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2014/01

辨识和决心

我虔敬的顶礼于我们敬爱的薄伽梵的莲花足下。

亲爱的兄弟姐妹，

我们很高兴今天早上与大家欢聚一堂来进行‘Satsang’-- 学习圈的聚会。我很荣幸有机会与大家分享以二D为主题的几个理念，一如薄伽梵所阐释者。二D就是Discrimination（辨识）和Determination（立志，决心）。在研讨会的较早时候，我们详细地讨论了先决条件的其他三个D，也可以说是今天早上介绍的二D的一种先驱。这三个D即Dedication（奉献），Discipline（纪律）和Devotion（虔诚）。加上这两个D，共有五个D，相等于五大元素，五大生命藏，五大生命气息，五大知觉感官以及五大行动感官。它们彼此互相依存，并互为关联。它们依次序排列。第一个D的Dedication（奉献）里，清楚地表明，一个人必须献出他的自我，而绝对不仅是世俗的拥有物或资产。接下来在第二个D的Discipline（纪律）里，我们讨论了纪律的起因与需要，尤其是它之于灵道的特别参照。第三个D的Devotion（虔诚），涵盖虔诚的需要，种类，目的和目标。今天，我们讨论最后两个D，Discrimination（明辨）与Determination（决心）。不献出你的自我，灵性生活是毫无意义的也是不可能的。这可以促成一个有纪律的生活，没有它，虔诚是不可能的。为明辨铺路的就是虔诚，从而引领至决心。

分别人类与禽兽之不同的就是明辨。不具此特别素质，人类就沦为禽兽的层次了。当失去明辨能力时，犯罪的人被人们诅咒，称之为与禽兽无异。薄伽梵说了很多次，一个人绝对要善加应用其辨识力。一个人应该明辨是非善恶。其实，祂甚至说，在付诸行动前，一个人应该扪心自问，“这是对的还是错的？这是好的还是坏的？”因此“这是否为薄伽梵所接受？这是否会取悦薄伽梵？”灵性生活就在于我们执行某种可以取悦祂的事情。

薄伽梵更进一步地对学生们说，“你决不该有野兽的行为。当起心动念时，你应该察觉到那是一只猴子的德性；要重复几次地说，我是人，不是猴子。然后这样的心念就会归于稳定。当你感到懒惰或睡过多时，重复几次，‘我是人，不是水牛’，因为这德性是属于水牛的，然后，你就会慢慢地摆脱懒惰了。”那么，愤怒、偷窃、报复、慵懒、波动的心等等都是野兽的本质。所以当这样的念头进入你的心念时，重复十次‘我是人，不是兽’。于是心念就平静下来。这就是‘Discrimination’（明辨）。所以‘明辨’（识别）带走你内在的兽性而代之以人性。所以在第一个阶段，我们超越野兽的层次而成为人。

然而，人的无尽的旅程并不止于斯。他应该超越人的层次以了解内在灵性从而最终超凡入圣。这也只有凭借‘明辨’始能达到。它应该指引他步上正确的方向。‘明辨’有两种，个人的明辨和基本的明辨。个人的明辨完全是自私的和自我中心的。对求道者而言，它或许无所助益。再者，过多的自私自利或会引领他到一个完全丧失‘明辨’意识的情境。结果，导致他丧失人性而转向魔性。因此，一个人应该行使基本的明辨。这是人人适用，处处适用，时时适用的。这协助，指向和引导每一个人达到至善。我想现在应该明白了，仅靠‘明辨’仍嫌不足，应该加上基本的‘明辨’。最好的例子莫过于主罗摩（Lord Rama）自己了。祂回应清洁工的话并命令悉多（Sita），祂的配偶，留在森林，由祂的弟弟罗什曼那（Lakshmana）保护。这个决定表面上看来似乎不公平，不厚道，不正当。然而罗摩不仅是pithru vakya paripalaka，一个严格遵守父亲旨意者，并且也是一个praja vakya paripalaka，意谓他会考虑和接纳人们的判断，评价和他们的意见。祂怎么会遣送悉多到森林去，假如祂运用了祂个人的‘明辨’？只有基本的明辨促使祂做出那样的一个决定。泰格罗遮（Thyagaraja）被问及一个问题，在神与财富二者之间该何去何从，祂作出正确的明辨并说Ramuni sannidhi（接近神）比pennidhi或财富更有价值。

