Sai Nurtures The End of Education is Character
Offered at the Divine lotus feet of our most beloved lord Bhagavan sri sathya sai baba at the 31st annual regional sai retreat Sai Nurtures Sathya Sai Baba Centers of Northern California and Nevada (Region 7) September 2012
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Om Sri Sairam Truth Purity Beauty The End of Education is Character: Service Adoration Illumination Satyam Śivam Sundaram Om Śri Sai Purushottamāya Namaha! Om Salutations to the Supreme Being in SAI! I bow to the supreme blissful Lord, by whose grace, a mute can speak eloquently, and a lame can jump over a mountain (and there is nothing that is impossible). I humbly offer this perspective and thoughts, inspired by His guidance, at His lotus feet. The end of education is character. The end of culture is perfection. The end of knowledge is freedom. The end of wisdom is love. - Baba This most powerful and prominent quote of Bhagawan crystallizes the goal of education, knowledge, culture and wisdom. In this article we will dwell on the means and end of education, which is character. Character in simple terms means one s own personality. Personality of an individual is a predictive behavior based on systematic and regular manifestation of qualities, habits, and traits. In fact, the character of a person is shaped by instincts. Instincts impel, impulses ideate, ideas act, actions habituate and habits define the character. As I started contemplating on this quote, it became obvious that there is a profound teaching and meaning behind this simple statement. I went straight to the source and asked the question to Bhagawan, Swami, how do you describe Your Character. The All Compassionate replied from inside: sarvarupa dharam ŚAntam sarvanama dharam Śivam sat-chit-anandam-advaitam satyam Śivam sundaram [Transliteration: I manifest as all the names and forms as I am the embodiment of peace and purity. I am the non-dual and the Being Awareness Bliss Always. I am Truth, Purity, and Beauty]. To reach the goal, we must first examine and evaluate where we are and what challenges we face, then the path to reach the goal must be delineated, and finally, we must persevere until we get there. We currently live in a system where the primary objective is all about how to be a winner, or how to become more powerful! We are driven to achieve these at any cost even at the expense of our own health and/or that of society. If our instincts and impulses are such that we are driven to win at any expense then we can well imagine what habits and characters will develop in future generations! We begin our education with A for Apple, B for Boy, C for Cat, and D for Dog. These in fact are shaping the lives of many of us: an Apple -centric world, caught up on the network (of Boys/Girls), and life boils down to running around like Cats and Dogs. The means is the aimless INTERNET, browsing the World Wide Web (www), and the end goal is to achieve power intoxication, drowning in endless desires, and money mania. Education today leads to an end where the self is imprisoned by senses and the mind is a slave to the senses. Today, the educational system, though very expensive and elaborate, has ignored instruction in morals. In the Gurukulas (hermitages) of the past, instruction was provided for right living, spiritual advancement, and moral conduct and behaviour. In those days students were trained to lead lives marked by humility, sense-control, virtue and discipline. Now, these qualities are not recognizable among them. They are not aware of the means or meaning of sense-control. From childhood, they revel in following every whim and fancy. They find pleasure in the free play of the senses and believe in materialism only. Baba
