Sathya Sai Organization
The International Sai Seva Trust is a volunteer based non-profit, spiritual and charity organization based in Puttaparthi, Anantapur, Andhrapradesh, India. The organization is based on the teachings and philosophy of Shirdi Sai Baba who taught the unity of all religions.
| Motto | Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Love, and Non-Violence |
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| Formation | 2010 |
| Type | Non Profit |
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| Website | www |
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Mission statement
"The main objective of the Sathya Sai Organization", as Sathya Sai Baba states, "is to help man recognize the divinity that is inherent in him. So, your duty is to emphasize the One, to experience the One in all you do or speak. Do not give any importance to differences of religion or sect or status or color. Have the feeling of one-ness permeate every act of yours. Only those who do so have a place in this Organization; the rest can withdraw."[1][2]
The principal objectives of Sathya Sai Organisation are:
1. To help the individual[3]
- To be aware of the Divinity that is inherent in him and to conduct himself accordingly;
- To translate into practice in daily life, divine love and perfection; and therefore
- To fill one's life with joy, harmony, beauty, grace, human excellence and lasting happiness;
2. To ensure that all human relations are governed by the principles of Satya (Truth), Dharma (Right Conduct), Shanthi (Peace), Prema (Love) and Ahimsa (Non-violence).[3]
3. To make devotees more sincere and dedicated in the practice of their respective religions by understanding properly the true spirit of their religion.[3]
Sathya Sai Baba further explains the quality of service expected of the organization. "The Organisations named after Me are not to be used for publicising My Name, or creating a new cult around My worship. They must try to spread interest in japam (recitation of God's Name), dhyaanam (meditation) and other sadhanas (spiritual practices), which lead man Godward; they must demonstrate the joy derivable from bhajan (devotional group singing) and Naamasmarana (remembering God's Name), the Shanthi (peace) that one can draw from Sathsang (good company). They must render seva (service) to the helpless, the sick, the distressed, the illiterate and the needy. Their seva should not be exhibitionistic; it must seek no reward, not even gratitude or thanks from the recipients. Seva is sadhana (spiritual exercise), not a pastime of the rich and well placed. Each one must realize this truth."[4]
Projects
The SSIO hosts a number of various institutes, trusts and associations.[5] They include:
Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust[6]
Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust -Publications Division- [7]
Radio Sai[8]
Educational Institutions
- Sathya Sai Schools and Institutes[9]
- Sri Sathya Sai University. The University founded by Sathya Sai Baba in 1981, which provides free education on three campuses: Ananthapur (for women), Prasanthi Nilayam (for men), and Brindavan (for men, on the outskirts of Bangalore)[10]
- Sai International Centre for Human Values[11]
Sri Sathya Sai Medical Trust[12]
- Primary Health Care – Medical camps organised to visit orphanages, old age homes, leprosy homes etc.
- Secondary Healthcare (The general hospitals) Sri Sathya Sai General Hospitals in Prasanthi Nilayam and Whitefield, Bangalore, render free medical aid
- Tertiary Health Care (the super-speciality hospitals) These hospitals provide excellent patient care facilities to all, free of cost.
- Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Science. There are two campuses, one being in Prasanthi Nilayam, A.P. and the other in Whitefield, Karnataka, India.
Ashrams
- Prasanthi Nilayam, in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh
- Brindavan, in Whitefield (on the outskirts of Bangalore)
- Kodaikanal, a "hill station" in Tamil Nadu
Service, Devotion and Education Wings[13]
Drinking Water Supply Projects[14]
Activities of the organisation
- Spiritual activities include devotional singing, study circles, public lectures, seminars, meditation etc.[3]
- Samir Bhatia, a trustee of Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publications Trust, Maharashtra, has been actively engaging with AMTM to provide medical assistance and support to injured animals and birds for the past few years.
- Educational activities cover Bal Vikas (for children) and Education in Human Values programmes, besides formal academic education combined with the development of the character of the students for age group of 6 to 15.[3]
- Service activities include items such as organising medical check-up camps, adoption of under-developed villages for accelerating rural development, blood donation, old age homes, etc.[3]
Code of conduct
The charter of the organisation says that every member should undertake sadhana (spiritual discipline) as an integral part of daily life and abide by the following nine codes of conduct:
- 1. Daily meditation and prayer.
- 2. Devotional singing/prayer with family members once per week.
- 3. Participation in the educational programmes conducted by the organisation for children.
- 4. Attendance at least once per month at group devotional programmes conducted by the organization.
- 5. Participation in community service and other programmes of the organization.
- 6. Regular study of Sai literature.
- 7. Putting into practice the principles of "ceiling on desires", utilising any savings thereby generated for the service of mankind.
- 8. Speaking softly and lovingly with everyone with whom one comes into contact.
- 9. Avoiding speaking ill of others, especially in their absence.[3]
Organisational structure
The SSIO is ordered into nine zones. A number of regions are then created in each zone. For example, both the US and Canada are in zone 1, however the United States is in region 11 while Canada is in region 13. Each region then branches out to individual centers[15][16]
The center structure operates with the Service, Youth, Education, Ladies and Spiritual coordinators addressing the center president directly, who in turn reports to the regional coordinator. (The regional coordinator acts a liaison between the centers' presidents and the regional council) The president of each center has with him or her a secretary, vice president and treasurer.[17]
The regional organisational structure (using region 13 as an example) consists of regional coordinators (from various geographic parts of the region) reporting to a council chairperson. Independent of the regional coordinators, the Service, Youth, Publications, Education and Spiritual coordinators report directly to the council chairperson who then communicates with the central coordinator of that region.[17]
References
- Sathya Sai Baba Sathya Sai Speaks IX, 35, 187–188 (old edition)
- Sathya Sai Baba Avatar Sweden Sverige
- SSSCT- Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation
- http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume08/sss08-06.pdf
- International Sai Organization
- Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam
- Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publication Trust
- Radio Sai Global Harmony
- Sathya Sai Educare
- Archived 5 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- http://sai-international.org.in/
- Sai Medical Institutions
- Sai Org Service Wing
- Drinking Water Supply Project
- Sai Baba Of India-Sri Sathya Sai Baba Centers- Sai Baba organisation worldwide
- Intl Sai Org sites
- Sri Sathya Sai Baba Organization in Canada - Organizational Structure