Divine Words of wisdom by Sathya Sai Baba – On Pleasure and Pain
Divine Words of wisdom by Sathya Sai Baba - On Pleasure and Pain
1. Only through pain, you can derive pleasure
Description
Many great people, forbearing many difficulties did great penance and meditative exercises in order to obtain the Divinity. Pleasure is an interval between two pains. Happiness does not come without difficulties. Happiness can be known only when there are troubles and pains. If we call the sugarcane and ask to give us sugar, does it give us? No. Only when it is crushed well and processed, it does. Only when we give innumerable cuts to the diamond it gets good value. Only when gold is put in fire and struck well it can be made as an ornament. In this human life we have to face some difficulties and bear certain blames. We have to try and develop the divine love within us and then we can obtain Bliss. God’s Love should not be taken in a light sense. It is very sacred. In a worldly sense it may appear as insignificant but it transcends the physical level. Everyone should obtain and nurture that kind of love.
2. Accept everything in life as God's prasadam: Beautiful Analogies
Description
The essence of Ugadi lies in being calm and composed in both happy and sad circumstances. It signifies that one should not be elated by happy times nor be dejected in times of sorrow but see both as gifts from God. Both happen in the world. The world is called as ‘Jagath’, meaning there is nothing permanent here. ‘Ja’, ‘gath’ means that which comes and goes. The world is made up of dualism; it has got the two aspects. Man cannot exist without the pleasure and the pain. It is the pain that brings about pleasure. And it is truly the pleasure that brings about pain to man. What is pleasure and what is sorrow? “Kashta sukhamulu rendunununu kalasi yundu,” pain and pleasure exist together. “Veeni vidadeeya yevvari vasamu kaadu!!” none can separate the two. “Sukhamu pratyekamuga yendu choodabomu!” there is no pleasure as such. “Kasthamu phalinchaneni sukhambatanchu” fulfilment of difficulty gives pleasure. People think the birth of a child gives pleasure and death of the child causes pain and sorrow. It is the same child that gives both pleasure and pain. Similarly with the rising of the sun people call it dawn of a day and with sun set people call it night. There is no sun separate for the day or for the night; it is the one and the same sun. Therefore the nature of the mind is the cause for the pleasure and the pain but the mind is one. One should welcome both and think of them as one. Man’s foremost and important action is to discharge one’s duties and responsibilities by developing faith in God by being equipoise in pleasure and pain and by sanctifying one’s heart by loving God.
3. God gives suffering that we can bear
Description
So, we will subtly assume the form of God when we think of God all the time. Never be depressed that you can’t bear suffering. God will never put you to suffering that you cannot bear. He will give you difficulties that you can bear. You may feel, “God! I’m facing difficulties that I cannot bear!” If anyone asks you, “Since when do you have these problems?” You reply, “For the last three years.” You were able to cross over the last three years by bearing the suffering, is it not? So God is putting you to tests that you can bear. Test is the taste of God. We should never fear any test. Be ready to sacrifice your life as you think of God. When you come to this state, God will help you.
4. World is full of sorrow; Seek peace within c
Description
Today in the world, we often hear news about some disturbance being caused in some part of the world or some harm being done to people somewhere. There is no news which causes happiness, heartens you, and tells you things more pleasant and permanent. The world itself is a drama of two days. This generation of yours is like a drama lasting for two hours. This individual body of yours is just a water bubble which will last for only a few minutes. How can we regard any of these things as of any value? Our body is a conglomeration of diseases. Our life itself is like a bed, full of bugs. This world is full of sorrow. How are we going to get any happiness in these surroundings? Thus, neither the desires relating to the body nor the desires relating to worldly pleasures and sensuous enjoyments are going to give us any happiness or bliss. The diseases, the troubles and various other things of that kind that cause harm to you are putting on the garb of deceit so that they may look outwardly as pleasures. They are chasing you towards all kind of difficulties. As in the normal course of events, the dress you put on will be changed when it has to be changed, so also the dress of pleasure and happiness is only worn temporarily and will be changed to give you trouble as soon as it is all over. Truly in this world, if you can find an individual who is spending his life in peace and happiness, it will be a matter of great amazement. He may be a very rich and affluent person, he may be a highly educated and respected person, he may be in a position of great power and authority and yet he will only appear outwardly as if he has some happiness; but, in fact, he is worried by so many problems within himself. These problems are bringing so much pressure on him that he is continually unhappy. If you really want to have unbroken bliss and happiness, this age of yours is very appropriate for you to think of the essence of non-dualism or Adwaitha philosophy.
