Small Teachings

The pleasure that man gets from sense enjoyment is like the pleasure one gets while scratching eczema—it only makes the complaint worse. You cannot cure it by yielding to the temptation to scratch. The more you scratch, the more you are tempted to continue, until bleeding intervenes.

Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 4, p. 199

Even the slimy slush of the gutter has the opportunity of turning into pure water again. For, when the sun shines, it can rise as water vapor into the clouds and regain its pristine nature. To cleanse the mind, prayer is the water and repetition is the soap.

Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 4, p. 243

Sleep inside the mosquito curtain; the insects can do no harm. So also, do not allow the insects of desire, anger etc. to harm you. Get inside the curtain of spiritual effort while you are in the world. Be in the world, but do not allow the world into you. That is the sign of discrimination.

Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 4, p. 173