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2013/07

面对恶魔

顶礼于敬爱的薄伽梵莲花足下。

亲爱的兄弟姐妹，

第二个‘F’是‘Face the Devil’（面对恶魔）也就是我今天要谈论的话题。听到‘恶魔’这个词儿不禁令人心起恐惧和困扰。孩子们听到‘恶魔’这词儿，晚上都不敢睡觉。甚至成年人听了也留在家中，不想出门。假设你决定出去野餐而听到有人说有恶魔出现于该处，我肯定你会打消去意。假如有人说，在E.H.V.hall（人类价值教育礼堂）有一个恶魔出现，我敢说，除了主办者和我外，没有其他人愿意到那儿。因此，‘恶魔’不是正面的或令人鼓舞的。成为‘恶魔’般的狰狞并非成就或功绩。行为像个恶魔不是一种骄傲或表彰，名誉或声望。反之，如果你呼叫任何人为恶魔，他会控告你诽谤，对簿公堂。所以，‘恶魔’是一个那么深具侮辱性和令人生畏的词儿，以致无人愿意与它扯在一块。然而，薄伽梵却声明‘面对恶魔’，意指你不能避开它。那意味着在一般的意义上它是不能躲避的。你每天都不得不遇到它。它不是一个季节性的恶魔，如一个夏季恶魔或一个冬季恶魔。它也不是一个东方恶魔或一个西方恶魔。顾名思义，如字面意义，它就是一个不折不扣的恶魔。它不是某些地方的一个天使。它不被膜拜于任何一个国家。这样的一个恶魔，根据薄伽梵，我们是必须面对的。

我们如何面对恶魔？它在哪儿？它是什么？让我们知道它的住址。尼尔阿姆斯特朗（Neil Armstrong）是人类第一个登上月球者。他也没有在那儿遇到恶魔。所以，恶魔不在地球也不在月球或其他星球体系。没有人曾向别人介绍他自己是一个‘恶魔’。那么，它到底在哪儿？它的住址在哪儿？我们经常自以为很聪明而忽略神远比我们聪明的这个事实。就在昨天，我期盼薄伽梵恩赐面谈给我及我从美国回来的女儿。薄伽梵叫她和她丈夫面谈反而要我回到原来的座位。我的确自以为聪明，连像机都准备好了，但神更加机灵。所以，人无处无时不在寻求快乐。人总是渴望快乐，即便生病亦不忘怀。他甚至期盼药物也是甜的。他要打针也像一朵玫瑰花一样的柔软。悲剧是我们都不快乐。从生到死，快乐与不快乐总是互相竞争的。在这电子时代，纵使人拥有一切，他还是没能获得快乐。答案很简单。远比人聪明的神洞悉人有能力寻求快乐于每一处。

如果快乐蕴藏于海底，人就会利用潜水艇去取得它。所以神知道把快乐藏在海底并不安全，因为它会被探测出来。是故，祂不选择藏于海底。为何不藏之于埃弗勒斯峰（Everest,或珠穆朗玛峰）？那些攀登埃弗勒斯峰者也找不到它。另一方面，征服第一高峰的第一人，腾星（Tensing）自杀了。他不但在那儿找不到快乐，反而以不幸收场。神知道人会成为爬山高手。是的，人有能力攀登海拔最高的山峰。所以，祂也决定不把快乐放在那儿。神要把它放在哪儿呢？神知道若把它藏在地球的某一处，人会利用遥控设备去探测之。神最后断定，最佳储存‘快乐’之处就是‘内在’。人有能力向四周探视但不是内在。所以，跟快乐在我们之内一样，恶魔也在我们之内。恶魔与快乐是一个铜板的正反两面。若恶魔在我们之外，我们就会把它杀死；然而，由于它在我们之内，我们无能为力。