5. Make others happy and you will be happy
Description
All religions and all castes are creations of man. As such, we are contributing to the divisions and differences in villages and in towns. There are two parts in a village, one which belongs to the rich and the other which belongs to the poor. In a town, we have the old town and the new town. These differences are created by us. While doing so, we forget that the primary objective of everyone is happiness. Happiness, truth and sacrifice constitute the wealth in the treasury of God. You can be happy only when you understand the relationship that should exist between man and man. If we ask ourselves what the meaning of happiness is, we get the answer that absence of sorrow is happiness. Therefore, we have to think about the process of getting rid of sorrow. Between one star and another and between one planet and another, there is light that shines in the space. In the same manner, between one period of sorrow and another, there should be happiness shining so far as man is concerned. Before man can enjoy such happiness, we should make an enquiry and realise the inner meaning of some words that we use. In all that man does with a view to love himself, it is not possible for him to ignore loving others. Without cultivating love for others, you can never cultivate love for yourself. Sorrow for yourself is gained by hurting others. In the same manner, victory in every war will result in another war. So also, any happiness that you can give to others will result in happiness for yourself in the end. Man must realise that he cannot get anything without sharing it with humanity around him. So, you must believe that, in due course, happiness of the people around you will lead to your own happiness.
6. Pleasure and pain are the reflection of your own self
Description
The things which appear as dual to an individual namely the good or the bad, happiness or sorrow are all but mere reflections of the One. Vedantins and the wise say that there is only one, the Brahman, that exists and there is no second; then one needs to make an enquiry as to how the one Brahman is being experienced in so many forms. Today morning, the learned speakers who spoke on the vedas gave some examples. One of the examples was about the statements that one makes about the things one sees namely- ‘the tree is there, a stone is there.’ Etc. Though the subjects of such sentences, the tree, a stone, may differ in names and forms, the verb ‘there is’ is the same for all implying that irrespective of forms and names the essence exists throughout. Likewise, when someone asks the question, “who amongst you is Yellaiah?” that person responds by saying, “I”. When asked, “Who amongst you is Gopal?” Gopal responds by saying, “I” When asked, “Who amongst you is Ram?” Ram responds by saying, “I”. In the above conversation the individual names and forms are different but the response given by them all is the same, “I”. Hence the “I” is everywhere. Therefore, the individual who has known the self or the atma easily understands that it is the “I” that pervades all. The sacred sound of the letter “I” is appropriate only to the atma. One can acquire the equality and equal mindedness easily as it is the same atma that dwells in everybody. The differences in the matter are due to one’s desire towards them but matter as such has the same attributes always. If these attributes were inherent in the matter by itself then it should generate similar feelings in all who behold it. A person may like a thing but another may dislike the same thing. So likes and dislikes are there in the person but not in the matter.
7. Everything is a passing cloud in life
Description
Whatever happens, is the dance of Shiva. The tremendous flux that goes on is the tandava dance. This flux in life, joys and sorrows, all come and go. Difficulties, joys and sorrows come and go. These are all passing clouds. They come and go. Morality comes and grows. We have got to nurture it. We should inculcate that type of moral principle and truth. We have got to respect our mother. The mother should not say that my son should earn well to become great. God will give that automatically if he deserves it. Whatever you wish for is not something permanent. It should come automatically.