只有明辨促使维毗沙那（Vibhishana）离开罗波那（Ravana）而投诚罗摩。虽然这并非赐给吉迦伊（Kaikeyi）的恩惠，但是罗什曼那也跟随罗摩一道放逐森林，离开王国和妻子乌米拉（Urmila）。他怎么做到这一点？明辨使然。该对罗摩的放逐负责的曼塔罗（Manthara），她百般地诽谤罗摩，因为她私心太重了。这种私心代表个人的明辨。与基于基本的明辨而放下一切的罗摩对比，我们看到罗波那丧失了王国，儿子们，财富并且摧毁了整个楞伽（Lanka兰卡），那完全是由于他个人的明辨而导致要占有悉多的自私欲望所造成的。

在《摩诃婆罗多》（Mahabharatha）里，我们看到难敌（Duryodhana）。他丧失了他的明辨。他从没想到什么是对的什么是错的。所以黑公主（Draupadi）才在大庭广众下被羞辱。如果难敌在一生中的任何一个时候运用了明辨，《摩诃婆罗多》的故事就完全改观了。长话短说，《摩诃婆罗多》聚焦于缺乏明辨的难敌。是什么导致基督被钉在十字架上？人们失去了明辨而认为耶稣是个反对神者。神之子被钉在十字架上，因为人们丝毫没有明辨的能力。

在社会中的剥削榨取，黑市买卖，贪污腐败及其他这样的邪恶行径莫不由于在人们之中，缺乏明辨之故。不公、不义、纷扰、憎恨、妒忌、敌意等等莫不因缺乏明辨而起。我附带地再举两个例子。苏克拉者黎（Sukracharya）告诉巴力大帝（Bali），站在他面前的禾摩那（Vamana）正是主毗湿奴（Lord Vishnu）本身，而祂所要求作为慈善的三大步会使他成为丧失者。然而巴力大帝经过慎思明辨之后认为他决不应该不信守承诺，因为神的上臂正伸向他来从他那儿接受。他的手在主毗湿奴之上，因为他是赐予者。就是因为他的善行和明辨，巴力大帝至今仍为人所怀念。在俱卢雪特罗（Kurukshetra）战争开始前，阿周那（Arjuna）和难敌两人都向基士拿（Krishna）求助。基士拿让他们有选择的余地，选择祂这边抑或祂手持武器的大军的另一边。阿周那做出明智的明辨而选择神。这带给他成功。

要达到不二（advaitic）境界或非二元（non-dualistic）境界，必须运用明辨于一个不同的平面。你必须在短暂与永恒，死亡与永生，物质与能量，灵魂与肉身等等之间做出明辨。在这方面，会使明辨的求道者提升至身、心和智之上。正确的明辨引领求道者探索（mimamsa）之道。就是这明辨会引导他并最终提供有关‘koham’（我是谁？）之问题的答案给他。它驱使他步入内在的核心，也就是精灵或灵魂或阿特玛。

因此对求道者而言，明辨是绝对是需要的及不可避免的，但要处处谨慎，步步为营。就吠陀经（Vedas），圣经（Bible），可兰经（Quran），锡克教圣经（Gurugranth），法句经（Dhammapada）等圣典而言，你必须严谨地追随之。明辨在此就成为一个无益的尝试了。此外一个导师或一个神化身所告诉你的，你不得不无条件地加以接受。阿周那注意到这些训示并赢得战争。他如其他人一样也曾质问和争辩。然而到了他放弃一切己见之后，他对基士拿说，Karishye vachanamthava -- 我会照您的旨意去做。在他完全降服之前，他一直得不到心境平和。物理上的或处世的明辨会使你成为一个成功的人。灵性的明辨带给你超脱或涅磐（Nirvana）或解脱（Moksha）。

现在我们可以考虑另一个D -- Determination（决心，立志）。明辨居先，决心在后。为什么？一旦你下定决心，明辨就没有意思了。这仅是浪费时间和无甚意义的。因此明辨应该在决心之前。你或感到奇怪，如果我们不明辨又如何。没有明辨，决心可能或对或错，或智或愚，或善或恶，或正或反。因此，正确和适当的明辨肯定决心在于正面的方向。仅是明辨而缺乏决心是不具意义的，徒然的。

