"Self-realisation can be achieved only through sacrifice but some are not
prepared to give up smoking or eat vegetarian food. If you cannot give up
these little things how can you develop the spirit of sacrifice?"
Everyone
who is born must know the aim of life. Not only the aim, but one should
recognize the purpose of life. The good and the bad of mankind depends on
behavior. Behavior depends on the thoughts; thoughts depend on the mind;
the mind depends on the thoughts. So when we make our thoughts pure, we
will be pure. Thoughts depend on the food and the behavior of society.
Food is essential. For example, we cannot put just any sort of petrol in
an airplane. The airplane runs well only when we put pure white petrol in
it. Similarly, when we eat all sorts of food, the body will be ruined.
Thus, we should eat only sathwic (calming, pure, soothing) food. This food
discipline is not only for foreigners but for all of mankind. All belong
to the caste of humanity -- color, name, form and dress may differ -- but
all belong to the human society. Similarly, whether it is the body of a
German, an Italian, an American or a Japanese citizen, the entire system
is the same. Therefore, a person on the spiritual path must have sathwic
food.
Health is Essential
Everybody needs vitamins A, B, C, D and E. Vitamins and proteins are
available in sathwic food. Proteins are in butter, milk and wheat;
vegetables contain lots of vitamins. Both Indians and foreigners, due to
habits, take to non-vegetarian foods and also to drinking alcohol, thereby
damaging their lives. Health is essential to all human beings. When one is
healthy, one can take to spiritual pursuits more easily. But, at this time
we are spoiling our health with our own hands. We should not subscribe to
the feeling that people will be happy with only food, shelter and
clothing.
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The United States of America has a great name as being the land of Kubera
(the embodiment of wealth). The people don't fall short of food, and there
are no obstacles to pleasure. In spite of this, the number of deaths is
more than in any other country. These are not ordinary deaths, they are
unfavorable deaths. What is the reason for this? Is it that they have no
food, medicines or cures for diseases? No! In Europe there is freedom. In
Sweden, the government helps to provide all conveniences and comforts.
There is no dearth of conveniences in the individual's life. Yet, the rate
of suicide in Sweden is the highest of all countries. Not only that, but
the number of divorces is also the highest. What is the reason behind
that? It all depends upon the food that causes mental agitation. But, we
should not feel that people are sustained by food alone. If people are
composed only of skin, blood, nerves and bones, they can sustain
themselves a long time only on food. But, people have two extra factors to
consider: mind and spirit.
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Smoking and Drinking?
"When a new student
denied he smoked, Baba instantly created a photo showing the student
clandestinely smoking!"
You have
come to acquire devotion to God so concentrate on that task and develop
that devotion. Always remember that you come here to experiment with holy
thoughts and to sanctify your lives. Here you must observe discipline. You
must behave with decency and respect for others. Self-realisation can
be achieved only through sacrifice but some are not prepared to give up
smoking or eat vegetarian food. If you cannot give up these little
things how can you develop the spirit of sacrifice? When you return to
your country, your behaviour should be such that fellow nationals respect
you highly. They should be able to see the big change within you, with
your visit to Prashanti Nilayam and try to follow your example.
When we feed the mind and the spirit properly, life will be more
purposeful. For example, smoking has become fashionable today. In tobacco
there is a dangerous poison, nicotine. The nicotine poison will leave
spots in the nose of a person who smokes. While smoking, carbon dioxide is
produced. The carbon dioxide gas will not only damage the lungs, but get
into the heart causing heart disease and cancer. If you want to know
whether this is true or false, you can observe it by blowing smoke into a
clean, white handkerchief. You will see black marks-completely black and
reddish black marks. When the cloth has black spots, think how much more
harm is done in the nose through which blood flows. And it follows that
smoking is responsible for heart attacks and lung cancer. When the lungs
and nerves are not healthy, it is difficult to control diseases, and the
body degenerates; asthma and other diseases will follow.
Three-fourths of the human body is ruined because of smoking; one-fourth
of the body is ruined due to drinking. In alcohol there are many chemicals
that are responsible for intoxication and dullness of the nerves. Because
of alcohol, people lose their intelligence, memory and become nervous.
