LOVE

"Love is selflessness, Selfishness is Lovelessness. Love gives and forgives, Selfishness gets and forgets."

The human value of Love may be best expressed as an energy permeating all life. That is, it is not an emotion or passionate feeling of desire and attachment. It refers to something much deeper, and more basic to human nature. It is totally unselfish and independent of whether there is reciprocity. All the great religions extol the importance of Love. It is kindness, caring, empathy, and compassion. Love is not passive, but active, and it grows, as Sathya Sai Baba would say, “by giving and forgiving”.

PEACE

"Love as feeling is Peace."

Everyone desires and seeks Peace. Lasting Peace cannot be found in the material world. Peace requires the capacity for introspection and self-awareness. Self-awareness enables one to become mindful of his or her thoughts, words and deeds. When self-awareness becomes a habit, the individual begins to monitor and modify the habitual patterns of thought that obstruct the Peace within. True Peace requires inculcating equanimity, regardless of loss or gain, success or failure, pain or pleasure. Quieting the mind and opening the heart are essential for acquiring Peace. A quiet mind requires the application of discipline to take the time to look inward and experience the silence within.

TRUTH

"Love as thought is Truth."

A key component of Sathya Sai Education is the assertion that there is one ultimate and universal Truth, which may be expressed in a multitude of ways. It may be ascertained through many paths, names, and forms, but Truth is always only One. The different religions and spiritual orientations offer a rich variety of approaches, affording seekers the ability to choose on the basis of their inclination. For example, Truth can be approached through the path of wisdom (rational thought and knowledge). It can be approached through the path of intense devotion towards a symbol of divinity and it can be approached through selfless service.

Truth also finds expression in nature, art, music, poetry, ancient scriptures of all faiths, and through scientific discipline. Increasingly, various scientific disciplines are showing the compatibility of science and spirituality. Science has revealed that matter is nothing but energy and energy is matter. Sub-atomic particle physics and many of the common assumptions of spirituality point to the existence of a force that is constantly dissolving, preserving, and creating. Ultimately, however, Truth is found within. The pursuit of Truth requires discrimination, intuition, and introspection. The highest Truth is that it is changeless in the past, present and future.

RIGHT CONDUCT

"Love as action is Righteous Conduct."

The Right Conduct of which we speak is rooted in the Sanskrit word, Dharma. Though Dharma has no literal translation in English, it may be said to encompass the sum total of codes of ethics, ethical behaviour, and moral rectitude. The injunction, “do good, see good, and be good,” captures the essence and intent of this value. It is rooted in attitudes and habits inculcated from early childhood that mature into respect and adherence to the duties and responsibilities that come with one’s life circumstances.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s ‘Ceiling on Desires’ programme, which is an important aspect of Sathya Sai Education, can easily be applied to the expression of Right Conduct. Placing a ceiling on one’s desires involves the making of a conscious and sustained effort not to waste food, water, time, energy or money. Adopting such a code of conduct can go a long way towards reducing the tragic imbalance that exists between the ‘haves and have-nots’ of the world.

NON-VIOLENCE

"Love as understanding is Non-violence."

The zenith of all human values is Nonviolence. Truth, Right Conduct, Peace, and Love merge in Nonviolence. Nonviolence is a state of mind that recognises the unity within the apparent diversity. It manifests as non-violation of the laws of nature and respect for law and order. It calls for restraint from the doing of harm to others and to nature in general. Nonviolence is rooted in forbearance, morality, and integrity. When the ethics of Nonviolence is embraced as the means to world peace — there will be global harmony.