Baba's RELIGION OF LOVE immersed us in Sarva Dharma

[Guest guest]

> Jai Sai Ram

>

> My Sai Baba has taught me and made me realise that

> love is the greatest of virtues. I believe there is

> nothing more valuable on earth than Love.

>

> I wish to commemorate His 80th Birthday with

> infinite

> gratitude to Baba for having given me special human

> beings who have since passed on.

>

> Baba exhorts that we must first love our parents,

> then

> our teachers and thirdly God Himself ( Maatha,Pitha,

> Guru, Deivam ). It is not that God is lesser, for

> His

> Love is enshrined in all of us and foremost the

> Divine

> Atma is in our parents and teachers.

> After all we are an intrinsic part of God.

> Our earthly parents are custodians and have been

> given

> the prime responsiblity for our development. They

> are

> held accountable to God who is our actual Father and

> Mother.

> What has touched me most about this Supreme Avatar,

> Sri Sathya Sai Baba, is His Religion of Love that

> encompasses all Great Religions of the world and He

> accords them equal importance.

> I will now share part of my personal life focussing

> on

> how my father, called Papa, has influenced and

> inspired me.

> My beautiful mother was no less in the largesse of

> her

> heart, but it is the magnanimity of a simple,

> ordinary

> man, born and bred a Roman Catholic, who later

> became

> a citizen of the world, that remains a cherished

> memory. He knew and understood the meaning of God's

> Love and practised it. .

> With Bhagawan's Loving Grace, let me share his

> story.

>

> My father was born in 1910 in Sri Lanka, then called

> Ceylon by the British. He led a carefree childhood

> playing in the surf of the Indian Ocean. Intelligent

> and generous but an incorrigibly naughty boy was the

> report of the Headmaster of the village school.

> He played truant preferring the billowy waves and

> was

> a Robin Hood of sorts to the poor village boys.

> Rather

> than complete college, his adventurous spirit

> and love for music drove him to join a travelling

> vaudeville group, much to the chagrin of his widowed

> mother.

> So while in his teens, he was promptly packed off to

> join his elder brothers in Singapore. They had gone

> to

> Singapore in search of fortune and the romance of

> adventure. As he lacked high educational

> qualifications, my father was made to work as an

> office boy in the rough and tumble of the business

> world, in a newly-emerging Singapore.

> Later, he was apprenticed to his brothers.

> Experience was his best teacher.

> As any young man would, he fell in love with a

> lovely

> maiden from his homeland. She was visiting her

> rather

> well-heeled father, also in business. She was in her

>

> teens and the eldest of 8 children. It was

> understandable why her father objected to the eager

> suitor. He was almost 10 years her senior, not rich

> and worse still a Catholic.

> My maternal grandparents came from generations of

> traditional Theravada Buddhists and did not fancy a

> Catholic son-in-law. The vicissitudes of life soon

> set the drama in motion .

> Her father's untimely death brought about by the

> vagaries of business, an ailing mother in Ceylon and

> seven hungry siblings, put my mother in a

> predicament.

> She succumbed to the attention showered on her by

> the

> "knight in shining armour " . Thus he inherited a

> ready-made family.

> Baba reminds us that happiness is sandwiched

> between

> two periods of unhappiness.Not long after, they were

> plummetted into dire circumstances with the Japanese

> invasion of Singapore in 1942. My sister and I were

> War babies and it was my father's labour of love

> that

> kept alive an increasing number of dependants.

> He narrated fascinating anecdotal experiences during

> World War Two and his near-death encounters with the

> ruthles Japanese soldiers. He almost sacrificed his

> own life to save those of brothers-in-law who got

> into

> scrapes.

> However, one story is difficult to match in its

> quality of neighbourliness. It was a time full of

> atrocities. Men were beheaded and women raped.

> With such a backdrop he dared to be a good

> Samaritan.

