The True Nature of Dharma

Discourse of Sathya Sai Baba during the Summer Course in Spirituality and Indian Culture
held for College Students at Brindavan, Whitefield, Bangalore District in May 1973
Published by Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust
Web posted at Apr 25, 2002

After committing a bad act, you cannot hope to get good results. After having done something good, you need not be afraid that you will get bad results. If you plant the seeds of lemon, how can you get fruits different from lemons? All forms and all religions relate to Him. He is present in all the idols which we worship.

Pavitratma Swarupas, students! In this infinite world, there are manifold Jivas. Amongst all of them, man reigns supreme. While eating and sleeping are common to all living beings, man is distinguished by two qualities. One is Dharma or right conduct and the other is Jnana or wisdom. If this Jnana and the Dharma are not present in man, he will also have to be classed along with all other living things. We should first enquire as to what Dharma means. Dharma ordains man to observe certain rules of behaviour for social and spiritual progress. The observance of such restrictions and disciplines can be called Dharmic. Dharma is also capable of causing hurt to people who try to cause the decline of Dharma. Similarly, Dharma will protect those who will try to protect it. Another sacred quality of Dharma is that wherever it is, there will be victory as well.

This sacred word Dharma has been commented upon by many elders in this country. This country has been tied down by the rope of Dharma and therefore it acquires a distinctive feature and serves as an example to other countries. This word Dharma, which is really bound up with an infinite variety of meanings, is being inadequately described by one word, duty, in the modern age. Duty is something which is connected with an individual, a predicament, or with a particular time or country. On the other hand Dharma is eternal, the same for everyone everywhere. It expresses the significance of the inner Atma. The birthplace of Dharma is the heart. What emanates from the heart as a pure idea, when translated into action will be called Dharma. If you have to be told in a manner that you can understand, one can say "Do unto others as you want them to do unto you" - that is Dharma. Dharma consists in avoiding actions which would hurt others. If anyone causes happiness to you, then you in turn should do such things that will cause happiness to others. When we recognise that what others do will cause difficulties and if we do the same things, that would be Adharma.

Sometimes under certain circumstances, an individual who commits a wrong has to be told in very harsh terms that he has done something wrong, in order to improve him. Simply because one uses a knife sometimes, one cannot conclude that it is an evil thing or that the individual is a cruel person. For example, sometimes a doctor uses a knife and cuts open the heart while performing surgery. Will this be called cruelty or an act of helping? If you do something which is connected with untruth, it could be called Adharma. But whatever action you do with Prema cannot be called Adharma. Law is love and the entire system of law is based on love. For instance, if a boy commits a mistake and if the mother beats the boy, would you call it cruelty or Adharma? In this context, Dharma has acquired many different meanings. There is Dharma relating to time, relating to the world, relating to the heart, relating to a sect and so on. There are varieties of Dharma which have come up in usage at the present time. The combined form and essence of all these Dharmas is Sanathana Dharma.

It is in this context that we can say that all religions are His and all forms are His. Whatever Dharma it may be, it never teaches you to be disrespectful to your parents, and your teachers. It never tells you to speak untruth. All religions have much in common and that is the good in them. What we have been doing is to neglect what has been common to all religions. On the other hand, what has not been said by any of the religions is attracting our attention. That is the reason why we have taken to the path of Adharma. If each one develops faith in his own religion and puts into practice whatever has been said in his own religion, then there will be no room for the difference of opinions which are flourishing now, and for the uncultured way in which we often talk. While you profess faith in your religion, but if you act in your daily life in a contrary manner, then one can understand what little faith you have in any religion. If you have true faith in the religion which you profess, then there is no chance of your behaving in a manner contrary to the contents of that religion. When profession is divorced from practice, then it appears like an external cloak. This itself is Adharma.

All our devotion and faith today are in appearance, only. They are not truly in you. If we go to any place of pilgrimage or a place of worship, we show a great deal of devotion and faith, but when we come away from such places, all our devotion and faith are left behind. It is in this context that the Bhagavad Gita has said 'Satatam Yoginaha'. This means that you must be a Yogi and a devotee always and at all times. Our good qualities are in the forefront only when we are doing Pooja or Japa. The moment we come out of our Pooja, we shed such qualities. Good qualities are not to be tied to a particular time and a particular place. They should be observed in one's entire life.

One individual had to cover a distance of ten miles at night. He had a lantern in his hand, and the light of this lantern was shining and lighting the way for only about four or five yards. He entered the forest and then he began to think how he could travel for ten miles with that lamp which was giving light only for a few yards. At this time, a Sanyasi was also going that way. The Sanyasi asked him where he was going and why he was feeling so sorry. The man said that he had to travel ten miles. The light in his hand was showing only a few yards ahead and he was worried as to how he could travel such a long distance. The Sanyasi said that if the person took the light with him, then it will show the way for all the distance.

