To overcome negative experiences...

February 12, 2009

In his later role as a Sufi Master Sai Baba encouraged his visitors to practice

repentance, to turn away from the life they had been living, and to practice

devotion to God in whatever form they chose. He admonished his devotees to give

up bad habits such as addiction to liquor, and exhorted that negative qualities

such as caste rivalry, pride of learning, greed, etc. should not be harbored. In

answer to a devotee's question concerning samsara (worldly activities), Sai Baba

observed:

The Shadripus (the six enemies - lust, anger, covetousness, delusion, pride &

jealousy) are all delusive. They make the unreal appear as real. If a rich man

wears a gold ornament, the poor man gets jealous, and thinks he must have one.

This is lobha (greed). All are like this. So one must conquer the six enemies.

If they are conquered, waves of passion will not arise. Else they will enslave

you. If they are subordinated and reason made the commandant, then the delusive

pleasures and pains will no longer hold sway over you.

Commenting to Nana Chandorkar, he said that of this jealousy is the easiest to

conquer:

Jealousy (matsara) is the inability to endure another's profit and prosperity.

If another gets fortune or power, we cannot put up with it, we scandalize him.

When he meets with loss, we rejoice. But is this good? When that man attains

prosperity, what loss have we really suffered? But people do not consider this

point of view. If he attains good let us rejoice; let us attain or strive to

attain equal good. That should be our desire and determination.

One technique, which Sai Baba enjoined for overcoming such negative experiences,

was to repeat the name of God. He said: " if others hate us, let us simply take

to namajapa (recitation of the names of God) and avoid them. "

Recommended Posts