The purpose of true education should be to shape character that leads to a self liberated from senses, where the mind is the master not the slave of the senses. This education also starts with ABCD where A stands for Awareness, B for Being, C for Character, and D for Divine. This education imparts Awareness of the Being which leads to a Character that is Divine. Here the INTERNET in World Wide Web (www) is replaced by INNERNET where browsing the WWW now represents Work (Service), Worship (Adoration), and Wisdom (Illumination). What has changed is not the outer world but the inner mind--in attitude, aptitude, and awareness. Let us go inside each aspect based on the teachings and life message of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Truth (Satyam) -> Same As I -> Service The obvious question that comes up is: how do we pursue spirituality while pursuing the material world? Does pursuit of one require giving up of the other? Let us dwell on these based on Bhagawan s teachings. As a matter of fact, achievement in the material world also requires discipline, dedication, and determination. Without these, none can strive for the best and excel in any field, including the pursuit of spiritual wisdom. However, if you take a poll of a majority of the best amongst us today in sports, arts, science and technology, the statistics are overwhelmingly clear. The great achievers in their fields today have very little to show in character that is worthy of emulation by the current and future generations. In contrast, the achievers of yester years, the Mahatmas, left a legacy to emulate. Their spirit of conquest was founded on spirit of harmony--the harmony of Thought, Word, and Deed. Today, the spirit of harmony sounds like a paradox with the common perception that the material world and the spiritual world cannot coexist. In fact, each individual today exists in many worlds and microcosms created by several different worlds friendcircles, networks, and connections. Each of them are specific and unique with the result that one s personality splits into many fragments and the aspect of integrity and harmony becomes mind boggling, incomprehensible, and even scary! As a result, we exist as individuals who don t relate to each other in these different worlds. The integrity of Thought, Word, and Deed is simply lost. Man has demarcated two distinct goals before himself, material and spiritual. But, such distinction is wrong and ruinous. It may be congenial and convenient on the surface, but if acted upon, great harm will be caused to the blossoming of the soul. For they are both the same, one continuous pilgrimage towards the divinization of man. - BABA Let us dwell on the above quote. How can that be? Doesn t the material world create attachment and the spiritual liberate? Aren t they opposite ends? Don t we need to get off one to get on to the other? If we do so, isn t that sanyasa or renunciation. Reconciling these is the first most important aspect of character getting grounded in the Truth, that is Sathyam. As inimitably explained by Swami, This material objective world is what becomes visible to our eyes, what pleases our senses, what fascinates our minds and what informs our brain. But in and through this very world, there is one reachable non-material subjective world. When that is known, both worlds reveal themselves as partial expressions of the same indivisible Consciousness (Chaitanya). The two supplement each other into the One Fullness, (Poornam). Baba Therefore, practicing the spirit of harmony (peace or Śantham) enables the true vision of seeing the Changeless manifested as many changing forms. In fact, the external becomes a means to experience the inner self, the divine. The practical application of all of the above is service. The root word for service is SamskRtam that is seva (sa Eva), which means Same As I (SAI). The attitude is to serve (bend the body), the aptitude is harmony (peace), and the awareness is Same As I. In the awareness of Same As I, there is complete concordance of the internal and external. We treat others as ourselves with the same respect, love, and passion and lead our journey without worry, stress or tension. Therefore, character starts with: Truth (Sathyam) = Same As I = In Peace, I Manifest As All Forms (sarvarupa dharam ŚAntam) Purity (Śivam) -> See Always Inside -> Adoration The next aspect of the Divine character is Śivam, meaning purity, positivity, auspiciousness and goodness. This is the opposite of the mind which by its nature is negative. The mind follows the senses which perceive only the external world. Diverting the mind inward is MINDFULNESS while allowing it to wander where it wants is MINDLESSNESS. This MINDLESSNESS gets one trapped in indulgence of the senses--leading to the diseases of addiction, slumber, and ultimately living like a corpse (Śavam).
