Sathya Sai Baba movement

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 bhajans 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 religions. 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

• Service and charity (seva) to others.
• Love for all creatures and objects
• Put a ceiling (limit) on one's desires.
• Everything that has been created is maya (illusion), only God is real.
• Every creature and object is God in form, though most do not experience this as their reality.
• Vegetarianism
• Non-attachement to the material world
• Meditation - Baba teaches two techniques, so ham (Upanishadic mantra for repetition and focus) and jyoti (Light meditation).
• Importance of bhakti (devotion) to God and japa and other sadhana (spiritual exercise) to foster this devotion.

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. 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.

A journalist from The Times described his teachings in 2001 as "a collection of banal truisms and platitudes."

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. According to them he performed many miracles as a boy (levitating, materializing fruit, sweets, pencils etc., clairvoyance). When he was around 14 according to N. Kasturi he announced that he was a reincarnation of the fakir Sai Baba of Shirdi. In order to prove it he dropped some jasmin flowers which arranged in the words "Sai Baba" in Telugu. Since then he was worshiped in the whole of Puttaparthi as a guru and deity. He started gaining more and more followers. According to N. Kasturi he performed spectacular miracles for them such as healings, materializations, making his face appear on the moon and proving his omnipresence. [2]

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. [5] 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 materializations 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 lingams 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 sects 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' [of 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 bhajans (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 [3]:

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 siddhic (psychic) powers.

The greeting Sai Ram is used by many of his committed followers.

Celebrations and commemorations

The most important celebrations and commemorations are

• Maha Shivaratri the great night of Shiva, date is based on the Hindu calendar. Devotees are supposed to fast and stay up all night
• Easwaramma day on May 6 Celebration and commemoration of SSB's mother
• Sai Baba's Birthday 23 November
• Guru Purnima date is based on the Hindu calendar. Gratitude and devotion to the guru is shown.
• Christmas

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 devotional, charismatic authority, reformist, and including non-Asian membership. Untagged were revivalist, missionary, and caste-related.

John D. Kelly, as of 2006 a professor of anthropology at the University of Chicago, wrote in an article about Hindu mission in Fiji when comparing ISKCON with the Sai Baba mission (he does not write which Sai Baba mission he means) that the Sai Baba efforts in Fiji are ambiguous where ISKCON is dogmatic and structured, proliferating where ISKCON is planned and controlled, self-contradictory where ISKCON is clear, gentle where ISKCON is stern, and to put it most broadly, open where ISKCON is closed. According to Kelly, the Sai organization in Fiji does not ask its members to undergo initiation or to commit themselves to obey particular leaders.

Demographics

According to the Sathya Sai Organisation, there are an estimated 1,200 Sathya Sai Baba Centers in 130 countries world-wide. The number of adherents is estimated between 6 million and 100 million, predominantly people of Indian ethnic origin. In Nordic countries and the Netherlands, numbers fell after 2000 due to negative publicity about him, as also published in an article in Dutch newspaper Trouw 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. 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.

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

• Brown, Mick The Spiritual Tourist (1998) ISBN 1-58234-034-X Bloomsbury Publising
• Goldthwait, John “Purifying the Heart” (2002) ISBN 81-7208-339-4
• Guillemin, Madeleine “Who is in the Driving Seat?” (2000) ISBN 0-9583617-0-3
• Hislop, John My Baba and I ISBN 81-7208-050-6
• Kasturi, Narayana Sathyam Sivam Sundaran Part I, II, III & IV available online in Microsoft Word format
• Krystal, Phyllis “The Ultimate Experience” ISBN 81-7208-038-7
• Murphet, Howard Man of Miracles (1971) 0333-91770-7
• Sandweiss, Samuel H. The holy man ..... and the psychiatrist (1975) ISBN 0-9600958-1-0
• Sandweiss, Samuel H “Spirit and the Mind” (1985) ISBN 81-7208-056-5
• Thomas, Joy “Life is a Game – Play it” ISBN 81-7208-175-8
• Haraldsson, Erlendur PhD Miracles are my visiting cards - An investigative inquiry on Sathya Sai Baba, an Indian mystic with the gift of foresight believed to perform modern miracles (1997 revised and updated edition) ISBN 81-86822-32-1
• Padmanaban, R. Love is My Form Sai Towers (October 2000)
• Sandweiss, Samuel H. The holy man ..... and the psychiatrist (1975)
• Sathya Sai Baba Many online books
• Sathya Sai Baba Gita vahini, online book
• Sathya Sai Baba Rama Katha Rasavahini, translated into English by Narayana Kasturi available online
• Sathya Sai Baba Sathya Sai Speaks, Volumes I-. Many of these public discourses have been published on the internet Adobe acrobat PDF files
• Schulman, Arnold Baba (1971) Out of print but available in some public libraries

External links

Official Sathya Sai websites

• Sathya Sai Official Web Site
• Sai Links To Teachings Section
• USA based unofficial website of followers
• Essence to Sathya Sai Baba's Teachings
• Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Websites of critics and critical articles

• Robert Priddy's extensive website about the Sathya Sai Baba and the Sathya Sai organisation
• Brian Steel's scholarly website about Sathya Sai Baba
• Website of concerned former Dutch devotees

Websites of devotees and proponents that address allegations

• SaiSathyaSai.com A comprehensive, Pro-Sai website by Gerald Joe Moreno that examines the allegations made by ex-followers, skeptics and critics of Sathya Sai Baba, with extensive links to Pro/Anti Sai Sites.
• A Clear View A Pro-Sai website by Ram Das Awle that gives a devotee's interpretation to the allegations made against Sathya Sai Baba.
• The Sai Critic A Pro-Sai website that discusses the controversy surrounding Sathya Sai Baba.