Sadhana --- Path of Jnana .. from teachings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Sadhana … Path of Jnana •

… from teachings of

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba Compiled by: Dr. M. Thirumaleshwar July 24, 2016

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Sadhana-Three Paths Swami says: • Jnana (Knowledge), Bhakti (Devotion), and Karma (Work) … these are the three paths • There should be a harmonious mix of these three • Ex: A piece of ‘Barfi’ has a shape, weight and taste; if the piece is in your hands, you have got all the three attributes of barfi in your hands • Similarly: Karma is the shape, Jnana is the weight and Bhakti is the taste; let all the three be there together July 24, 2016

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Sadhana-Three Paths Swami says: • • • • • • • •

Three D’s: Discrimination Devotion Duty Three H’s: Head Heart Hands

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• Jnana • Bhakti • Karma • Jnana • Bhakti • Karma

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Greatness of Jnana … some sayings..

• Nahi Jnanena sadrisham … there is nothing comparable to Jnana • Jnanadeva tu kaivalyam… only by Jnana is the emancipation • Prajnanam Brahma … superior Jnana is Brahman July 24, 2016

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Path of Jnana • Adwaitha darshanam Jnanam .. Seeing non-duality is Jnana • Eashavasyamidam sarvam …

All this is pervaded by Eashwara • Vishwam Vishnumayam …

Entire universe is permeated

by Vishnu • Vaasudevassarvamithi … All this is Vaasudeva July 24, 2016

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Path of Jnana • Sarvam khalvidam Brahma … all this is Brahman, indeed • Antharbahischa tat sarvam vyapya Narayana sthithaha... whatever is seen or heard in this world… Narayana pervades all that from inside as well as outside

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Jnana yoga..

• In front and back, left and right, up and down, inside and outside …all.. He and He only • In all movable and immovable beings, in various names and forms…what shines as the light of self is God’s light only • When one sees equality in all beings … such a one is a Jnani

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Jnana yoga..

Swami says: • Darkness does not disappear if you throw a stone at it.. It goes away only when you light a lamp • Similarly, darkness of Ignorance leaves the heart when the lamp of Knowledge is lit • ‘Pancha kosas’ or, five shields cover the Atma and prevent the light from spreading out… these five shields should be purified July 24, 2016

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Five shields … and their purification…

• ‘Physical’ shield .. body.. purified by pure food • ‘Prana’ (breath) shield … purified by calm, regular breathing • ‘Mind’ shield… purified by holy thoughts • ‘Knowledge’ shield … purified by meditation on Truth • ‘Shield of Bliss’ … purified by bliss of God realization July 24, 2016

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Jnana yoga..

Swami says: • • • • • • • • •

Seeing Oneness everywhere is Jnana Rain drops are many, but water is ONE Rivers are many, but ocean is ONE Nations are many, but earth is ONE Jewels are many, but gold is ONE Flowers are many, but worship is ONE Cows are many, but milk is ONE Religions are many, but God is ONE Life forms are many, but Life is ONE

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Jnana yoga..

Swami says: • An orange has a name and form; when it is squeezed to get the juice, its name and form disappear‌i.e. the fruit disappears, but its taste only remains. • Sweetness, fragrance and essence have only to be experienced, and, can not be explained

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Jnana yoga..

Shri Ramana Maharshi has said:

• In the centre of Heart, Brahman alone shines as the self: ‘I’, ‘I’.

• Let the mind dwell in the Heart ..

• By self enquiry, devotion or breath-control, be centered in your own Self

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Jnana yoga..

Ramana Maharshi..…

• • • • •

Deham naaham, koham, soham…

I am not the body. Who am I? I am He. For all thoughts, ‘I’ thought is the basis Find out from where this ‘I’ thought sprouts Keeping the inert body as it is, without even uttering the word ‘I’, one should enquire: “who says ‘I’, ‘I’ ?”

• Then, in the Heart will shine spontaneously the pure consciousness, beyond words, as ‘I’, ‘I’ July 24, 2016

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Jnana yoga..

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj..

• Focus your mind on your common, pure existence .. ‘I am’ • Spend as much time as possible with this ‘existence’..

• There is no other simpler method than this.

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Swami says: • • • •

Karma, Bhakti, Jnana: Karma is like sprout Bhakti is like raw fruit Jnana is like ripe fruit

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Jnana and Bhakti..

• Ice floating on water melts silently in to water; similarly, by constant contact with God, the ego is destroyed silently …. this is the path of Bhakti • By contact with fire, camphor is completely burnt out; similarly, by the fire of Jnana the ego is completely destroyed … this is the path of Jnana July 24, 2016

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Jnana and Bhakti..

• Nature .. is like a net • There two ways to escape..

• 1. Become small… very small.. so that you can pass through the tiny openings in the net ..

This is the path of Bhakti • 2. Become very large.. then, you can break through the net..

This is the path of Jnana July 24, 2016

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Signs of a Jnani..

• Sarva bhoota samatvena Jnanamoohyataam…

• Guess that some one is a Jnani if he is equal minded to all creatures • Sarvabhootasthamaatmaanam..

• Jnani sees himself in all creatures, and all creatures in his Self • Aatmanyevaatmano tushtah..

Sthithaprajnasthadochyate..

• Sthithaprajna (one of stable mind) rejoices by reposing in his own Self July 24, 2016

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How to gain Jnana?

• Shraddhaavaan labhate Jnanam…

• One who has faith, gains Jnana • Tadviddhi pranipaathena, pariprashnena sevayaa..

• Know it by prostrating to, humbly questioning and by obedient service to a Jnani, who is the ‘seer’ of Truth, and he instructs you on THAT.

