Speech by Dr. Michael Goldstein
on 30th May 2004 SRI
SATHYA SAI PRE WORLD CONVENTION
ZONE III
(AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, ASIA EXCLUDING INDIA
AND MIDDLE EAST)
DATE: 30 TH
MAY 2004
VENUE: SINGAPORE POLYTECHNIC CONVENTION HALL
SPEAKER: DR. MICHAEL GOLDSTEIN
I dedicate our
meeting to Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
Distinguished
guests, ladies and gentlemen,
I submit to you that
every man and every woman, all of us, are spiritual seekers. We
are all consciously or unconsciously seeking in our lives,
identity and purpose. Who am I, and who are you? These are the
questions.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba
teaches and demonstrates that mankind is unique among all of God’s
creation. We are capable of turning inward deeply and intensely,
and finding the divine source and essence of our lives. Our
spiritual heart, our inner voice, our conscience, our soul are all
names for our true spiritual identity. That is who we really are,
and that is what we are seeking to realise in our lives. The truth
is that we are manifestations of the Omnipresent Divinity.
It is an illusion
that has plagued us since time began that we are less than divine.
It is an illusion that we are merely a conglomeration of flesh and
bone, instinct and sensation, thought and emotion. It is an
illusion that we are limited to these small individual identities,
these frail human bodies, and these fickle faulty minds. Not so.
We are much more.
Human life is
bestowed by divinity; human life is imbued with divinity. The
divine essence of human life is imminent in all of us, waiting to
be realised and experienced. Thus, man has a special station in
creation.
Throughout the ages,
men and women whose wisdom and nobility are universally
acknowledged have shed light on the plight of mankind. These noble
great ones lived during different ages, among different cultures,
speaking different languages. Nevertheless, they have all brought
us the same fundamental message. Divinity is omnipresent. He has
created all that is and He is manifested in all of His creation.
Humanity has a special place in creation; we have a capacity to
recognise that we are inherently divine, and act as an instrument
of that divinity while we live in this world. Because divinity is
manifested in all of creation, because we are essentially divine,
we must selflessly love and serve one another.
All the saints and
sages have given us this message. The source of spiritual
illumination who now walks among us, Sri Sathya Sai Baba, has
taught and lived this message all of his life. Should we not give
credence to the greatest and noblest men and women, past and
present, who have walked among us? All of whom are giving us
essentially the same message with regards to the divine nature of
human life. All are telling us that we have the capacity to
realise our own true real lasting divine nature, and give up this
temporary masquerade even as we live here on earth.
Faith and divinity
are essential. Nevertheless, most of us remain oblivious to our
glorious role in creation. We think and act as if these minds and
bodies will persist forever. We place our faith in the transient
and the evanescent to which we mistakenly attribute immortality.
We become engrossed and seduced by the familiar and comfortable
pursuits of this world and in so doing our lives become mechanical
and reactive. We preclude the profound inner awareness of our
innate divinity, our true self. We fail to discern the divine
purpose of this human life.
Divinity seems
distant and incomprehensible to many of us. We cannot perceive
divinity with our senses or define it with words or formulae or
equations; why should we have faith in divinity? I am using reason
to advocate faith in divinity but it is useless. How can you
describe or demonstrate faith with logical argument? Only that
which speaks to the heart can effectively advocate the need and
importance of faith. Only the moving example of noble deeds, only
the inspiration conferred by selfless love can effectively inspire
faith in divinity.
Consider if you
will, faith is like pure water. Water is the elixir of life for
the body of man. Faith is the elixir of life for the spirit of
man. Without water, the organs of the body are reduced to
non-functional cells which in turn are degraded into lifeless
chemicals. Without faith, the spiritual principles given by God to
man are not served. When they are not served, chaos ensues among
men. And this chaos demoralises men and demeans society. This lack
of faith is prevalent in the world right now. For that reason, Sri
Sathya Sai Baba, by word and deed, is restoring faith and
spiritual awareness among all people everywhere.
