9 October 2012 - QA 3

Gurudev, why is that a lot of enlightened masters, who healed so many people, had to undergo a lot of suffering?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, there is no suffering for the soul, or for the mind. It is the body which has its limitations. If you stretch the body too much, then definitely the body will have to undergo its routine. So the body will have cold and cough, and all these illnesses do come.

A Saint’s body is made up of Shradha (faith) and love. So when the faith and love breaks down, the body is also impacted.
In the ancient times, the saints and the wise ones would often abuse those who were closest to them. This is because when anger or ill thoughts arise in a person who is dear to them, then that affects them as well.
For example, a person sitting inside your house and causing damage will affect you more than someone causing damage outside on the street. When the garbage is on the street it does not affect you as much as when it is inside your house. Isn’t that so? In the same way!

That is why, since the ancient times, it is said that Strength of Character (Sheel) is very essential.
One must have the Shat Sampattis (Six wealths, or six-fold virtues):
Sama (calmness or quietude of mind)
Dama (self-control or restraint of the senses)
Uparati (satiety)
Titiksha (power of endurance)
Shradha (faith), and
Samadhana (equanimity or one-pointedness of the mind)

Until a person has all these six virtues, he does not become a Mumukshu (one desirous of moksha or liberation). And until one does not become a Mumukshu, he is not given the Knowledge.

Therefore, one must have Viveka (sense of discrimination between good and bad), Vairagya (dispassion) and the Shat Sampatti, to become a Mumukshu. Only then would they be given the title of a disciple, student or a devotee.
Otherwise it is like having a mad person on a boat. If he starts to go wild or starts dancing, then he will sink, and the boat and the other passengers will also sink.

That is why Lord Buddha also said that Sheel, Samadhi (here, equanimity) and Pragya (Divine wisdom) should be present in a disciple.
A disciple should have qualities of Ahimsa (non-violence), Sheel, etc. He must have an experience of the state of Samadhi. Only then can he become Pragyavaan (one endowed with wisdom and knowledge).