在我之内的那个恶魔是什么？它是怀疑一切的心念。这里是一个有关怀疑一切之心念的例子。这是我个人的体验。我刚收到我住在美国的女儿的一封信。在达瞻（Darshan,峇峇缓缓步入信众集合之处，让信众一睹圣容）行列中，我拿出来阅读。看到薄伽梵出来，我立即把信塞入口袋。我不知薄伽梵看到没有。然后祂走向我并说，“信在哪儿？”我装蒜地问，“什么信？”祂说，“嘿，信在你口袋里。”我只得说，“噢，薄伽梵，这是私人信件。”然后祂说，“你我之间还有什么个人私事吗？你能隐瞒我任何事情吗？我在哪儿？我在你周围，在你之内，在你之上及在你口袋里。”然后祂问我，是谁寄来的信。我还是支支吾吾而薄伽梵说，“是的，女儿写来说考试及格且获得优等。她在美国求学，成绩特出。她写来如此欣慰喜悦的信息而你却在此哭泣。由于她的心想念着我，心无旁骛，很快乐，即便远在美国。你虽在此，在我跟前，你想念她而感伤流泪。”是故，一个怀疑的心念就是恶魔。

有一次，一个来自加拿大哈利法克斯（Halifax）的男士去见薄伽梵。他的两个儿子就读于白草原（Whitefield）学院。他见到了儿子并获得薄伽梵叫入会谈室面谈。薄伽梵问他什么时候离开。他回答，傍晚就离开。薄伽梵说，“你的两个儿子在此生活得很好。我在照顾他们，但是你必须放弃抽烟的习惯。不要再抽烟了。抽烟危害你的健康。”该男士说，“好，我会戒的，斯瓦米。”薄伽梵说,“说定？”他说，“是的，斯瓦米。”然后离开。在飞行中，他烟瘾发着。他改变了决定，并决定只在抵达加拿大后才正式放弃抽烟。所以在飞行途中，他猛抽不停。在抵达加拿大时，他心跳加速，左胸感到激痛，于是被救护车紧急送往医院。诊断结果，情况非常严重，生存的机会几乎渺茫。医生甚至宣称生存的机会等于零。他很难过且很后悔抽烟。医生问他，可要跟任何人说话，因这可能是他的最后遗言。他说，“不，我失去了妻子而我的两个儿子又在班加罗尔求学。我肯定薄伽梵会照顾他们。”值班的护士照顾着他。凌晨一时，她因太累离开病房而扑在一张桌子上睡着了。

忽然间那男士看到薄伽梵进入房间。他起初还以为是幻觉。薄伽梵问，“你怎么样？”他回答，“很好，斯瓦米，医生说，我快死了。”薄伽梵于是责备他说，“我不是告诉过你，要戒烟吗？我不是说过抽烟危害健康吗？”“是的，斯瓦米，但我想在着陆之后才开始。”他说。薄伽梵说，“我的指示应该立即执行，不可延误。” 祂接着又说，“不要担心，你会康复的。”薄伽梵于是举起祂的袖子并变现一些圣粉撒在他身上。那男士喜出望外然后请求薄伽梵，“斯瓦米，为使我信服，请您把我抱到椅子上。当然我知道您是薄伽梵峇峇。”该男士身材魁梧，身高6尺3寸，身体重量不轻，而薄伽梵个子矮小，仅5尺3寸。该男士忽视了薄伽梵力能举山的事实。薄伽梵把他抱到椅子上，向他说了一些有关他两个儿子的安慰的话，然后把他抱上床，再拉上门就消失了。

该男士正赞颂‘唵赛罗姆’（Aum Sai Ram）。这时护士进来，很惊讶地看到心电图（ECG）被拿掉以及静脉注射管子被取下，而这男士竟热烈地念诵‘赛罗姆，赛罗姆，赛罗姆’。她从来没听过‘赛罗姆’这奇特的名字,并因此而感到目瞪口呆，于是立即赶出去叫医生来。她怀疑有邪魔附在他身上所以才老叫着‘赛罗姆’。医生到了也听到奇怪的字眼‘赛罗姆’。他们都在思索这字眼的意思，难道是表明痛苦？他们召来一些印度籍的医生；这些医生说，“沙迪亚赛峇峇是千千万万人的神。信众以‘赛罗姆’互相问好和打招呼。这不是医学上的问题。”那男士说薄伽梵峇峇亲自来了这里，并把圣粉撒在他身上，还责备他没有戒烟。这件事让我们知道怀疑的心念是一个恶魔。有时，你身陷困境或正要跨入死亡门槛，你应该始终听从赛的指示。

