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Author Topic: Some Random Thoughts--- At Baba's Lotus Feet!  (Read 78675 times)

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Offline SaiServant

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Re: Some Random Thoughts--- At Baba's Lotus Feet!
« Reply #15 on: December 10, 2006, 10:14:08 PM »
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  • Jai Sai Ram!!

    Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Thus wrote a political philosopher centuries ago. This principle does not apply to political world only. I think it has implications for the spiritual life also. As one advances in spiritual journey, a seeker may gain powers (Siddhis) of various sorts and degrees. Using them, the seeker impresses upon others that he or she has arrived. But, that is far from the truth. These powers are nothing but traps for the aspirant on spiritual path. You fall for them, and fall from divine grace. The challenge is to get these Siddhis, but ignore them in order to proceed to the next stage of spiritual growth.It may get tempting to use them. Because, nothing is more appealing than a desire for followers. But, using these powers invariably leads to spiritual downfall.

    We have stories of spiritual aspirants who could not resist the temptation of such powers, and faced their sad end. We also have examples like Baba who never used the Siddhis consciously. His so-called 'miracles' are simply His 'grace'. And, that grace can flow to each one of us individually. We need to earn His grace by ourselves, through sincere prayers. Nobody else can do that job for us.


    Om Sai Ram!!
    « Last Edit: July 23, 2009, 08:17:23 AM by SaiServant »

    Offline Dipika

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    Re: Some Random Thoughts--- At Baba's Lotus Feet!
    « Reply #16 on: December 10, 2006, 10:23:29 PM »
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  • OMSAIRAM!


                "THANKYOU"


    Sai baba let your holy lotus feet be our sole refuge.OMSAIRAM

    dipika duggal
    साईं बाबा अपने पवित्र चरणकमल ही हमारी एकमात्र शरण रहने दो.ॐ साईं राम


    Dipika Duggal

    Offline SaiServant

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    Re: Some Random Thoughts--- At Baba's Lotus Feet!
    « Reply #17 on: December 11, 2006, 05:19:20 PM »
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  • Jai Sai Ram!

    Om Sri Sai Nathaya Namah
    Om Sri Sai Nathaya Namah
    Om Sri Sai Nathaya Namah

    Om Sai Ram!


    « Last Edit: July 23, 2009, 08:18:04 AM by SaiServant »

    Offline SaiServant

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    Re: Some Random Thoughts--- At Baba's Lotus Feet!
    « Reply #18 on: December 11, 2006, 09:09:07 PM »
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  • Jai Sai Ram!!

    'Ego' plays fascinating games. Witness how it deludes you. One moment you become "Him", the next very moment you are "me" again. You try to rise higher, assigning both cause and effect to "Him', thus strive to be more enlightened. But, there you are falling back to where you were a while back. This struggle is mostly unconscious. Our ego plays the tricks to keep us trapped. We make everything into "One" and then again fragment it into "parts", sometimes consciously and at times unconsciously.

    The conceptual binaries like pride/ prejudices, likes/dislikes, respect/disrespect, praise/criticism  are not just linguistic. These reflect a stronghold of 'Ego'. Pride and prejudice, likes and dislikes, praise and criticism from the substratum on which ego thrives. An honest look at ourselves may help us to see how we keep vacillating between "Baba" and "Me" as per the dictates of our ego.

    What a trap! Do we need more proof of an imperfect world [:)]

    Om Sai Ram!!

    « Last Edit: July 23, 2009, 08:18:52 AM by SaiServant »

    Offline Ramesh Ramnani

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    Re: Some Random Thoughts--- At Baba's Lotus Feet!
    « Reply #19 on: December 11, 2006, 09:44:25 PM »
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  • JAI SAI RAM!!!

    A KING WANTED TO PICK THE WISEST MAN among his subjects to be his prime minister.

    When the search finally narrowed down to three men, he decided to put them to the supreme test.

    Accordingly, he placed them in a room in his palace, and installed a lock which was the last word in mechanical ingenuity. The candidates were informed that whoever was able to open the door first would be appointed to the post of honour.

    The three men immediately set themselves to the task.