薄伽梵叙述有关吐鲁法（Dhruva）的故事。这小男孩的继母不允许他坐在他父亲的膝上，而另一方面却允许她自己所生的孩子坐在父亲的膝上。于是吐鲁法立下决心到山林去修行。他最终修得正果。他坚强的决心使他赢得了神恩。吐鲁法代表决心的最佳典范。听了天国之音的《梵歌》（Bhagavad Gita）之后，阿周那立定决心，战斗到底并取得胜利。圣者蚁垤（Valmiki，音译跋弥），曾是一个强盗，聆听了那罗陀（Narada）的教导之后，作出正确的明辨并下定决心进修严格的苦行，最后完成了一部巨著，史诗《那罗衍那》（Ramayana）。

悉达多（Siddhartha）的父亲绝对不让他的儿子有机会得睹任何悲惨的情景，并予以无微不至的照顾。然而有一天，命运就是如此安排，他偶然看到一个老妇人和一具死尸，这启发了他的明辨；于是他决定离开王宫，妻子耶输陀罗（Yashodhara）及其儿子罗睺罗（Rahul）而求道去。哈利士旃陀罗（Harishchandra）决心弘扬真理而面临诸多考验。但历史记载并认同他是真理的化身而称他为沙迪亚哈利士旃陀罗（Sathya Harishchandra）。主罗摩决心树立真理和正义于三分期（Treta Yuga），并弘扬这两个孪生原则，以致于必须面对种种苦难，包括被放逐森林。

薄伽梵强调，一个信徒必须有坚强的决心。哈努曼（Hanuman）立下决心越过大海到兰卡寻找悉多（Sita）。他立即启程。般达瓦（Pandavas）兄弟也决定服从主基士拿的指令，所以直到今天，他们还为人们所怀念并视为这土地上的英雄人物，以忠义见称，象征完全的降服。每一个信徒都必须怀有坚强的决心。一个信徒不应该离开主的足前，直到祂恩赐他所要求的一切为止。半途而放弃或退出绝非一个信徒的素质。

你可知道当今我们这个时代的神化身薄伽梵斯里沙迪亚赛峇峇，祂的另一个名号就是坚强的决心。祂毅然决然地开办一所大学，在一个人口曾经只是两百人的小村庄来说，那简直是痴人说梦，不可能的事，但祂成功了。今天，这所大学跃居为国际知名的领先大学，以其水平，藏书，实验室，设备，运动，尤其在人类价值教育方面见称，名闻遐迩，有口皆碑。祂也毅然决然地创办一所专科医院，破纪录地于短短六个月内完成。一幢富丽堂皇，设计精美的建筑物屹然矗立于前，而今天它是唯一一所国际性，完全免费的医院。祂又毅然决然地提供食水给安得拉邦（Andhra Pradesh）阿南达普县（Anantapur），而祂破纪录地在一年竣工，耗资约数十亿卢比。没有一个政府尝试这么做。薄伽梵峇峇做到了。祂的毅然决然的，不可思议的神圣意愿正吸引着来自世界各地的信徒，而我们今天看到一个灵性的变革，静静地形成，不为人所察觉，极大程度地产生一个彻底的改造。

甚至在俗世里，若无决心，任何实质的和特殊的事物都不能完成。学生为取得好成绩，务必立志向学；医生应该毅然地动手术或开药方以彻底治愈病痛；军人必须决然披甲上阵，勇于杀敌，凯旋荣归。为了世上的任何东西，为了在任何领域的成功，如社会，政治，伦理，道德，经济，科学等领域，一个人应该具备坚强的决心。它是每一个成功背后的力量。决心含有做好准备去面对考验和苦难，困苦而费力的工作，工作和担当的精神，确信、技术与能力的精神，足够的动力、身体与道德的力量，明确的目的，而最重要的就是神的丰厚的慈悲与恩惠。举个例子供你参考。我们决定去真奈（Chennai）或孟买（Mumbai），于是上了火车，运载我们到目的地。火车在你到达真奈或孟买前有好多站必须停下。但有一点是肯定的，你不会中途下车而不继续你的旅程。是吗？当然不会，直到你抵达目的地，因为你已决定到那儿而定了到那儿的票。

同样，在灵道上，你不应该中途下车。有这么一句话：Salokya，Sameepya，Saroopya和Sayujya（看着祂，亲近祂，向祂看齐，最后融于祂）。你不停止你的灵性旅程，直到最后一个站或‘Sayujya’阶段到达为止。这意味着与神融为一体。这就是决心继续你的旅程直至终点为止，也就是与神合一。我们也可以决心抵达那在灵道中所规定的三步之中的最后一步。它们是Sravana（聆听），Manana（反省你所听到的）及Nididhyasa（实行你所听到而反省者）。一个人必须决心去实行他所信仰的。一个人必须决心去从‘我’步向‘我们’。一个人必须决心去探索直至在粗身（Sthoola body）与妙身（Sookshma body）之上的因身（Karana body）得到体现。我们必须决心与神同在和在神之内乃至于最后成为神。我们必须决心去达到若那（Jnana）的境界，经历业（Karma）的洗礼和虔诚（Bhakthi）的促进去达到觉悟的境界。