Faith is like pure
water. Without action or movement of water, no work is done.
Stagnation occurs and the water becomes impure. In the same
manner, action is required for the spirit of God to be manifest in
this world. Love and wisdom are the currents that move the water
of faith. The flow of love and wisdom is manifested as selfless
love and selfless service. Great care must be taken that we do not
permit selfish desire to stifle and destruct the flow of love and
wisdom.
Without faith and
divinity, life becomes a meaningless series of disjointed
adventures which end when the mind-body machine ceases to
function. With faith and divinity our lives have noble purpose and
meaning and we become selfless. Spirituality is living selflessly.
What is the meaning
of selfless? Love is selfless when it is free of desire and there
is no need for possession, reciprocation or recognition. Service
is selfless when there is no separation between the server and the
served one. We are selfless when there is no separation between us
and God. When you serve the needy selflessly you have perfect
empathy with the served one. Perfect empathy is complete
identification. Complete identification is selfless love. Selfless
love is the nature of the all pervasive consciousness that is God.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba
has said and I quote "Love is selflessness; self is lovelessness.
Love lives by giving and forgiving; self lives by getting and
forgetting." End of quote.
Spiritual practices,
like meditation, prayer, singing devotional songs, studying
scriptures, religious rituals, prepare us, but they are not the
end result that we seek. For faith and divinity to be able to be
manifested in the world, we must act in the world. We must
practice spirituality, not merely engage in spiritual practices.
Spiritual practices prepare us for life as it should be led;
practising spirituality is living according to the divine
principles. These principles are eternal, unchanging and inherent
in all of the world’s religions. They are experienced in our lives
as selfless love and wisdom.
According to the
teaching of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, these divine principles are
demonstrated in our lives by the universal human values of a noble
character, whose attributes are truth, right action, peace, love
and non-violence. These divine principles and attributes are
accessed in our lives by looking inwards and seeking the counsel
of our conscience. Spiritual self confidence is essential for
spiritual progress. Spiritual self confidence is the determination
to always seek and follow the dictates of our conscience in all
things, at all times, in all places.
Spiritual practices
prepare us to do God’s will. Spirituality is acting, actually
living and doing God’s will. Spiritual practices may give you a
glimpse of heaven; practising spirituality enables you to
experience heaven on earth.
Human life is in
transition from having just animal qualities to becoming divine.
This transition is the culmination of spirituality. However, too
often, we permit the world to divert us from our destiny. We
permit our human lives, our precious, divine human lives, to be
misused as playthings and bemused by the world. Spirituality means
overcoming the animal qualities within us, then the humanity
transforms into divinity. This does not mean that we all become
ascetics and forsake all worldly pleasure. It means we must be
true to ourselves and follow our conscience which reflects the
light of divinity which resides in our spiritual hearts.
Consider if you
will, the difference between the thinker and the knower. The
thinker uses his mind, his reason, his memory; he accumulates
knowledge. The knower experiences the spiritual truth through his
spiritual heart and his being assimilates the knowledge. Spiritual
knowledge is intellectually acquired by the thinker; he becomes
the theologian. Spiritual knowledge is inspirationally experienced
by the knower; he becomes the saint. Now, most if not all of us
have not yet experienced who we are and why we are here? Not yet,
but soon I pray. Still the divine plan for us, our spiritual
identity and purpose elude us, but we will find what we are
seeking. It is only a matter of time. Even though we have not yet
experienced this and merely cognitised it intellectually,
nevertheless, many of us strive to take practical action. And as
we strive to act, that is to serve selflessly; we close the gap
between intellectually acquired knowledge and spiritually
experienced knowledge. When this gap is entirely closed, then we
are spontaneous, wise, loving and divine. We are literally in
Heaven on earth.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba
speaks eternal truth spontaneously. When he speaks, scripture is
created. To the extent that we are receptive, we become the
knower, not the thinker. The knower experiences spiritual
knowledge; the thinker deliberates, contemplates, correlates and
stores knowledge in his memory. But the thinker does not
experience the knowledge. The thinker uses the mind tool given by
the Lord to teach us, in order that we might navigate through
these worldly lives. The knower uses his spiritual heart from
whence the flow of love and wisdom never ceases if we are
receptive.
