Sri Sathya Sai Speaks

Embodiments of Love - students, boys, and girls! You can call yourself a student only when you know the significance of education. Education does not mean mere acquisition of bookish knowledge. Many are experts in bookish knowledge. Many have become educational wizards and scholars. What is the service these intellectuals are doing to the world? Having been born and brought up in society, having acquired their knowledge from society, what have they done for society? What is the use of their scholarship and education if they do not show their gratitude to society?

Sri Aurobindo once told the students of Calcutta University, “Students! Why do you acquire this knowledge? Is your learning only for your selfish ends? You have acquired all these skills expense of society. If you do not repay your debt to your community by using your talent for society, it is better you burn your books.” Today, science has achieved great advancement. Many scientific and technological disciplines are taught to students. Is this knowledge imparted by society for the benefit of society or for the name and fame of the students? Having become great intellectuals, is there any genuine transformation in them?

Churchill once said, “Man has conquered all, but he has not conquered himself.” Scientific education of today teaches one everything about the external world, leaving out the knowledge of the Self. The entire effort of man is now concentrated on knowing everything about the external world. All this is mere material and physical knowledge. The learned man today knows all about the external world but nothing about his own reality.

True relationship is that which you establish with your inner self. Everyone asks the question, “Who are you?” But nobody seems to be interested in putting the question to himself,

“Who am I?” The answer to the first question is related to the physical aspect of your personality, while the second relates to the spiritual aspect Human excellence will blossom only when the relationship and balance between the physical and the spiritual aspects is intimately established. Physical knowledge is negative, while spiritual knowledge is positive. Humanness blossoms when the positive is blended with the negative. The purpose of education is to produce this happy blend of the physical and spiritual knowledge and help human excellence to blossom. Thus, the aim of education is total development of man.

Man should be transformed to become compassionate. Of what use is education that does not melt the heart of the student to the plight of others? Modern secular education is making man hard-hearted. Just as you try hard to sharpen your intellect, you should broaden your heart also. If this fact is not realized, of what use is your intelligence and learning? With proper education, both the mind and heart should be transformed.

In this sacred land of Bharat, great sages have been making many changes and modifications in the education system since ancient times. Before the coming of foreigners, there were very few educational institutions in this country. Each of them specialized in one branch of knowledge or the other and helped the students to achieve excellence in that branch.

Kasi (Benaras) University specialized in the study of grammar. Alankara Sastra (rhetoric) was the specialty in Kashmir University. Ujjaini University specialized in mathematics. Similarly, there was a small town known as Navadvipa where nyaya (logic) was the specialty. Amaravati, the capital of the kingdom of Bharata (brother of Rama), specialized, apart from other sciences, in ayurveda (medicine). Ayurveda was a specialty in the Takshashila (Taxila) University also. One of the most famous universities of ancient India was Nalanda, which specialized in grammar, nyaya, medicine, and yoga sastra. Valabhi, Mithila, and Vikramasila were other well-known universities of ancient India.

In all these universities, apart from the specific disciplines, general ethics and proper moral conduct in life were essential part of the curriculum.

Sathya (truth) and dharma (righteousness) were the guiding principles for all students. Besides, vocational training for various trades like carpentry, pottery, blacksmithy, etc. was given so that the pupils may be trained for life and may become capable of earning their livelihood in a righteous way.

What is the point in learning subjects that are not useful in daily life? Learning professional skills is therefore essential. Fine arts like music, dance, and drama were also taught in these universities. Amaravati University included in its curriculum all these subjects and their branches. Careful investigation indicates that there were only nine or ten such universities in those days.

Today, there are hundreds of universities. But what is the knowledge that is being imparted in all these institutions? What service do they render to society? What evidence is there that they serve the interests of society? With the growth of modern scientific and technological studies, the true aim of education, i.e. knowledge of the Self, has declined.

Vidya is termed Education. What is the root meaning of Education? The word is derived from the Latin root educare. What does it mean? It means to bring out what is inside. What has to be brought out?