    Two of them at once began to work out complicated mathematical formulas to discover the proper lock-combination. The third man, however, just sat in his chair doing nothing. Finally, without bothering to put pen to paper, he got up, walked to the door, turned the knob, and the door opened. It had been unlocked all the time!

    THIS IS THE SITUATION. Nothing is locked, the door is open. And people are pondering upon ways and means to unlock the lock. People are trying different methodologies, practising a thousand and one things, to get out. And in fact they ARE out. Unless they stop this thinking business they will not know the truth of the situation.

    Man is not in bondage, only thinks so. Because he thinks so, he is in bondage. There is no difference between a Buddha and an ordinary man. But the ordinary man thinks there is a difference -- then there is.

    You create your prisons, your locks. And then you try to find out the ways to get out of them.
       
    The best remedy for stress and strain is patience and forgiveness.  Patience begets strength and confidence and leads eventually to bliss.

    OM SAI RAM!!!
    अपना साँई प्यारा साँई सबसे न्यारा अपना साँई - रमेश रमनानी

    Offline SaiServant

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    Re: Some Random Thoughts--- At Baba's Lotus Feet!
    « Reply #20 on: December 11, 2006, 10:21:34 PM »
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  • Jai Sai Ram!!

    With no intentions to argue, just my humble thoughts. Let me admit--I think, therefore I am! I need to be honest to myself at least. By simply dismissing thought processes, I cannot get away from the 'mind'. It exists, it is real, and it is treacherous!

    An ostrich buries its head in sand to avoid looking at the danger in front of it, but that does not mean that the danger does not exist. It may take me years before I reach Buddhahood, the way I understand that state. You are blessed Ramesh Bhai that you got is easily, following the method you suggest. Perhaps, by Baba's grace I may get it sooner than I think [:)]

    Om Sai Ram!!

    « Last Edit: July 23, 2009, 08:19:40 AM by SaiServant »

    Offline OmSaiRamNowOn

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    Re: Some Random Thoughts--- At Baba's Lotus Feet!
    « Reply #21 on: December 12, 2006, 03:55:22 AM »
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  • Sunita Dear, here are some thoughts to help you - I have been reading and researching from other sources and trying to apply myself- all by HIS grace. And that is why we work on controlling/mastering our mind. When your actions become clean and good, it becomes purified, then you’ll find that your soul itself becomes elevated and mind becomes serene and calm. And the body keeps much better health than ever before. You must learn to control your mind and the senses. And for this it is necessary that you do prayers.You do prayer and meditation. Calm your mind. Don’t think of any other object, anything else except God. Then your mind comes under control. If you cannot control your mind, all sorts of things will come into your mind and upset you, therefore upsetting the body also, making you unhealthy, not only on the physical level, but also on the mental level. Your mental balance can also be threatened if you go on with terrible stress and uncontrollable thoughts. It is for this that you do prayer and meditation. You read the great books — you do parayanam of the great books and great scriptures. All these things you should read. You will find so many examples of people who have suffered and yet have gone on to the higher levels. Then you find that

    ‘Lives of great men, all remind us,
    We can make our lives sublime;
    And departing, leave behind us,
    Footprints on the sands of time.’

    The great people who have gone before us have shown the way. Follow the same way, and you will also be established in that God-consciousness, calmness, and serenity. And so much so that other people, not only your own family, but also society, your friends and relations will also learn to follow you. For this you must live a disciplined life. You will find that you are able to do it with the Grace of God. You can’t do it by yourself. Nobody can do anything by himself or herself. Without the blessings and Grace of God, it is just not possible. This we must understand. And live. Many things can happen in the world - many difficulties, troubles, sorrows, - all these things. You should not let that overcome you. You should live in the world like as the Bhagavad Gita says, like a lotus leaf on the water. A lotus leaf does not get wet. Water drips onto it, it rolls down. So, untouched by whatever happens, you must do your duty to perfection. Duty must be done to perfection and to the very best of your ability. When you do that, you get a certain satisfaction that you have done your duty. The rest you leave to God because you have no control over the events that are coming – that have to come tomorrow. Today all you can do is your duty. That is all. Leave the rest to Him.

    Aum Sai Ram !
    SAI SAI SAI SAI SAI
    SAI SAI SAI SAI
    SAI SAI

    -Anju
    « Last Edit: December 12, 2006, 03:57:10 AM by OmSaiRamNowOn »
    Om Sai Ram !