> My father hid three Chinese maidens in our cupboard,

> just before their father was taken and beheaded. My

> aunt was disguised as a boy. The family was in

> trepidation when soldiers stomped in. My father

> always

> believed that God works wonders. It was indeed a

> miracle when they did not search the house, a common

> practice with them. He had put his whole family in

> jeopardy but his defence was that we were safe in

> God's Hands. Years later, I met the three women,

> who

> were ever grateful to my parents for saving their

> modesty.

>

> His fortunes changed dramatically after the War. He

> joined the Eastern Ship Supply Company in D'Almeida

> Street as a ship chandler. It was run by Mr Ee Seng

> Huat, father of the late Mr Ee Peng Lian , a great

> social worker and philanthropist. Soon my father

> became popular with the ship captains of various

> European countries.

> Meanwhile, he brought up a nephew and another three

> boys displaced by the War. He educated them,

> unselfishly teaching them and a brother-in-law the

> ropes of ship-chandling. Not that he yearned to have

> a

> son because his three daughters were "his most

> precious gems". It was his kindred spirit for the

> less

> fortunate that was the driving force.

> It was during this period that the elderly,

> childless,

> Jewish German couple for whom he had worked before,

> befriended him. They were in the in the shipping

> business. When the husband died, the old wife

> refused

> to return to her relatives in Germany. Instead she

> endearingly referred to my father as her son.

> So she stayed with us to a ripe old age. When she

> died, my father cried. When othere were impatient

> with

> the grumpy, sick and fastidious lady, my father was

> ever so gentle. That was how I attended my first

> Jewish funeral. At her burial,we recited the rosary

> together.

> Jewish people were no strangers to us. I remember

> the

> Synagogue in Waterloo Street where my grand-aunt

> lived. We played in the grounds of the synagogue

> with

> other Jewish children. Sometimes I used to stand

> inside full of awe and fascination at the

> quiet,serene

> but commanding ambience of the interior.

> So what is the colour of love?

> Like in one popular song - if the ebony and ivory of

> the piano key-board can live side by side in perfect

> harmony, why cant't we?

> One of my father's main concerns was that nobody

> should go hungry, be he of any race, caste or creed.

> Thus he had an international circle of friends.

> Ours was a half-way house. While many Sinhala

> Buddhists were concerned about caste, my father

> declared that Jesus had no caste for He loved all

> equally. Baba's message is no different from that of

> Jesus!

> My father believed that there is only one caste,

> the

> caste of humanity. Even whole families with a

> potpourri of colourful backgrounds took shelter in

> our

> sprawling colonial house in the post-war years.

> Gregarious by nature, he loved people and eagerly

> served them.

> He was never a private man. He would sup with the

> gardener, chauffeur, man in rags who came to borrow

> money as he would with a relative, an honoured rich

> guest or business colleague. He never turned any one

> away empty-handed.

> He gave much but received little from his fellow-men

> but this did not matter to him, while we complained

> in

> the background.

> Anyone from Sri Lanka was welcome . Many took undue

> advantage of the ' milk of human kindness' and then

> did the disappearing trick. My father believed that

> happiness was to be shared with others and money was

> not to be stored away.

> One could say, " a fool and his money the sooner

> parted the better". There were parties galore for

> the

> flocks of 'fair-weather' friends .

> As I matured and became introverted, I often

> wondered

> how he could stomach charlatans and tricksters. I

> could understand his friendship with the

> down-trodden.

> But I was confused by his humility, naievety and

> trust

> in people.

> When he was cheated of his money, his business

> under-cut by the very people whom he nurtured, he

> took

> his misfortunes in a stoic manner. I just could not

> fathom him.

> I was in the nascent stage and questions flared up

> into misunderstandings. His simplicity was sometimes

> irritating. He readily forgave the transgressor who

> apologised ( sincerely or otherwise.)

> He would remind us of his favourite prayer , " Our

> father who art in Heaven....forgive us our sins as

> we

> forgive those who sin against us "

> I was idealistic, judgemental and almost

> puritannical.

