinking ‘such a great fortune he gave me, isn’t it!’, he started the discourse: "Buddha is full of compassion. Buddha is full of Love. He is full of Jnana. He is a Karma Yogi. He is a Jnana Yogi. He is Siddha (perfected). A Buddha like this has never been born before and he will never be born again."

When he said like that, all the devotees gathered there clapped. When they all clapped like that, Buddha, who was taking rest inside, heard. Immediately he came to the gathering. He had the disciple who was giving the discourse stand. He asked, "Son, how old are you?" The disciple answered, "Swami, I am 25 years old." Then Buddha asked, "What countries have you visited?" He said, "I have seen Kuru Desham and Panchaala Desham."

Buddha then reprimanded him. "You have only seen two or three villages. Your age is only 25 years. What experiences have you had in this young age? ‘A Buddha like this has not been born before. And he won’t be born again.’ How can you know this? You can’t recognise the past of ‘he wasn’t born before.’ You cannot recognise the future of ‘he will not be born again.’ You are only in the present. You are one who cannot even know correctly the present! When you are like that, in what way are you able to tell about the past and future? This is only Ajnana (ignorance). From now on, don't give a discourse like that any more."

Buddha reprimanded him and then afterwards said, "How many great ones there are for everyone! So many great ones have been born before. So many great souls will be born in the future also. Great ones are being born who even have the whole world in their hands. Therefore, you don't have the authority to say that ‘They will not be born and they were not born’." In that way, he discouraged pomp and show.

Buddha was without any pomp and show. He was always pure and steady. He used to show great humility and obedience. He used to act with the quality of Love. Therefore, it is very hard to know this nature of Buddha.

It is useless for everyone to be blissful just thinking that this is the festival celebrating the birth of Buddha, calling it Buddha Purnima. We have to put in practise and prove the examples that Buddha preached. However, nowadays, people are heroes in the speeches on platforms. On platforms, heroes, but in practise, zeros. Therefore we have to be practical and practise. We have to experience all the teachings of Buddha. That is the true respect that we have to give to Buddha.

Develop pure vision. When we develop pure vision, pure feelings will arise from within us. When pure feelings arise from within us, we will do pure actions. When one takes a small stone and throws it into a well, a big wave will start in that well. How far will the ripples go? The waves will go only as far as the well goes. In that same way, if one throws a good stone, good waves will arise. If one throws a pindi ball (made of flour or rice), it will remain there where it is thrown.

Therefore, we have to throw the rock of good thoughts in the pond of our mind. If we put the rock of good thoughts in the pond of our minds, that only will start off and spread throughout the entire country. Those waves will arrive at the eyes. By these eyes, we will see good things. Those waves will arrive at the ears. By these ears, we will hear good things. It will go into the mouth. Good words will come. It will go into the hands, the hands will do good works. They will go into the legs. We will go and walk to good places.

Therefore, this well of the body, all of it also is full of waves. Therefore, these waves are moving about from top to toe. Wherever these waves go, there the sacredness will be. Therefore, good sight - You have to develop good sight. He said you have to develop good thoughts. In this way, he taught the teachings that should be taught. What are we doing? We are reading books. But it is only while we read that the mind is there. Afterwards, it goes away.

We should do every single thing in the same way that the sandalwood is ground. Just as the fragrance comes out if we keep grinding and grinding it, if you keep putting and putting the teachings into practise, that practise will arise fully in you. In the same way that the mouth has bliss with the sweetness when the sugarcane is chewed and chewed, when we speak and speak those teachings, the sweetness in it will give us so much bliss.

Therefore, every noble individual has to begin to put them into practise. Any sacred actions that any great man does, we have to put them into practise. How many activities have they done! How many ideal activities they have done. How many ideal teachings they said. Yet, if we put that which was done, one or two into practise, it is enough.

Buddha did that only. Finally, when he was about to take his last breath, he had one pice (lowest-valued coin) with him. He had wrapped that pice in a small cloth and kept with him. He didn’t want greatness. He wanted sacredness. All very big kings came and built great ashrams. They started Buddhist Monasteries. However, all of these did not make him happy. One beggar, an old lady, from somewhere she had earned a pice. She took that pice and brought it: "Son, Buddha! This is my wealth. See, you take it." He took that pice with both hands. He wrapped it in a cloth and kept it close to his waist.

At one time, Buddha was sitting alone in a forest. Then an evil demonness came. The demonness said she was ready to eat him. Buddha answered, "Sooner or later, one is bound to die. Therefore, today when you get hungry, I will give my body to appease your hunger." He said it, laughing and laughing. We don't need to be afraid of changes in the body or the death of the body. Death will certainly come. So, it is necessary for the demonness to have hunger. He said, "You eat it, take it."

