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Date:18 Nov 1998 Occasion:Childern's Rally Place:Prashanti Nilayam

Develop Inner Vision

Uthsaaham Saahasam Dairyam
Budhi Sakthi Paraakramam;
Shadethe Yathra Vadanthi
Thathra Thistami Devatha
(Sanskrit Sloka)

Embodiments of Love/Students-Boys and Girls:

In the person who has all the six qualities of enthusiasm, daringness,
courage, intelligence, power and valor, there will be divinity
throughout his body from top to toe. Many people are engaged in the
search of self-knowledge. Many approach preceptors who profess to teach
them and many more study sacred scriptures. Yet, they cannot acquire the
knowledge of the Self. The reason is that all these efforts are only
worldly-wise and external pursuits. These pertain to the Pravrithi or
External Path. They are all negative. It is extremely difficult to
acquire self-knowledge through these external pursuits. Buddha was
indulging in all such spiritual Sadhanas in pursuit of Atma Jnana
(Knowledge of the Self). He went to many preceptors and studied several
scriptures. But he was not satisfied with all these efforts. Finally he
took a decision. He understood that all these pursuits can at best give
only mental satisfaction but cannot bring enlightenment of the Self
within. He found that these external pursuits yielding mental
satisfaction were only pertaining to the physical and phenomenal world.
He understood the truth that only when man controls his five senses he
can hope to attain Atma Jnana (Self-knowledge).

He found out the truth and declared that one should first have good
vision (Samyak Drishti). Humanness loses its meaning if one has no such
good vision. It does not mean only what you see with your physical eyes
but the vision of your heart. This dhrishti (vision) should emanate from
the heart. "Yad drishyam than masyam", whatever you see with your eyes
is liable to vanish sooner or later. Only when you develop this good
vision you will have good feelings (Samyak Bhaavam). This feeling should
be from the bottom of heart. This will come out through the tongue as
(Samyak Vaak) good words. This will in turn make you listen to good
things only. This will lead you to good actions. Therefore, the basis
factor for man's good words and deeds is good vision. When the heart
which is akin to a tank is filled with pure water, the acts of seeing,
hearing and speaking which are like taps connected to the tank, will
also be pure and good. Seeing good, hearing good, speaking good are all
consequences of the good heart and constitute the basis of spiritual
sadhana too. All these sense organs, are only interacting with external
objects and radiate negative tendencies. Only when they are associated
with heart, they turn positive.

For example, you have so many bulbs of different varieties here. They
are all negative. Only when the positive current passes through them,
they shine with luminance. Because the aspirants today are seeing with
physical eyes, hearing with ears, and talking with their tongue due to
the influence of mine, they are not able to have any progress towards
spiritual wisdom. Only when they turn to their heart, they can progress
positively towards knowledge of the Self.

Buddha practiced for six long years for the development of good vision.

He used to sit on a hillock and concentrate on a single star throughout
the night. Dhrishti (vision) is very precious. If the vision is spoiled
the entire life is ruined. So, we must cultivate our vision as sacred,
looking only at good things. You should not underestimate the value of
the good vision. You need not do any other sadhana. If you develop good
vision, it will purify your life. Therefore, every student should
develop good dhrishti that is, seeing only good things. In the worldly
physical aspect, suppose you are walking on a road, you have to keep
your eyes on your path so that you may not get into accidents. On the
other hand, if you turn your eye on either side of the road towards
other objects, such as wall posters and cinema hoarding, you will be
exposing yourself to accidents. While you are liable to such dangerous
accidents in the physical world, the disasters you may encounter in the
spiritual path will be much more serious. As we say "Start early, drive
slowly, and reach safely"; in respect of journeys on the road, even in
the spiritual path, you have to cultivate Samyak Dhrishti (good vision)
early in the life. Never look at bad things and untruth. Let not your
looks turn to unholy things. Turn them to the Divine. The entire
Universe is manifestation of the Divine. Whatever you see, consider that
as manifestation of Divine. In fact, God dwells in every one as Atma.
This is conscience. The Divine is Universal Conscience. Unifying this
conscience with consciousness is real good vision.

