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The beliefs and practices in the Sathya Sai Organisation , founded by the Indian Guru Sathya Sai Baba (major article) can be characterized as a rather traditional but Syncretistic form of Hinduism . Additionally, believers have Faith in the guru as an ''purna Avatar '' (full divine incarnation) of Shiva and Shakti , who is predicted in the Bhagavad Gita . In non-Hindu terms, this means that his followers see him as God . Followers are engaged in singing Bhajan s and Charity . IMPORTANT TEACHINGS Sathya Sai Baba (SSB) preaches love and the unity of all religions. He says that all religions lead to God and that followers should continue to follow their original Religion s. He says that those who follow his teachings will find themselves exampling their own original faith more fully, i.e. that will make Christians become better Christians and Hindus better Hindus, et cetera. He preaches a foundation of five basic human values: Truth ( Sathya ), Right Conduct ( Dharma ), Peace ( Santhi ), Love for God and all creatures ( Prema ), and Non-violence ( Ahimsa ). Other important teaching are
Most of his followers consider his many teachings as a divine Revelation containing good advice for daily life and '' Sadhana '' (spiritual exercises). However, his followers are generally aware that they cannot put into practice all of his teachings at the same time, so many just choose which they think is most important for them or what takes the least effort. He preaches a strict morality with regards to sensual desires (including food, sex, alcohol), sometimes advocating Asceticism . Some of his exhortations are to put a ceiling on desires. By this, he seems to mean that followers should not waste time and money. He teaches that the world is just '' Maya '', that only God is real and that the seeming diversity of all life is another illusion. All life is one, he says. The meaning of life is to experience this oneness with God and other living beings. He advocates Vegetarianism and total abstinence from Alcohol . Followers attribute many miracles to him which they witness in his presence and in their own countries, like spontaneous Vibhuti manifestations on the pictures of the guru in their homes, and Bilocation , the appearance of Sai Baba in their own presence while he is also in another place. They also report that he has materialized out-of-season fruit several times. He says he performs these miracles to attract people and then to transform them Spiritually . SSB said that he does not speak through other people in a discourse in 1962. SSB on 4 March 1962 Spend your Days with Shiva (also copied in the book by Samuel Sandweis ''Sai Baba The Holy Man ... and the Psychiatrist'' chapter 17) "There are again some others who are swept off their feet by hysterical demonstrations by certain weak-minded individuals, which are described as My speaking through them or acting through them! Take it from Me, I am not given to such absurdities! I do not use others as My media; I have no need to. I do not swing from side to side and prattle! Why, even those who torture their bodies and suffer the pains of asceticism for years, until anthills overwhelm them and they become as stiff as tree-stumps, find it difficult to realise the Lord. How then can these idlers, who eat their fill and wander about as slaves of their senses, earn that status so cheap? Their gestures, words and actions are hollow and vain; those who burn incense before them and revere them are turning away from Me and running after falsehood." In spite of this, the British author Lucas Ralli claimed that he received messages from SSB and wrote in his books that his claim was endorsed by SSB in an interview. His books with messages from SSB are sold by the Sathya Sai Book Center of America. http://www.sathyasai.org/inform/tustin.htm website of the American book center retrieved March 2006 "Sai Messages for You and Me, Vol. 1, by Lucas Ralli." ASHRAMS IN INDIA AND THE PERSON OF SATHYA SAI BABA Youth stories Followers believe that SSB was born on 23 November 1926 , as described in the authorized biography by Narayana Kasturi. They believe that the Indian guru Aurobindo was referring to him when he said that the divine had descended on earth on 24 November 1926 . {Link without Title} Practices in the ashrams and the person of Sathya Sai Baba The popularity and the donations by followers have enabled SSB and his organizations to build an ever-increasingly big Ashram called Prashanthi Nilayam near the once poor and isolated village of Puttaparthi . SSB resides much of the time in his main ''ashram'' Prashanthi Nilayam (abode of peace) at Puttaparthi. In the hot summer the guru leaves for his other ashram called ''Brindavan'' in Whitefield (sometimes called Kadugodi), a town on the outskirts of Bangalore . He is an excellent Orator in his native language of Telugu , and also speaks passable Tamil . He claims to be the '' Kali Yuga '' ''purna Avatar '' (full divine incarnation of this era) of Lord Shiva and Shakti . He says that