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                                                                      Love knows no hatred.
                                                              Love is free from all selfishness.
                                                              Love is far removed from anger.
                                                        Love never takes; it knows only giving.
                                                                                Love is God.

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          One of the most important disciplines necessary for coming into union with God is
          control of the tongue. This must be exercised both in the area of food and in the area of
          speech. Without control of the tongue it is impossible to follow the path of devotion and
          become one with God.

                                                                                           •

          Fear arises when you see another as separate from God. But when you know that the one
          divinity is the bases of all you see, then fear leaves you forever. Once you become
          established in that awareness of the divinity being everywhere in everyone and in
          everything, then you are permanently freed from the specter of fear.

          Sometimes it seems like we're living in a world of madmen, or at least a world of fools.
          The human impulse is to say something -anything. Something stupid, something
          contentious, something sweet, deceitful, smart, ridiculous, or empty. Big strings of words,
          amounting to nothing. It's astonishing.

          Nearly as surprising: You can speak the most outrageous foolishness, and someone out
          there -most likely many some ones- will for sure take it as sensible, even as urgently
          important.

          People babble on like sea waves, other people babble back. And soon you've got a
          tumultuous roar, of no significance at all. Babble on, Babylon.

          Behind those babbling tongues churn babbling minds, full of everything, empty of
          substance.

          It is when we come to Krishna [and/or Jesus] that real talking begins. That talking is done
          by the greatest self realized souls. And by those who accept, repeat, and relish the words
          of those realized souls and thus become realized themselves.

          Of course, those who babble on about nothing will think that whatever they're buzzing
          about is of great consequence and that Krishna [or Jesus] is for fools.

          Let them.

          Following in the footsteps of Saints and Sages, we'll go on talking about Krishna [and/or Jesus]
          and loving it.

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          Visitor: " What is the limit ? Where is the limit of one's responsibility ? How far should
          we go ? "

          Sai Baba: " First you should look after yourself and not be a burden. That is the first
          thing. If you are not able to help so many people, it doesn't matter. But if you don't do
          anything that is harmful, that is real help. If you can't help a person, never mind. But
          don't harm anyone. To harm is bad. But the very feeling that you have that you can't
          help, itself is good. You must have physical strength, mental strength, and spiritual
          strength; and only when you have the three, then can you really do service. Food, head,
          and God. Food is for the body; and you want a good body so the brain can function
          properly, so you can think. And why do you want this head and intellect ? To realize that
          which is beyond this, and that is God."

          Visitor: " But it hurts me to see people in need, beggars and innocent little children who
          are ill..."

          2nd Visitor: " Is it not egotistic to have everything for yourself ? "

          Baba's Translator: " But Swami did not mean that. What Swami said is that when you do
          not have physical, mental and spiritual strength, how can you really help another person
          ? "

          Sai Baba: " Sometimes when we are not balanced and have not got the proper truth, we
          will mislead so many other people. "

          Visitor: " It is that you cannot give what you do not have. "

          2nd Visitor: " Nothing before straightening yourself. "

                                         " In seeking God; the more intensity, the greater the result."

                                                                        -Swami Sathya Sai Baba

          The saintly do " suffer in silence," but that does not mean suffering is good. The students
          in the school of Mastery suffer in silence because they understand that suffering is not
          the way of God, but rather a sure sign that there is still something to learn of the way of
          God, still something to remember.

          The true Master does not suffer in silence at all, but only appears to be suffering without
          complaint. The reason that the true Master does not complain is that the true Master is not
          suffering, but simply experiencing a set of circumstances that you would call
          insufferable.

          A practicing Master does not speak of suffering simply because a Master practicing
          clearly understands the power of the Word—and so chooses to simply not say a word
          about it.

          We make real that to which we pay attention. The Master knows this. The Master places
          himself at choice with regard to that which she chooses to make real.

          You have all done this from time to time. There is not a one among you who has not
          made a headache disappear, or a visit to the dentist less painful, through your decision
          about it.

          A Master simply makes the same decision about larger things.

          The basic teachings of the Upanishads (Hindu scriptures) are summed up in six great
          sayings; the Mahavakyas:

          " I am Brahman " (Aham Brahmasmi). This states the identity of the inmost consciousness
          of the individual with that of the supreme Divine. The ultimate truth of Vedic knowledge
          is not that some great savior is God or the Lord or that such and such a God or name and
          form of God is the supreme. It is not the worship of a person, book, image or idea. It is
          not even the worship of God. The Upanishads say that whatever we worship as truth
          apart from ourselves destroys us. They teach that our own Self is the true Divinity, that it
          is the presence of the absolute within our heart and all the universe.

          " The Self is Brahman " (Ayam Atma Brahma). This also states the identity of the soul
          with the Absolute but in a more objective and less direct manner. Not only is our Self the
          Divine. It is the same Self in all beings that is the same Absolute truth.

          " That thou art " (Tat tvam asi). Whatever we see or think about we are that. Not only is
          the I That, the You is also That. We are that ultimate I and Thou in all. The consciousness
          in the other is also the Divine.

          " Intelligence is Brahman " (Prajnanam Brahma). Our discernment of truth is the truth
          itself. It indicates that the Divine intelligence is present within us and has the power to
          return us to the Divine. Our inmost intelligence is that supreme intelligence through
          which we can merge into the Absolute.

          " The Universe is Brahman " (Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma). The entire universe is the
          Divine, which includes our self. The Divine is not only the consciousness principle in
          you and I, it is also the being principle in all things. It is the ultimate object as well as the
          inmost subject in all beings. It is one and all and all in one.

          " He am I " (So'ham). This shows the identity of the self with the Divine Lord inherent
          within the natural movement of our breath. " So " is the natural sound of inhalation, "
          ham " of exhalation.          