>

> It took me decades to appreciate ,only after

> Bhagawan

> Baba started directing my life. Then only I realised

> that one of the most beautiful traits of my parents

> is

> that of being non-judgemental. They accepted people

> as

> they were, without trying to change them. You cannot

> change others my father said. Bhagawan teaches us to

> search our own faults, not that of others and change

> within.

> His native Sri Lanka always remained a magnet. He

> often visited his mother, siblings and relatives,

> laden with gifts like Santa Claus. He financed the

> building of homes, got their daughters married and

> sons educated. Not an ambitious man, he never built

> his 'own empire', a power-base, investing money in

> stocks and shares. He did no less for dependants in

> Singapore.His love for God Almighty pervaded all

> else.

>

> I am the product of a Buddhist mother and a Catholic

> father. We had two altars in our home, one in each

> corner of the sitting room. There was Lord Buddha on

> one side, Jesus and Mother Mary on the other.

> It was my Catholic father who instilled discipline

> in

> his daughters and insisted that we recite our

> 'Suttras' or Buddhist prayers every evening. He

> would

> sit and observe us whilst he said his rosary.

> It was SARVA DHARMMA - a harmonious blend of two

> religions. We lit lamps and offered flowers at both

> altars. He taught us religious tolerance and

> appreciation of the beauty of different faiths.

> My mother on the other hand suffered perennial fear

> bordering on being paranoid, that she and her three

> daughters would be baptised by the Church. She was

> wary of the nuns in our Convent School.

> When my father was diagnosed with throat cancer, due

> to excessive smoking, he went to Melbourne for his

> operation. While we feared we would lose him, he had

> unflinching faith in God's benediction. He was right

> and we were wrong.

> Without my knowledge, my Baba's Hands were always at

> work. It was during that traumatic period , my

> mother

> conceded to attend the Novena Church for the Mother

> of

> Perpetual Succour at Thomson Road. Soon it became a

> regular practice. The hymns touched the chords of my

> heart and I found it easy to love Jesus and His

> Mother.

>

> Since the post-war years, the Sri Lankaramaya

> Buddhist

> Temple at St Michael's Road, became the social,

> cultural and religious hub for the Sinhalese

> Diaspora

> overseas.

> My father was an active member in the Sinhala

> community. He helped finance, produce and act the

> first historical stage drama at Victoria Theatre

> show-casing part of the Ceylonese heritage.

> Then came a turning point. With other Sinhalese

> artistes who wrote the lyrics and music for the

> first

> ever Buddhist carols in Singapore, plans were made

> to

> celebrate 2500 years of Lord Buddha's Enlightenment.

> With other patrons, my father worked tirelessly to

> stage a street carol procession on Vesak day in

> 1956.

> Vehicles decorated with flowers, coloured lights and

> floats toured the main streets, homes of patrons and

> most importantly , the home of our second Chief

> Minister of Singapore, the late Mr David Saul

> Marshall, a Jew, who was in power from 1955 - 1956.

>

> Mr Marshall was so impressed and touched by the

> valiant effort of the small Sinhala Buddhist

> Community

> that he declared a public holday for Vesak, the

> following year.

> It was a Catholic who was largely instrumental for

> this historical achievment for the Buddhist

> community.

> His passion, enthusiasm and relentless eforts had

> paid

> off. Above all, it was his love of humanity.

>

> Modest by nature, he remained in the background

> whilst

> officials accepted kudos. He was a true pioneer. To

> me

> an usung hero, a legendary figure. Above all, only

> now

> do I recognise multiple facets of Baba's teachings

> in

> his life. I pale in comparison! There is so much for

> me to learn!

>

> My husband was first initiated as a Shirdi Baba

> devotee in 1969 when he was studying at the Poona

> Film

> Institute.

> In 1977, my husband, son and I first visited

> Brindavan

> at Whitefiled, to see our Kali Yuga Avatar Bhagawan

> Shree Satya Sai Baba.

> My father listened in amazement, without cynical

> remarks, about this unique Avathar. As we had

> already

> started attending Bhajans, he a non-Baba devotee,

> wanted to have a Bhajan at his home. As it was his

> style, he built a large tent and the Bhajan was

> conducted with great flourish as my parents invoked

> His blessings.