What determines our
receptivity to experiencing spiritual knowledge instead of merely
mentally cognitising the information? How do we know if we are
experiencing this knowledge; how do we determine if we are
thinkers or knowers?
Swami has enumerated
four factors that determine when we will realise our innate
divinity. In other words, when we will know the eternal truth by
experience, and when will we know that we know?
These factors also
determine our receptivity to experiencing the divine message of
the Lord. These factors are faith in divinity, loving God and
yearning for experience of him, the results of our past action
called Karma; we reap what we have sow. Our streams of thought are
tainted by dreams of past lives. Finally and most importantly, the
Grace of God. Faith, Love, Karma, Grace.
Consider if you will
in a spiritual sense, are we thinkers or knowers, and if we are
knowers, what is it that we should know? We must know who we
really are and how to fulfil the purpose of our lives. That’s
everything. Are we content with our world and life without
contemplating a deeper meaning and purpose to life? Do we think
about who we are, above and beyond the personality and
relationships with others created for us in this world? Do we know
from experience the divine nature of human life and live
accordingly? To know is to realise who we really are and how to
fulfil the purpose of our lives.
Consider if you will
the spectrum and quality of knowing. There are foolish ones. There
are those people who do not know spiritual truth and they do not
know that there is something important to know. They live by their
impulses and instincts. There are dangerous ones. They are those
who do not know spiritual truth and know that they do not know
what is important, but they do not care. They are unscrupulous.
Then there is goodness. There are those who know that they do not
know but are striving to know. They are spiritual aspirants. They
are on the spiritual path even though they might not have
consciously applied themselves to seeking spiritual knowledge and
experience. I believe most of us are in this category. Then there
is goodness and beauty. There are those who know but do not know
that they know. They are the beautiful, innocent, saintly ones.
They spiritually uplift others without being conscious of it. They
know, but they do not know that they know. Then there is truth,
goodness and beauty, Sathyam Shivam Sundaram. There are those who
know, through experience, spiritual truth, and they know that they
know. They consciously apply themselves to giving to their fellow
man what he really needs. They know that they are spiritually
realised and they know how to spiritually uplift their brothers
and sisters but they do not claim credit for their good works
themselves because they know that all is done by the Lord who is
within themselves, and within everyone and everywhere.
Each of us must look
within and ask ourselves, who are we and where are we?
We can strengthen
our faith and our love and our yearning for God and as a result we
can become knowers instead of merely thinkers.
Consider if you will
the nature of heaven. Self realisation or identification with your
innate divinity is heaven. Heaven is just a frame of mind away.
Everyday we see the sun rise and shine; it provides us with light
and warmth. Everyday we look into our own hearts with reverence
and intensity and we will know that heaven is ever so near; it is
just a frame of mind away. Remove the self imposed worldly frame
of mind and the mind expands beyond the confines of mundane
identity, physical individuality and the context of your
relationships and memories. Remove this worldly frame and the
smallest of your worldly definitions expands to the infinity of
all creation. Heaven is just a frame of mind away. Sathya Sai Baba
has said, and I quote him, "Heaven is not a super-terrestrial
region of perpetual spring. It is an inner experience, a state of
supreme bliss."
Consider if you will
inner and outer view, the spiritual heart within and the world
outside. Man is God, God is One, therefore Man is One. God is
within and the world is without. Now there is chaos in the world
because there is chaos within all men and women. This chaos is
caused by our fascination, even obsession, with the glitter of the
external world and the litter created by our selfishness and
desires.