Every form of knowledge and capacity is latent in man. He is endowed with all types of potentialities - physical, mental, spiritual, and ethical. The true aim of education is to make explicit the innate powers of man. These are of two types. One relates to the knowledge of external things, and the organ that manifests this power is the head (brain). The organ that enables one to bring out the inner knowledge is the heart. The former relates to physical existence while the latter to higher learning or living in its true sense. Life will become ideal only when both these types of knowledge are made to manifest in harmony.

The knowledge emanating from the head, viz. reading, writing, etc., helps you to earn a living. All this is mere bookish knowledge. From pusthaka (books), it enters the masthaka (head). It is only superficial knowledge, that which has gone into books from someone’s head and back into another’s head from the books (from masthaka to pusthaka and pusthaka to masthaka).

Apart from this bookish knowledge, one must have general knowledge. Besides, one must attain knowledge of discrimination, which helps one to discriminate between good and bad and right and wrong. But above all, one should attain practical knowledge, which comes only after getting the knowledge of discrimination.

Due to his obsession with external knowledge, man today is immersed in self-interest and forgets his responsibilities to society. When you engage yourselves in the welfare of society, your welfare is automatically ensured.

There are hundreds of thousand wealthy and learned persons in the world. But they are all engaged in selfish activities. Do you find anyone who has put the interests of society above self-interest? In fact, they confer prestigious awards and honors on those persons who are engaged in selfish pursuits and seek their own advancement. It is apparent that they do not know the real meaning of education.

Persons with numerous degrees are thought to be highly educated. Such proliferation of degrees is mere quantitative attainment. But what we need is quality. One teaspoonful of cow’s milk is better than barrels of donkey’s milk.

That is why in olden days, each university specialized in one area of knowledge and imparted the knowledge of the highest quality to its students. The university in Kasi (Benaras) specialized in grammar in all its manifold aspects so that the acquired knowledge could become useful and practical in dayto-day life. The Amarakosa - probably first of existing lexicons in Sanskrit - was a subject of study and even through this study of grammar the teachers of those days were preparing their students for Amaratva (immortality). In these universities, each student was himself a great scholar.

Who were the teachers? Often, the resident preceptor was himself the faculty and indeed the Vice Chancellor. The whole process of education was carried out independently, without any interference or control by any government or other agency. Saraswathi, the goddess of learning, was honored and given complete freedom. The students received her boundless grace to attain high standards of excellence.

Generally, the teachers did not take any salaries for teaching, nor did the students pay any fees. There was no fixed timetable for the teaching; the preceptor taught as and when he was so inclined, as the spirit moved him. He might wake up a student at night and impart knowledge. Irrespective of his own convenience, he would clarify the doubts of his students.

And where were all these instructions carried on? The classes were held in natural environment on the banks of holy rivers, under shady trees, or in temple verandahs in a pure and sacred atmosphere.

Today’s education requires huge edifices. An enormous number and variety of equipments and implements are necessary, and huge effort, physical and monetary, is required for these. There were no such requirements of equipments or grand buildings those days. Even in the famous universities like Ujjaini and Takshashila, there were no large buildings or edifices like those of today.

There is no comparison between the teachers and students of those days and those of present times. Today, there are textbooks galore and numerous ‘notes’ thereon, but there are few that study. In the days of yore, there was no paper or ink. Teaching was carried out by oral communication from the teacher. The students were so receptive that they absorbed all instructions and retained them in their memory. Words emanating from the heart of the preceptor were imprinted on the hearts of the students.

Students today cannot remember what they have studied just an hour earlier. Why are the students of today so short of memory? The students today have a wavering mind, which is the cause of their short memory and poor retentive power.

Education in those days included the techniques of controlling the mind. Only when the mind is under control is it possible to absorb and retain the subject of study. That is why it is said, Manah eva manushyanam karanam bandhamokshayo (the mind is responsible for both the bondage and liberation of man).

This eternal truth has been forgotten today. The practice of compassion and love is absent in daily life. Without these eternal values, of what use is your education? It is therefore necessary to include these ancient values in our modern education system.

There is no harm in acquiring modern education and skills, but the blossoming of your heart is the fundamental education. A noble heart and a broad mind are your basic requirements; do not stray into narrow-mindedness. You should expand your love. If you narrow it down to yourself, then it will become contraction love. Instead you should have expansion love. This is the principle taught by our ancient culture. Forgetting this valuable ancient tradition of Bharat, you are engaged in acquiring physical and material education.