一个孟买的有钱人育有一个儿子。儿子不断要求父亲给他买一辆机车。他们来找薄伽梵。薄伽梵说，“不要买机车给他。开机车是危险的。他会死于意外。孩子，不要要求你父亲买机车了。”孩子还是穷追不舍，非要买不可。他甚至以不吃不喝作为威胁，而父亲别无选择只有满足儿子的要求。不久，意外果然发生并导致儿子死于非命。父亲寄了一封电报给薄伽梵，既后悔又伤心。那反叛的，质问的，怀疑的心念使我们不遵循薄伽梵的指示前进，而它不是别的仅是恶魔而已。

有一老人与家人同住于某个乡村。他们一起吃晚餐，之后上床休息。第二天早上，老人失踪了。大家到处寻找他但都找不到。后来媳妇在井里找到他。幸运地，他没有溺毙，只是浮在井面上。刚好有两个警员走过，听到哭叫声，于是协助把老人拉上来。他们好奇地问他怎么掉进井里。他说在凌晨时，他睡不着出来散步，不意滑入井内。在达萨拉（Dasara）节庆时，他们到布达峇地来。薄伽梵走向这老人并说，“虽然你迈入老年但是你体重不轻。我必须在井内抓住你几个小时直到警员到来。从今天起，少吃一点。”

这一事件告诉我们，在灵性上我们不应该有一个喜欢质问的心念。就物质和能量的查究而言，在世俗领域，在科技上，一个喜爱质问的心念是必需的。对神及祂所建议的方式来说，是没有什么可以质问的。如果心念质问神，那心念可就是一个恶魔了。一次，薄伽梵问孩子们几个问题。祂问其中一个孩子，“你来自何处？”孩子回答，“我来自您，斯瓦米。”薄伽梵说，“你的哥哥呢？”那孩子说，“他在孟买求学。”然后薄伽梵又问，“哦，你来自我，而你的哥哥来自孟买。”这样的一元论（Advaita）哲理是不切实际的。薄伽梵知道如何抓住一个人。除非你确信一元论，否则，这仅是空口说白话。所以，这样的一个心念仅如一种吸墨纸，吸而不化且不实用，可谓是恶魔了。

一个争辩的心念也是一个恶魔。薄伽梵有一次叙述一个有趣的故事。一个有钱人饲养了一只阿尔萨斯（Alsation）狼狗来看家。一天，一个手持木棍的老人路经他家。狼狗扑向他而那老人用木棍猛击狼狗的头，狼狗倒下一命呜呼。事情闹上法庭，法官问狗主人有什么话要说。狗主人说，“那人不该击毙我的爱犬，我爱牠甚于爱我的亲生子女。”然后法官问老人，“你为什么击毙那只狗？”老人说，“大人，牠先攻击我，要咬我。狗主人应该把牠锁在屋内。”法官问狗主人还有什么话要说。狗主人说，“他应该打狗的尾巴。”这就是所谓的方便哲学。这样的争辩不会有什么结果。

薄伽梵又叙述一个珠宝商的故事。珠宝商叩访某导师并告诉他说，他想要超脱。导师给他一则真言，Om Namo Vasudevaya Namah（唵南无宇宙之主我顶礼）并叫他尽量抄写，多多益善。珠宝商回家后遵照导师的指示抄写。第二天，他又去找导师并告诉导师，他尚未超脱的坏消息。导师要看他写在纸上的真言。那人只写了一行真言，其余的都是写同上，同上。