Environment plays a major role in shaping habits. A sapling, if not protected by a fence around it, would be prey to pests and animals. However, once it grows into a tree, it acquires the strength to protect itself and even gives shelter to animals. The environment at home and the company we associate with are vital. Tell me your company and I shall tell who you are, says Swami. The word friend itself has lost its purpose and meaning and degenerated to acquaintances and circles of attachments. Therefore, the very first step is to purify the mind by running away from bad company (tyaja durjana samsargam). The next is to find the companionship of the noble and realized (bhaja sadhu samagamam); and the third is to engage in service day and night (kuru punyam-ahoratram). Ultimately, one must contemplate to distinguish the real from unreal (smara nityam-anitya tam). It is common sense that the mind can be kept clean by hearing, seeing, speaking, or even posting no evil! However, practicing this in daily life is tough. Mending the senses from lower instincts to higher is the only and effective way to purify the thoughts (mind). This can be done by seeing, listening, singing, speaking, and feeling the divine name. In fact, listening to the glory and stories of the divine and singing the divine name are the most effective and efficacious means to purify the thoughts (mind). This is the tried and true method used by so many Sages, Seers, Sadhus, and Sadhaks belonging to different faiths and sects. In fact, this is a practice that can be adapted at any time, at any place, and by anybody. It doesn t require any special qualifications, training, talent, or any paraphernalia associated with ritual. All names are the same, and any one name is enough. When the thoughts are thus diverted from external world to the name and form--it enables inner vision to manifest. "Namasmarana is the best detergent for the mind. Smarana is the tharanopaya, that is, the means of crossing the sea. The Name is the raft that will take you safely across. The Name will remove the veil of maya, that now hides the Shakthi from the vyakthi, the Universal from individual. When that veil fades out, man finds himself before Himself; he beholds the Universe that he is. Man has infinite power and infinite potentiality, for he is a wave of the ocean of Infinity. You can be aware of this, if you only dare reason a bit. The fruit won't drop if you mumble manthras under the mango tree; you will have to take a heavy stick and throw it at the bunch. Use the stick of intelligence and throw it at the problem of you and the world ; that will yield fruit." - Baba When the water in a pot is clear (without impurities), the sun will reflect and shine fully. For the reflection to be perfect, the water has to be still. All the austereties and spiritual practices such as chanting, singing, contemplation on the name, meditation, study of scriptures are essential means to achieve and attain purity of conscience
(chitta Śuddhi). They also enable the mind to stay stable and unwavering. In such a state of stable mind and pure conscience, all objects with many names will reflect perfectly within us. Therefore, purifying the senses (Śivam) leads to the inner vision that the ONE is referred to by many names. In fact, the name is a means to experience the divine. The practical application of all of the above is Worship. The attitude is to adore (mend the senses), the aptitude is to purify the thought, and the awareness is to See Always Inside. With the awareness of See Always Inside comes complete concordance of the creation and the Creator. From tolerating other faiths or individuals, we begin to realize and respect the truth inherent in all. We treat others as ourselves with the same respect, love, and passion and lead our journey without worry, stress or tension. Therefore, the second aspect of character is: Purity (Śivam) = See Always Inside = In Purity, I Manifest As All Names (sarva nama dharam Śivam) "Clay is one, but pots are multifarious; Gold is one, but jewels are varied. Milk is one, though cows are of many colors. The Supreme is ONE, but wears many vestures." - Baba Beauty (Sundaram) -> So Am I (soham) -> Illumination "God is beyond Name and Form; He is all Names and all Forms and yet, incomprehensible and mysterious. How then can God be apprehended by means of Dhyana on Name-Form? This is a legitimate question. It can be answered by a simile. Water drowns man; water also helps him swim. It draws in and it buoys up. Only, man has to learn the process by which he can keep afloat. In the same way, Name and Form which appear to be limitations and handicaps can serve as instruments and helps to transcend Name-Form and realize God. - Baba Name, Form, Being, Awareness, and Bliss are the primary compositions of this entire cosmos. When the identities of Form are realized as changing but emanating from the changeless Ishwara, they merge into the Supreme Being. When the different names of objects reflect in pure conscience, the creation is simply the reflection of the Creator. When name and form dissolve in the supreme self what remains is: Being, Awareness, Bliss, Always. Therefore, ending the mind (Śundaram) leads to the equipoised intellect that knows there is only I, and none other. This is an experience that cannot be expressed. As Ramakrishna Paramahamsa explains, it is like sending a salt-doll into an ocean and expecting it to answer how deep the ocean is. The practical application is Constant Integrated Awareness to experience the Bliss of I Am I. Beauty (Sundaram) = So Am I = Being Awareness Bliss Always (sat-chit-anandam advaitam) "Finally, one realizes and experiences the truth of Truth, namely, one is the One that is immanent in all, that is, in the entire Cosmos. One is filled with Bliss when fixed in this Faith and in this Awareness. This is the Vidya, the acquisition of real Education, the culmination of the best educational process. During that process, Vidya also instructs incidentally about the ideal configuration of society, the most desirable affiliations between man and man, the most beneficial relations between peoples, races, nations and communities, and the best mode and manner for day-to- day life. Vidya implants these in the heart, as deep as is necessary for human progress." - Baba May All the Beings in All Worlds Have Happiness & Peace!!! Sekhar Boddupalli Sacramento