They are damaged one-hundred percent because of smoking and drinking!
A story on this
page in which Sai Baba advice to stopsmoking
You are
'Acharya' and not merely a teacher. Acharya is one who first practises and
then teaches the same to his students. So when you want to teach good
principles to students, first you practise and then set an example. For
example, if you smoke in the class, students will also emulate you and
start smoking. If you try to correct them by saying, smoking is bad for
health, the students will in turn ask you, "Sir, then why are you
smoking?" The true characteristic of good education is good teaching. Good
teaching brings about transformation in students.
Excerpts from Divine
discourse 21st November 2001, in Sai Kulwant Hall, Prasanthi Nilayam.
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What About Meat?
In spiritual endeavors there can be no stability and no concentration when
meat is eaten. As the food, so is the mind. If one partakes of meat, one
will have animal thoughts. For example, if the mutton of sheep is eaten,
you must ask yourself, "What is the quality of the sheep?" They only
follow, follow, follow. If you eat mutton, you lose discrimination. If you
eat pork, you will develop the quality of the pig, i.e. arrogance. These
things not only damage our thoughts, but they amount to violence. It is a
sin to kill the animal. You may reply that an animal was killed by the
butcher. That is incorrect; it is only because you are eating them that
the animals are being killed. If you stop eating animals, then no one will
butcher them to sell in the market. Thus, sin is committed by the one who
eats as well as the one who kills. Because of this incorrect type of food,
we lose human qualities and acquire animal qualities.
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Sathya Sai Baba
Brindavan, Whitefield
August 27, 1994
From the
March 1998 issue of Sanathani Sarathi. Published by Sathya Sai Books
and Publications Trust
"Alcohol dries up your brain - that is the worst. It's an obstacle to
God. Smoking dries up your body. It hinders your development."
A Russian devotee, Alexander, had been to see Sathya Sai Baba and when he
returned he excitedly told all his friends about the phenomenal
occurrences that were going on in Puttaparthi, India. He told them an
Avatar was on the Earth and discussed many of the details of his visit
with them. But all listened mildly and had no interest in finding out
anything further about this.
He started to plan a return trip and wanted to take at least one other
person with him. He had previously given several book in Russian to his
friend "Mikhail", but Mikhail would not read them. Although the two had
been friends since they were students and Mikhail knew his friend was
credible, still he had no interest in Sai Baba. Alexander could not
understand this as Mikhail was a well educated man, a professor and well
known scientist with many achievements to his name.
Alexander had resigned himself to going alone back to India, but
unexpectedly, Mikhail had called and told him he had decided to go. He had
told his wife that he might stop drinking if he went and so he got her
support. He thought he might pay for the trip by the savings from
refraining from alcohol for six months. Alexander explained to him that no
one was allowed to have meat or alcohol or tobacco in Prasanthi Nilayam
and Mikhail agreed to these conditions. But, even though he had decided to
go, Mikhail still refused to read any of the books about Sai Baba.
They arrived at the Ashram and were given a room to share with other
international visitors. On the third day Alexander gave his friend three
issues of the quarterly magazine, "Divine Love" and Mikhail started
reading only those articles where Swami himself speaks. He was transfixed
by what he read and continued reading into the night.
The next day, Alexander got up to attend darshan as usual but did not see
his friend Mikhail so he saved a place for him in the darshan lines even
though the Seva Dal volunteer told him this was usually not allowed.
Finally, a half hour before darshan time, Mikhail showed up and joined
Alexander and they settled down to wait for a glimpse of Swami. At last he
appeared and slowly, gracefully floated through the crowds until he
approached to where the two Russian visitors were. As he went by them, Sai
Baba looked directly at Alexander and Mikhail and made a sign with his
hands three times. Alexander was thrilled as it is an unusual occurrence
to receive some kind of sign or attention from Swami.
After Darshan, Mikhail excitedly told his friend Alexander that last night
he had had a dream in which Swami came to him and had a long conversation
with him. Mikhail was confused because the dream had seemed completely
real to him and he could see and remember everything just as when he was
awake so he didn't know whether to take it as a dream or a real event that
actually happened.