决心是五个D的顶峰。如果我们持有献身，决心就会自己降临。如果我们遵守纪律，决心就变得轻而易举。如果我们虔诚，决心就自动到来。如果我们好好地明辨，决心就得到圆满的实现。这些就是薄伽梵峇峇的五个D，即，Dedication（献身），Discipline（纪律），Devotion（虔诚），Discrimination（明辨）及Determination（决心）。我们应该视这五个D为灵道上的生命气息。

愿薄伽梵祝福大家。

Sai Ram.

取自《薄伽梵斯里沙迪亚赛峇峇普及和实用的教导》第11章

DISCRIMINATION & DETERMINATION

My loving pranams at the lotus feet of our beloved Bhagavan.

Dear brothers and sisters,

We are happy to have you this morning here for ‘Satsang’, the study circle meeting. I am glad to share with you a few ideas on the subject 2Ds as explained by our Bhagavan. The 2Ds are Discrimination and Determination. Earlier in our study circle meeting we discussed at length the other 3Ds which are the prerequisites or a sort of precursors to the present 2Ds of this morning. They are Dedication, Discipline and Devotion. With these two they are 5Ds corresponding to the five elements, the five life sheaths, the five life breaths, the five senses of perception and the five senses of action. They are interdependent and interrelated. They are sequentially arranged. In Dedication, for the first D, it was made very clear that one has to dedicate the ego and definitely not just the worldly possessions and properties. Then in the second D for Discipline, the causes and the need for discipline with special reference to spiritual path, were dealt with. The third D for Devotion covered the need, types, purpose and the goal of devotion. Today we take up the last two Ds, Discrimination and Determination. Without dedicating your ego, spiritual life is meaningless and impossible. This makes it possible to lead a disciplined life without which devotion is out of question. It is this devotion that prepares the ground for discrimination, which leads to determination.

It is the discrimination that distinguishes a human being from birds and beasts. Without this special quality, human being comes down to the level of animals. Whenever it is found missing, the other fellowmen condemn the guilty person, branding him as being equal to animals. Bhagavan said many times that one should definitely exercise the power of discrimination. One should discriminate between what is good and what is bad and what is right and what is wrong. In fact, He even says that before resorting to action, one should put a question to one’s own self, “Is this right or wrong? Is it good or bad?” Thus “Will this be acceptable to Bhagavan? Would it please Bhagavan?” Spiritual life is that when we do something which makes Him happy.

Further, Bhagavan speaking to students said, “You should never act like an animal. Whenever the mind starts wavering, you should note that it is the quality of a monkey; repeat for a couple of times, I am a man, I am not a monkey. Then such a mind becomes stable. When you feel lazy or sleep in excess, then repeat for a couple of times that, ‘I am a man, I am not a buffalo’ as this quality is that of a buffalo, then you will slowly get out of laziness. ” So anger, stealing, revenge, laziness, wavering mind are the qualities of an animal. So when such thoughts enter your mind, repeat ten times ‘I am a man and not an animal’. Then the mind calms down. This is “discrimination”. So discrimination takes away the animal in you and brings out the human qualities. So in the first stage we rise above the level of animal and become human.

But the eternal journey of man does not stop there. He should rise above the human level to know divinity within to become divine ultimately. This again is possible only through discrimination. It should guide him in the right direction. Discrimination is of two kinds, individual discrimination and fundamental discrimination. Individual discrimination is utterly selfish and self-centred. It may not be of any help to a seeker or an aspirant. Further too much of selfishness and self-interest may lead him to a stage when he may lose the sense of discrimination totally. With the result he ceases to be human and turns inhuman. Therefore one should exercise fundamental discrimination. This is applicable to everyone, everywhere for all times. This serves, aims at and leads to the good of everybody. I think it is understood by now that mere discrimination is not enough, but it should be fundamental discrimination. The best example is Lord Rama himself. He reacted to the words of a washerman and ordered Sita, His consort, to be left in a forest by His own brother Lakshmana. This decision outwardly seems unjust, unkind and unjustifiable. But Rama is not only pithru vakya paripalaka, the one who strictly follows the command of the father, but also a praja vakya paripalaka, which means He will follow people’s verdict, value their opinion. How could He have ordered Sita to be sent to the forest, had He exercised individual discrimination? It is only fundamental discrimination that made Him take such a decision. Thyagaraja when posed with a question whether to choose wealth or God, discriminated in the correct way and said Ramuni sannidhi (proximity to Lord/God) is more valuable than pennidhi or great wealth.

