On April 1st. 1983, Sai Baba gave an interview for 'foreigners only'. Around 40 foreign 'April Fools' attended (many of them accepted this label, also because Sai Baba calls most people fools, especially learned fools like scientists, academics and scholars). Part of the interview was taped and was later transcribed by Eileen Weed and a lady called Anna. They gave ithe transcript to Drucker for polishing. But Al Drucker stated that he had transcribed the interview ("compiled from notes taken by me"). - when I asked Sai Baba what he meant by 'ego', he replied "Me and mine"!) This is what Sai devotees (especially his wife Yaani or Jaani) call 'ego', in imitation of Sai Baba who applied this to almost all and everyone except himself. The label, however, did fit in that instance, better called 'selfish egotism' had Sai Baba's language abilities stretch ed that far). Self-indulgent and self-promoting is more like the ticket, both for Sai Baba and the Druckers, who continually confused dwhat he call 'ego' with virtually anything enterprising other than devotees' service offered to Sai Baba. Since Drucker was famously thrown out of the ashram and organization, they have both presented themselves as 'self-realized'. There is a huge disconnect between the humble, confused, questioning, cowed Drucker in the interview and the role he played in the ashram and continues to enjoy... a kind of top-dog vip devotee who takes it upon himself to organise, speak, give advice and warnings to devotees and to missionize in the manner of other God-botherer sects and cults.

The interview itself was entirely routine and standard, but is interesting in how well it shows that Sai Baba wouldn't (i.e. more likely 'couldn't) answer any spiritual questions directly and illumingly, but just went off through his well-known platitudes, round and round in devious and ever-decreasing tautological circles. He made sure always to put his questioners down as an entirely unrealised and body-entrapped persons, (his famous psychopathological technique). It also shows the pathetic attitude of Drucker, who put a number of the more articulate questions. All the questioners, including him, exhibited the intellectual equivalent of abject sheep in their self-effacement and general confusion about Sai's (ever vague) teaching, demonstrating their unquestioning indoctrination (which was always called 'faith').

"Article falsely claimed by Al Drucker to have been transcribed by him

Asked about the best way to relate to the world. SB gives the usual impossible round-about didactic indoctrination, which sounds more like persiflage to any non-affected person: The body is an impermanent bubble, all relationships are impermanent and the mind is a mad monkey you are in 100% body consciousness… and so on.

So how does one relate, after tall that? The answer is virtually just don't relate at all, for SB said one should think only about God, in yourself, all around, all is one, nothing else exists. Develop self-confidence (tough for mad-minded impermanent monkeys to achieve perhaps?). Rise to the highest level only through love then live in that Unity. Clearly, do NOT love the world or anything to do with it or the body, ONLY love the idea of God! What a tragic lack of intelligence and self-confidence of any reasonable kind this involves!

The question was 'Is everything predetermined' gest the non-answer was that there is not time or form for the Atma (true self) which is everywhere. Well, if it it is everywhere, then it is also nowhere to be found. One does not meet up anywhere with it in any shape or form, because it has none. It is 'ever-beyond-reach' of the embodied person, so perhaps the only way to try to get to it is to get rid of the body (entirely?). Such airy theological inventions of Hindu advaita sound wise but are difficult to understand because they contain no substantial meaning to be grasped, but they do serve to confuse, mislead and especially cow the individual who thinks Sai Baba is divine. They are an insult to human intelligence.

 

 

 

 

Sathya sai baba interview - part 2 of 1985 interview transcript with Al Drucker and the foreigner group

Some 'poor soul' aks if there is therefore 'no higher being judging and guiding me'. Sai Baba avoids any direct answer, as usual, and waffles on about the bliss of the true self (Atma) which has no qualities like anger, hunger, desire. The Atma is said to be indescribable, yet in his endless repetitive discourses Sai Baba continually tried to describe it with all kinds of words - it is without qualities, it is eternal, it is sheer bliss, it is love, it is awareness, it is everywhere, it is Unity of everything... and so on and on ad. inf.


Next 'what is reborn in reincarnation?' Sai Baba can never day anything sensible about this subject. In an interview I attended he was asked about it and he simply replied "Reincarnation is something you cannot understand" That satisfied the questioner too!

Here he skips the issue entire and instead says that reincarnation relates only to the body. The Atma has no reincarnation. (All crystal clear, eh? But not to a mad monkey, of course).

Next " How can we love something we can't understand?! Excellent question (sounds like Drucker?) but Sai Baba side-steps that too with admonishing advice to develop self-confidence, get self-satisfaction, then sacrifice the self so that self-realisation comes.

Next: 'is self-confidence confidence in the self?' That's an EASY PESEY for him, he answered 'Yes.' (Self-evident, ain't it?) He distracts the questioner further advising to have unwavering love for the divinity within. 'Don't do what you like, but like what you do'.

He was ever drawing on his stock of these trivial and ambiguous catch phrases which are devoid of any sound advice. Another 'small example' :- Asked 'shall we tell these things to others?' he replied with "First do some sadhana. First do. Then be. Then you can talk. Do good. be good and see good. Do everything with love. After you develop your self-confidence and love for God then you can share your experiences with others" The same old manoeuvre - his endlessly repeated slogans instead of any truly intelligible answer.