Sri Sathya Sai Expounds on the 5 Ds of Life – Part 2

Sri Sathya Sai Speaks

... Continued from Part 1

4. Discrimination

Then comes Discrimination. The world is a mixture of good and bad, of joy and sorrow, right and wrong, victory and defeat. In a world replete  with  such  opposites,  man  has  to constantly make the choice between what is right and proper and what is wrong and undesirable. Man should not let himself be guided by the mind.  He should follow the directions of the Buddhi (Intelligence). As long as you follow the mind, you cannot obtain Madhava (Divinity).

Young people in their tender years tend to follow the inclinations of the mind. They do not rise to the level of their intelligence. Consequently, they are subject to various agitations and frustrations. They have, therefore, to learn to use their power of discrimination. “I am a human being. In this condition how should I conduct myself so that I may win the respect and regard of others?” These are the questions which each student must ask himself. He should inquire on every occasion as to what the right course is and what is to be avoided. He should decide on what he should do and where he should go, after due inquiry. Having acquired knowledge, he should not behave like an illiterate, uneducated person. His conduct should be in keeping with his learning. Humility is the index of true education. Without humility, scholarship will lack lustre. Discrimination is essential for every student and educated man. 

5. Determination

It is like the reins of a horse. When you want to achieve something, you must have the determination and persistence to secure it by all your efforts. No room should be given for doubts and hesitation. There is nothing on earth which cannot be achieved with firm determination.

Starting with Dedication, you end with Determination. There is no use relying solely on bookish knowledge or mere intellectual cleverness. You must have firm faith in God as the basis of everything.

There is one kind of pest which affects the leaves and branches of a tree. There is another which destroys the root of a tree. Likewise, a hypocrite is a human pest which can spoil a good man. The hypocrite is not merely an actor. He poses as a devotee externally, but is really evil-minded. He leads a double life. It is dangerous to associate with such persons.  Many good men in the world have come to grief because of the association with such pretenders.

Worldly Love and Divine Love

Love is of two kinds – One related to the physical and the other is related to the Divine. All the fears and delusions afflicting the world, all the chaos and violence prevalent today are primarily due to physical attachments. These are also responsible for the falsehood, corruption and other evils rampant in society. Divine Love knows no differences among individuals and nations.  Egoistic attachments  and  selfishness  are  at  the  root  of  all  human  troubles  and  conflicts.  Physical love should be confined to strict limits. If the Divine consciousness were not present within, of what use would the body be? It would be as useless as a school without teachers, a farm without water, and a temple without a deity.

You must develop Divine Love. You must be resolute in striving to achieve what you aim at. Only then will your devotion and discipline bear fruit. There is no meaning in parading one's devotion. The external human form has no significance. You must be human in your actions and feelings. By reforming your conduct and purifying your thoughts and actions, sanctify your lives. That alone is true education, which will lead to Self-realisation.


Source: Five Spiritual Subjects, Discourse 10, My Dear Students Volume 2, Divine Discourse delivered on January 16, 1988 in the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus Auditorium