          These are statements of the identity of the individual consciousness with the Absolute or
          Divine reality. They all derive from and merge into Om (AUM), the Divine Word of " I am
          all."

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          AT ONE TIME all people on earth were gods, but they so sinned and abused the Divine
          that Brahma, the god of all gods, decided that godhead should be taken away from them
          and hidden where humanity would never again find it and abuse it.

          " We will bury it deep in the earth," said the lesser gods. " No," said Brahma, " because
          they will some day climb every mountain and crevice on earth, and again capture the
          godhead."

          " Then we do not know where to hide it where it cannot be found," said the lesser gods.

          " I will tell you," said Brahma. " Hide it down inside the hearts of the people themselves.
          They will never think to look there."

          The Enlightened One [Buddha] saw the Four Noble Truths which point out the Path which leads to Nirvana or the extinction of self:

          The first Noble Truth is the existence of sorrow:

                    Birth is sorrowful, growth is sorrowful, illness is sorrowful, and death is
                    sorrowful. Sad is it to be joined to that which we do not like. Sadder still is the
                    separation from that which we love, and painful is the craving for that which
                    cannot be obtained.

          The second Noble Truth is the cause of suffering:

                    The cause of suffering is Lust. The surrounding world affects sensation and
                    begets a craving thirst, which clamors for immediate satisfaction. The illusion
                    of self originates and manifests itself in a cleaving to things. The desire to live
                    for the enjoyment of self entangles us in the net of sorrow. Pleasures are the
                    bait and the result is pain.

          The third Noble Truth is the cessation of sorrow:

                    He who conquers self will be free from lust. He no longer craves, and the
                    flame of desire finds no material to feed upon. Thus it will be extinguished.

          The fourth Noble Truth is the eight-fold path that leads to the cessation of sorrow:

                    There is salvation for him whose self disappears before Truth, whose will is
                    bent upon what he ought to do, and whose sole desire is the performance of
                    his duty. He who is wise will enter this path and make an end of sorrow.

                    The eight-fold path is:

                    Right comprehension;

                    Right resolutions;

                    Right speech;

                    Right acts;

                    Right way of earning a livelihood;

                    Right efforts;

                    Right thoughts;

                    Right state of a peaceful mind.

          A new disciple enters an ashram and immediately runs to the Master and asks politely
          that he be given the truth about himself. The Master replied "be patient dear one."

          The next day after the Master's discourse this same new devotee ran up to him and asked
          again to be enlightened immediately. The Master replied "have patience dear one."

          The next day the same scene unfolded. The Master instructed the new devotee to develop
          patience.

          Over the next several weeks this devotee took every opportunity that he could find to
          demand that he receive enlightenment. The Master just ignored him for the most part.

          One day after the Master's discourse the devotee jumped to his feet and was about to
          make another plea for his Awakening when the Master interjected and asked the devotee
          to come to him. He walk the devotee over to a barrel full of water and asked the devotee
          to look into it and tell him what he saw. The devotee starred dumbfounded, the Master
          said look closer... even closer.

          All of a sudden, to the surprise of the rest of all the devotees who were still gathered near
          by, the Master grabbed the back of the head of the one looking into water and forcefully
          pushed it deep into the water. The devotee struggled, but firmly the Master held him
          there until he was flailing about madly to catch a breath.

          Then the Master pulled him out of the water. As the shock subsided and the devotee
          gained his senses again the Master spoke directly to him and loudly for all to hear; "
          when you desire to know the Truth as much as you just desired to get a
          breath, then the Truth will rush to meet you regardless of where you are."

          The Spiritual Current of Happiness is resident in intimate association with the living
          being. It is always "Locatable". It is perpetually knowable. It is never lost. We are always
          capable of "Locating" It, of knowing It, Realizing It, animating It, Being It. This principle
          is an indication, therefore, of the essential or sufficient sadhana of the renunciate way.

          In a circumstance of remoteness or dissociation from worldly obligations and stimulation,
          in every moment, instead of animating or stimulating yourself physically, emotionally, or
          mentally in order to overcome the sensations and feelings of boredom, doubt, and
          discomfort, you could directly do or realize what is necessary to exist in a condition of
          Bliss or Happiness. Instead of seeking to overcome or escape boredom, doubt, and
          discomfort, you could enter into that Spiritual Current of Happiness directly, that
          Realization of existence that is prior to boredom, doubt, and discomfort. This is the secret
          of the disposition of Enlightened beings.

          There was once a great warrior in China. He was honored by all. One day he approached
          a Zen master who was sitting on the ground, and asked: " What is Heaven and Hell ? "

          The Zen master looked up and said: " You look too stupid to understand, go away."

          " Do you know who I am ? "  the outraged warrior replied. The Zen master continued to
          insult the warrior until the warrior drew his sword in attack. Just as he was about to
          strike, the Zen master looked calmly up and said: " That, my friend, is hell..."

          The warrior, realizing the Zen master's enlightenment, fell on his knees and, with
          reverence, bowed down gratefully.

          The Zen master then said: "And that, my friend, is heaven."

          One night a man was crying, Allah ! Allah !

          His lips grew sweet with the praising, until a cynic said, " So ! I have heard you calling
          out, but have you ever gotten any response ? "

          The man had no answer to that. He quit praying and fell into a confused sleep.

          He dreamed he saw Khidr, the guide of souls, in a thick green foliage. " Why did you stop
          praising ? "

          " Because I've never heard anything back."

          " This longing you express IS the return message."

          The grief you cry out from draws you toward union.

          Your pure sadness that wants help is the secret cup.

          Listen to the moan of the dog for its master. That whining is the connection.

          There are love dogs no one knows the names of.

          Give your life to be one of them.

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