Guru - Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Currently I am taking a Hinduism course at Cal Poly. I find it extremely interesting to learn about another religion in an unbiased environment - we are simply provided with the facts. An aspect of our course is to generate a "Guru-pedia" - a Wikipedia type page for 10 pre-selected Gurus. Gurus are Hinduism spiritual leaders, each Guru has unique traits that define their teachings. The aspect of the "Guru-pedia" I researched was about the primary teachings of the Guru, Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
Primary Teachings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba

The Five Pillars of Human Values

1. “Satya” – Truth
2. “Ahimsa” – Nonviolence
3. “Prema” – Divine Love
4. “Seva” – Devotional Service
5. “Dharma” – Right Action

These five values are considered to be the foundation of Satya Sai Baba’s movement and the categories of focus for devotees’ lessons.

The Two Directions of Satya Sai Baba’s Teachings

Hindu Devotees -- Bharat

Satya Sai Baba is known for his acceptance of all religions, however many overlook his focus upon the return of the Vedic religion, for a majority of his followers are historically Hindu. A large majority of his lessons are drawn directly from Hindu literature and traditions. Much of Baba’s focus is on resurrecting the traditions and culture of the ancient Hindu religion. Because Hinduism is directly interwoven among all aspects of the Indian lifestyle, much of Baba’s teachings have played a role in state politics and national issues.

“Overseas” (aka “Western”) Devotees -- Beyond Bharat

While many of Baba’s lessons may hold roots of the traditional Hindu culture and ideals, he has made an effort to equally embrace all religions; one of Baba’s infamous mantras being, “Love all, Serve all.” It is a universally known truth that a devotee may be of any religion and the purpose of Baba’s teachings is not to convert a devotee to Hinduism, but generate spiritual growth, no matter the religion – this is also known as “Hindu tolerance.”

The Shri Satya Sai Central Trust

Established by Baba in 1972, the Shri Satya Central Trust is a nonprofit charitable trust as a means to better serve society’s needs. This Trust is considered to not only be a controlling entity of the movement, in a legal sense, but also holds financial control of the other organizations; as the Trust’s sole trustee, Shri Satya Sai Baba holds considerable authority. The Trust funds projects mainly within India, including a means to provide hundreds of thousands of Indians with the benefit free education, health care and clean drinking water.

The International Satya Sai Baba Organization

The International Satya Sai Baba Organization (ISSBO) is a key component for spreading the movement of Baba’s spiritual teachings globally. It is estimated that there are about 1,200 Sai Centers in various locations in more than 137 countries. These centers were established to allow devotees to gather and pursue their spiritual endeavors. Although these centers stretch across the globe, they are all required to follow the ISSBO’s guidelines and regulations, which are organized around three primary religious objectives:

1. Devotion
2. Education
3. Selfless Service

However, each center may develop a specific focus depending on the influences of the local culture. Allowing devotees to not only grow in a spiritual sense, but benefit their local community as well. These various Sai Centers, especially those located in the United States focus on creating a balance between the cultures of the local community, while continuing to maintain the traditional devotion to Satya Sai Baba.

**I simply wanted to share some of my Guru knowledge with the world, I'd encourage you to look him or another Guru up for more detailed information about Hindu Gurus, even if you simply use Wikipedia.**