> However, they were happy with their own faiths and

> Baba never became the focus of their lives. Does not

> our Baba reiterate that " All forms are mine..." and

> He has come to transform us, not to convert. He

> truly

> is Omnipresent, Omniscient and Omnipotent.

>

> My parents had married at the Civil Registry. Then,

> the church was strict and frowned on marriages

> between

> a Catholic and a non-Catholic. So my father was

> ex-communicated from the church for years. He never

> atended Mass at church or took Holy Communion. He

> knew

> he would never be granted extremunction - the last

> rites given to a Catholic before death. He never

> complained about physical ailments or losses in

> business but something else bothered him.

> He felt ostracised by the church and there was a

> need

> for spiritual fulfilment in the faith he was born

> into.

> My elder sister and I observed his sadness. We

> talked

> to him about attending Mass again. It took few

> months

> to counsel my mother and dispel her fears. She

> finally

> relented, empathised with her husband and agreed to

> have their marriage ( union) blessed by a Catholic

> priest. Father Pang, assured her she would not be

> converted.

> It was in the early 1970s ( I forget the exact year

> )

> , that three daughters witnessed the marriage of

> their

> parents according to the Catholic faith. My elder

> sister and I, married adults, signed as witnesses.

> The

> simple but meaningful ceremony, packed with emotion,

> was conducted by the Catholic Priest by the altar in

> our home. My father, who believd that God would

> never

> fail him, displayed unbridled happiness for he felt

> he

> did the right thing before God. We shared his joy.

>

> I seldom saw him complain or being bitter for he

> always praised God for giving him good innings in

> life. When business went down and many friend

> vapourised and abandoned him, he would still smile.

> His faith in God never wavered.

> In 1984, the magnificent statue of Our Lady of

> Fatima

> (from Portugal ) was making Her rounds in the homes

> of

> Singapore Catholics, chosen by the church. My

> father's

> home was also chosen. It was an unparalleled honour

> to

> him. The statue was kept in the home of devotees for

> seven days and venerated. Members of the church and

> well-wishers would congregagte at home every evening

> for a Novena.

> My father was delirious with excitement by her

> Divine

> Presence. Exactly seven days afte the "Lady" left

> his

> home, my father also left us. He died.

> He had suffered a heart attack and was critically

> ill

> in hospital. He had a premonition of death, when he

> took off his wedding ring and gave it to me. I knew

> then! The responsibility of looking after my mother

> fell on my husband and me.

> That fateful morning, my mother and I were walking

> to

> his ward when we were given the dreaded news.....

> doctors were trying to resuscitate him. She fainted

> but a strange courage overwhelmed me. I now know who

> gave me that courage. My Baba! I held tightly my

> Papa's hand, while doctors almost cracked his ribs,

> thumping his chest. All through those nightmarish

> minutes, I recited " Hail Mary full of Grace..."

> into

> his ears as he choked for breath. Then I came face

> to

> face with Death.

>

> My parents and my husband had become great friends.

> He

> was truly the son they never had.

> He is also a staunch Buddhist. His grandfather

> brought

> the first Theravada Buddhist monk to Singapore and

> his

> parents set up the first Buddhist temple in Outram

> Road. Yet, as he associated with my father, his love

> too crossed all religious barriers.

> He made all the arrangements for a Catholic

> cremation

> and my father's ashes were later interred at St

> Teresa's Church. Half of the massive crowd who

> attended his funeral were strangers. Many related a

> story of how this humble man, sometimes mistaken to

> be

> the gardener of a wealthy home, had helped them. He

> never told us!

> The Catholic priest who came to conduct the

> ceremony

> at Mt. Vernon was surprised to see a line of yellow-

> clad Buddhist monks.

> They too conducted a service and extolled his Virtue

> of METTA (Loving -kindness). Papa was unique. It was

> Baba's Sarva Dharmma set in motion!

