Sathya Sai Baba The World-Avatar Teaching and Revelations

Therefore, each individual deed must be full of the spirit of service, of
love and of wisdom. In other words each group of life's activities must
be saturated with action, devotion and wisdom. This is verily the highest
yoga. It has to be acted in practice, not merely spoken in words.
Spiritual discipline should be done constantly with an ever-expanding
heart full of devotion and wisdom. The sweetness of nectar or the
Lord's name is the charm of life; the internal joy derived from the name
is akin to the external joy of outer life. (4-8/10)
This body is like a boat. Your life is like a river and you have to cross
that river and reach your destination of Divinity. Your life, the present
one, is one of living in the contemporary world. In this process of trying
to cross the river of life and reach the destination of Divinity, the boat
that you have to use, namely, your body has to be safeguarded and
taken care of. (34-9)
If there is no body, you cannot really picture the mind. If there is no
mind, you cannot recognise life in the body. The aspects of knowledge
and bliss are dependent upon the aspects of food, of mind and of life.
It is true that these aspects are transient and not permanent and that
they have no intrinsic value. But since the aspects of knowledge and
bliss are dependent on these, you attach some importance to them. To
be able to experience the aspects of knowledge and bliss, you should
protect your body, mind and life. For example: you have some valuable
jewels and gems to be protected in your house, you put them in a comparatively
cheap iron safe. This steel almirah or an iron safe has no
value compared to the jewels you put in it. Your body is like the valueless
iron safe. In this valueless body, God has kept for protection, very
valuable things like knowledge and bliss. (...)
It is natural to protect valuable things in a valueless box which will not
attract attention. Therefore, in order to reach the realm of knowledge,
bliss and happiness, it is necessary to look after the well being of the
outer casing namely, body, mind and life. (...)
The key has been referred to by Shankara as the key of devotion.
When you use the key of devotion and turn it to the side of detachment,
you will be able to open the box and utilize the knowledge and bliss
contained. But if the key of devotion is turned in the wrong direction,
away from detachment and towards attachment, you will not be able
to open the box and use the knowledge and bliss for your benefit.
Therefore, either for detachment or for attachment, this key of devotion
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