It is only the discrimination that prompted Vibhishana leave Ravana and surrender himself to Rama. Though it was not in the boons granted to Kaikeyi, Lakshmana followed Rama to the forest leaving the kingdom and his wife Urmila. How could he do it? It is only the prompting of discrimination. Manthara, responsible for Rama being sent to the forest, resorted to speak ill of Rama, because she was utterly selfish. Such selfishness represents individual discrimination. In contrast to Rama, who left everything on the basis of fundamental discrimination, we have Ravana who lost the kingdom, sons, wealth and totally ruined the whole of Lanka as his individual discrimination led to the selfish desire to possess Sita.

In Mahabharatha we have Duryodhana. He lost his discrimination. He never thought what was right and what was wrong. So Draupadi was humiliated in the open court. Had Duryodhana used discrimination at any time in his lifetime, the story of Mahabharatha would have been totally different. To cut the story short, the entire Mahabharatha centres around Duryodhana who lacks discrimination. What led to the crucifixion of Christ? People lost discrimination and branded Jesus as anti-God. The son of God was on the cross, because of people who had no discrimination, not in the least.

Exploitation, black marketing, corruption and such other evils in society are due to the absence of discrimination among people. Injustice, unrighteousness, hatred, envy, enmity etc., are due to the absence of discrimination. Incidentally I may mention two more instances. Sukracharya told emperor Bali that the one who stood in front of him, Vamana, was Lord Vishnu Himself and the three footsteps He is asking for as charity will make him the loser. Yet emperor Bali discriminated properly and thought that he should never break his promise, because the upper hand of God is now stretched forward to receive from him. His hand is above Lord Vishnu as he is the giver. It is because of his good action and the discrimination he made, emperor Bali is remembered till this day. Before the commencement of Kurukshetra battle both Arjuna and Duryodhana approached Krishna for help. Krishna gave them the option to choose between Him on one side and battalions of His army with weaponry on the other. Arjuna discriminated very well and opted for God. This brought him success.

To reach advaitic state or non-dualistic state, discrimination has to be exercised on a different plane. One has to discriminate between that which is transient and that which is permament, mortal and immortal, matter and energy, spirit and body and so on. Discrimination in this line will enable the aspirant rise above the body, mind and intellect. The correct discrimination leads the seeker towards the path of enquiry or mimamsa. It is this discrimination that will guide him and ultimately provides an answer to the question ‘koham?’. Who am I? It drives him to the inner core, the Spirit or Soul or Atma.

Thus discrimination is indispensable and inevitable to every seeker after truth, but with a caution. So far as the dictates of holy scriptures like The Vedas, The Bible, The Quran, The Gurugranth, The Dhammapada, are concerned, one has to follow them scrupulously. Here discrimination is a vain attempt. Then again, what a Sadguru or an Avatar tells you has to be accepted unconditionally. Arjuna heeded these injunctions and won the battle. He too questioned and argued like any other. But till he gave up all that and said to Krishna, Karishye vachanamthava – I will act according to your command. Until he completely surrendered himself, he did not have peace of mind. Physically or worldly discrimination will make you a successful person. Spiritual discrimination grants you Liberation or Nirvana or Moksha.

Now we can consider the other D – Determination. Discrimination precedes determination. Why? When once you are determined, there is no point in discriminating later. It is waste of time and serves no purpose. Therefore determination should be preceded by discrimination. You may wonder what if, we do not discriminate. Without discrimination determination may be right or wrong, wise or unwise, good or bad, correct or incorrect. Therefore proper and correct discrimination ensures determination in the positive direction. Mere discrimination without determination is purposeless and useless.

Bhagavan narrated the story of Dhruva. This young boy was not allowed by his stepmother to sit in the lap of his father, while on the other hand the stepmother’s son was sitting. Then Dhruva determined to undertake penance in a dense forest. He succeeded finally. His strong determination was the cause of his winning the grace of God. Dhruva stands as the best example of determination. Arjuna after listening to the song celestial, “Bhagavad Gita” determined to fight to the end and won the battle. Sage Valmiki a robber to begin with, as Rathnakara, after listening to the teachings of Narada discriminated very clearly and determined to do strict penance, which led to the composition of the epic Ramayana.