What are going to achieve? You have to manifest all those ancient values in your life. These values are not something that can be acquired from outside; they are all in you. Your effort should be to make them manifest.

Modern scientists have dug deep into the earth and made explicit several potent capacities that are resident inside the earth. By such indiscriminate acts, they are disturbing the balance of the earth and exposing the world to great danger. This imbalance has grown to such an extent that it can threaten the very existence of the world.

Today we almost worship science and technology. What is this science and technology that you are so proud about? All this knowledge is already within you. Proper enquiry and discrimination will reveal all these truths to you.

Any student of elementary chemistry will say that water is formed by combining two parts of hydrogen and one part of oxygen. You even know how to synthesize them. But are you making enough effort to see that water is evenly distributed to all the members of the society?

The welfare of society should be constantly in your view. If all your knowledge and skill is employed for purely selfish purposes, what is the use?

In Mumbai, some people are spending crores of rupees to convert sea water into potable water. Crores are being wasted in such futile efforts. By such methods, you may get a glass of drinking water at a cost of about five thousand rupees. This country is served by sacred rivers like the Ganga and the Yamuna. What is needed is to pump up and distribute this water to the people who require it. This will require only a fraction of the cost of converting seawater into potable water. This kind of effort at technology is like buying peanuts for a quarter of a rupee and paying half a rupee to carry it to your house. Such learning is not knowledge. It is sheer ignorance.

Ignorance is very close to knowledge, just as darkness is under a source of light. You imagine that technical knowledge has made rapid strides. You also believe that science has made great progress. But the fact is that side by side with the growth of physical knowledge, ignorance has also grown enormously. You are totally unmindful of this ignorance, and are continually spending four times the money and effort for fulfilling each one of your needs. This is the reason for Bharat’s visible poverty.

Along with intellectual acumen, you must have the right virtues. Good behavior, good intellect, commitment to truth, devotion, discipline, sense of duty - these are the six aims of education. Who is teaching all these today?

We find that students are heroes in bookish knowledge and zeroes in practice. This is not true education. You have to become heroes in practice as well. You are writing a large number of good books and giving discourses to spread the message of love and service. It is not enough if these are propagated; you should put into practice what you learn. Only then will you be blissful.

Modern education does not fulfil the aim of life. You gather graduate and postgraduate degrees, but these are mere burdens on your minds. What comfort do you derive from these degrees? Nothing whatsoever! Penniless, illiterate persons go to sleep without a care in the world. But educated persons with many degrees to their credit, acquired at great cost, wander about hunting for a job, almost facing starvation.

Education is not solely for the purpose of earning a living. It must lead you to experience bliss. Of what use are the job and the wealth if there is no happiness? Man is in constant search for wealth. Just as the earth revolves round the sun, man is going round money. Even a beggar can get money. Is that sort of income worth acquiring?

Virtue is the wealth that you should go after. In the absence of virtue, wealth merely makes you bloat with pride and ostentation, destroys your humanness, and eclipses your human values. Studying to get a degree, getting a job, running a family - all these are worldly activities, emanating from the head.

What should a learned person bring out? He should manifest the qualities of compassion, love, forbearance, peace, kindness, etc., which come from the heart. But, today, there is no compassion, there is only fashion. It is very important to have compassion. You should respect and love all your fellowmen and serve your parents. Parents undergo many privations and difficulties to give you the facilities for acquiring good education.

You know how difficult it is to get good education these days. It is only in our university that you have the privilege of free education. Anywhere outside, it costs ten to twenty thousand rupees to put a child in the First Standard. For graduate courses, you know what the monthly expense is. Who bears this cost? Is it not your parents? Out of love for you, with your welfare, progress, and future prosperity in mind, they undergo many difficulties, wearing themselves out day after day so that you may achieve academic success. You are just not mindful of all this.

Today, you are a student. Tomorrow, you may be a parent. Unless you respect your parents today, your children will not respect you tomorrow. If you respect your friends and fellow students, they will also respect you.