When Buddha said those words, laughing and laughing, immediately that demonness changed into a pigeon. It changed and said, "Buddha, I will spread your bliss, your sacrifice, to the world. Whenever anyone is about to die, they become afraid. One is bound to die. Therefore, giving food to one who is hungry with the thing that has to die, who will have such great feelings? Therefore, Buddha, I am not a demonness. I have come like this just to test you. I am a pigeon. I am a pure, immaculate pigeon. I will now propagate your greatness to everyone." Therefore, even the birds spread all of Buddha’s great words.

Then, what does it mean? The quality of Love only was Buddha’s nature. The quality of Love is the nature of Sai. Therefore, all Avatars take the basis as Love. Therefore, no one is trying to understand that basic quality, that fundamental Truth. That only is Love. We have to increase that Love. If Love is developed, the whole world will be ours.

No one can describe the power in a quality of Love like that. It is not possible for anyone to describe it. It is Amrita (nectarine or immortal). It is blissful. Amrita may have value only up to a point but, Love is more valuable than that. Amrita may have a certain taste. But no one can describe this Love as like this or like that. Therefore, we have to develop the quality of Love that is Amrita.

The thing that protects us is Divine Love only. That which punishes is Divine Love. It is Love only that takes you to exalted levels. There is no other path for us except Love. This only is one-way traffic. Love only going and love only coming. In one-way traffic like this, how careful we have to be! In this Divine Love, there is no speed breakers or any other type of breakers. You can go any amount of speed. One may go to God with speed.

The rivers are teaching us this quality of Love. The rivers like Ganga, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri are going with such speed. They are coming. Where do they want to go? They are coming to merge in their master, the ocean. If mountains come in the way, they break in two and flow. If small mounds come, they split between them also and flow. No matter what comes in the way, they won’t stop.

To attain God we don't have to go somewhere. It will come there where you are. There are some temples, churches and masjids. These are not our temples. They are temples built by man. The temples built by man are impermanent. The body is the temple built by God. This temple is a walking temple. This temple is a talking temple. The power that is in this temple is no where else. There is no cement that was brought. There were no stones brought. They didn’t put the gravel. Without anything, God created it with His resolve. Therefore, this is the prasad (gift) that is willed by God. We have to protect well this gift given by God.

At one time, Emperor Ashoka went to the forest to wander about. A Buddhist sannyasi was coming walking. Emperor Ashoka got down from the horse and put his head on the sannyasi’s feet, doing namaskar. The Minister saw it. He thought, "Maharaj! What is this? What is the thing that the King is doing? What is the greatness of the Emperor? Such a great one has put his head on the feet of the Buddha." He felt very much troubled in his mind. But it wasn’t the right time to mention it.

After they went home, when Ashoka was in a very blissful mood, then the Minister chastised him softly. "Swami! Your head is so great. Your intelligence is so great. Your education is so great. Your body is so great. You command so much respect. This body which commands so much respect, to put this head on the feet on a small disciple of Buddha?" When he said like that, Ashoka laughed.

After a few days, Asoka called the Minister and said, "Minister! I want a sheep head. I want a goat head. I want the head of a man. Bring these three." He brought them. When the King commands, the Minister will do anything. After the Minister brought them, the King said, "Take them to the bazaar, sell them and come." Immediately after putting them in the market, someone took the goat head. Someone else took the sheep head. To the man’s head, they said, "We don't want, don't want! Take it and go!"

When he said this, Jnana dawned on the Minister. He realised the Truth in it. Afterwards, if we want wisdom to come, will it come? If we want it, can we get it? No, no, no! It is only God who will find an appropriate time to reach/teach us. If you want worldly things, you can’t get them. If you want to attain them, they can’t be attained. However, with God you can attain anything at all.

You all came with such devotion. Your devotion and obedience are very high quality. On this Buddha Purnima, you should put it all into practise and keep it. Buddha was very high. Even when it was like that, when he was young he made numerous mistakes. Due to these mistakes, he felt very badly. To atone for these mistakes, he offered himself. Put his way of life and all his teachings into practise and experience them. This is the true Buddha Purnima. If you only experience bliss today, it is of no use.

The cow eats grass. Then it brings it back and chews it again. So, when animal does like that, why shouldn’t you do it? When you go back to your own places, take all that you have experienced, remember it again and recall it. That is why you’ve come, the true duty. After hearing, you should not forget it after going there. It should merge in your blood. They call the essence that is in your blood rasovaisaha.

All the pure feelings, words, that we hear should be steady as rasovaisaha. That form of rasa is God. When that form of rasa, God, enters into every limb, it is named Angeerasa. Therefore, the name of the Almighty in the body is Angeerasa. We have to develop the faith that God is in us as rasovaisaha.

Therefore, it is God who protects our body in the sleeping state or in the state where one forgets oneself. You think that you are protecting yourself in the waking state. However, in the sleeping state and in the deep sleep state, how will you protect yourself? At all times, in all ways, everywhere, under all circumstances, He is protecting you.

Therefore, it is God only who is always protecting. We should not be afraid of any troubles or sorrows. They all come and go like passing clouds. However, our God is always permanent. Taking Him as the support, remembering Him, think of Him all the times. That is the new thing that you have to learn because you have come here.