The physical
indweller’s animal qualities and the mental indweller’s ego
prevail in us while the divine indweller, our conscience, observes
our transgressions. We have forgotten that we are divine
instruments in the symphony of His creation. The divine indweller,
our true identity, propels through the perils of this physical
world. The divine indweller impels us to seek lasting bliss not
transient pleasure. Ultimately, the divine indweller compels us to
seek realisation of He who we really are, manifestations of the
omnipresent consciousness that is God.
Consider if you will
the concept of divine omnipresence and universality. It is taught
by all religions that the Lord is omnipotent, omniscient and
omnipresent. Omnipotence and Omniscience are powers that deal with
creation. Omnipresence is a quality; it means being everywhere in
time as well as place; everywhere temporally as well as
geographically. The secret of universality lies in the
omnipresence of divinity. The Lord always was, is and will be One.
Various divine incarnations have been born on earth in different
times during the course of human civilization. The world’s
religions took birth in their advent. The apparent differences in
their messages are superficial, not genuine. The differences in
the world’s religions are a matter of emphasis, not essence.
Divinity emphasised those teachings that were required for the
salvation of Man in the context of the culture and problems of
that era. Hence the different religions appear to be distinct.
Foolishly and perversely, we use these differences as a rationale
to divide ourselves. If we seriously embrace the concept of
omnipresent Lord, omnipresence in time as well as place, then we
should be able to see that the universality of all religions and
the universality of all people would follow. We should see that we
are truly brothers and sisters, in fact, closer than brothers and
sisters because we are all manifestations of one God. Omnipresence
of God implies universality and decries the spurious separation of
people into different races, religions, nationalities, castes and
creeds.
Consider if you will
the nature of humanity. We are not this body. Not the skeleton,
tissue, organs and fluids that comprise it. We are not this mind,
not the perceptions, sensations, thoughts or emotions that
characterise it. Then who are we? We are divinity encased in human
form. We are the eternal encased in an ephemeral shroud of worldly
illusion. Human life is like a candle. With faith, the light and
warmth of the candle of human life will be brilliant and
incandescent. It will mediate the emergence of wisdom and generate
selfless love. Doubts and lack of faith render the light of the
candle of human life like a flickering flame. It will give neither
constant illumination nor sustained warmth. The flickering flame
of a light without faith brings us no joy and it does not help
others. It is a human life wasted.
Human life should
not be regarded as a state of becoming; it should become a state
of being. We are here now, this instant; we are not becoming this
or that, then or whenever. Becoming is changing from one state to
another over time. Being does not require a gradual progression of
events over time. Self realisation is merely a frame of mind away.
It requires no time consuming process to experience it. These are
the teachings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
Now, this instant,
through our faith, each of us has the power to look deeply within
ourselves, with intensity, and complete conviction, and experience
self realisation. Now, this instant, each of us has the potential
of infinite knowledge and power. Now, this instant, each of us has
the capacity to become an inspiring conduit for the flow of divine
love. All of this is a function of our faith. Did not the Lord
Jesus Christ say "Oh yea of little faith, if yea but had the
faith, yea could tell the mountains to move and they would move."
There is a disease
that is pandemic in the hearts and minds of men. That disease is
ignorance of our innate divinity, of who and what we really are,
of why we are here and what we should do with our human lives. We
must come to know that we are not merely mind-body complexes,
complicated beings that result from an interaction of the
biological messages inherent in genetic chemicals and the habits
and propensities resulting from a complicated series of learning
and conditioning experiences in our worldly lives.
We are more than
products of nature and nurture. Are we not phenomenal examples of
divine creativity, the most beautiful and magnificent among
creation? We have these attributes of nature by virtue of being
part of creation, but uniquely man is imbued with the divinity
that created him. In fact, our sole purpose is to realise that
inherent divinity and uplift our fellow men and women to do the
same. In this manner, the divine who made himself into many
becomes one when the unity in diversity of creation is restored.