The father of Siddhartha saw to it that his son would have no chance of seeing any tragic scene and brought him up with tender care. But one day as destiny willed, he happened to see an old woman and a dead body that led to discrimination; and He determined to leave the royal palace, his Princess Yashodhara and his son Rahul in search of truth. Harishchandra determined to speak truth and faced all the ordeals. But history recorded and identified him as the very embodiment of Truth and hailed him as Sathya Harishchandra. Lord Rama determined to establish Sathya (Truth) and Dharma (Righteousness) in Treta Yuga，and to uphold these twin principles he had to face all problems including being in exile.

Bhagavan stresses that a devotee must have a strong determination. Hanuman determined to leap across the ocean and go to Lanka in search of Sita. Immediately he started. Pandavas determined to follow the command of Lord Krishna, and so they are remembered till today as heroes of this land and are known for loyalty, symbolizing total surrender. A strong determination is needed for every devotee. A devotee should not leave the feet of the Lord, until He grants what he asked for. It is not the quality of a devotee to give up or drop out in the middle.

You know how the present Avatar of our Age, Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, is another name for strong determination. He determined to start a University undreamed of and impossible in a tiny hamlet of 200 population at one time and He succeeded. Today, it is one of the leading Universities, internationally known for its standards, library, laboratory equipment, sports and particularly for the education in human values. He determined to start a Super Speciality Hospital in a record time of six months. A beautiful edifice is built of architectural beauty and today it is the only internationally known hospital conducting operations free of cost. He determined to supply drinking water to Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh and He did it in a record time of one year spending hundreds of crores. No Government ever attempted to do it. Bhagavan Baba accomplished it. His determined, inscrutable divine Will is attracting devotees from all over the world and we find today a spiritual revolution taking place silently unnoticed in a big way effecting a total transformation.

Even in our mundane world, without determination nothing tangible and remarkable can be done. Students must be determined to study in order to pass creditably; a doctor should be determined to conduct surgery or prescribe medicine for the complete cure of the ailment; a soldier must be determined to fight courageously to emerge victorious in the battle. For anything in the world, for success in any field, social, political, ethical, moral, economic, scientific, etc., one should have strong determination. It is the force behind every success. The determination involves preparedness to face ordeals and troubles, hard and strenuous work, spirit of work, commitment, spirit of conviction, skills and capabilities, enough motivation, physical and moral strength, clarity of purpose, and above all God’s abundant mercy and grace. An example is given here for your information. We determine to go to Chennai or Mumbai and board the train that takes us to that destination. The train stops at many stations, before you go to Chennai or Mumbai. But one thing is certain, you do not get down and discontinue your journey as and where the train stops. Do you? Certainly not, until you reach the place you want to, because you are determined to go there, and booked the ticket accordingly.

Similarly, in the spiritual journey you should not stop or get down or drop out in the middle. It is said as: Salokya, Sameepya, Saroopya and Sayujya (Look at Him, Be near Him, Be like Him, and finally Merge in Him). You do not stop your spiritual journey, until the last station or stage ‘Sayujya’ arrives. It means merger in the Divine. This is the determination to continue your journey till the end, i.e., merger in God. We can also determine to reach the final among the three steps prescribed in the spiritual path. They are Sravana (listening), Manana (reflecting upon that which is heard), and Nididhyasa (practicing that which is heard and reflected upon). One must be determined to practice all that one believes in. One must be determined to travel from ‘I’ to ‘WE’. One must determine to investigate and enquire until the Karana (causal) body is realized which is beyond Sthoola (gross) and Sookshma (subtle) body. We must determine to be with God and in God and finally become God. We must determine to reach the state of Jnana (wisdom), realization passing Karma (action) and Bhakti (devotion).

Determination is the climax of the five Ds. If we have dedication, determination comes on its own. If we follow discipline, determination becomes simple. If we are devoted, determination comes automatically. If we discriminate properly, determination finds its fulfilment. These are the five ‘D’s of Bhagavan Baba, viz., Dedication, Discipline, Devotion, Discrimination, and Determination, which we should take as life breaths in spiritual path.

May Bhagavan bless you all.

Sai Ram.

Universal & Practical Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Chapter 11