PURITY – THE PATH OF THE BUDDHA

On May 5, falls Buddha Poornima – the day celebrating the birth, enlightenment as well as Nirvana of Lord Buddha. As we in Prasanthi Nilayam and people all over the world celebrate this sacred day and reflect upon the Buddha's teachings, let us contemplate on what the Avatar of our age, Bhagawan Baba taught us about this holy commemoration.

 

True wisdom consists in the awareness of the rarity of the individual and the Samashti (collective whole). How can a man who is not aware of his humanness recognize the Divinity within him? Hence the first requisite is the recognition by everyone of his human essence. Basing on this truth, Buddha declared that everyone should cultivate at the outset Samyak Dhrishti (a pure vision). It is only when a person has pure vision that he/she can get rid of impurities in the body, speech and mind. It is this purity that can protect one from invasion of impurities through the eyes and the ears. Hence the first requirement for everyone is Samyak Dhrishti.

 

 

The second quality that is needed is Samyak Sankalpa (pure thoughts). Only the person who has developed purity in vision can have purity in thoughts. The third requirement for every individual, along with purity in vision and thought, is Samyak Karma (pure deeds). Through pure deeds man is able to recognise his human essence. Man is not merely an embodied being. By his capacity for developing good vision, entertaining good thoughts and performing good deeds, he has the power to transform humanness into Divinity.

A fourth requirement for every individual is Samyak Shruthi (listening to sacred words). When one listens to unsacred words he can have only unsacred thoughts. The fifth quality prescribed by Buddha is Samyak Jeevanam (living a pure life). What is meant by "living"? It is not leading a worldly life attached to worldly pursuits. True living means making one's life meaningful by ideal actions. Man's life must be governed by idealism in action.

 

Real Sadhana is to Remove All Impurities from Mind

Next, Buddha declared that everyone should aim at Samyak Sadhana (achievement of the highest good.). Sadhana means elimination of the evil tendencies in man and acquiring good and sacred qualities. True sadhana is the eradication of all evil in a man. Study of sacred texts, meditation and penance do not constitute the whole of sadhana (spiritual exercise). To remove all the impurities in the mind is real Sadhana.

 

True Samadhi and Nirvana

After this comes what Buddha called – Samya Samaadhi or Nirvana (Pure Realisation or Liberation). What is meant by Samadhi? It means treating pleasure and pain, gain and loss alike. Sama - dhi (equal mindedness) is "Samadhi". To look upon light and darkness, pleasure and pain, profit and loss, fame and censure, with an equal mind is Samadhi.

Buddha termed this equal mindedness as Nirvana. It is the recognition of the sacredness of the qualities of all the senses in man that constitutes real humanness. At the very outset, one has to keep the tongue pure. This was referred to as Samyak Vaak (purity in speech). The tongue has to be sanctified by refraining from falsehood, slander and abusive speech…

Happiness is not to be found in any of the things of the world. Everything is fleeting. Man is wasting his life in the pursuit of petty ephemeral pleasures. Nirvana is the only Truth; it is the sense of Oneness with all life. To turn the mind towards that which is permanent is Nirvana.

 

 

It is not enough to read the lives of Avatars and messiahs. Their teachings should be put into practice as much as possible. People must gradually outgrow their material attachments and develop Divine Love. Shuddhodhana tried to protect his son (Buddha) from all external worldly influences by keeping him in the palace and not even sending him to school. What happened ultimately? Buddha decided to renounce everything in quest of the Truth about human existence and he declared Ahimsa (non-harming) as the supreme good.

 

Three Qualities Essential for Every Individual

What is it that people need today? These are three things: A heart, pure and white, like the moon; speech that is soft and sweet like butter; and a face that is loving and kind. These are lacking in the world today. The entire atmosphere is frightening. There is harshness in speech. The heart should be pure and soft like butter. Today, on the contrary, people are hardhearted. Fill your hearts with compassion. Let your speech be sweet and truthful. You will then be truly human.

We are celebrating today Buddha Poornima or Buddha Jayanthi. What does Poornima (full moon) signify? It signifies wholeness. When the mind is filled with love, it achieves fullness. As long as the mind is filled with darkness (evil thoughts) there is no meaning in celebrating Buddha Poornima. Get rid of this darkness. Without the light of love in the heart, what use is there in having illuminations outside? Light the lamp of the Divine in your minds. Banish hatred and envy from your hearts. Man is the victim of two evil planets: attachment and hatred. To escape from their grip, the only way is to cultivate love.

 

- Divine Discourse in Sai Ramesh Hall, Brindavan, on May 15, 1997