Sathya Sai: Mind does not die on suicide but gets carried over to next birth; Never entertain low idea of suicide
Last updated on 22nd Oct. 2015
Given below are extracts related to suicide from discourses of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba:
From http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume35/sss35-13.pdf, Guru Purnima, 24-7-2002, Prasanthi Nilayam
Man has death but the mind has no death. Whatever he does during his lifetime are imprinted on his mind and get carried over to the next birth. None can understand the nature of the mind. Some people think that suicide is the only way of putting an end to all their troubles. They think, “It is the mind that is responsible for our suffering. Let us put an end to it.” It is the worst of sins. The mind cannot be killed so easily. One should never entertain such low ideas. One should be prepared to face any difficulties with fortitude and strive hard to sanctify one’s life.
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From http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume20/sss20-18.pdf, Discourse at the Prashaanthi Mandir, on 16-8-1987.
Once Arjuna was in a greatly despondent mood. He was disgusted with life and wanted to commit suicide that very night. The All-Knowing Lord Krishna, decided to avert this. He went to Arjuna's residence and told him that he wanted to discuss some urgent matter with him and therefore he wanted to dine with him that day. When Subhadra (Arjuna's wife) and others were engaged otherwise, Krishna called Arjuna to a private chamber. As soon as Arjuna was inside, Krishna bolted the door. He then took firm hold of Arjuna's feet. Arjuna immediately burst out: "Swami!" What unworthy act have I done? Why are you acting like this?"
Krishna said: "With all your titles and achievements, it is utterly unbecoming of you to entertain thoughts of suicide. You are foremost among the Pandavas. You acquired the Gandiva (from Shiva) alter [Ravi: after] going through severe penances and ordeals. You should be the master of your senses and not their slave. Today you have been overcome by your mind and your senses. This is unworthy of you. Give me a pledge that in no circumstances in the future will you think of suicide. Your life is mine and my life is yours. The divine is the indweller in all beings. Hence I am present in all beings. If you contemplate suicide, you will be guilty of attempting on the life of your dear Krishna.
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From http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume15/sss15-48.pdf, Dashara Discourse, Prashaanthi Nilayam, 20-10-1982.
Another mistaken idea some people entertain is that they can kill themselves by suicide or Aathma-hathya. So, they plan to punish and destroy the body which is inert and incapable of initiative. The mind has to be punished, for the despair which overwhelms the will to live is caused by the erratic mind, not the body. Delve into the vagaries of the mind, learn to direct it along straight paths and emerge as the victor over despair.
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From http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume10/sss10-23.pdf, Dhashara, Prashaanthi Nilayam, 4-10-1970
Ideas of suicide, let me tell you, are born out of the most despicable form of cowardice. Do not allow them to affect you; be bold, so bold that you are determined to brave out any calamity that may assail you. When you have God installed in your heart, who can lead you to destruction?
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From http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume01/sss01-06.pdf, Kannan High School, Chitthoo [Ravi: must be Chittoor], 1958-02-02
Do not attach undue value to the passing of examinations, for if you do, you are apt to get terribly depressed when you fail. We hear of too many young people committing suicide when the results of the examinations are announced. Dear children, do not do any such foolish thing. Take failure, if it comes, as a spur to further effort; analyse why you failed and profit by the experience. If you ruin yourself by such foolish actions, it will pain Me, remember.
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Update on 22nd Oct. 2015
The extract below is from a book quoting Swami (Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba).
From http://scriptures.ru/jws_exc.htm, Extracts from Sri Sathya Sai Anandadayi by Karunamba Ramamurthy, Chapter 26
DEVOTEE: Swami, when I am distressed, I feel like committing suicide.
SWAMI: You should not. However difficult life is, try to be its master and not its slave. Every human being has a preordained life span. It is like staying in a leased house. Before you actually vacate the house, you have to find another one to move in. Similarly, before leaving one body, God selects another body and a span, depending upon the karmic debts. In case death is inflicted arbitrarily, you are denying yourself a chance to work out your karma as early as possible and reach a permanent abode. In suicide, you are stranded midway. It would be a frightening state of affairs for you. There is no vacant space in nature. God has filled the space with spirits and many other invisible entities. When suicide is committed, they show up and terrorise you. Moreover, a jivi is blissfully aware of God only for one hour in its life. First, fifteen minutes while shedding the mortal coil, i.e., at death; second, fifteen minutes after coming out of the womb, i.e., at birth; and third, thirty minutes during the marriage. God is present with the jivi on all these three occasions.
