Sri Sathya Sai International Organization

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Editorial

Purity is Enlightenment, Part 2

In the first part of this reflection on Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s teaching, “Purity is Enlightenment,” we discussed how purity forms the foundation of spiritual practice and is the key to experiencing divinity. Through insights from great masters and scriptures, we understood the importance of both external and internal purity in daily life. External cleanliness, sattvic food, and a pure environment purify the body and mind, while inner purity–freedom from selfish desires, anger, and ego–reveals our true divine nature. Having grasped this essential framework, we now turn to the practical disciplines and sadhanas that help us cultivate purity.

How to Develop Purity?

For the first time in human history, God, in the form of Bhagawan Baba, has established an organization where like-minded individuals who love God and want to serve–come together. The Sri Sathya Sai International Organization (SSSIO) was founded, nurtured, and continues to be guided by Him. Here, we have the opportunity to practice the four yogas. Baba has provided guidance on these paths through divine discourses, interactions, writings, and messages.

Karma Yoga

This is the noble path of selfless service. Lord Krishna says one of the best ways to purify the heart is nishkama karma yoga (action withour attachment). It is said, Chitthasya Shuddhaye Karmanaha (The heart is purified through selfless service). The scriptures say, Chitta Shuddhi is Jnana Siddhi. Chitta Shuddhi is Atma Siddhi. One who attains purity of the heart attains jnana (enlightenment) and sakshatkara (Self-realization).

When we do service as a spiritual practice for purification, it is essential to cultivate two key attitudes: humility and gratitude. We should be grateful to God and to the person we are serving for the opportunity to serve. Also, we should have the feeling that we are serving God and not someone else. That is why this is called Narayana Seva–serving the Lord in human form. This automatically develops humility and reverence in us.

The obstacles to this path are ahamkara (ego, the feeling that “I am the doer”) and mamakara (desire and craving for the fruits of action). When these obstacles or pitfalls are removed, one truly benefits from selfless service.

Bhakti Yoga

This is the path of living in divine love. Bhakti Yoga is acclaimed and prescribed by the great Masters. Chanting the sweet, divine name of the Lord clears impurities. Singing bhajans brings purity. Listening to the stories of God and contemplating on His form purifies the heart. Holy company also accelerates purification in this path of divine love.

However, love for God should be love for love’s sake–not bargaining with God for favors. Swami says that divine love has three aspects: there is no fear, there is no bargaining or seeking for benefits, and it is love for love’s sake. Only then will one get rid of all impurities. In the path of love, the only goal is to love God and surrender to Him. When we surrender to His will, we see everything as His prasad, blessing and grace and live in bliss and equanimity. This equanimity is the sign of pure and unwavering devotion–bhakti or divine love. 

Raja Yoga

This is the path of meditation. It is described in detail in Chapter 6 of the Bhagavad Gita, Atma Samyama Yoga. Lord Krishna explains how a Raja Yogi should meditate and the benefits of such meditation. Swami also describes meditation in the book Dhyana Vahini. The spiritual seeker meditates on the name and form of God, or on the light, or on God’s divine qualities (love, compassion, sacrifice, etc.). After many years of practice, when one becomes adept at it, the meditator (dhyata), the object of meditation (dhyeya), and the process of meditation (dhyana) merge into one–the state of complete samadhi. This is another way to purify the heart.

Jnana Yoga

This is the path of Self-inquiry, the royal path. By Self-inquiry, one realizes that identification with the body, mind, and intellect is false. By negating these, one realizes one’s true Self through Self-inquiry. Self-inquiry purifies the heart and leads to the realization of the Supreme.

One can practice any one or a combination of these four yogas to purify the heart and attain the final goal. 

The Lord’s Prayer, given to us by Swami, embodies all four yogas–karma, bhakti, raja, and jnana. 

Great saints and sages have proclaimed that these four yogas must be harmonized. Swami Premeshananda, a highly respected monk of the Ramakrishna Order,  proclaims: “From karma comes knowledge, from knowledge comes devotion, from devotion comes yoga, and from yoga comes realization. Liberation is the cumulative result of karma, bhakti, raja, and jnana yogas. None can be neglected. Practiced together, they lead to liberation.”

Ten Types of Purity

In the divine discourse given on December 29, 1985, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba says,
“To develop one’s moral and mental strength, one should practice sadhana for disciplining the mind. For this purpose, one has to promote ten kinds of purity.”  

The first is the purity of the place where one lives. It is necessary to keep the room where one resides or studies in a sattvic (pure) atmosphere. Pictures or visible objects should fill one with peace and pure thoughts. Objects that arouse agitation and negative thoughts should be avoided. The room should be clean and free from anything impure.

The second is purity within the family. There should be mutual understanding and cooperation, along with a sense of harmony among family members. There should be no discord in the family that creates a negative atmosphere. A harmonious environment gives one true peace of mind. 

The third requirement is purity in food, or sattvic food. No food item should be excessively sour, bitter, or hot. We should eschew rajasic (arousing passion) food like fish or meat. Even good sattvic food should not be taken in excess. Some people consume so much sattvic food that even though it is sattvic, they develop rajasic qualities. It is only sattvic when one sits for the meal with a light stomach and gets up with a light stomach, but with hunger appeased! If you sit with a light stomach and get up with a heavy stomach, it becomes tamasic (slothful).

Fourth, whatever fluids we drink should be sattvic. We should not drink just anything available. Pure water is preferred. Alcoholic drinks should be eschewed. 