培育起这样的一个窍门的心念是不会有正面的效果的。这样的一个心念简直是一个恶魔。我们必须培育心念使之步上正途。面对恶魔是我们一生每一天的挑战。这恶魔什么时候吞噬我们，我们不得而知。劝告人家，‘别担心，这等事薄伽梵会照顾’是容易的，然而要实行之或充满信心可就不容易了。这就是为什么薄伽梵说，“一汤匙的牛奶远胜于一桶的驴奶。”的原因了。所以，我们应该具备随时准备接受的那种心念。面对恶魔就是面对心念。要面对欲念，愤怒，渴望，憎恨，嫉妒，贪婪和执着的恶魔。每一种都有着明确的和潜在的危险。今早的讲演，其目的在于祈求主赐予勇气和深沉的信念去面对恶魔。你不能用炸弹或向警察投诉来对付这恶魔。你只可以借神的恩典来面对恶魔。就让我们向祂祈祷，在我们一生中的每一刻都非常警觉地面对和克服恶魔。

赛罗姆（Sai Ram）。

取自《薄伽梵斯里沙迪亚赛峇峇普及和实用的教导》第5章

FACE THE DEVIL

Pranams at the lotus feet of our Beloved Bhagavan.

Dear brothers and sisters,

The second ‘F’ is Face the Devil, which I shall discuss today. To hear this word, ‘devil’ causes fear and disturbance in one. Children would not even sleep if they hear the word, ‘devil’. Even grown-ups would remain at home if they hear the word, ‘devil’. Supposing you decided to go for a picnic and in that place you were told that there was a devil, I am sure, you would not go there. Supposing someone says, ‘There is a devil in the E.H.V. hall’, I am sure that with the exception of the organiser and myself, no one else would be there. Therefore, ‘devil’ is not positive or encouraging. To be ‘devilish’ is no achievement. To act like a devil, is not a matter of pride or recognition, name or fame. On the other hand, if you call anyone a devil, he would take you to court and file a suit for defamation of character. So, ‘devil’ is a word that is so insulting and frightening and one would not want to have anything to do with it. But, Bhagavan states, ‘Face the devil’, which means you cannot avoid it. It means it is inescapable in the ordinary sense. You have to encounter it everyday. It is not a seasonal devil, like a summer devil or a winter devil. It is neither an eastern devil or a western devil. It is a devil in the true sense of the word. It is not an angel in some lands. It is not worshipped in any country. Such a devil must be faced, according to Bhagavan.

How do we face the devil? Where is it, what is it? Let us know its address. Neil Armstrong was the first man to land on the moon. He did not come across a devil there either. So the devil is neither on the earth, nor on the moon, nor in any other planetary system. No one ever introduces himself as a ‘devil’. ‘So, where is it? What is its address? We often imagine ourselves to be very intelligent and overlook the fact that God is much more intelligent than us. It was only yesterday, I expected Bhagavan to call me for an interview with my daughter who had arrived from the United States. Bhagavan called her and her husband. I was told to return to my seat. I really designed to be intelligent, all set even with a camera, but God is smarter. So, man is in search of happiness, everywhere, all the time. Man’s desire is always for happiness even when he is ill. He expects even medicines to taste sweet. He wants the injections to be as soft as a rose flower. The tragedy is that we are not happy. The happiness and unhappiness are always competing with each other from the womb to the tomb. Man is not able to gain happiness even though he has everything in the modern electronic age. The answer is simple. God, who is more intelligent than man, knows pretty well that man would be capable of searching everywhere for happiness.

If happiness is hidden at the bottom of the sea, man will take the help of a submarine and get it. So, God knew that to hide happiness at the bottom of the sea was not safe and secure, as it would be detected there. So he chose not to hide it under the sea. Why not place it on the Everest? Those who climbed up the Mount Everest could not ever find it there. On the other hand, Tensing, the first man who climbed the mountain committed suicide. Instead of finding happiness there, his life ended in utter misery. God knows that man would become an expert in mountaineering. Yes, man is capable of scaling the highest altitude. So, God decided not to place happiness there either. Where God placed it? God knew that If He kept it in some part of the earth, man would have remote control devices and detect it. God finally concluded that the best place to keep ‘happiness’ would be ‘within’. Man is only capable of looking around, but not within. So, just as happiness is within us, so too the devil is within us. Devil and happiness are the obverse and reverse of the same coin. If the devil was outside us, we would kill it; but since it is within, we cannot.