We say often peace, peace, peace. Where is peace? It is not in the
outside world. "You are the embodiment of Peace. You are the embodiment
of Truth. You are the embodiment of God." Everything is within you. You
have to develop this outlook even from your young age. You have to
develop good vision. Only then you will have good feeling. It should
emanate from the heart. It should not be confined to utterance from your
lips only. Only when feelings come out from heart you will do good
action. That is why I often say "See no evil; see what is good".

Without your looks and feelings not being pure, any amount of spiritual
practices will only be a waste. There is a small example. If you dig a
well on the sea shore, or very near to the sea, you will get only salt
water. Similarly, if you start spiritual practice with your eye and mind
on worldly things, you will never succeed in getting good result in
spiritual progress. The worldly view should be transformed to spiritual
view turning your vision inwards. Only when you develop good vision you
have all other good things following, like good feelings, words and
hearing.

In your life, when you make proper use of the five elements you can make
good spiritual progress. As long as you do not turn your view in the
proper direction it will be like attempting to get sweet water in a well
adjoining seashore. Even if you make such efforts for years together and
for ages there will be no use. You should have good feelings and good
dhrishti. When once you make the five senses sacred, you will be in
right direction. There is use in going through scriptures and
approaching preceptors. You have to make efforts to make your vision
pure and direct it to Divine.

Students, your looks and words should not strain any body and cause pain
to others. When once you control your vision, hearing and speaking you
will have good progress. Buddha did this successfully and attained Nirvana.

At the time of Buddha's attaining Nirvana, his brother Ananda was
apparently in sorrow. Buddha told him "Ananda, we are embodiments of
bliss peace and Truth. You forget this inner truth, peace and bliss. You
think that the peace you seek is outside. You want to attain peace from
the outside world. It is not at all real peace. It is ignorance to
consider that you can get peace from the world. God has given us five
senses which are within us. The one who is the inner enemy has to be
conquered before you seek to meet the external foes. The bad qualities
are your inner foes. The only way to put them down is to have good
vision which will fill your heart with good feeling". Therefore,
students should first take care of their vision. This will help you
avoid bad words. You should be careful in your utterances. By talking
too much, the kindness and compassion of the heart will decline. If you
talk less, your life span will be enhanced. So students should not have
hatred towards others nor should they abuse or criticize others. You
should realize the Divine present in every one. If you abuse or
criticize others, you are insulting the Divine within. You should
recognize the conscience in every one which is a reflection of
consciousness around and the manifestation of Divinity. What is inside
is positive and what is outside is negative. You should combine the
positive and negative. But man today is filling his heart with negative
tendencies only. Such a one cannot experience divinity at all.

There was one great devotee by name Manicka Vaasagar, in Tamil Nadu. He
was good to all. If you have a compassionate heart you will be
recognized by people as a good person. The heart with compassion is a
temple of God. Once, Manicka Vaasagar was walking along the road. There
was a sudden downpour of rains. He was looking for a shelter. He found
one house in the vicinity. No one was there and the small front verandah
was empty. He took shelter there. He could stretch his legs and lie down
comfortably. Little later another person who was also seeking shelter
from rains came there. Manicka Vaasagar beckoned him and accommodated
him saying that where one can lie down two can sit. A little while
later, they saw another person drenched in rains and offered shelter for
him. Manicka Vaaasagar readily accommodated him saying that three could
stand in the place where two were sitting. This is an example of the
feeling "Help ever-Hurt Never". Sacrificing the comfort of a single
person lying down he accommodated two more persons. This is the example
of a person with compassionate heart. Helping others with expansion of
love is real sadhana. In fact, you can help others in many ways. But it
is the loftiest way to share with others what little you have. When all
are happy it is one plus one plus one and so on. It goes on expanding.
Then it becomes union with consciousness. The conscience within you is
reflection of the universal consciousness. By good vision you will have
all other good things. Without this, there is no use of studying
scriptures. There will be no human values. The Divine Wisdom is within
you and not outside.

Students, today's youngsters are the elders of tomorrow. If you want to
be good citizens of future you have to develop this good dhrishti
(vision) from now on. You must look at all with divine feelings.
Whatever you say, say it with divine love. Thus, good vision, good words
and good hearing should be practiced. Because of practicing these,
Buddha was able to attain Nirvana.