    -Anju

    "Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear."

    Offline SaiServant

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    Re: Some Random Thoughts--- At Baba's Lotus Feet!
    « Reply #22 on: December 12, 2006, 07:39:54 AM »
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  • Jai Sai Ram!!

    I am truly blessed to have this guidance.
    THANK YOU Anju ji and Ramesh Bhai!!

    Om Sai Ram!!

    « Last Edit: July 23, 2009, 08:20:20 AM by SaiServant »

    Offline bohemianbab

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    Re: Some Random Thoughts--- At Baba's Lotus Feet!
    « Reply #23 on: December 12, 2006, 05:14:07 PM »
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  • Hi all,
    Beautiful thread,wonderful thoughts..I would love to give my inputs here when baba wants.Right now,i just happened to read these diverse views and opinions..everyones personal experiences.Just love to be a part of this so called'ecosystem'-a medley of interconnected thoughts .We really are nothing but ash..or atoms at subatomic level..having taken different forms,releasing and absorbing energy..and thoughts..which come frome nowhere and goto nowhere.in absolute sense, we are nothingness..?vacuum?This body doesnot fear death anymore.
     

    Offline Ramesh Ramnani

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    Re: Some Random Thoughts--- At Baba's Lotus Feet!
    « Reply #24 on: December 12, 2006, 08:18:25 PM »
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  • JAI SAI RAM!!!

    Its a bit lengthy but read it...May be it is of some use to someone who is in search and so dear to MY BABA SAI...searching for the trust in self....

    ... PATIENCE IS THE GOLDSMITH; INTELLECT IS THE ANVIL; KNOWLEDGE IS THE HAMMER;

    We can use our intellect in two ways. We have already made use of it as a knapsack, but not as an anvil. We fill it with information, just as a ragman fills his bag. We hear scriptures and listen to sadgurus. Whatever we get, no matter what its source, we dump into this bag, this beggar's sack. It contains everything: scriptures, masters' teachings, newspapers, Vedas, radio advertisements, movie songs. If someone abuses you, you tuck away the abuse in the sack. If someone gives you a mantra to recite, you store it there. Your mind is a sack in which the mantra mingles with foul words. Vedas are lost in everyday news. And such a bag we constantly drag behind us.

    This we call memory. It is not knowledge, just rubbish. Genuine knowledge is that which is attained from our own experience. The intellect is filled with borrowed knowledge; everything is stale. Nanak says, however, that intellect is the anvil and knowledge is the hammer.

    Nanak says knowledge is the blow of the hammer. Whenever you attain knowledge, howsoever infinitesimal, every hair of your body trembles with its impact.

    This is why we avoid knowledge, because we don't want to bear the shock of it. Instead we merely gather information, because this gives no shock. You read in the shastras, "God is the ultimate truth." What shock is there in that? You read, "Meditation is the way." You have learned it by heart; you even tell it to others. What impact does it have?

    A little girl was playing in her courtyard when her mother called her from the top of the stairs for her bath. The little girl didn't want to leave her game. Her grandmother, who was herself sunning in the courtyard, told her daughter many times, "Let her play. You can give her a bath later on." But the mother was adamant. At last the child left her playing and began to climb the stairs. When she saw her mother she said to her, "How strange that you always tell me to 'listen to your mother' but you don't listen to your mother at all."

    Do you ever heed the advice you give others? No, it's just stale stuff that you pass on to others. Once you give it away you are free of it. There's no more to it. It never did anything for you; nor will it for others.

    Advice is given so freely, and taken so rarely. People feel so free to distibute knowledge, but who takes it? On the contrary, you avoid such people because they bore you. They fill your sack of intellect with all the trash that lies in their sack. The joke is they have never put it to any other use.

    Real knowledge carries an impact; it is born out of life's experience, the friction of life. When you take a jump into existence, knowledge is born -- not through scriptures and words. Experience is a blow, so we try to avoid it to save ourselves.
    Gurdjieff used to compare our knowledge with the buffers of a train or the springs of a car. Both are shock absorbers. When there is an impact they absorb the shock, whereas authentic knowledge is a shock in itself.