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Swami says: • Serpent can not be killed by beating at the ant-hill • Similarly, by punishing the body, you can not eliminate attachment to objects of senses • One who knows himself exactly, is a Jnani

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Swami says: • Only by knowledge of scriptures, one does not become a Jnani • One who does not have ego is a Jnani • Jnana is attained only when the mind is purified

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Swami says: • You are in this body… you are not the body • When you travel by a horsecarriage, you do not think that you are the carriage; you don’t take it inside your house • When you reach your real ‘home’, you will have to leave this body July 24, 2016

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Swami says: • When you know ‘who you are’, there is nothing else in this world for you to know • By Bhakti, you get concentration of mind; and by Karma and Bhakti, you get Jnana

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Swami says: • Universe is neither ‘born’, nor does it ‘die’ • Due to Ignorance, it appears as ‘born’, and with the arising of Knowledge it ‘dies’

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Swami says: • Jnana can not be injected in to you from outside; it is already inside you • When one conquers the internal, ‘six enemies’, Jnana is obtained • Desire, Anger, Greed, Attachment, egoism, Jealousy … are the ‘six internal enemies’ July 24, 2016

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Swami says: • Self-effulgent light of Atma (Self) is covered by the pot with nine holes, i.e. the body • This ‘pot’ is covered by a thick cloth, i.e. feeling of ‘me’ and ‘mine’ • Seeing the light of the Self is possible only when this cloth is removed July 24, 2016

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Swami says: • You are not able to experience the Bliss since you are enveloped by the darkness of Ignorance and the wrong notion: ‘I am the body’ • By the light of ‘I am Brahman’ all your fears will be dispelled and you can always be in Bliss July 24, 2016

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Swami says: • Seeing God in all , and seeing all in God … this is known as ‘samyak Jnana’ .. correct, integral Knowledge • The unchanging, ‘True state’ is called “Kootastha” …. Also known as “Eashwara principle”… Jnana is gained when this is known • That is why, it is said: “Nothing comparable to Jnana” July 24, 2016

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Eligibility for Jnana..

Swami says: • Should have four “instruments” of Sadhana, viz.

• Viveka (discrimination), vairagya (dispassion), shatsampatthi (six noble qualities), mumukshutha (desire for liberation)

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Eligibility for Jnana..

Swami says: • Should have: • 1. ‘shantaha’ … peaceful, balanced disposition • 2. ‘dantaha’… control of senses • 3. ‘uparathi’ .. withdraw the mind from objects of senses .. become introvert • 4. ‘Titheeksha’ … tolerance July 24, 2016

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Four obstacles…

• 1. ‘Laya’… sleep during meditation.. due to overeating, being tired, sleeplessness …. control your food and recreation habits • 2. ‘Vikshepa’… fickleness of mind .. due to running after external objects .. let there be discrimination of Truth and untruth July 24, 2016

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Four obstacles…

• 3. ‘Kshaya’ … worry due to flow of mental tendencies .. external attraction is the reason • 4. ‘Rasaswadana’ .. happiness of ‘savikalpa samadhi’ (samadhi with attributes) … this is also an obstacle • Going beyond this and to reach ‘nirvikalpa samadhi’ is the goal of aspirant

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Practice.…

Swami says: • Clouds moving in sky have no permanent relationship with the sky • Similar is the relationship between you (who is God Himself), and your body • Impermanent body hides the Truth, temporarily July 24, 2016

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Practice.…

Swami says: • Your shadow is different from you • Size of your shadow or the path on which it moves has no effect on you • Similar is the relationship between you and your body

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Practice.…

Swami says: • First, start Sadhana with “I am in the Light” …. this is ‘Dwaitha’ • Then experience: “Light is in me” … this is ‘Vishishtaadwaitha’ • Then, it will lead you to the experience: “I am the Light” .. this is ‘Adwaitha’ July 24, 2016

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Practice.…

Swami says: • If the impure gold is heated in a crucible with the fire of burning coal, it gets purified and shines brighter • Similarly, if the mind impure with ‘rajas’ and ‘tamas’ (active and inert tendencies) is heated in the fire of ‘discrimination’ in the crucible of ‘self enquiry’, bright light of ‘Self- realization’ ensues

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Signs of Jnani..

Kannada saint Sarvajna says:

• Does the mirror invite any one to see it? • A great soul who has realized the Self is like a mirror for the whole world

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Signs of Jnani..

Kannada saint Sarvajna says:

• If one knows Brahman, he should keep silent • If he tries to speak, his state is like that of a thief who coughs while committing theft and gets caught , and dies!

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Swami says: • Bhakti is the first requirement to get Jnana • Bhakti joins Jnana and becomes one with it

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Swami says: • Ripe Bhakti is Jnana • Bhakti is … like Sugarcane • Jnana is … like sugar

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Sri Shankaracharya has said: • ‘Good company’ leads to ‘no company’, • ‘No company’ leads to ‘no delusion’, • ‘No delusion’ leads to ‘firmness of Truth’, and, • ‘Firmness of Truth’ leads to ‘Liberation while alive’ July 24, 2016

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Swami says: • You wash a white cloth which has become dirty, by soaking in water, heating, using detergent soap, and beating on a stone • Similarly, to remove the dirt of ‘Ignorance’ covering the pure ‘sat – chit – ananda’ Atma, soak in the water of ‘pure conduct’, heat with the fire of ‘repetition of name’ and ‘austerities’, using the detergent of ‘meditation on Brahman’, and beat on the stone of ‘dispassion’

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Swami says: • The whole world is One Single Tree; The different countries are it's branches; Its root is God; Human beings are the flowers; Happiness is the fruit; Self-realization is the sweet juice therein.

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‘Sadhana - Path of Jnana’ Lovingly offered at the Lotus Feet of

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba by M. Thirumaleshwar July 24, 2016

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