> I grieved long and pined for my father. In-between

> passing merit to his departed spirit the Buddhist

> way,

> I never forgot his rosary. My life was intertwined

> with the beads.

> Then one night it happend. I was awakened suddenly

> by

> a strange presence. Beside me, by the bed, stood the

> apparition of a tall, most lovely Lady, in soft blue

> and white. For a few seconds, I saw compassionate

> love

> in her eyes as she looked down at me, before

> disappearing. She had come with the message of

> Eternal

> Love. Why was I grieving?? She was an exact replica

> of

> the statue my father venerated in his house. It is

> in

> my house now. I had reverentially brought it to my

> house after he died.

> After eight years, my beloved mother also died

> suddenly and unexpectedly. I was devastated. This

> time, my husband tried extremely hard to convince

> the

> Chief Priest of St Teresa's Church at Kampong Bahru

> to

> allow my mother's ashes to be interred in the niche

> where my father's ashes rested. She was a

> non-Catholic

> and it was going against normal procedure. However

> God

> is merciful. He intervened.

> The priest acceded to our unique request. The

> remains

> of a Buddhist lady, who was afraid that she would be

> forced to convert, now rests in the grounds of a

> Catholic church!

> I grieved my loss, visiting the Church frequently.

> What finally weaned me off my grief this time was

> the

> Buddha's Dharma on non-attachment, craving and Maya-

> the illusion of life.

>

> Bhagwan Baba now guides me and gives me the comfort

> of

> parental love. I know I have loved HIM through many

> Samsaric journeys. He has stablilised my emotions

> and

> removed some cob-webs from my eyes.

> Last year, as I was recuperating on a hospital bed,

> a

> nurse and an Evangelist gingerly knocked on the

> door,

> wanting to know my religion. I smiled and responded,

>

> "Religion of Love."

> They were perturbed and my husband was amused. To

> put

> them at ease, I confessed - " I am a Buddhist but it

> is only a brand name....". They left quickly.

> As a child I studied Buddhism in the Sunday Dhamma

> School and went on to teach the Sunday school

> children. Later, I taught Buddhism as Religious

> Knowledge to GCE O level students.

> My education began in the Convent of the Holy

> Infant

> Jesus from primary school to GCE Advanced level.

> Susequently, as a professional graduate teacher, I

> taught in my Alma Mater. I felt honoured when the

> nuns

> trusted me to teach Bible Knowldege, also a GCE O

> level examination subject then.

> The door of my heart remains open.

> I have worshipped Lord Muruga, Krishna and other

> Hindu

> Gods and Goddesses. I have felt the same Divine

> Bliss

> in number of mosques, the Bahai temple, the

> synagogue,

> befriended Zorastrians and knelt at many a church.

> I may have preferred at one time the practicality,

> logic and science supporting Buddhism to the mystery

> of the Creator and blind faith.

> Now I know," I was always in the embrace of Bhagwan

> Baba's love.

> I have gone full circle.

> The building blocks of my life now have a firmer

> foundation.If I honestly love Baba then I must be

> able

> to see him in another, discounting any obnoxious

> quality I think the person has. Above all, I must

> change and love myself as He resides in the temple

> of

> my heart. Ever since I started to love the Atma in

> me,

> I am a happier person. Each time I fail and fall ,He

> picks me up and extends His Hand to comfort me.

> It was in 2004 ( after 26 long, long years) that

> Baba

> invited me again to get a closer look at Him and be

> in

> His physical presence. To date, I have seen Him 5

> times and enjoyed the nectar of His Darshans. I used

> to think the 26 years were so wasted as I did not

> get

> the opportunity to see Him. No, not now! I realise

> He

> has been with me all the while, carrying me with his

> invisible Hands through problems, illness and many

> an

> extremely tough and excruciatingly painful times.

> My Papa, as any human being ,had moles and warts in

> his character, but I choose to see only the good in

> him. That Baba has taught me.

> I love you my Baba. You are my Mother, my Father

> and

> above all my Best Friend. I have no greater Treasure

> than YOU.

> NANDALALA

>

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Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005