Ones of Divinity – compiled from the talks given by Ratan Lal (1918-2006)

THE SIMPLE TRUTH

What IS-is Atman

One morning, at Darshan time, a fellow devotee told the speaker that at Divine Baba makes Truth very simple. People normally prefer to go makes in circles rather than straight ahead. That is why people sometimes find Truth to be too simple and not worth striving sometimes for. The sea on its surface, has wave that are turbulent. One’s attention is fixed on the waves, which appear and disappear. Instead, if one thinks of what is beneath the waves, one will realize that it is the stillness of deep water. This is applicable to is one's thoughts. Thoughts, generated by desires, are the cause of much turmoil and turbulence in the mind. They have to be restrained in order to make the mind quiet and still. Consciousness can be experienced only when the mind is pure and still.

An Indian sage was asked a crucial question “What is Atman?” The sage replied, “The question itself contains the answer.” What IS, is Atman. (What exists is Atman.) Tealize this to be one’s true existence and withdraw into Pure Being.

Thinking and actions are temporary; they are bubbles or waves in the ocean of Being. Pure Awareness is one’s natural state, the undercurrent beneath the waking, sleeping, and dream states. To Be, without limiting adjuncts, is to be in a state of Bliss, intense and clear, both when _ expenenced and

when remembered. It is content-less Awareness. In this state, it will be impossible to make an effort.

True Awareness (Sphurana) is an ever-fresh experience of oneness, wholeness, joy, a matter of being, not of reason or thought. When thoughts cease, the I AM Awareness (Sphurana) is felt suddenly and continues as thought-free awareness. Such golden moments, in which the perceiver and the object perceived are both lost, is an experience known to lovers, mother and children, ecstatic devotees, heroes in action, and lovers of poetry and music.

What strikes one is the sorrow! Who really feels sorrow?

Sometimes, because one's near and dear ones are undergoing some illness, one naturally feels grief and sorrow. That is the time to ask a very simple question, "Who is grieving?" The answer will naturally be "the mind." That is when one should try to discriminate between the mind and that which is behind the mind. That which endures is permanent. That which comes and goes is not permanent. Now, if one can discriminate between what is permanent and impermanent, that in itself is a big step forward toward the Absolute Truth. This is worth trying. Grief can be subdued.

Most of the people are engrossed in the realm of relativity in everyday life. One is so excited to see the sunrise or sunset. Practically, lives are spent in attending to the passing show. As such one finds it difficult to withdraw from it. This is the main obstacle in one's practice. For even if one experiences the enduring background of the mind, which is permanent and in whose presence everything happens or does not happen, one tries to ignore it. The attention of the mind is diverted towards things that are passing. For additional information on this the is referred to Divine Baba's subject Discourses reader (Summer Showers in Brindavan 1990).

The speaker was complimented for his simple approach in getting a point across. People want to hear something very big, like what. is written in the scriptures: "When one realizes the Absolute Truth, one sees It like a billion suns." To be able to see the physical sun for a few seconds is very dangerous for the eyes. If one does, one will become blind. How can one see a billion suns? Different people use different words to describe Truth, but Truth is unchangeable.

In trying to practice Self-inquiry, one could fall asleep. How can this be stopped?

In the beginning, the mind may fall asleep. After some practice, when concentration is strengthened, one should be able to keep awake. Practice, Perseverance, and Patience are the three P's required to make spiritual effort blossom. In order to succeed, one should make an honest effort to unite one's thoughts, words, and deeds. People do not make an honest effort because they do not feel the necessity for it. The intensity of feeling that one has when pursuing something material, something in the sphere of relative life, is not there when pursuing the spiritual life because one considers material life more important than spiritual life. Change the order of importance. One must practice in not only spiritual life but also mundane life. That is how one can change one's interest and attention from the relative to the Absolute.

Sometimes one could wonder what one is doing here. What is the solution?

            One wonders this way because one is not clear about the purpose of life. The purpose of life is realize God which, in other words, means to merge m God which is the same as realizing that the ego does not exist. This has been explained earlier, namely, surrender or self-inquiry. The "sometimes" in the question means that one's mind is changing, that one does not have stability. Try to make the mmd steady and pure. Then this question will not be there.

Swami often says that sacrifice is sweeter than sweets. How is it?

Divine Baba always says that one will get greater happiness if one is unselfish. Yet, one thinks that only selfishness can give one happiness. One imagines that grabbing is happiness, giving is not happiness: Victor Hugo, a French author wrote that, "Life is t? give, not to take." The joy in life is in giving, not in getting. Selfish actions leave an imprint, and their consequences have to be faced in the course of time.

Some people asked the speaker, "How did you develop faith in Sathya Sai Baba?" How to develop faith cannot be explained in words. It is something inexplicable. How do you fall in love with somebody? Can one rationalize it? It just happens. It is the same with· Divine Love and Faith. Many people ask why Divine Baba performs miracles. He performs miracles so that one may cultivate greater love for the Divine.

Does Bhagavan give a lot of importance to the purity of food associated with purity of mind?

Yes, sathwic food is an important factor in purifying one's mind. Purity of mind is a necessity before one undertakes any spiritual practice. There is not only need for purity in food, but also for purity in what we hear and see. One must always see. good things, do good things, and be good things. Purity, in every aspect of one's life, is important.

The speaker's talks are of tremendous benefit to the listeners. How can the gratitude be expressed?

The speaker is only an instrument. So what can be given back to an instrument? One has to practice spirituality. Understand it. That will make the speaker happy and is sufficient reward. One must always keep in mind the eternal presence of that which endures all the time. Call it God, Allah, Atman. Fix your attention on That. One lacks sufficient intensity of feeling or interest in that. One has to develop it. Some people refuse to practice that which gives happiness to everybody. For example, if a woman is cooking and one wants to learn how to cook, one has to stand near her and learn how to cook. She will lose nothing. She will be happy that you learn. Likewise, Truth can be shared with all, no matter what language they speak. The only language that the heart knows is the language of silence.

What does Swami mean by saying, "Love all, Serve all?"

"All" means love each and every one. One can only love That which exists. One should see Divinity in all and love it. Yet, one wants to see separation in all. One wants to emphasize the differences with names and forms. In that case, one will never be able to love all and serve all. See the one Atman, the one Divinity. Then one will automatically love all and serve all. The mind does not readily allow one to see this unity. The mind forces one back to one's frequent thoughts. That is why steadiness and. purification of the mind are necessary to conduct your worldly and spiritual life properly.