What is Nirvana? It is nothing but sayujya (Merger with the Divine).
When you get a small vessel full of water from ocean, it is enough to
prove the quality of ocean water. That is why the scripture says the
same Divine is microcosm and macrocosm (Anooraneeyam, Mahathor
Mahaneeyam). When you plant a seed in the soil you have to pour water
and put manure and tend it so that it may grow into a big tree. In Gita,
Krishna declares "Beejam Maan Sarva Bhoothaanaam". (I am the seed in all
beings). A seed becomes a big tree giving hundreds of fruits. In all
these fruits the same seeds are there. That is why in Gita it is
declared that Lord is the seed. The whole world is a tree and all
countries are its branches. Basing on the culture of each country, the
branches give fruits. The humanity is the fruit of the tree of the
world. Every fruit has got the seed which was planted for this tree.
This is evident from the Gita declaration "Mamaivamso Jeevalokhe
Jeevaboothas Sanaathana". It is the primordial seed that is in every one
of the beings.

There is only one that manifests in many. We consider them as different.

Students, as soon as a child is born, it loves its mother. Later it
recognizes father. Later, as a boy or girl one goes to school and
acquires friends. You will get enemies too. Enemy or friend only depends
on your outlook. If you consider one as a friend he is a friend or
consider as enemy he is enemy. When you have divine feeling you will see
all as embodiments of the Divine.

Embodiments of Love/Students:

Study what you have to. But develop good vision. In the physical world,
you should seek the spiritual content. Take the example of fruit. It is
good to look at and tasty when it is just ripe. If you keep some more
days it becomes rotten. You get a foul smell. Though there is such
change in the form and content of the fruit the seed remains intact.
Because of your attachment to the worldly, you have worldly feelings.
Prema or Love is constant and there is no change. The same person is
called father by his sons, his daughter-in-law calls him as
father-in-law, grandson calls him grandfather. Each one calls the same
person in different names and enjoys the relationship with different
feelings. The single person is viewed and called differently by
different persons based on their relationship.

Because of the influence of the Kali Age we find the outer world with
many types of people. There is no place anywhere. Peace is within and
not outside. So you have to develop the inner vision which is good
vision or Samyak Drishti. Ramana Maharshi was intent on developing this
Samyak Drishti. He caught hold of a fruit and inscribed the letter "AUM"
on its surface. After sometime, as the fruit decayed the letter also was
mutilated. Then he thought that because of his inscribing on the fruit
which was subject to decay even his vision of immortal "AUM" also
changed. The pursuit of physical world can never give you spiritual
enlightenment. You should have feelings towards eternity to achieve good
vision. This is the Truth. You are pursuing external objects. How can
you realise the Eternal Truth within?

For example, suppose you have an unadulterated gold of 24 carats. This
is highly valuable. After sometime, you add copper, silver, brass etc.
As you mix other metals with it, the form of gold changes. You can't
even recognize whether it is gold or silver or copper or brass. Because
of mixing other metals, the nature of gold has changed. This is true of
our mixing with worldly objects too. At the time of birth, man is pure.
Excepting mother, the child has no other vision. But as the child grows
other relationships affect the child. Later, friends come and change his
attitude and feelings. So we cannot recognize the original true man. It
is difficult to recognize whether one is human, demon or divine. Why
does man suffer today from pain, sorrow and troubles? It is because of
his association with others. When gold is mixed with other metals it
loses its purity. So is the case with the human. As a result of these
you have to be born again and again. All your miseries are of your own
making.

Your vision should be divine and not worldly. Whatever you see you must
have the feeling of seeing the divine. Consider your mother and father
as divine without considering physical relationship. When you look at
everyone you should develop the feeling that you are seeing Divine. That
is why Sankara said, "Sarvam Kalvidham Brahma". All this is only
manifestation of Brahman. Just as gold is declining in value when
associated with other metals, man is losing his value by bad company.
Man forgets his true nature and suffers from ignorance. How easily it is
to consider all as Divine and love all. There is lot of happiness in
this. If you limit it to the body you have narrow feelings.