Then Mikhail narrated to his friend from memory, the following
conversation from his "dream". In the dream he found himself in the very
same lecture hall in Russia where he normally delivers lectures to his
students. But instead, Swami was at the rostrum where Mikhail usually
lectures and Mikhail was sitting at a table like one of the students.
Sai: "You wanted an interview - you will have it now. You always liked
double lectures (two 45 minute periods without a break): you will now have
such a period yourself. You may ask me any questions."
Mikhail: "Not everything is clear in religions. They divide"
Sai: "Religions were written for the time when people were primitive and
so they were expounded in the language and concepts of that period. A
blind belief and miracles were required. Look at Moses who was taking Jews
from Egypt showing miracles. Each time requires its form. Temples were
constructed but the real temple must be in one's soul. You did not want to
read books about me, but you studied mathematics: first 2 X 2, then
further, then physics. From the simple to the complex, but all the
knowledge is held up by the highest knowledge which is God. Gradually one
goes from intellect to spirituality; one needs intellect to live in the
world. You started reading about me for the sake of your friend. Your
friend is my channel. He brought you here and did it selflessly. Do not
worry about material things - You have a good intellect. Just imagine that
man's life in a cosmic scale lasts only one hundredth part of a second, so
what difference does it make where you live: in a palace or in a hut?"
Mikhail: Where can I find strength?
Sai: "If you have spiritual strength, then physical strength is not
important. Your program was to go swimming in the sea (this is exactly
what Mikhail and Alexander had agreed upon). Go or you will be sorry. One
must do everything sincerely, nothing should be done out of compulsion.
You have a good intellect and it's not necessary for you to stay here
long. You have to decide."
Mikhail: "How shall I live now? Maybe I should become a monk or work out
an algorithm for my future actions?"
Sai: "If you put bread into the mouth of a hungry man then he will never
learn to earn it himself. One can't work out algorithms for the whole of
one's future. That is why you are given a choice in your life. I give you
a trial and watch what choice you will take. on that depends whether you
pass your test or not. If there was no choice, you would be slaves, and I
don't need slaves. You should find a spiritual path by yourself,
everything depends on you. You should not expect any gratitude for
whatever you give."
Mikhail: "What concrete steps should I take to come to spirituality?"
Sai: "Let us take an example of water - it is a substance. One may pour it
into a vessel; they may bring it to you in a restaurant in a crystal glass
or you may pour it into a gold goblet. But the best of all is to go to the
source, the spring, and drink it from there. The spring is in your heart.
it is forgotten; you must yourself converse with God. What should you do?
You must gradually change yourself morally for the better. You have bad
habits. Start with getting rid of them. You have already become better;
less proud. Pride is making you blind. Alcohol dries up your brain -
that is the worst. It's an obstacle to God. Smoking dries up your body. It
hinders your development."
Mikhail: "What then?"
Sai: "Act according to the criteria of Truth. One can clean the puss out
of the wounds like Mother Teresa or help people, but if you are proud then
everything is in vain. If you want you may bring people the knowledge
about me, but do not be a lecturer. Nothing should be done without
sincerity, one should not be lazy. Your wife is more spiritual than you,
she is more compassionate. Both of you still have an opportunity to come
to me - your life span is not finished yet."
Mikhail: "I can't understand: is it a dream or not? I am waiting with my
group for an interview."
Sai: "The cleverer a man is, the less faith he has. There are no miracles
in the world, only a level of knowledge. For you to believe, tomorrow
morning at Darshan I'll make this sign by moving my hand three times like
that (and Swami showed how he would do it). That's the end of your double
time."
And after the dream ended, Mikhail attended darshan where Swami confirmed
the truth of the meeting by making the sign with his hand three times. He
has repeatedly said that no one can see him in a dream without his willing
it. He chose this extraordinary way to help Mikhail in his spiritual
growth at just the right moment in his life. As always he showers his love
on all.
From the March 1998 issue of Sanathani Sarathi. Published by Sathya Sai
Books and Publications Trust
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