A moving Letter from Fukushima

THIS letter, written by Vietnamese immigrant Ha Minh Thanh working in Fukushima as a policeman, to a friend in Vietnam, was posted on New America Media on March 19. It is a testimonial to the strength of the Japanese spirit, and an interesting slice of life near the epicenter of Japan 's crisis at the Fukushima nuclear

power plant. It was translated by NAM editor Andrew Lam, author of "East Eats West: Writing in Two Hemispheres." Shanghai Daily condensed it.

Brother,

How are you and your family? These last few days, everything was in chaos. When I close my eyes, I see dead bodies. When I open my eyes, I also see dead bodies.

Each one of us must work 20 hours a day, yet I wish there were 48 hours in the day, so that we could continue helping and rescuing folks.



We are without water and electricity, and food rations are near zero. We barely manage to move refugees before there are new

orders to move them elsewhere.



I am currently in Fukushima , about 25 kilometers away from the nuclear power plant. I have so much to tell you that if I could

write it all down, it would surely turn into a novel about human relationships and behaviors during times of crisis.



People here remain calm - their sense of dignity and proper behavior are very good - so things aren't as bad as they could

be. But given another week, I can't guarantee that things won't get to a point where we can no longer provide proper protection

and order.



They are humans after all, and when hunger and thirst override dignity, well, they will do whatever they have to do. The

government is trying to provide supplies by air, bringing in food and medicine, but it's like dropping a little salt into the

ocean.



Brother, there was a really moving incident. It involves a little Japanese boy who taught an adult like me a lesson on how to

behave like a human being.



Last night, I was sent to a little grammar school to help a charity organization distribute food to the refugees. It was a long line that

snaked this way and that and I saw a little boy around 9 years old. He was wearing a T-shirt and a pair of shorts.



It was getting very cold and the boy was at the very end of the line. I was worried that by the time his turn came there wouldn't

be any food left. So I spoke to him. He said he was at school when the earthquake happened. His father worked nearby and was

driving to the school. The boy was on the third floor balcony when he saw the tsunami sweep his father's car away.





I asked him about his mother. He said his house is right by the beach and that his mother and little sister probably didn't make

it. He turned his head and wiped his tears when I asked about his relatives.



The boy was shivering so I took off my police jacket and put it on him. That's when my bag of food ration fell out. I picked it

up and gave it to him. "When it comes to your turn, they might run out of food. So here's my portion. I already ate. Why don't

you eat it?"



The boy took my food and bowed. I thought he would eat it right away, but he didn't. He took the bag of food, went up to where

the line ended and put it where all the food was waiting to be distributed.

I was shocked. I asked him why he didn't eat it and instead added it to the food pile. He answered: "Because I see a lot more

people hungrier than I am. If I put it there, then they will distribute the food equally."

When I heard that I turned away so that people wouldn't see me cry.

A society that can produce a 9-year-old who understands the concept of sacrifice for the greater good must be a great

society, a great people.

Well, a few lines to send you and your family my warm wishes. The hours of my shift have begun again.

Ha Minh Thanh

Give up the attachment to the Body

For those of us who are upset and greiving about Swami's Body's current situation, I have a few questions.

1. Who is Swami?

This is a question for which even Gods do not have an answer , then how can we with impunity construe that Swami is the body and that He is suffering. Though we might not be able to fathom Swami's true nature we can with certanity say that He is not the body. Sai himself has told many times that if we restrict Him to the 5 odd feet of body in Parthi , then we are tying him up.

How many of us have innumerable experiences of Swami in the astral form? Is that in any way lesser than the physical interviews one might receive? How mmany of us are able to spend years with him in the physical frame? As for me My darshan of Swami was 45 years back as a eight year old, but I have absolute faith that my relationship with swami dates back to much earler births. If at all anything has been learnt by me in these 45 physical years with Swami is the truth that He is not the Body and neither are we.

Take any chapter in any vahini, and the underlying message is the same," Give up attachment to the ephemeral and stick to the eternal" .

Brothers and Sisters ,Let us do the same. Our Guru and God has taught us the essence of Veda and the vedantha, let us not act like the rest, wailing and weeping and displaying our waekness. Let us be silent and a recipient of Grace . There are innumerable statements by Devotees, which are very laughable as their attachment to the Body and misconception of the atmatatwa shows. When swami himself has told us innumerable times , When my Anugraha is there, what can the Navagrahas do? We in our anxiety are giving credence to Astrolagers predictions concerning Swami's Longeivity.

I would like to recall here Swami's own discourse On His physical health.

"Many of you are anxious thinking that Swami is not keeping good health


over the last few days. In fact, My health is very good. Real health is not

related to the body. As you equate Swami with this physical frame, it

appears as though Swami is not well. Yad Bhavam Tad Bhavati (as is the

feeling, so is the result). Do not identify Me with this physical body. I am

not Dehaswarupa (body), I am Dehi (the indweller). There is no difference

between you and Me. I have all powers in Me. But you are deluded seeing

My physical form. Whatever I am doing is only to satisfy the doctors and

other devotees. As a matter of fact, there is no trace of ill-health in Me. I

am always healthy. Not only today, till 96 years I will be like this. I

can do whatever I want. But those who go by the physical form think that

Swami is ageing. Youth and old age are related to the body and not to

Me. I am always the same. I can do anything. However, this body is

yours. This has come for your sake. You can change it the way you like. If

you think that Swami is strong and healthy, yes so He is. There is no

weakness in Me. My angas (limbs) may appear to be weak. But I am not

Angaswarupa, I am Atmaswarupa. Wherever you may go, worship God as

Atmaswarupa. Do not identify Him with an Akara (form). Give up body

consciousness and develop Atmic awareness. Only when you lead a

spiritual life, will you be able to visualize the Atmaswarupa. If you identify

Me with the body, I cannot walk even two steps. Do not think about the

Akara. Have faith that I am the Atmaswarupa. Then I will always remain

healthy. "

Date: 05 Oct 2003, Occasion: Vijayadashami, Place: Prasanthi Nilayam

(Sathya Sai Speaks - Vol 36. Chapter 14. Give Up Dehabhimana, Develop

Atmabhiman)



Jai Sairam.