We are indeed immortal. The creator and the created are one; the
divine inner light that illuminates the heart and life of each one
of us cannot be extinguished. The glory of God will never be
finished or diminished. To the extent that we are receptive to
divinity and transcend the impediments of our illusions and
obsessions with the material world, we are all able to experience
the great flow of love and wisdom. Faith is essential. Time, also
is important.
Consider if you will
time. Time is the only resource that we cannot replace. Nor can we
determine how much we have left. The seasons pass by and a year is
over; years go by and a lifetime is over. When the moon revolves
around the earth then a month has transpired; when the earth
revolves around the sun then a year has transpired; and when we
revolve around our illusory preoccupation and worldly attachments
then a lifetime would have transpired. We need knowledge of our
identity; we need purpose in our lives; we cannot waste time
looking outside ourselves as the transient things, the passing
clouds, when the eternal truth beckons to us from within.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba
has demonstrated that human life has certain rights,
responsibilities and rewards. What are these rights? Sri Sathya
Sai Baba has demonstrated by his example that men and women have a
right to have shelter, nourishment, healthcare, education and
whatever protection society can afford them from the dangers in
the world.
What are these
responsibilities? It is our responsibility to seek purpose and
identity during these human lifetimes and thereby experience our
divine nature. Then upon realisation of who we really are, we
strive to uplift our brothers and sisters in need so that they
also will come to realise their divine heritage.
What are these
rewards? The reward that accrues to that human life that
surrenders to the Lord with is Bliss, never ending. Spiritual
surrender is not a concession that we have to make; we do not give
up anything. Actually we acquire more than we ever dream of.
Spiritual surrender is not a concession; it is an accession. We
access our divine nature, and thereby become the divinity that we
really are. Sri Sathya Sai Baba has addressed the basic needs of
man through his great humanitarian works which are astronomic in
magnitude and scope. He has established an educational system from
primary school to accredited universities, the Sri Sathya Sai
Institutes of Higher Learning. The university has multiple
campuses offering undergraduate and advanced degrees. The
examinations of performances of the students are among the best in
India.
The salient features
that distinguish this educational system are very important
precedents. Education at all levels emphasises that true education
results in the development of nobility of character, together with
acquisition of skills and knowledge.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba
teaches us that real education is for properly living human life,
not merely for earning a living. Education is offered in all Sai
institutions completely free of charge to all students.
By virtue of these
precedents, the institution of education is truly ennobled.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba
has established a healthcare delivery system which includes
multiple general hospitals and highly specialised super-speciality
hospitals – the Sri Sathya Sai Institutes of Higher Medical
Sciences. The mortality rates, length of stay and infection rate
statistics of the Sri Sathya Sai Institutes of Higher Medical
Sciences ranks them among the best hospitals in Asia.
The salient features
that distinguish this healthcare system are very important
precedents.
All healthcare,
including hospitalisation, surgery, physician services and
medication are given free of charge. Sathya Sai Baba has made
advanced medical services such as open heart surgery available to
the local population who have neither the economic means nor the
knowledge to obtain this type of sophisticated healthcare
elsewhere.
All healthcare must
be delivered by healthcare professionals, doctors, nurses and
others, with compassion and love, as well as knowledge and
confidence. This brings about the well being of the whole patient.
In this manner, the
institution of medicine is truly ennobled.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba
has made it clear that governments and politicians in all
countries must serve their constituency. Their office, and their
power and their resources exist only to serve the people.
In the state of
Andra Pradesh, India, there are drought ridden areas where water
is very scarce and often contaminated with toxic levels of
fluoride, and arsenic. Sri Sathya Sai Baba developed a water
project consisting of extensive networks of wells, tanks, pipes,
pumps and reservoirs that bring water, pure and plentiful, to more
than one million thirsty people. Furthermore the water project has
been extended by request of the government of India.
Sathya Sai Baba has
demonstrated that the government must serve the needs of the
people. What is the most fundamental need for the preservation of
human life? Water is the primary component of these human bodies
and must be constantly replenished. The state government has
requested that Sathya Sai Baba extend this great non-profit work
to thousands of additional residents. This great water project is
being emulated in other areas in India.