Padnamaskar Swami? The moment I reached the Ashram I felt the joy which was the same the feeling when I d looked up at Swami s picture during Bhajans. During Bhajans, when I used to look up at Swami, his eyes would be always staring at mine. The main reason I had come to Puttaparthi with the Parthi Pilgrimage was because the whole US group wanted to get Swami s blessing. I was more excited because this was my first time meeting Swami! The SSE kids had to perform a skit while a chorus sang along. I was in the chorus group from California. We walked into the Ashram, taking off our shoes and we wait; chanting in lines waiting for Swami s darshan. I wait and wait as my heart races up and down, waiting to see the wheelchair coming through the gates and I freeze! All the people around me are noisily whispering ( Swami is here! Swami is here! ) while chanting rudrams. His eyes stare into mine as if He wants to talk to me. One day as I was sitting down in darshan lines, I asked my mom, What is Padmanaskar mean? as I used to hear this word during darshan lines. She told me, PADNAMASKAR means when you touch God s feet! After my mom said that, I wished that if I could go in the front row while passing out our letters I would get padnamasker. Swami with us in 2010
Finally the day arrived when we had to perform live in front of Swami. My sister was lucky to be in the front while I had to sit in the last row.and thought I was pretty sure I would not get padnamskar. While we were waiting to start, one of my friends s bead feel off her Native American necklace. I told her I would keep it for her until the performance was over. After we sang, we were lucky enough to be called for a photo with Swami. While everyone was rushing to the center stage, I crawled on my knees to the front side remembering about padnamskar. There rolling in His wheelchair, coming straight where I was sitting Swami asked to many children, What s your name? All the children knew that Swami knew their name but instead replied. Then he asked me, What do you have in your hands? I showed the bead in my sweaty palms. Then I nervously ask, Padnamskar Swami? It seemed like he looked puzzled and couldn t hear me properly so I said it again more loudly. He nods, yes! I take my hands to his feet which feel cold as ice. I stay there for 10 seconds with my heart beating so fast. Another girl next to me was crying. I looked up to Swami and remember seeing His glowing eyes looking at me. It seemed a small smile was stretching across his face. I knew then in my heart that I truly got blessed and my wish was granted! Tanvi Barman Group 2 Pleasanton Sai Center Whatever happens, the path of virtue should not be given up. -Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Glimpses of 2012 Eswaramma Day Celebration
I began attending Sai Spiritual Education at the age of 8. Before that, I had only heard the name, Sai Baba and maybe seen the smiling man with the halo of hair wearing a flowing orange robe, but I knew barely anything about him. I had never been to Puttaparthi, I had never sung a bhajan, and I had never attended a spiritual education class. One of the first things I remembered was that it was not boring, as I had expected it to be. It was fun and welcoming. I was put into a Group 1. The teacher didn t quiz me on God, as I had feared. She asked me the simplest question. Who is your favorite God or Goddess? Some of the other kids answered Shiva, some answered Rama, and some answered Sai Baba. I considered saying Sai Baba just to make sure I wouldn t be made fun of, instead of answering my favorite Goddess at the time, Durga. When it came my turn, I took a shot and said, Durga. I wasn t made fun of, I wasn t teased or criticized. I was accepted. So began my climb up the SSE ladder.was this the only thing they did at Sai Center Classes? I soon found out that it wasn t. We had amazing discussions about things I both knew and didn t know about. Religion wasn t the only thing. It was also world issues and our own day to day problems. When we did learn about religion, it wasn t just about Hinduism. My teachers taught me about the five main religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity,Islam, Judaism and Zoroastrianism, Sarva Dharma. I learned through many stories and discussions that even though different religions believe in different things, each one is basically teaching the same principles: Love, Prema; Peace, Shanti; Truth, Sathya; Right Action, Dharma and Non Violence, Ahimsa. Later, I came to know that these were the five human values. They were like Swami s rules of living: Love all, be Peaceful in everything you do, do not hurt others, always tell the Truth and always do what is right. In the past, I remembered hearing these intricate slokas and mantras and thinking, Why is it so complicated? But here was Swami, making it so simple for me, giving me 5 human values to follow. I liked it. Soon, I found myself wanting to go to the SSE classes, anticipating what would come next, what we would learn about. Then rolled around my first play at the Sai Center; I had never before acted in a play. It was for a celebration of Eshwaramma, Swami s mother. The play I was to act in was going to be about a man who has 4 children. He goes on a business trip, and asks each one of his children what they want for when he returns. One says that he wants toys, and another says he would like some medicine to help him feel better. I was going to play the one who animatedly yells for BOOKS!! Books about EVERYTHING!! Books about the UNIVERSE!! Every subject: Math, Science, Social Studies, Stories, Fiction, Non Fiction, and SO MUCH MORE!! The fourth child wouldn t ask for anything, just say, Father, I do not want anything from you. I just await your safe return. Amazingly, I had no stage fright. I was able to get on stage and live my character. At the end, the boy who asks for nothing gets to go to the Amusement Park with his father. The moral of the play was that those who asked for less would always get more.
