| |
Sathya Sai Baba
Sathya Sai Vahini
Sathya Sai Vahini Index
The Yogis
There are three steps in the progression of philosophic enquiry
(or Vedantic thought) in India. They are the Adwaithic, the
Visishta-Adwaithic and the Dwaithic. It is not possible to advance
beyond these three steps by any human endeavour. Adwaithic thought
is beyond reach of the common man; it is not so easily
comprehensible. To conceive it with the intellect is itself hard.
To experience it, a powerful faculty of penetration is needed.
Therefore, it is best to start with the Dualist or Dwaithic step,
and experience it as the reality behind things; then, the second
stage of Visishtadwaitha is rendered easier to reach.
The individual must progress as fast or as steadily as the
community. We pass through boyhood, childhood, adolescence, youth,
middle age and old age; it is an imperceptible but inevitable
progress. We experience each only when we are passing through it.
So, too, with these three stages of philosophic discovery. Each of
these views is latent in the rest and each proceeds out of the
experience of the previous stage. It is not possible to be aware
of all three at the same time. Based on our Sadhana and the
experiences gained therefrom, each of these viewpoints comes into
the consciousness and forms the spring of action and thought.
Those who assert that the Universe is real, but, declare at the
same time that the existence of God is but a dream, are only
proving themselves foolish. For, when the effect, namely, the
Cosmos is real, it must have a Cause, for, how can there be an
effect with no cause? God can be denied only when the Universe is
denied. God can disappear, only when the Cosmos disappears. What
now appears as the Cosmos is really God; this is the Vision that
the true Sadhaka will get when he succeeds in his endeavour. As a
matter of fact, the Universe we experience is the dream. When we
awake from the dream, the Truth of its being God will shine in the
consciousness. From the beginning of time, the God whom we posit
outside ourselves has been the reality inside us also. This Truth
too will become steady in the faith of man.
Of course, there is no philosophy existent that can be
satisfying to all types and levels of mental equipment. Each has a
distinct value. The stages of intellectual development, or the
powers of reasoning are different from each other. So, the three
schools of philosophical interpretation mentioned above (the
Dwaithic, the Visishta-dwaithic and the Adwaithic) attain
acceptance among different temperaments and different groups of
people. Therefore, no one school has the right to claim
superiority and impute inferiority. Only those who are unwise will
resort to such tactics.
When people approach us with fanatic views, we must meet them
with a smile, eager and yearning, filled with devotion to God. One
can get intoxicated, of course, but, only as a result of quaffing
the wine of Prema. When some one who is frantic for work
approaches us we must share with him our skill and strength and
join with him in work. By this means, it is possible to bring
harmony between followers of various faiths and philosophic
thoughts. It will bring together schools of thought and belief. If
only this principle of harmony and harmonious co-operation had
become a permanent asset of each man, how excellent it would be?
How happy the world would have been, if every one had this
knowledge that his view point can at best be only partial and that
it requires the harmonious commingling of many other facets to
posit Truth?
Yoga means 'coming together'. In India, where yoga is flowing
in the veins of every one since ages, it is possible to have the
harmonious co-existence of many faiths and beliefs, which is the
ideal type of Universal Religion. Those who can heroically put
their faith into daily living can accomplish this 'together-ness'
in the human community. Togetherness or Union can be established
between one's outer behaviour and inner nature. The Sadhaka,
intent on the path of Prema, can strive for Union between himself
and the embodiment of Prema, namely, God. The Vedantin can achieve
the Union of all that is in the one concept of God. The
path of Yoga is designated differently in Sanskrit under different
contexts; but, those who are able to conceive and execute the
Union are revered as Yogis.
Those who strive through activities and achievements to
establish the Union are the Karma-yogis; those who follow the
Prema path, are the Bhakthi-yogis; those who strive to manifest
their latent powers and canalise them are the Raja-yogis; those
who stick to logical analysis and rational interpretations and
attain intuitive perception are the Jnana-yogis. In the Bharathiya
spiritual history, these four types recur again and again.
|