Be silent, Be Strong. Only Strong faith is required. The rest will be Done by HIm.

Krishnamachari Santhanam

Silence

I insist on silence. Talk less, talk low when you must talk. Do not thrust your sorrows, your needs, your problems into the ears of those who have come here with their own bundle of such things. They are not interested in adding to their troubles. I am here to listen to you, to console you. Do not by loudness of voice disturb those who are meditating or reading or writing the Name of God.

Spend a few mins every morning and evening in the silence of your own shrine or home; spend them with the highest of all the powers that you know of. Be in His elevating and inspiring company; worship Him mentally; offer unto Him all the work you do; u will come out of the silence nobler and more heroic than when you went in.


The old man had seen people carrying transistor radios, people miss a very valuable thing if they do not listen in, even while they are moving about or resting in the parks or beach! They are afraid of being alone; they avoid silence as something detestable! But, you can discover your own truth, only when you are alone with yourself and there is silence all around you.


Be silent yourself, that will induce silence in others. Do not fall into the habit of shouting, talking long and loud. Reduce contacts to the minimum. Carry with you an atmosphere of quiet contemplation, wherever you happen to be.


The less you talk, the more will become your mental power. With the increase in your mental capacity, there will be increase in your power of discrimination too. Consequently, you will give up "individual discrimination". Because of this, you will begin to consider the good of the world at large rather than your own individual welfare. You must cultivate such broad feelings from this young age itself.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba

#SriSathyaSai

Namasmarana- Recitation of the Sacred Name.

Recite the sacred name

Sri Krishna Chaitanya was the pioneer of the movement of Nagarsamkeertan. He used to get himself immersed in the contemplation of the Lord while singing His glory and used to be oblivious of the external world.

Once he was conducting Nagarsamkeertan in Navadweep. Several leaders of the town too joined him in his bhajan. They were all ecstatically singing bhajans and walking along the streets. A thief also joined this group. He thought it would be an opportunity for him to pick the pockets of rich devotees who would be lost in singing and dancing. But when he actually participated in it he began singing with more zeal than others. All of them had come to a temple and were seated. He sat near Chaitanya, while those sitting in front were listening to his discourse. Many had left the temple precincts by then. He held Chaitanya's both feet and said: "Swami, you are giving so much advice to so many people. Kindly impart to me some sacred "manthra". Chaitanya looked at him and said: "Tell me first of all who you are and what you do". The thief said: "Swami! How can I lie to you? I am a thief. I have been a thief all my life. My name is Rama, people call me 'Rama' - the thief."

Chaitanya said: "Oh what a pity. I shall give you a name or a message but what will you give me as guru dakshina?" The thief at once said without any hesitation: "I shall give you a share in the booty I get from my theft." Chaitanya said: "I have no need for any money. All that I insist is that you should give up stealing." The thief said: "Swami, that is my profession, how else can I earn a living, when I do not have any other skill?" "Well," said Chaitanya, "I shall give you a sacred name on one condition, when you go for thieving, you must first recite the sacred name I give you 1008 times." Chaitanya whispered into his ear: "Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya". Transformation even by then had taken place in the thief because of the touch of the holy person. He was also freed from the sin of his past deeds because of the conversation with Chaitanya. The thief went back a refined person.

One day many wealthy house-holders had locked their houses and had gone for the darshan of Sri Krishna Chaitanya. The thief did not want to lose this opportunity to break into a house. He went to the house of the richest man of the town. He broke into the house and entered the room where the iron safe was kept. He opened it and saw valuable gems and jewels of gold. He resolved not to touch anything until he had finished reciting 1008 times the manthra given to him. Before he completed the number, the master of the house arrived along with the familiy. The lady of the house wanted to remove all the jewels she had worn before she left the house and keep them back in the safe. She saw a stranger lost in the recitation of the sacred manthra "Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya." She thought he must be a great sage who had come to their house to bless them. She called her husband. The thief was lost in his meditation. The entire familiy sat round him with folded hands. They thought he must be a saintly soul like Chaitanya.

The thief opened his eyes after the completion of 1008 times the manthra. He was surprised to find a group of people sitting reverentially before him. The master of the house asked him, "Oh Sir! May we know who you are and may we request you to honour us by accepting to take food with us today so that we shall be redeemed of our sins." The thief said to himself: "If the mere recitation of the Lord's name, now and then can bring me such honour, what greater things cannot happen to me if I sincerely make it my daily habit of reciting the name continuously. I may certainly win the grace of the Lord." He decided to give up thieving. He prostrated before the master of the house and his wife and said, "Mother, let me tell you the truth. I am a thief. Let me go to the forest. I shall spend the rest of my life in the contemplation of God." All were surprised at his words but were very happy.

He stayed with them as their guest that night. The news of this event spread fast around in the morning. As a result, the whole neighbourhood came to see him. They took him in a palanquin round the town and left him in the forest where he wanted to do his tapas. Later, once again, he came to Chaitanya and received his blessings so that he may blossom into a real sage.

Sai in Chinna Katha.

Nature is the best teacher - 11

The Bee always sits on the Flower and drinks its nectar. Even when it is hungry and has to die will not sit on the garbage dump. Let us stick to our nature which is Purity and Divinity.

Krishnamachari Santhanam