Purity
The heart of a human being should be full of the noble qualities of tolerance, perseverance, sympathy, and contentment. Only then can the human easily understand the principle of the Self and propagate the same. The principle of the Self cannot be attained merely by education, scholarship, and intelligence. Purity of heart is of utmost importance for this.
What education did noble souls like Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Kabir, and Surdas have? Ramakrishna was not highly educated, yet he earned worldwide name and fame as Paramahamsa (realized person). His purity of heart was responsible for this.
To attain purity of heart, there is no need to perform chanting, penance, and meditation, nor is there any need to study the Vedas, scriptures, Puranas and Itihasas (epics and mythological texts). Love for God is the only requirement to attain purity of heart. There is nothing greater than this. The heart that is full of love for God is truly the heart of a human being.
Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 29 (1996)
Let no one be proud about his beauty, strength, and youth. The ravages of old age are ahead and will overwhelm him. Even while you feel puffed up by your strength and energy as a youth, age creeps on you irrevocably. With the body bent, wrinkles on the face, and bleared eyes, the old man becomes a butt of jokes for juveniles, who call him an old monkey. What is lasting in all this? Everything is subject to change and decay in this world. Whether it be physical objects or individuals, all are transient and impermanent. Nothing is lasting. Only your purity is permanent. Purity is the essential nature of man. But if man leads a polluted life, he is degrading himself.
Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 21 (1988)
How can a man who is not aware of his humanness recognize the Divinity within him? Hence the first requisite is the recognition by everyone of his human essence. Basing on this truth, Buddha declared that everyone should cultivate at the outset samyak-drishti (a pure vision). it is only when man has a pure vision that he can get rid of impurities in the body, speech, and mind. It is this purity that can protect man from invasion of impurities through the eyes and the ears. Hence the first requirement for every man is samyak-drishti. The second quality that is needed is samyak-sankalpa (pure thoughts). Everyone should have pure thoughts. Only the person who has developed purity in vision can have purity in thoughts. The third requirement for every man, along with purity in vision and thought, is samyak-karma (pure deeds). Everyone should do pure deeds. Through pure deeds man can recognize his human essence.
Man is not merely an embodied being. By his capacity for developing good vision, entertaining good thoughts, and performing good deeds, he has the power to transform humanness into Divinity A fourth requirement for man is samyak-shruti (listening to sacred words). When one listens to unsacred words, he can have only unsacred thoughts. The fifth quality prescribed by Buddha is samyak-Jjeevanam (living a pure life). What is meant by “living”? It is not leading a worldly life attached to worldly pursuits. True living means making one’s life meaningful by ideal actions. Man’s life must be governed by idealism in action.
Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 30 (1997)
Only by the light of the Divine lamp inside can you blossom as a worthwhile person. Inner purity is the greatest wealth that one can acquire. The inner purity is the wick in the container of the heart. Devotion is the oil and Divine grace is the fire with which the lamp of wisdom can be lit. The prime requisite for achieving Divine Grace is to have harmony in thought, word, and deed.
Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 28 (1995)