8. Good and bad are not separate
Description
All that is good or bad in us emanates from the heart. Good and bad are seldom separate from each other. They are inseparable. Happiness is not a separate state. The fructification of hardship is the happiness. The oneness of the Divine subsumes everything. Humanness is the means to realise this oneness. It is said, “Human life is so precious and rare”. The scriptures have declared that the same Divine Spirit dwells in all beings.
9. In sorrow rests the pleasure, Said Jesus
Description
Pleasure and pain go together. There is no man without these twins, pain and pleasure. Pain and pleasure are intermixed. It is impossible for anybody to separate them. Pleasure doesn’t exist by itself. It is the fructification of difficulty which gives you pleasure. This message of truth must be taught to the entire world, said Jesus. Without difficulties, you will not know the value of happiness. When there is no darkness, you will not know the value of light. So basing on these two – pleasure and pain – Jesus went on explaining what is the foundation, what is the basis, what is the primordial principle that would ultimately help mankind. So we have to bear with our problems. Difficulties will give us happiness. The one who does not know pain will never know the value of pleasure. We should resist the problems and we should achieve happiness; which we then have to share in this world. In fact, those people who are suffering, we should make them happy. So, in every little task, we have to take it as the divine message, as the divine task assigned to us, and propagate this message in this society. Oh man! You are enjoying many forms of pleasure. What is that you have ultimately gained out of them? What is your achievement in this? What kind of pleasure have you experienced? What is the happiness that you share with others? If you go on enquiring like this, you don’t get any answer. Right from the time of birth you have been passing through arduous experiences. You are not able to realize that happiness in this pain. What kind of happiness? Physical? Mental? Psychological? No. It is the bliss of the spirit. This is viewed as peace.
10. In sorrow rests the happiness
Description
Death is implied in life and sorrow is implied in pleasure. So also, night is implied in the day. We regard sorrow and happiness, night and day as different entities. No, this is not right. On a proper enquiry, we will find that in fact they are the same. Iron, in its native state, is black and hard but when you heat it, it becomes red and soft. This change has come as a result of the change that we have introduced into the natural state of iron. In order to realize this truth at all times, we have to participate in good practices, keep good company and accept good advice from elders.
11. How to be happy amidst your worries
Description
Be happy always!! One may say, “Swami! How is it possible to stay happy always amidst the problems and hurdles of day-to-day life?” Will worrying bring a solution to a problem? No! Then why should one worry? Be happy! This happiness will keep worry far away. When one worries, one is only adding to the problems. Never worry. One must take whatever comes in one’s life as God’s gift. Even the difficulties are God’s gift. “The pleasure is an interval between two pains!” There lies the happiness between the two pains. Without pain, one cannot know the value of pleasure. Without darkness one cannot know the value of light. Hence, difficulties are also God’s gifts. Quinine mixture is given to the person suffering from malaria fever. It is very bitter, but this bitter medicine, when taken in, cures malaria. One cannot expect the medicine to be sweet and still get rid of the malaria. Therefore, even the difficulties give joy later! One should be joyful ever to get bliss and to set an ideal for others to follow.
12. Pleasure is an Interval between two pains
Description
However, those who live in this physical, ephemeral, transient world, they necessarily have to bide by the dualities of truth and untruth, merit and sin and so on. As long we are in this transient world, mundane world, we cannot escape from this duality. Our peace and security lie between these two things. Our bliss is related to the misery. Pleasure is an interval between two pains. What is life? Life is a combination of the light and the shadow. Without difficulties you cannot enjoy pleasure. When you enter a cool room from the severe heat outside, you will be able to enjoy it better. Human life is a combination of pleasure and pain. It’s not possible to think of pleasure alone separately. There is no pleasure in pleasure alone. You cannot derive happiness out of happiness, it is only out of difficulties you can get pleasure.
