Conversations With sathya sai baba

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The Vedas declare that God is One. There is no question of there being a second. Your doubt is, if there is only One who is present everywhere, why then are there so many differences amongst beings? A small example will explain the point. The current that flows through various bulbs is the same, but the light outputs vary so much, don't they? Some are bright while others are dim. Why? That is because the wattage of these bulbs is different. God the In-dweller is like the current. He is the same in all beings. People are like bulbs; they differ in their Gunas [intrinsic tendencies], and hence the differences.

Swami, if we are to progress further on the spiritual path, how much of Spiritual Knowledge must we have?

Not much, really. Many people are always reading books on Spirituality. They will be either listening to discourses or be giving discourses themselves. But what is the use of all this? Such people do not seem to change at all, and spiritually speaking, remain where they are. They do not put into practice what they hear or learn. In truth, there is no need at all to read many books or hear many discourses. Progress can be achieved by sincerely following just one or two important teachings. To commit suicide, a small needle is enough! It is only to kill others that one needs bigger weapons like knife, sickle or sword!! Those who wish to preach to others have to read a lot. Those who want to improve themselves do not have to read much; they only have to practice the little they read.

Swami, what is this Maya [illusion, supposed to be created by God]?

There is no such thing as Maya; it is all one's imagination. To think that you are the body is Maya. You mistakenly believe that you are something [body] that you really are not; that is Maya. Truly speaking, there is no Maya; it is all one's imagination. Maya is like the shadow of a tree. What casts the shadow? The branches of the tree and not the rays of the Sun. If there are no branches, there is also no shadow. The shadow called Maya arises from the branches called human desires. If there are no desires, then there is no Maya as well!