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is only half the truth. I am a man; I am not an animal. I am a man; I am not an animal.” Swami emphasized this point with great force, “I am not an animal. This is how you should think.”
Swami continued, “How do you reach immortality?” We hesitated, and Swami said, “By overcoming immorality, you obtain immortality. Immortality is gained when you give up immorality. Money comes and goes, morality grows and grows.”
Here in these few simple statements, Swami gives his core teaching that by fostering human values (another way of saying love), man develops constant integrated awareness that he is one with God.
Directing Students on Dharma
Swami instructs us that dharma is our profound responsibility and that when we practice dharma, it protects us and brings us closer to God.
One day I was asked by the college principal to speak to Swami’s college students. The night before, Swami called me in and said, “Sandweiss, tell them this.” It was the first time that Swami had directed me to deliver a specific message. His words demonstrated the emphasis that he places on correct action and how close dharma is to God’s heart.
Swami said, “Tell them that they might not be aware, but they are very close to Swami, like a frog siing on a lotus. If they are unaware of this closeness, at least realize that the outer world is impermanent and always changing. There is nothing lasting there, so don’t get aached to it. If they cannot understand this, at least be aware of all the people coming here. What is drawing them? They are drawn by my love. Love is most important, and people are yearning for it. When they look at Swami, they see my students because they are close to Swami. They will be measuring Swami’s love by the way the students act. They are my students, I have taken them close, and they must represent me well. They must pass the test of good behavior and reach higher grades.”
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