Looking at Ananda, Buddha gave him good counsel before attaining his
Nirvana. Buddha's mother died soon after he was born. Her sister Gautami
brought him up as foster mother. That is why Buddha is called "Gautama".
Later Ananda was born to Gauthami. Both Ananda and Buddha grew up with
great mutual affection even closer than brothers born of same mother.

When Buddha was about to attain Nirvana, Ananda shed tears. Buddha told
him. "Your name is Ananda - You are embodiment of Bliss. Why should you
feel sorry and cry? Don't you like my merging with the Paramatma?"

Then Ananda wiped out tears and replied, " I am happy about your
Nirvana. I am only feeling sorry as I don't have Nirvana as we have
grown up as two bodies but one Heart. I cannot live without you. So
please grant me also Nirvana." Buddha replied, "Nirvana or Sayujya is
not one that can be conferred by anyone else. Divine communion can't be
got from a teacher or any outside agency. It has to be attained only by
oneself contemplating on the Divine which is the basis. Don't consider
me as your brother. Develop Samyak Drishti." When Ananda heard this he
developed this Samyak Drishti and went into a state of Real Bliss. At
that stage Buddha attained Nirvana. Ananda did not notice this. He was
not affected by this because he changed his vision and became conscious
of the Divine.

Nowadays people see God also as worldly. In those days even world was
seen as God. Now man wants to know about world. In those days everyone
wanted to know about 'Inner Self. What is the use of knowing about the
world? The world is full of sadness. The world is full of poison
(Vishamayam) not Chinmayam (divine). You should consider all as Divine.

Consider parents as God and serve them. Whomsoever you serve, consider
that as serving Divine.

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was questioned by Vivekananda as to whether he
had seen God. He said, "Yes. I have seen God as I am seeing you now". He
asked "why I am not able to see?". Ramakrishna replied "Oh, student,
today people cry in the world for family, children, wealth and other
things. Does any one cry for God? When you give up other things and cry
for God you will see Him without fail." In fact, we struggle hard for
worldly things. Are we making at least one thousandth of these efforts
for the sake of God? You are making efforts all the time for this
ephemeral and paltry things of the world. You spend just few minutes in
prayer. That is all. Just spend sometime at the Lotus Feet of Lord. You
spend lot of time for your worldly things. If you pray to God
wholeheartedly and with steady feeling you can get His Grace. You must
have the steady faith. That is good vision. With this Samyak Drishti,
Ananda also merged in the Divine.

You know air is all around. You take balloon and blow some air into it.
To make the air inside, merge with air outside, you have to pump air
more and more when it will burst and the air inside merge with air
outside. As the limited air merge with unlimited air, the conscience
inside the individual merge with the Universal Consciousness. In order
to achieve this merger, one should cultivate Samyak Drishti (good vision)

Students, you have come from far-off places to see Swami. You have such
good feelings. You study any subject. Do any profession. But do
everything with the feeling that it is Divine work. Everything is
Divine. You see this kerchief. This is not cloth. It is made of threads.
You remove the threads; there is no cloth. The basis is cotton. The one
you think you are is cloth. The one others think you are, is thread. The
one you really are, is cotton. The combination of thread and cotton has
become cloth. "Thwameva Matha, Pitha Thwameva." Everything is God. Your
father, mother, relative, friend, your education, wealth all are only
God. When you have this Divine feeling you also become divine. When once
your vision is good, everything is good. No need to study scriptures.
Your vision itself makes you good.

Drishti is Srishti. Your word is Veda. "Sabda Brahma Mayi, Charaa chara
Mayi, Jyothir Mayi, Vaang Mayi, Nithyananda Mayi, Paraathpara Mayi,
Maaya Mayi Sree Mayi". All these come only from one Entity. It is sound,
movement, light, word, bliss and everything. You have heard harmonium
being played. While playing this, some air is giving different sounds.
Sa, ri, ga, ma, pa, da, ni, through operation of different reeds. One
sound is the basis. You can not change it. It is good vision. As you go
by roads, it is like going by different names and forms. Buddha found
that no scriptures or preceptors could reveal the Truth to him. When
Guru Himself has no Ananda (Bliss) how can he give you Ananda? Consider
God as Guru, father, mother etc. Because of this body you have mother
and father.