Fifth, sattvic thoughts and feelings are very important. Students tend to overlook this factor. Only if our thoughts and feelings are pure can we get the full benefit of a clean room, a good family, and pure food. 

Sixth, if we want to develop sattvic feelings and thoughts, our vision must be pure. All srishti (creation) is based upon drishti (sight). It is only when our vision is incorrect that we develop bad thoughts. We must look upon every elderly woman as our mother and all younger women as our sisters. Such pure thoughts will give rise to pure feelings. Imagine how offended we would feel if someone looked at our mother or sister with an evil eye. Realizing this, we must cultivate pure feelings toward other women. We should not offend others through actions we would not tolerate in others. 

Seventh, whatever books we read or whatever we write should be pure. This is the spiritual practice relating to study–sattvic sahitya (literature). If one reads or writes what is not pure, it warps the mind. A good book makes for a good mind. Any books we study about physics, chemistry, or other subjects do not affect our character. But some books are not good literature. If improper books are prescribed for study, we should treat them as mere textbooks and not use them to guide our lives. 

The eighth requirement is pure sattvic service. For this, we need to decide what is sattvic and what is rajasic. For example, we clean streets, build roads in villages, and dig wells, as acts of service to the community. However, the kind of service that we perform should truly bring real happiness to people in society. In the name of “social work,” we may go to a hospital and approach a patient. But this is not real service unless the person being served is regarded as an embodiment of the divine. Helping the destitute and the neglected is actually serving God. Narayana has two forms: one is ‘Lakshmi Narayana’ (God in the form of a rich person), the other is ‘Daridra Narayana’ (God in the form of a poor person). ‘Lakshmi Narayana’ is very wealthy and can help any number of people. He can also get many people to serve him. But ‘Daridra Narayana’ has nobody to serve him, and we should offer sattvic service to such people. 

The ninth item is sadhana. This is a spiritual discipline that must be sattvic. Some people practice hatha yoga, while others strive to develop kundalini shakti. Some invoke evil spirits to harm others. These forms of sadhana are not sadhana at all. The individual is Chit (Awareness), and God is Sat (The Eternal Absolute Being). When Sat and Chit combine, we have Ananda, Sat-Chit-Ananda (Being-Awareness-Bliss). Only spiritual practices undertaken to realize Sat-Chit-Ananda are true sadhana. Where is this Sat? This Sat, the divine, is in everybody. So, we must be prepared to serve everyone, regarding them as divine. While we may have normal relationships with our kith and kin, we must perform sadhana in the spirit that the One pervades the many. In this process, we must also cultivate the feeling of love–there is no higher sadhana than this!

Tenth, consider our occupation or profession. What kind of work should we pursue? Our work should benefit the community and the nation. Since the nation enables our livelihood, we must also give back to the nation in return. We need to ask ourselves, “What service or help  can I provide for the community?” We also need to ensure that there is no untruth in our work, no unfairness, no fraud, and no evil motive.

As one practices purity, transformation occurs in the individual as well as the individual’s interactions with family, society, and nature. At the individual level, purity brings peace and joy. Peace is the flower, and joy is the fruit from the tree of purity! Pure thoughts lead to pure words and deeds. Therefore, at the individual level, there is harmony of thought, word, and deed.

Swami says that one should have only pure and divine thoughts. Therefore, one should block the door to impure, jealous, and egoistic thoughts. Purity in speech means always being truthful, helpful, concise, soft, and sweet in words. There should be no slander or criticism in speech. Swami says that one should adopt the fourfold filter before speaking: is it necessary, is it kind, is it truthful, and is it better than maintaining silence? Swami gives the example of Lord Sri Rama.  Rama is mitabhashi (one of limited speech), madhurabhashi (one of sweet speech), hithabhashi (one of helpful speech), and sathyabhashi (one of truthful speech). With purity, one’s words gain power, and whatever is spoken comes true! The actions and deeds of such saints and sages reflect Swami’s dictum of Love all, Serve all. Help ever, Hurt never. Their actions help society and creation at large. 

Purity also improves family relationships through respect, friendship, and love. It then extends to the workplace,  to society at large, and ultimately to the universe. It also reflects on a person’s character–selflessness, sacrifice, and service. The scriptures say that sacrifice alone leads to immortality (thyagenaike amritatwa manashuhu). Swami succinctly says, “The removal of immorality is the only way to immortality.”

Regarding purity in nature, Swami says that one needs to practice ‘ceiling on desires’ by avoiding wasting food, energy, and time, and limiting one’s desires. This will automatically lead to sustainable living, preventing deforestation, reducing pollution, decreasing reliance on fossil fuels, using alternative fuels, utilizing renewable energy, planting trees, and cleaning the environment.

Regarding purity in the Sri Sathya Sai International Organization that bears His sacred name, Swami has given guidelines for its members and officers, available on the SSSIO website. For example, one should serve with love, compassion, gratitude, and humility–not with authority, pomp, or pride. Swami says the best way to spread His message is to live it. There is no better way. 

History is replete with many exemplars who lived lives of purity: Prince Prahlada, an ardent devotee of Lord Narayana, showed purity of devotion; the Pandavas, the noble righteous brothers, had unwavering, pure devotion to Lord Krishna; Lord Buddha lived an exemplary life of compassion and nonviolence; Jesus Christ embodied purity, sacrifice, and love; Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s life is His message–one of purity, love, selfless service, sacrifice, compassion, forbearance, and forgiveness.

Let us purify our hearts and minds, live in divine love, and reach the ultimate goal of Self-realization.

Jai Sai Ram.