It is imperative that you imbibe divine qualities. You should grow up as an intelligent, sensible, and compassionate person with human qualities. Otherwise, you cannot achieve the purpose of human life. Instead, if you join evil company and take to all sorts of vices, you will dissipate all your acquired good education in worthless ways. Seek good company. Tyaja durjana samsargam, bhaja sadhu samagamam, kuru punyam ahoratram (abandon bad company, seek the company of good people, perform good actions day and night). This is the proper way. By evil association you also become evil. That is why it is said, “TeIl me your company and I shall tell you what you are.” Make friends after proper enquiry. You must love all. Do not hate anybody. But you must keep in your heart good people only. Similarly, mere bookish learning is fruitless unless it is put to practical use.

Craftsmen like carpenters, potters, and blacksmiths were able to lead successful life in olden days. Today there is no connection between institutional education and practical vocation. Take the simple matter of washing clothes. Why can’t you wash your own clothes? Such savings can be put to more sacred purposes like helping a needy person. Money should not be wasted.

Tread the path of purity, humility, divinity and set an example to the world. When people extol you as a student of Sathya Sai Institutions by your exemplary conduct, how much good reputation is earned not only by you but also by your Alma Mater! Be sure to uphold your own dignity and respect. Only then can your parent institution have a good reputation. Otherwise, it will become a case of empty pocket, bare face, and shaven head! (A Telugu saying signifying total ruin.) Keep your parents and family happy Never mind whether your stomach is full or empty, but keep your parents and family happy. Speak gently and properly with them. That is why I say, “You cannot always oblige, but you can always speak obligingly.” Nowadays, it is difficult to make out whether a student is talking to his own parents or strangers, because his manner of talking to parents is so reprehensible. If the father is not highly educated and approaches his son with an enquiry, “My boy, what are you doing?” mostly he is shrugged off with “Go away, don’t bother me.” Instead of this, if you speak sweetly with humility, “Father, I am trying for a job,” how pleased he will be! If you can’t please your own parents, how on earth will you please society?

What was the nature of convocation in olden days? After completing their studies, the pupils made appropriate offerings to the preceptor and prayed for his parting advice. Then, the preceptor used to advise them, “My children, now you are ready to go back to your families. Support your parents, get married and lead a righteous life.” What is the state of affairs today? When children get back home from the educational institutions, they do not treat their parents properly. But the parents still take care of their children, putting up with all their misbehavior. Modern students do not have even an iota of our culture. What a sacred tradition it is! Loka samasta sukhino bhavantu (May the entire world enjoy bliss) is the prayer that our culture enjoins us to utter each day.

There was an old man who followed his rituals strictly and performed his prayers (Sandhya Vandanam) in the prescribed manner early in the morning and at sunset. He had a grandson who used to sit in the verandah doing his day’s homework, dipping his pen in the inkbottle every time he wrote a few lines. As he was busy with his study, his grandfather came out and sat on a little stool and started chanting the mantras, “Kesavaya Namah, Madhavaya Namah, Govindaya Namah," etc. Taking water from a little vessel, he sipped half a spoonful at a time with each mantra as per the ritual.

The modern lad stopped his study and started watching his grandfather. He started thinking, what a foolish thing his grandfather was doing! If he wanted to drink water why did he not drink it all in one gulp straight from the vessel? He stopped his work and asked his grandfather, “Grandfather, why are you drinking water sip by sip? Why don't you drink it in one gulp from the vessel if you are thirsty?” The old man was an intelligent person and knew the modern mind. He said, “My boy, you do your work in your way, I shall do mine in my way.” But modern lads have the habit of arguing with elders. So, the boy questioned his grandfather again.

When pestered further by his grandson, the old man shot back, “You simpleton, you dip your pen in the ink bottle every time you write a few words; why don’t you just pour the bottle of ink over the paper and be done with it?” Then the boy realized his mistake of arguing with his grandfather.

The grandfather continued, “Dear boy, you have to dip the pen in ink to write every word. Only then will it be neat. When I chant a mantra and take water, it reaches the particular deity whose name is chanted. When you write a letter and write address correctly on the cover, it will reach the right person. Similarly, the mantras are addressed to the respective deities. If you don't understand, you should keep quiet.” Instruction was given in an informal and interesting way in those days. Today’s students neither know their own job nor understand the work of others. This kind of general knowledge has to be acquired by direct experience, not from any institutional study. Hence, try seriously to understand the significance of your ancient culture.