In the same manner, our virtuous conduct will help us throughout our lives. You may doubt the omnipresence of God but if you realise that your own body is the temple of God, your own heart is the seat of God and that the Jiva in you is simply a reflection of God, then your meditation room is your body itself and so He is present wherever you go. Therefore in all the deeds that you perform, in all the individuals that you meet and in all the thoughts that you entertain, you must see the divine and act accordingly. In order that you may have these qualities, you must develop faith and follow the paths indicated by the sacred texts like Bhagavata, Mahabharatha, Ramayana, Bible, Quaran and so on.

If we think of Iswara, we at once picture someone who has tied up his hair, who has a trident in his hand, who has got three eyes and a leopard skin on him. Iswara really means one who is the highest being like Maheshwara and who possesses all types of prosperity. It is by the very thought or Sankalpa of Maheshwara that we believe that creation, maintenance and dissolution of the created world is taking place. It is usual to describe Maheshwara as consisting of Siva, Vishnu and Rudra as three parts. The name Siva signifies that he gives us happiness and prosperity. On the other hand, Siva is also the one who shows us the correct path relating to wisdom, prosperity and gives us various types of wealth and has therefore been also called Sankara. The word Sankara is to be understood as consisting of two parts 'San' and 'Kara'. The word 'Kara' means to hand in and the word 'San' means all kinds of wealth. One who hands in all kinds of wealth and prosperity to us is Sankara.

It is in the context of these sacred meanings, that I told you earlier about the three kinds of Pragnas - Jiva Pragna, Atma Pragna and Iswara Pragna. I also mentioned that Jiva Pragna binds oneself, while Iswara Pragna binds others and Atma Pragna liberates all. Some people have doubts in their minds as to how Iswara Pragna can bind others. By using his wealth, one can make an attempt to bind others. Here the word wealth has a very wide meaning. We can bind others with wealth when it takes the shape of money. We can bind others with wealth when it takes the shape of intelligence. We bind others with wealth when it takes the shape of love. All these are different forms of wealth. You can also bind others by wisdom. God is referred to as 'Bhakta Paradheena' and this implies that the devotee can bind God by his devotion. Therefore, this idea that the wealth given by Iswara in so many different forms can be used to bind one is something which is in the nature of neither truth nor untruth. It is a concept which is in between these two.

One who has acquired the wealth of wisdom and becomes identical with wisdom, becomes very happy and is referred to as 'Tat Eva Twam'. This means that this person is in great bliss and is one with the object of his wisdom. Sometimes this person who is having wisdom, while only looking at the object of his wisdom finds great happiness. This state is referred to as 'Twam Eva Tat'. In these two statements, you will find that one place belongs to the Guru and the other place belongs to the disciple. One who sits in the place of Tat and explains the significance of Twam is the Guru. One who sits in the place of Twam and makes an enquiry about the nature of Tat is the student. The Guru stands in the place of Sat. The student also lives in close proximity to Sat. He has the opportunity of himself getting Sadbhava or good ideas. When you are in proximity of a good thing, then you must yourself get the nature of that good thing. Under those circumstances, the student gets the opportunity of becoming one with the Guru and move into the Nivritthi state.

If I have to explain to you easily and clearly this concept, I have to draw your attention to the practice in our country of undertaking Upavasa in the name of God. To get at the significance of this, we have to understand the difference between Upasana and Upavasa. Upavasa is to live close by. Upasana is to sit close by. We do not feel the heat when we are sitting near an air-conditioner. Likewise in winter, if we sit near a heater, we get the benefit of warmth. We do Upavasa because we want to go close to God and stay near Him. What is the benefit of going close to God? The benefit is that the Satchidananda of God will come to us and the bad qualities in us will go away. This is how we should understand the meaning of Upavasa. It is our attempt to go close to God but in practice we have reduced this to eating half a dozen Chapathis, a dozen plantains and drinking a pint of milk after refraining from eating rice. Is there any meaning in this kind of Upavasa? Often, in this manner, we are not comprehending the correct meaning of our sacred culture. To some extent, we are therefore disappointed at the results which our Sadhanas and practices bring us.

Pavitratma Swarupas, students! You have come here for this summer course and you are staying here with the specific purpose of understanding the truth. You must take the truth about these things to your heart and also spread them amongst your friends when you go back home. You must see that the future of our country is rebuilt on such firm foundations. I bless you and bring this discourse to a close.