What is that devil within me? It is the doubting mind. Here is an example of a doubting mind. It is my own personal experience. I had just received a letter from my daughter who resides in America. I began to read it in the darshan line. Bhagavan had started giving darshan, and so I quickly put it into my pocket. I doubted whether Bhagavan would see or know of it. Then He came up to me and said, “Where is the letter?” I pretended and asked, “What letter?” He said, “Hey, the letter in the pocket.” I merely said, “O Bhagavan, please, it is a personal letter.” Then He said, “Is there anything personal between you and Me? Can you hide anything from Me? Where am I? I am around you, in you, above you and in your pocket.” Then he asked me from whom was the letter. I was still muttering and Bhagavan said, “Yes. Daughter wrote that she passed the exams in flying colours. She is doing well in the United States. She writes such joyful news, whereas, you cry here. Since she thinks of Me, she is happy even though she is far away in the United States. Although you are here, right in front of Me, you think of her and cry.” Thus a mind that doubts is the devil.

Once a certain man from Halifax, Canada came to Bhagavan. Both his sons were studying at the Whitefield College. He met them and was also granted an interview by Bhagavan. Bhagavan asked him when he was leaving, and the man replied that he was to leave that evening. Bhagavan said, “Your sons are fine here, I am taking good care of them, but you must give up the habit of smoking. Do not smoke any longer. It is dangerous to your health.” The man said, “O.K., Swami, I will not.” Bhagavan said, “Promise?” He said,”Yes, Swami.” and left. In the flight he longed for a cigarette. He changed his resolve and decided to quit smoking only after he had reached Canada. So all the way he smoked in excess. By the time he reached Canada, he began suffering from palpitations. He felt excruciating pain in his left side. He had to be rushed to a hospital in an ambulance. He was diagnosed as an extremely serious case and the chance of his survival was found nil. The doctors came and even declared that he had slender chance of survival. He was feeling so bad, and regretted smoking. The doctors asked him if there was anybody he would wish to speak to, as these could be the last moments of his life. He said, “No, I lost my wife, and my sons are studying in Bangalore. I am sure that Bhagavan Baba will take care of them.” The nurse on duty was taking care of him. At 1.00 a.m. she left the room and fell asleep on a table as she was tired.

Suddenly, the man saw Bhagavan enter the room. He thought perhaps it was a hallucination. Bhagavan asked, “How are you?” He replied, “Very fine, Swami, the doctors say, I am about to die.” Bhagavan then reprimanded him, “Did I not tell you to stop smoking? Did I not warn you that it is injurious to health?” “Yes, Swami, but I thought that it should be from the date of landing.” he said. Bhagavan said, “My instructions should be carried out immediately and without delay.” Then Bhagavan said, “Do not worry, you will recover.” Bhagavan then lifted His sleeve and rained a lot of vibhuthi all over him. The man was so happy, and he then requested Bhagavan, “Swami, to convince me, please carry me and put me on the chair. I know of course, that you are Bhagavan Baba.” The man was six feet three inches, with a very heavy body and Bhagavan is tiny and only five feet three inches. The man overlooked the fact that Bhagavan can lift mountains. Bhagavan lifted him and put him on the chair. He spoke a few consoling words about his sons and then put him back on the bed. Then He disappeared after closing the door.

The man was chanting ‘Aum Sai Ram’. The nurse came and was so surprised to see the ECG disconnected and the intravenous tubes disconnected and this man fervently chanting ‘sairam, sairam, sairam’. She had never heard the strange name ‘sairam’ and was utterly flabbergasted and ran out to summon the doctor. She felt that something else within him, a devil perhaps, was uttering the word ‘sairam’. The doctor came and also heard the strange word ‘sairam’. They pondered over the meaning of the word, ‘Did it indicate any pain?’ They called some Indian doctors, who said, “Sathya Sai Baba is God to millions of people. The devotees greet each other with ‘sairam’. It is not a medical problem.” The man said that Bhagavan Baba Himself appeared there, applied vibhuthi on him and admonished him for not giving up cigarettes. This is an anecdote related to show you that the doubting mind is a devil. Sometimes, you will be in danger, or at the threshold of death. But you should always heed the word of Sai.