    When someone close to you dies, you say, "The soul is eternal." This knowledge has never shaken you in your life. You use it merely as a shock absorber. The sages who have declared this truth of the immortality of the soul, have practiced self-restraint. They have passed through many furnaces and fires. This knowledge has been like a hammer of the anvil for them. This knowledge has completely crushed them; it has broken their skulls open, so to speak. Their ego has been reduced to dust. It has severed all their connection with the body. This knowledge has caused their whole world to reel and fall to pieces. This is the knowledge that initiated them into sannyas. This knowledge has made them as good as nobodies in the mundane world. It has uprooted them completely from samsara. It came as a hurricane and swept them away completely.

    What has your knowledge done for you? It is like a lullaby.

    When you do not fall asleep you hum your knowledge, and so fall asleep. When someone dies, you use it to absorb the shock, because you are afraid of death. It could also have been possible for a death in your family to become a full-fledged experience for you, by which you attained knowledge. In that case, the event of death becomes the hammer and you are the anvil; and when the hammer fell on you, the blow would have awakened you.

    No one ever awakens in this world without a blow; you have placed shock absorbers all around you so you are safe inside. Nothing can affect you.

    Someone dies, and you say, "The soul is immortal." You see a beggar on the road and say,  "Poor man. He is paying for his past actions." You are loathe to give him a paltry two paise! You really have to believe he is suffering from past actions or you would consider yourself partly responsible, which would be a blow to you, so you create a shock absorber. You say, "Poor man, he suffers because of his own actions." And you go on your way. His plight creates no anxiety in you, no worry, no food for thought.
     
    You are very efficient. Your cunningness knows no bounds. The sages attain knowledge by the impact of events, and you use that very impact as a shock absorber. Whatever happens you save yourself. You take great care to protect your ego, the very thing that needs to break.

    INTELLECT IS THE ANVIL; KNOWLEDGE IS THE HAMMER;

    But where is the hammer to descend -- on whose head? Only if you place your own self between the anvil and the hammer can knowledge be created in you.

    Only when you break into fragments -- only then! But you save yourself in a thousand ways.
     
    Nanak says that knowledge is the hammer. Don't use your intellect as a sack or else the sack will grow and grow, while you get smaller and smaller, until one day you'll get lost in your own sack. You will die beneath its weight; that's how pundits and scholars die, crushed under their own knowledge.

    Make your intellect into an anvil and its shine will improve with every experience of life.

    Each blow will cleanse and polish it. If you ask a goldsmith or blacksmith they will tell you that hammers often break as they strike, but the anvil remains intact. The anvil even begins to shine more and more as the hammers break.

    Lao Tzu asked why the anvil does not break. He answered that it is because it bears the blow, and the hammer breaks because it attacks. Aggression always breaks by itself. You need not worry about it, just develop the ability to endure; then every situation that is aggressive, that shakes you up, will make you all the stronger. Ask the goldsmith and he will tell you how many hammers he has broken on his anvil, while the anvil remains intact. Though you would think that the anvil should break after so many blows, what hits breaks itself, while what bears the impact is saved. The secret lies hidden in the anvil.

    Nanak says the intellect is the anvil, so the intellect will not break. Don't be afraid, but make it vulnerable to the blows of experience. Let the blows fall -- as many as life lets fall on your consciousness, so shall you be purified. Make life an adventure. Don't run away from where you think the blows will fall. He who flees is defeated already; he has not accepted the challenge. His anvil will get rusted even if he sits in the Himalayas. Don't be a coward or a deserter but stand up to the challenges of life!

    OM SAI RAM!!!
    अपना साँई प्यारा साँई सबसे न्यारा अपना साँई - रमेश रमनानी

    Offline SS91

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    Re: Some Random Thoughts--- At Baba's Lotus Feet!
    « Reply #25 on: December 12, 2006, 09:57:45 PM »
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  • Writings on Baba's life tend to focus more on his healing powers

    and the miracles he performed.

    But Baba's real mission was to help people rise above bigotry.

    He tried to initiate a thought process that would elevate the human

    spirit to a divine high.