he is Omniscient , Omnipotent and Omnipresent and can create matter from mere thought. He also stresses he is free from desires. He plays down his claims about being an incarnation of God by saying that everybody is God but that only he realizes and experiences this fully. In correspondence with his perceived divinity, followers often capitalize references to him in their writings ("He", "Him" etcetera). He says that he will Reincarnate again in this century as Prema Sai Baba to finish the spiritual transformation of the world, starting with India, where his previous and current incarnations have begun. He has said that he will die after he has become 93 years old but there is no official statement for the popular belief among followers that he will die when he is 95 years old (96 according to Indian counting). [7 He has left India only once for a visit to Eastern Africa in 1968. Followers report that he warned the Indian community in Uganda shortly before Idi Amin came to power and launched his persecution against them. SSB said that he performs miracles to attract people and then to transform them spiritually and tells his followers not to focus ont his miracles. Some followers are however fascinated by his miracles. He can be seen in person to perform these miracles daily in the form of Materialization s of small objects, for example jewelry such as bracelets, rings, watches and especially '' Vibhuti '' (holy ash) and kum kum. He says that these trinkets have symbolic value and offer the owners protection by reminding them of his protecting powers when in danger. Occasionally, usually at Mahashivaratri , he publicly produces Lingam s that come out of his mouth that he claims to materialize in his body. Baba has said that all of his acts have meaning and significance. So many followers interpret the acts and sayings of the guru as teachings, sometimes even as personal teachings. Some followers, especially in the ashram, attribute coincidences to Baba’s will and try to find a sometimes hidden meaning in them. He says that he can Heal the diseases of his devotees by either his spiritual power or by taking on the disease himself. There is Anecdotal Evidence that supports this claim. He says that when a person dreams about him then this is because of his will and this is a form of his communication with people. Followers report dreams with a special energy that contain messages from the guru to them. Some people became devotees after having such a dream. Several visitors to one of the ashrams have reported that they have witnessed an Aura around the guru. These people included the late Psychic Frank Baranowski and some other non-devotees. Baranowski said that the aura of the Sathya Sai Baba was much bigger and purer than that of other holy men of India. He teaches a rather traditional but Syncretistic form of Hinduism that come from many Sect s and movements including '' Advaita '', occasionally drawing from other religions like Buddhism , Sikhism, and Christianity. In spite of his claim to be a reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba , a spiritual leader who blended Islam and Hinduism in his teachings, he teaches no Muslim or Christian rituals. He says that he has come to restore Faith in, and the practice of, the Vedas . As a result his teachings stress few changes in traditional Hindu thought or Philosophies . He says that a very important way a person can emancipate oneself is through self-less service to ones fellow man (seva). He also encurages devotees to keep practicing (or return to the practice of) their own religion; for example Western devotees should practice Christianity , and so on. He stresses the importance of '' Sadhana '' (Hindu spiritual exercises) and says that there are three forms of meditation that are safe and lead quickly to '' Moksha '' (liberation from ignorance and from the endless re-births due to Karmic consequences). The forms are ''namasmarana'' ('remembrance of the name' God , usually through repetition), ''light- Meditation '' (mental concentration on a steady light) and the ''so ham-meditation'' (repeating the '' Mantra '' "so ham" silently-- so means He and ham means I, namely that The Lord and I are one. Baba says that other forms of meditation are a waste of time and can even be dangerous. Sathya Sai Baba teaches the importance of '' Bhakti Yoga '' (Hindu devotion through selfless service) and that it grows more easily if one has an '' Ishta-Deva '' (chosen personal form of the divine). For many devotees the ''Ishta-Deva'' is Sathya Sai Baba himself. He teaches a strict morality and the importance of renouncing worldly desires so as to free the intellect of distraction while attuning the conscience to a deeper more personal involvement with the divine nature. One important practice in his ashrams is '' Darshan '' (spiritual sight). During ''darshan'' Sathya Sai Baba walks among his followers. He may listen to a few chosen persons, accept letters, or materialize and distribute ''vibhuti'' (sacred ash of Lord Shiva ). He says that his '' darshan'' has