Vyasa had the same experience. His son started to go to forest seeking
emancipation. Vyasa was calling him "Kumara (son)". Son Sukha said, " I
am not your son. You are not my father. You and I are Brahmam. Because
of body relationship you have this illusion." Then Vyasa got back his
wisdom and said, "Yes. You are right, my son. The bodily relationship is
ephemeral. Atma is eternal." "Anantho Hai Vedaha". The wisdom is infinite.

You, children of different countries have exhibited today, the culture
of respective countries very well. There is no use of all this cultures.
The only culture is the culture of Love. Develop this love. Do not hate
anyone. Vivekananda once questioned Ramakrishna, his preceptor, as to
what will happen to his parents if he takes up Sanyasa.

You are going to witness this in the drama to be enacted by students of
the institute on 22nd November. Ramakrishna laid his hands on
Vivekananda's head. He forgot himself. He was experiencing the vision of
the Goddess. He was in blissful state. After sometime, he came back to
his normal state and questioned Ramakrishna as to what he did to make
him forget himself. Ramakrishna said, "I did not do anything. Your own
imagination came as a reflection, resound and reaction and immersed you
in bliss. As you were thinking of God with your pure heart, this was the
experience conferred by the Divine and not by me" . Then he asked his
preceptor, "Who am I ". Ramakrishna was very happy to answer this
question with a smile, "Narendra, Narendra, you are you. Narendra is a
name given by your parents. This body of yours was the gift of your
parents. Your reality is you." Therefore, what we have to learn now is
about oneself and not about others. Why should you bother about others?

Know yourself. That is important. You go on filling your head with
matters from all over the world by reading the newspaper. You are
collecting information about others, but not about yourself. "Who am I?"
Then your vision will go inwards. You think you are very intelligent and
knowledgeable. How did you acquire this knowledge? How do you develop
it? In the past V.K.Gokak and myself used to discuss about these things.
I used to tell him, "You have skill knowledge".

But people are killing knowledge now. Man has lost his balance. Even
while walking on the road or going by cycle you need balance. Now
balance is lost in life and you are in confusion. You must maintain
balance and skill knowledge. That is Samyak Drishti.

Even scientists proclaim they are going on making new discoveries.
Nothing is new. They are already existing. All these things are only
external, transient and negative. You must make efforts to combine
positive with negative. This is Samskara or Refinement. If you mill
paddy and make into rice its value enhances. Similarly you must refine
your life discarding bad habits as husk and increase your value. You
must earn good name. If students of Institute lose their name, it
reflects on the Institute. It is evil company that may spoil your name.

So, seek good company. Cultivate good words, good thoughts, good vision
and do good deeds. Sanctify the actions done through all the five senses
which are given by God. Offer all actions to God.

The Argentina devotee told about how Swami changed the watch for him. It
is all due to his complete faith. Swami wanted to encourage the spirit
of faith in him. If the faith is absent, the result will be bad.

Sankara said that the six qualities that mark the divinity in a person
are :- Uthsaaham (enthusiasm), Saahasam (boldness), Dhairyam (courage),
Buddhi (intelligence), Sakthi (power or energy), Paraakramam (valor).
When these six qualities are there, one is reflecting Divinity. But the
six foes for man that prevent him from becoming divine are, the
Arishadvaga, six bad qualities namely lust, greed, anger, pride,
jealousy and hatred.

You should become ideals reflecting the divine qualities and get rid of
the bad qualities. Then you will be happy, you will make the society and
nation happy. Good name is God's name. Goodness is Godliness. If you
have no good qualities none will come to you. The goodness should
blossom from the heart. Suppose there is a water tank provided in a
village; Taps are also provided every where and a Minister is invited to
inaugurate the supply of water. But when the tap opened there is no
water flowing. The reason is though they provided tank and taps at great
cost, there was no connection between the tank and the taps. Your heart
is tank full of kindness. Your senses are the taps. You must connect
your senses to the heart. Then only goodness will flow through every
sense. You will see good; hear good; speak good; think good; and do
good. The connecting link is "Love". When there is love everything will
be accomplished perfectly. Hence cultivate 'Love".

------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Bhagavan concluded His Discourse with the Bhajan "Prema mudhitha Manase
kaho Rama Rama Ram ]

[Source: Posting by Bombay Srinivasan on SaiNet]