To this day, I still remember the very first bhajan I sang. It was called, Shaila Gireeshwara. It was a short song about Shiva that I learned in SSE. When it came my turn to sing, I tightly gripped the mike and belted out the tune. I still remember the only mistake I made. Not singing the last line in fast speed twice. It was all right, because after that I began rapidly learning bhajans to sing at the center. I thought I would do so well, but I made mistakes. One of the mistakes which really made an impact on me was when I decided I would sing, Bada Chitta Chora. I couldn t reach the high note on the last line, so my voice broke. I began breaking in to sobs right in the middle of the bhajan. One of the adults had to finish for me. Ever since then, I tried to avoid singing that song. I thought it to be like poison on my tongue. However, a family friend helped me to practice and reach that high note. I learned and did it. It was one of the greatest feelings ever. When a greatly respected elder offered to teach us the mantra pushpam, a complicated sloka, I thought she couldn t be serious, but she was. It was for Eshwaramma Day, the year when all of the Sai Centers in the region would come to our center. I devoted my weekends to learning and practicing the Mantra Pushpam. It really wasn t as hard as it sounded. Not the way I was taught. My teacher made sure that I understood the significance of what I was saying. I made sure that I memorized it completely and said every word correctly. When Sacramento Sai Center received its turn to perform, all of the students knew it and were chanting in perfect unison. It was electrifying and powerful. To this day, I still know the Mantra Pushpam by heart. Through this whirlwind of plays, discussions, slokas and bhajans, I can sincerely say that I have learned more than any religious book could have taught me. The Sai Center is like a family. This family greets you with open arms and welcomes you to a place where you can go to delve deeper into the depths of spiritual learning and above all, to make yourself a better person, just as it has made me. Sameera Dasu Group 3- Sacramento Sai Center Sathya is what I teach Dharma is the way I live Shanti is the mark of my personality Prema is My very nature. - Sri Sathya Sai Baba
You are my dearest Mother Swami, My Heart sings my love for you! You are my dearest Father Swami, A friend always true when I am blue! What would I do without you Love? How would I get along? Life would be pale, Stale and empty Life without a melody, Life without a song! Divya Rajagopalan Peninsula Sai Center
THE END OF EDUCATION IS CHARACTER
"Parents have the primary responsibility to mould the character of their children." -Sri Sathay Sai Baba The enumeration of human values as five Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Love and Nonviolence is not correct. They are all facets of the foundational humanness. They grow together, they are interdependent and they are not separable. Sri Sathya Sai Baba Sanathana Sarathi, February 1985
You are dealing with tender children, as their teachers, guides and examples. You have to equip yourselves for those roles by Living the values that distinguish man kind. -Sri Sathya Sai Baba Character is the most precious gift of education. -Sri Sathya Sai Baba
AUM JAI SRI SAI RAM Sai Nurtures team is ever grateful to Swami for blessing us to be part of His mission in conveying the importance of Ideal Character to the leaders of tomorrow. We are also thankful to the ones that have contributed to this issue. By Swami s grace, we will visit you in the next issue of Sai Nurtures. Sai Nurtures Team