spiritual benefits for those who attend it. Usually people wait hours to get a good place for ''darshan''. Sathya Sai Baba sometimes invites people for a group interview with him in a room in the '' Ashram '' 's '' Mandir '' (Hindu temple). Followers consider it a great privilege to get such an interview. Sometimes a person from this group is invited for a private interview. Baba has discouraged publicity and Proselytism for him in a public discourse. (23 Nov. 1968) ACTIVITIES IN LOCAL SATHYA SAI BABA GROUPS Across the globe local Sathya Sai Baba groups assemble to sing '' Bhajan s'' (devotional songs). Baba says that concentration on the name of God with the help of ''bhajans'' will easily lead to concentration on God and to bigger devotion. ''Bhajans'' are sung on nearly every meeting. In those bhajans the name of traditional Hindu deities have occasionally been replaced by the names of Sathya Sai Baba. In addition they study Sathya Sai Baba's teachings and the holy books of the various world religions. More obvious to outsiders however is the fact they are often involved in community service that they call ''seva''. The charter of the Sai Organization says that every member should undertake sadhana (spiritual discipline) as an integral part of daily life and abide by the following nine-points code of conduct {Link without Title} : :1. Daily meditation and prayer. :2. Devotional singing/prayer with family members once per week. :3. Participation in the educational programmes conducted by the Organisation for children. :4. Attendance at least once per month at group devotional programmes conducted by the Organisation. :5. Participation in community service and other programmes of the Organisation. :6. Regular study of Sai literature. :7. Putting into practice the principles of “ceiling on desires”, utilising any savings thereby generated for the service of mankind. :8. Speaking softly and lovingly with everyone with whom one comes into contact. :9. Avoiding talking ill of others, especially in their absence. Many of his followers come from tribal superstitious groups but also include the educated middle and elite classes, among whom are some high ranking writers, educators, doctors, and politicians. The existing beliefs and practices in the New Religious Movement are not always endorsed by the guru and his organizations. The reason for this is that the guru and his organizations are quite tolerant and take little effort to refute rumors or distortions of the guru’s teachings. Some followers do not accept all his extraordinary claims but instead prefer to see him as just a Sage and Saint who has some '' Siddhi c'' ( Psychic ) powers. The greeting ''Sai Ram'' is used by many of his committed followers. CELEBRATIONS AND COMMEMORATIONS The most important celebrations and commemorations are
CHARACTERIZATIONS Dr. Kim Knott who worked as of 1997 at the department of theology and religious studies of the University Of Leeds tagged in a table the "Sathya Sai Baba Fellowship " as Devotion al, Charismatic Authority , Reformist , and including non-Asian membership. Untagged were Revivalist , Missionary , and Caste -related. Knott, Kim Dr. ''South Asian Religions in Britain'' page 766, Table 22.1 ''Principal Sectarian movements in Britain and their primary characteristics'' in the ''Handbook of Living Religions'' edited by John R. Hinnels (1997), second edition, ISBN 0140514805 John D. Kelly, as of 2006 a professor of Press 1995, edited by Peter van der Veer ISBN 0812232593 page 45 DEMOGRAPHICS According to the and the Netherlands , numbers fell after 2000 due to negative publicity about him, as also published in an article in Dutch newspaper Trouw Velde, Koert van der ''The downfall of a guru Sai Baba''in the Dutch newspaper for the University Of Amsterdam Simon Weightmann who worked as of 1997 at the department for the study of religions at the University Of London wrote that SSB is one of the most popular gurus, both in India and in the Hindu Diaspora and that as a consequence of his Inclusivist stance he has a large following among the urban middle class. Weightmann, Simon ''Hinduism'' in the ''Handbook of Living Religions'' edited by John R. Hinnels (1997), second edition, ISBN 0140514805 Professor Harold Coward who worked as of 1997 as a professor for the centre of religious studies at the University Of Victoria wrote that SSB, together with several other modern Indian gurus, has attracted more occidental than South Asian Canadians. Coward, Harold ''South Asian Religions in Canada'' in the ''Handbook of Living Religions'' edited by John R. Hinnels (1997), second edition, ISBN 0140514805 REFERENCES 1. Kasturi, Narayana ''Sathyam Sivam Sundaram Part I'' available online in Microsoft Word format 2. Padmanaban, R. ''Love is My Form'' 3. Sathya Sai Baba/Sathya Sai Organisation (6 July 1963) http://www.sathyasai.org/discour/1963/d630706.htm BIBLIOGRAPHY
EXTERNAL LINKS Official Sathya Sai Websites
Websites of critics and critical articles
Websites To Devotees Proponents
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