What are present-day scientists and technologists are doing? Have they any idea? They assert that all that is on the earth is for the use and exploitation by man. Indiscriminate mining of all kinds of minerals and ores is carried on for socalled benefit of mankind. The earth is spherical. Systematic removal of material from one side causes imbalance as the other side becomes heavy. It is divine dispensation that maintains balance. This balance should not be disturbed. The loss of balance is the cause of earthquakes and other natural disasters.

Man is not only causing imbalance on the earth, he is polluting the oceans with industrial and urban waste. Water pollution has reached a stage where people are forced to drink polluted water.

Science helps you to develop and sharpen your intellect. There are many scientists; many of you are also students of science. You must know that knowledge that comes from within is at the top level. At the second level is skill; at the third is balance; and at the fourth is insight. Swami tells you to convert your knowledge into skill, not to kill it. When knowledge is killed, imbalance ensues. Why is there such loss of balance in the world today? This is because you have killed your God-given knowledge instead of turning it into skill.

Past is past. Forget the past. Do not worry over the future, since it is uncertain. Live in the present. The present is not just ordinary present, it is omnipresent. The future is the consequence of the present. The present is the consequence of the past. The tree of the past gives the seed of the present, which grows into the tree of the future.

Between the tree of the past and the tree of the future, the present is the seed, which is of utmost significance. It gets sustenance from neethi (morality). Without neethi, manava jathi (the human race) is bound to be ruined, and even its existence is impossible. Manava jathi (human race) is a balanced blend of truth, morality, and sacrifice. But we are failing to recognize the sacredness of human nature. Amongst all beings, birth as a human being is the rarest (Jantunam narajanma durlabham). Loss of this humanness in man is the cause of chaotic conditions in the world.

I said the other day, “Sathyam bruyat, priyam bruyat, na bruyat sathyamapriyam (speak the truth, speak sweetly, do not speak unpalatable truth).” This mode of living is true sacrifice. Who can assert that he is treading strictly this path?

Some people make fun of the Brahmins when they chant mantras. Each mantra is potent, and all our ancient traditions are meaningful. A small example. There is a wedding going on. These days you have elaborately decorated pandals or shamianas. Those days they had no such elaborate external decoration. Just four posts were put up, covered over for shade with green leaves and branches, and the people used to sit under the shade to carry out the rituals.

Even now, on holy days, we hang mango leaves on our doors and gates. It is not merely a sign of auspiciousness; it provides healthy environment too. The sudden influx of a large number of guests causes an increase in carbon dioxide. The green leaves help in reducing the carbon dioxide level and increase the oxygen in the place. Some people may ask why we should have green leaves; will plastic leaves not be better? Can the plastic leaves and flowers absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen?

Dear Students! You should try to understand the inner significance of your cultural heritage. Swami never says you should not have modern education. Why would Swami make such an inhibition? All that is said is that along with this worldly study, pursue also an enquiry into the principle of your Self (Atma Tattwa). This was the basis of the ancient education system.

You know, Krishna and Kuchela were taught in the forest. The friendship developed during that study was long lasting. Today there is no true friendship. If you have money in your pocket, there will be many who will be hailing you, “hello, hello.” If there is no money, then “hello” becomes “hollow”, and all friends desert you. Is this friendship?

True friendship is like a single life embodied in two bodies.

Your effort should be to acquire friendship like this. While making friends, do not hate anybody. Do not harm anybody. Bhagavan wants that you should all acquire education of this kind, with broad-mindedness and purity, and become a model for humanity. This is My benediction for you.

Dear Students! As long as you are here, you are safe and secure. When you get back to your homes, you are assailed by various distractions like television, video, cinema, etc. All these pollute your hearts.

The programs on the television are very attractive, but you must realize that they are shown to you not for your gain but for the gain of sponsors and advertisers. Watch only such programs that are related to education, or those dedicated to moral values. TV has, in fact, become a disease of modern times. So, it is not TV but TB (tuberculosis). If there are no moral thoughts in you, what will happen when such programs are watched?

