Buddha's Gospel of the Good Life(THE FIVE HUMAN VALUES)

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Buddha's Gospel of the Good Life

 

In Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's own words

Compiled by Rameesh & Ananda Kasturi

 

 

Offered with lots of love and happiness at the Lotus feet of our beloved Swami,

on the occassion of Buddhapoornima on 30.05.1999

 

 

 

Contents

I. CHILDHOOD

II. BUDDHA'S TEACHINGS

III. UNDER THE BODHI TREE

 

IV. THE NOBLE TRUTH TAUGHT BY BUDDHA

V. LAST MOMENTS OF THE ENLIGHTENED ONE

VI. THE DHAMMAPADA, THE VEDAS AND SATHYA SAI BABA

VII. THE BRAHMIN - A POEM

 

VIII. THE FIVE HUMAN VALUES

 

IX. SATHYA SAI ABOUT SATHYA SAI AND 'SANATHANA DHARMA'

X. USEFUL INFORMATIONS

XI. BIBLIOGRAPHY

XII. INDEX OF QUOTATIONS

 

VIII. THE FIVE HUMAN VALUES

Contents

NON-VIOLENCE (AHIMSA):

"Let him not cause to be destroyed, or destroy any life whatsoever, or sanction the acts of those who destroy. Let him refrain from hurting the smallest creature, both those who are strong and those that tremble in this world."36

BUDDHA

"If you conquer your enemy by force, you increase his enmity. Conquer by love, and no sorrow will result."37

BUDDHA

"Let anger be overcome by love, evil by good. Let the greedy be overcome by generosity, the liar by truth."38

BUDDHA

"Should anyone insult you...should beat you with his fist or hurl clods of earth at you, or whip you, or deal you a blow with a sword - set aside all worldly desires, all worfdly considerations and train yourself thus: "My heart shall remain steadfast. I shall not utter one word, I shall remain compassionate of others. I shall not entertain resentment. I shall practise kindness."39

BUDDHA

"Ahimsa does not mean merely not injuring a living being. You should not cause hurt even by a word, a look or a gesture. Tolerance, fortitude, equanimity - they help you to be steady in Ahimsa. They will remove all chance of your causing pain to others. This is called 'sahana' (forbearance) or 'kshama' (forgiveness). Assess the worth of whatever others do to you or say about you, and cultivate fortitude and the understanding to appreciate their behaviour and pardon their faults. This capacity is as invaluable as truth, righteousness, wisdom, nonviolence, renunciation, delight and compassion. It is all that one need possess for spiritual advancement." 40

 

S.S.B.

LOVE (PREMA): "Let a man love the whole world with unstinted heart."41

 

BUDDHA

"Harbouring love in his heart for all things in the world, practising virtue for the benefit of others, this man alone knows happiness." 42

BUDDHA

"Should a man live a hundred years and devote the whole of his time in religious offerings to the gods, sacrificing horses, elephants and other things; this will not equal one act of pure love in saving a life." 43

BUDDHA

"When that Prema (Love) is tainted by selfishness, it cannot illumine at all. Self is loveless-ness; Love is selfless-ness. Self gets and forgets; Love gives and forgives. Love can never entertain the idea of revenge, for it sees all others as One-self. When the tongue is hurt by the teeth, do you seek vengeance against the teeth? No, for they both belong to you and are integral parts of your body. So too, when some other person insults you or inflicts pain, allow wisdom to have mastery over you and do not rush to conclusions, always keeping Love as your guide." 44

S.S.B.

PEACE (SHANTHI):

"Peace is found within. Let the Bhikku (Disciple) not seek for it elsewhere. Established in Peace he thinks no more of 'self' and 'not self'." 45

BUDDHA

"If there is righteousness in the heart There will be beauty in the character; If there is beauty in the character There will be harmony in the home. When there is harmony in the home There will be order in the nation. When there is order in the nation There will be Peace in the world." 46

S.S.B.

RIGHTEOUSNESS (DHARMA):

"Do not think or say that your own religion is the best. Never speak disparagingly of other religions. Wherein consists religion? It consists in doing the least harm possible, in doing good abundantly, in practising love, compassion, faithfulness and purity, all your life." 47

BUDDHA

"By one's self is evil done. One's self is the cause of suffering. Both purity and impurity belong to one's self; none may purify another." 48

BUDDHA

"What is Dharma? Not the obligations relating to the various vocations. 'Dharma' means harmony in thought, word and deed. People equate charity with Dharma. That is not correct. Dharma calls for sacrificing your bad thoughts, feelings and actions."49

 

S.S.B.

TRUTH (SATHYA):

"My mission was to teach the truth. Gautama Siddhartha will know death, but Buddha will live, for Buddha is Truth, and Truth is Eternal. He who has faith in the Way and lives Truth is my disciple, and I shall guide him. The truth will spread all over the earth. For a while error will veil the light, but in due course another Buddha will arise, and he will make known the selfsame eternal truth which I have taught."50

BUDDHA

"God does not exist in some distant land. He resides in your own body. One need not search for God in different places. It is an illusion to search for Truth. If one does not recognise himself, how can he recognise God?

Embodiments of Love! Truth has manifested itself in the form of this world. Without Truth, there is no creation. Everything has emanated from Truth. The entire creation has emerged from Truth and merges back into Truth. There is no place devoid of Truth. This is the pure Truth."51

S.S.B.

"The Blessed One sat among His own

Upon the peak of vultures, and ther stood

Before his quiet feet the radiant heavenly king,

And laid before those feet a heavenly bloom

Of a golden hue, praying that he would speak

And in sweet speech make known to them the Law. The Blessed One gently received the golden flower

Within his hand, and was wrapped in utter calm,

But spake not a word. And all the assembly mused

What this might mean, and musing, could not understand.

But Mahakasyapa musing, smiled -

He alone, being wise and venerable

Then softly said the Blessed One to him

Who alone knew:

'I hold within my heart the essence of the Law,

The great and wondrous thought that is Nirvana.

This did I give to thee,

Wordless, and wordless hast thou seen and known.'

Thus does the great teaching move from heart to heart

Nor doth it need words for wings." 52

"You will find it deep within yourself. Think it many times; ponder it; it tells you about your true nature; it gives you hope; it gives you new life. It points the way. It proves to you that God is within you, and you are not man. Man is God. It shows you that it is possible for you to realise God, but you and you alone must ponder this work deeply. You will find that you will begin to know what is meant by the statement: "The 'Self' cannot be explained." The mind knows of its existence; The 'Self-God' is within man. You are that Self. All else is illusion of the mind's creation, the mind that creates, preserves and destroys."53

S.S.B.

SaiSewak, Bear all and do nothing;Hear all and say nothing;Give all and take nothing;Serve all and be nothing.

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