    Jaisairam.



    subhasrini
    OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!
    Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.
    A Person, who has controlled his mind, can achieve any success in his life. How far you are trying to control your mind?
    The mind that judges not others ever remains tension-free.
    http://lh5.ggpht.com/_lOgd1uS-wX0/TCOlFNMxIBI/AAAAAAAAE88/GpxUgxnwioE/why_fear_when_i_am_here.jpg

    Offline SaiServant

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    Re: Some Random Thoughts--- At Baba's Lotus Feet!
    « Reply #26 on: December 12, 2006, 11:18:04 PM »
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  • Jai Sai Ram!!

    Rising above human frailities requires effort and will. Masters show the path, followers may or may not walk on that. The symbolic meaning of a Master's acts and words are reduced to literal. Knowing the meaning of His acts and words may require exertion and patience. But, many may not like to take the pains to understand the deeper meaning of His acts and words. Thus, symbolism gives way to ritualism.

    Baba's apparent behaviour and His methods of interacting with His devotees, as documented in Sai Satcharita, has been reduced to literal, thus mundane. In the absence of a desire to understand what His ways really signified, followers seek His 'miracles' and not His 'grace'.

    Such a phenomenon can be seen not only in Baba's followers, but of every religion today. People twist and distort the teachings of Masters to suit their narrow ends. The essence of the teachings are forgotten under human selfishness.

    Om Sai Ram!!



    « Last Edit: July 23, 2009, 08:21:36 AM by SaiServant »

    Offline OmSaiRamNowOn

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    Re: Some Random Thoughts--- At Baba's Lotus Feet!
    « Reply #27 on: December 13, 2006, 03:28:33 AM »
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  • Jai Sai Ram.

    After Rama's return from Lanka, Kaikeyi, who felt penitent about all that she had done, sought
    Upadesh (spiritual guidance) from Rama to atone for her wrongs. Rama did not give her the
    advice directly, but indicated it indirectly. This is characteristic of all Avatars from ancient times. Avatars seldom give advice directly. What they wish to convey, they give indirectly. The reason is: there is divinity present in each human being and it is by making man realise it that he should be enabled to correct himself. If the correctives are applied directly, man will never try to realise his divinity. The indirect method is used to give to man the capacity to understand his divinity.


    Aum Sai Ram !
    SAI SAI SAI SAI SAI
    SAI SAI SAI SAI
    SAI SAI

    -Anju
    Om Sai Ram !

    -Anju

    "Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear."

    Offline SaiServant

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    Re: Some Random Thoughts--- At Baba's Lotus Feet!
    « Reply #28 on: December 13, 2006, 07:29:04 PM »
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  • Jai Sai Ram!

    A magician once used his power to stop a moving train in Calcutta. As a child, I was so fascinated by the feats of another magician that I tried some tricks at home. Luckily, I was rushed to the doctor and saved. Magic has been tried in almost every society in different ways. It creates effects that inspire human awe, thus has been used to serve some or the other social function.

    Baba did some mysterious things too. We have instances in Sai Satcharita that show His acts that were nothing less than magical.  Can we call Him a magician then?

    Baba's magical feats were "mystical". These were infused with divinity. He didn't do them to impress anyone. His acts were unconscious, mostly unintended. Those acts were like water overflowing a flooded dam. He was a reservoir of supernatural, so it was natural for that to spill out sometime. Baba's mysticism is beyond human understanding, hence divine.

    Modern day "gurus" who create such magical effcts are magicians. They do these feats to impress people. Their feats are motivated by some desire, hence far from divine. It is up to us to stay on guard, otherwise we may be mistaking a magician for "the doctor" [:)]

    Om Sai Ram!!
    Om Sai Ram!!

    « Last Edit: July 23, 2009, 08:22:30 AM by SaiServant »

    Offline SaiServant

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    Re: Some Random Thoughts--- At Baba's Lotus Feet!
    « Reply #29 on: December 13, 2006, 10:45:50 PM »
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  • Jai Sai Ram!!

    It depends on what you understand by the term "Guru"!! For me, my Guru is ONLY Baba Sai!! That does not mean I don't respect and love my parents, teachers and others from whom I also learn!

    Om Sai Ram!!
    Om Sai Ram!!




    « Last Edit: July 23, 2009, 08:23:11 AM by SaiServant »

     


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