In this manner, the
institution of government is truly ennobled.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba
has lent his name to an organisation of people of goodwill. It is
really a spiritual movement, comprised of men and women all over
the world in many countries of all the continents of the earth who
have been moved and motivated to establish Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Organisations in their own countries. Most of these people, of
strong faith and good will, have never had the opportunity to
visit India, and see the remarkable Ashram, or be in the presence
of Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
Yet, they are
inspired to engage in good works in the context of their own
societies. Their programmes are very simple, yet rendered powerful
by virtue of their dedication and sincerity. They pray, meditate,
sing devotional songs compatible with all religions, study the
writings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba and the scriptures of all
religions. They embark on programmes of service to the downtrodden
and needy in their respective societies. The propagate and
practise a values-education programme called Sri Sathya Sai
Education in Human Values among their own organisations,
communities and schools. The values are fundamental to all faiths,
truth, right action, peace, love and non-violence.
The Sai Organisation
is a spiritual movement. The Sai Organisation is not a business;
there are no fees, dues, compulsory purchases of books or
materials. The Sai Organisation is not a cult. Sri Sathya Sai Baba
has said, and I quote "I am not guru. Your conscience is your
master and your guru. Follow your conscience." End of quote.
The Sri Sathya Sai
Organisation is not a religion. Sri Sathya Sai Baba tells us that
there is only one religion, the religion of love, and that the
underlying principle of all religions is the principle of
spiritual love. People of all faiths find the programmes of the
organisation to be compatible with their own religious heritage.
Prasanthi Nilayam,
which means the "abode of supreme peace" is the ashram of Sri
Sathya Sai Baba in southern India. It is a veritable wonder of the
world. The ashram is an oasis of spiritual learning and uplifting.
That in the midst of the wilderness of India there should be such
a place as this defies the imagination, but it is not a mirage.
There are schools, primary to university levels. There are
hospitals, general and highly specialised surgical facilities.
There are places of worship, dormitories for spiritual pilgrims to
reside and other infrastructure necessary to accommodate the
multitude of spiritual pilgrims that assemble to be in his
presence. Most importantly, there is a serene atmosphere of
reverence and love, kindness and compassion. It is deeply moving.
This ashram, far
from city and civilization is truly a wonder of the world. In
fact, it is not of this world. In this unusual place, this
spiritual oasis, that there should be such a one as Sri Sathya Sai
Baba defies reason and is the pinnacle of improbability. The
greatest story teller of all time could never conceive a haven
like this, or a being such as Him.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba
is the pre-eminent world teacher. He is an extraordinary
humanitarian who uplifts and transforms individuals and the
fundamental institutions of society in a unique and monumental
way. He brings much needed illumination into this world of
disharmony and chaos that we have created by our lack of faith,
goodwill and common sense.
The light of his
wisdom and love bring together people from everywhere regardless
of nationality, race or religion. All people of good will who
yearn for truth are drawn to the light of his wisdom and love. He
has said that his mission is to light the lamp of love in the
heart of humanity. It has been my experience over many years that
the qualities of His love are purity and selflessness. And the
powers of his love are redemption and transformation.
Consider if you will
the nature of a man who has done all the things that I have just
described. Consider if you will, the nature of Sri Sathya Sai
Baba.
My dear ladies and
gentlemen, I conclude by appealing to all of you and myself; let
us all rise above the duplicity of our minds and come to know the
purity of our hearts.
Let us all rise to
the occasion; the occasion is human life.
Thank you. Jai Sai
Ram.
Michael Goldstein
Chairman
Prashanthi Council
30th
May 2004
Extracted from
Report of the Sai Convention held
in Singapore from 29th May to 30th May 2004
Proceedings day 2 -
http://www.saiaustralia.org.au/release/217_attachment3.pdf
©Sathya Sai Baba Organisation
of Australia and PNG
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