One wealthy man from Mumbai had a son. The son repeatedly pestered the father for a motorcycle. They came to Bhagavan, who said, “Do not give him a motorcycle. It is dangerous. He will die. Boy, do not pester your father.” The boy kept on pestering the father. He even abstained from food, and ultimately the father had no alternative but to oblige to the son’s incessant pleas. After some time the son died from an accident. The father sent a telegram to Bhagavan repenting that he had lost his son. The rebellious, questioning, doubting mind, which does not permit us to proceed along the path of Bhagavan’s direction, is nothing but the devil.

Once there was an old man, who was living with his family at a certain village. They all dined together and then went to bed. The next morning the man disappeared. Everyone looked all around, but could not find him. Then the daughter-in-law found him in the well. Fortunately, he did not drown, but was just suspended there. Just then two policemen happened to come by and heard his cries. They helped to draw him out of the well. They asked him how he fell there. He said that during the early hours, he could not sleep and so he decided to walk about, but unfortunately slipped into the well. It was during the Dasara celebrations they all came to Puttaparthi. Bhagavan came up to this old man and said, “Although you are old, you are very heavy. I had to hold you for a couple of hours inside the well until the policeman came. Eat less from today onwards.”

This is an incident to show that we should not have a questioning mind in spirituality. A questioning mind is needed in the worldly sphere, in science and technology, so far as investigation in matter and energy is concerned. There is nothing to question God and His ways. If the mind questions God, then it is a devil. Once Bhagavan asked the boys a few questions. He asked one boy, “Where do you come from?’’ The boy replied, “I come from you, Swami.” Bhagavan said, “O, where is your brother?” The boy said, “He is studying in Mumbai.” Then Bhagavan asked, “O, you come from Me, whereas your brother comes from Mumbai.” Such Advaita philosophy is not practical. Bhagavan knows how to catch one. Unless you are convinced of your Advaita knowledge, it is merely a verbal boasting. So, such a mind that merely absorbs like a blotting paper but does not retain knowledge, and which is not practical, is the devil.

A mind that argues is also a devil. Bhagavan once narrated an interesting story. There was a rich man who kept an Alsation dog to guard the house. One day an old man was walking past his house with a stick. This dog jumped upon him, and the man retaliated by hitting the dog on its head. The dog fell down and died. The matter was taken to the Court. The judge asked the owner, what he had to say. He said, “That man had no business to kill my dog whom I love more than my own children.” Then the judge asked the other man, “Why did you kill the dog?” The man said, “Sir, it attacked me first and was about to bite me. He should have kept it locked inside his house.” Then the judge asked the owner, what he had to say. The owner said, “He should have hit the dog on its tail.” This is called convenient philosophy. Such arguments will not take us anywhere.

Bhagavan also narrated a certain story of jeweller. The jeweller went to his guru and told him that he wanted moksha. The guru gave him a mantra ‘Om Namo Vasudevaya Namah’ and asked him to write it as many times as possible. The man went home and did as the guru commanded. The next day he returned to the guru with the sad news that he had not attained moksha. The guru asked to see the paper. The man had written one line of ‘Om Namo Vasudevaya Namah’ and wrote then ditto, ditto.

A mind which develops such a knack will have no positive results. Such a mind is a devil. It should be trained to go on the right path. To face the devil is a daily challenge throughout our lives. When this devil will swallow us, is uncertain. It is easy to advise others, ‘Do not worry, Bhagavan will take care of the matter’, but to practice it or to have full faith is difficult. This is the reason why Bhagavan says, “A spoonful of cow’s milk is better than barrels of donkey’s milk.” So, we should have that kind of mind which is ready to accept. Face the devil is nothing but the mind. Face the devil of lust, anger, desire, hatred, jealousy, greed and attachment. Each one of these is positively and potentially dangerous. The purpose behind this morning’s talk, is to pray to be courageous and be filled with deep conviction to face the devil. You cannot attack this devil with bombs or complain to the Police. You can face this devil only with God’s grace. Let us pray to Him, that every moment of our life we may be ever vigilant to face and overcome the devil.

Sai Ram.

Universal & Practical Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Chapter 5