Hence, do not destroy the life that God has given you. Lead the life you have got righteously. The person who faces the trials in life calmly and always remembers God will one day, definitely, get His grace. Do not doubt its veracity. Face these tests with faith in Him.
--- end extract from website having book extract ---
[I thank sssbpt.info and Smt. Karunamba Ramamurthy and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extracts from their website/book on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]
Even in the Rama Katha Rasa Vahini, there is a mention of this. Swami brings out the point that suicide is equal to trying to kill the Atma Rama within us.
ReplyDeleteThe citizens of Ayodhya follow Rama when he goes into exile and plead with Him to return. Rama asks them to take rest and refreshment for the night, rather than trek back in the darkness. They are all exhausted and so eat and fall asleep.
Rama knows that on waking, they would all insist on accompanying him, so he wakes Sumanthra up and directs him to get the chariot ready without the least noise and drive the vehicle so that its track could not be recognised. Sumanthra recognises that there was no other way. He drove so that the tracks were confusingly complex and even gave faint indications that the chariot had turned toward Ayodhya itself!
Here is the extract that comes after this, in Swami's own words:
"The day dawned, and the citizens of Ayodhya rose and looked around. There were no signs of the royal chariot, Sita, Rama, or Lakshmana! They were thrust into deep agony; they aroused the sleeping; they sought to trace the wheel marks on the ground. They ran wildly in all directions, seeking to spot the vehicle. One among them said, “Brothers! Rama saw how tired we were, how we were sleeping out of sheer exhaustion, so He left this place without taking us with Him.” Then they started blaming each other, for showing signs of exhaustion and inducing Rama to leave them and go alone. Others condemned themselves as inferior to fish.
“Fish can’t live without water, but we are alive, though Rama has left us stranded. Fie, fie, on our lives,” they cursed. “We brought this separation from the person dearest to us on ourselves. Why aren’t we bringing death on ourselves to end sorrow?” they moaned.
But soon, they felt that since the Self (Atma) in them was Rama, the act of self-destruction was unthinkable. It was also not a meritorious act. And suicide can succeed only when one’s destiny is to die by one’s own hand!
So, another among them suggested that they could pray to destiny to sanction that kind of end for them all."
Wonderful sharing of Swami's words about His Rama advent from Rama Katha Rasa Vahini, on this matter. Thanks.
DeleteThere is one more thing I would like to share, from the book 'Sri Sathya Sai Anandadayi' chapter 26, for which you have given a link in another post. :)
ReplyDeleteHere is the extract from the book.
"DEVOTEE: Swami, when I am distressed, I feel like committing suicide.
SWAMI: You should not. However difficult life is, try to be its master and not its slave. Every human being has a preordained life span. It is like staying in a leased house. Before you actually vacate the house, you have to find another one to move in. Similarly, before leaving one body, God selects another body and a span, depending upon the karmic debts. In case death is inflicted arbitrarily, you are denying yourself a chance to work out your karma as early as possible and reach a permanent abode. In suicide, you are stranded midway. It would be a frightening state of affairs for you. There is no vacant space in nature. God has filled the space with spirits and many other invisible entities. When suicide is committed, they show up and terrorise you. Moreover, a jivi is blissfully aware of God only for one hour in its life. First, fifteen minutes while shedding the mortal coil, i.e., at death; second, fifteen minutes after coming out of the womb, i.e., at birth; and third, thirty minutes during the marriage. God is present with the jivi on all these three occasions.
Hence, do not destroy the life that God has given you. Lead the life you have got righteously. The person who faces the trials in life calmly and always remembers God will one day, definitely, get His grace. Do not doubt its veracity. Face these tests with faith in Him."
Thanks sister Aarthi. Another devotee had shared the same extract on a Facebook post of mine, which led me to include it in the post above as an update. I think it is a very relevant and valuable addition to the discourse extracts given in the post.
Delete