If you have leisure, take a walk. Don't sit in front of a TV set. You become so addicted that when someone intervenes, you lose your temper. Even the sound from the kitchen disturbs you, where your mother is busy making dinner for you. Why don’t you get up to help her and make her happy? This is the main principle of our culture: Help ever, Hurt never.

Acquire big degrees, achieve fame. No harm. Go abroad, earn money and reputation; nothing wrong in that. But never forget your own culture. Don’t criticize the cultures of others. Wherever you are, make your life an ideal for others. Speak pleasantly. Do good deeds. Then you will be a good person.

Do not strive to acquire the status of a great man. Always strive to become a good man. Great men may do many evil deeds, but the acts of a good man stand out as ideals for others always. Ravana was a great man. Rama is the example par excellence of a good man. Both had mastered the same studies: but how different were their natures! Ravana, though endowed with extraordinary learning, was himself destroyed and was the cause of the destruction of his entire clan, because of one bad quality of desire. Hiranyakasipu, the master of all the five elements, was ruined by his evil quality of anger. Duryodhana was ruined by greed. He refused to give even five villages to the Pandavas.

All these persons not only destroyed themselves, they were the cause of the utter destruction of their entire clans. Even one evil trait is enough to cause ruin. Then imagine how much worse a fate one will be faced with if one has all six evil qualities of lust, anger, greed, pride, envy, and hatred!

When you see an evil person, you will become aware of your own bad qualities. When you see a good man, your own goodness will come to your mind. Thus, your good or bad qualities have intimate common relationship with others. All men are bound together by their innate common qualities. It is necessary to unify all humanity. When such unity is achieved, then the divinity immanent in human beings will manifest.

Do not make friends indiscriminately. Always enquire into the good and evil in your fellowmen and then choose your company. While helping, you need not discriminate. Help anybody in need. Earn a good name for your institution by your reputation as a good person. That alone will make Bhagavan happy.

There are no fees for the various facilities in the Sathya Sai institutions. You have complete peace in the absence of all fees. In other places, there are fees of many kinds. Paying out fees here, fees there, fees for this and fees for that, where is the room for peace? You only go to pieces.

Lead a peaceful life. Be good. Be a model for society. This is the gift of Bhagavan to all of you today. Do not forget God. God is your very life. Keep God in your heart and serve the society. You are bound to succeed in all your endeavors. Bhagavan wishes all of you to lead lives full of bliss.

Today, Dr. Goldstein is the Chief Guest. Since he is a familiar figure here, do not take him for granted. He is no ordinary person. He does not lack wealth. Nor is he short of academic distinctions. He is quite well known. He is the Chairman of the American Medical Council. Very few here have all the qualities that he has.

It is not for any of the material things like wealth, fame or health that he comes here. It is for the sake of the bliss he experiences here that he comes so frequently. When Bhagavan asked him, Goldstein replied that he found bliss here in Prasanthi Nilayam that was not there in America. You know he is a rich man. If he wanted his son to be married in grand style, he could have done it in America. His son was to be married to the daughter of a well-known film star who is also a rich person. But Goldstein does not bother about grandness and greatness, he is concerned only with goodness. The film star brought her daughter and Goldstein his son, and the marriage was performed in that little interview room of Bhagavan. The couple is happily living together.

His second son insisted that Swami perform his marriage,

too. For many years, Bhagavan delayed the decision. Finally, Swami asked Dr. Goldstein to bring his son here. Swami found a suitable bride for him from an ideal and well-to-do family. The marriage was again performed here.

In olden days, girls used to cry a lot while leaving their parents’ homes after the marriage. Unlike modem girls, this girl also cried for Swami while departing from here, I told her not to cry and to come again with a child.

Both the sons of Goldstein are very good. Their goodness is in fact a consequence of their association with the Sai Organization. Their wives are also very good.

Goldstein does everything according to the commands of Bhagavan. He is in charge of the Sai Organizations of several countries, including that of America. He is a good, devoted, and disciplined worker. As a loyal member of the Sai Organization, he has the three sacred qualities: duty, discipline, and devotion.

Emulate him and follow these three qualities and become ideal models in your lives. Earn a good name. Make your parents happy; do not neglect them under any circumstances. If you disobey your parents, remember you may face the same fate when you become parents. Be good, see good, and do good. This is the way to God.