Sathya Sai Baba does not recommend that we become ascetics and retreat from the world. Instead, he teaches us that the world is our school, that the five human values (Truth, Right Conduct, Peace, Love, and Non-Violence) are our curriculum, and that the realisation of the unity in the diversity of creation is our ultimate lesson.

Excerpts of Sathya Sai Baba's teachings on the Values are given below:

Truth (Sathya)

Truth is not merely telling the facts about what you see, hear or know. These are temporal truths. Facts relate to momentary appearances. Truth relates to unchanging reality. In its full sense, Truth can be applied only to what comes out of your heart in its pure and unsullied form as the voice of conscience. It is true for all time - past, present and future. It is not affected by changes in time or place. Time does not transform it, creation does not increase it, destruction (Pralaya) does not reduce it. History does not stain it. Truth lives eternally in full. It is unchanging and cannot be suppressed.

When you seek the Truth, you are seeking God. Truth is God. Truth exists; so too, God exists. Truth must be considered as life giving as breath itself. Just as a person with no breath in him becomes useless, life without Truth is useless and becomes a dwelling place of strife and grief. Believe that there is nothing greater than Truth; nothing more precious, nothing sweeter and nothing more lasting.

It is folly to think that you have to search for Truth somewhere. To know one's Self is Truth. How can man realise the Truth? He can do this only when he experiences non-dualism. As long as He is steeped in dualism (that he and divine are different) he is bound to be racked by the opposites, joy and sorrow, the real and unreal.

God wears Truth, the good seek Truth and the bad are rescued by Truth; Truth liberates; Truth is power; Truth is freedom. It is the lamp that illuminates the heart and dispels doubt and darkness. The effulgence of God is Truth.

To discover Truth, is the unique mission of man. Man is a mixture of illusion (Maya) and God (Madhava); the Maya throws a mist which hides the Madhava, but through the action of the healthy impulses inherited from acts performed while in previous bodies or through the cleansing done by austerities in this body or through the Grace of the Lord himself, Maya melts away; for it is just a mist which flees before the Sun. Then man (Nara) is transformed into God (Narayana).

The universe is dependent on Truth. If there is no Truth, there is no Universe. Truth is of eternal quality. No one can change it. Nor hide it. Truth is God. All wealth, all riches emerge from truth only. God is the embodiment of Truth. Truth alone is God's abode. Right conduct (Dharma) permanently lives in Truth. The ancient scriptures (Vedas), the repository of knowledge and wisdom emanate from Truth. Truth alone is the royal path. Truth is knowledge - Infinity, creator (Brahman). Wherever Truth is followed, there lives Dharma. There is no Dharma higher than Truth. There is no morality higher than Truth. Through Truth, you can experience love; through love you can visualize Truth.

Truth is the basis of Righteousness.

Truth has no fear; Untruth shivers at every shadow.

Truth is one; there cannot be two. For, two can only be One. The basic Truth in all religions, irrespective of country or race is one and the same, occurring twice.

Spiritual discipline (Sadhana) leads to Truth.

Truth is the mother
Wisdom is the father
Right conduct is the brother
Compassion is the friend
Peace is the spouse
Forgiveness is the son
These six alone are the real relations for every one.

Right Conduct (Dharma)

Right Conduct (Dharma) is the foundation for the welfare of humanity; it is the Truth that is stable for all time. God is the embodiment of Right Conduct (Dharma); his Grace is won by Right Conduct; he is ever fostering Right Conduct; he is ever establishing Right Conduct. He is Right Conduct (Dharma) itself.

Right Conduct is a body of principles that are fundamental to social stability and individual progress. Right Conduct is the root of this world. Obey it and you are happy. One common definition of Right Conduct is that it is the adherence to the rule: 'Do unto others what you wish them to do unto you.' Do not have a double standard. Treat all as your own self'.

The basic principles of Right Conduct are Truth (Sathya), Love (Prema), Fortitude (Sadhana) and Non-violence (Ahimsa). Right Conduct protects those that protect Right Conduct. Right Conduct means certain obligations and duties and regulations over actions, words and behaviour. For example, elders have certain obligations towards younger people and vice versa; neighbours have mutual duties and rights.

The task of everyone is to do the duty that has come upon him, with a full sense of responsibility to the utmost of his capacity. There should be complete coordination between what one feels, says and does. Then work becomes worship.

Right Conduct is not a matter of time and space to be modified and adjusted to the needs and pressures of the moment. It means a number of fundamental principles that should guide mankind in its progress towards inner harmony and outer peace. When man stays away from Right Conduct, he meets with greater harm than even physical slavery. These principles are called Eternal (Sanathana ) because their origins are not dated, their author is not identifiable; they are the revelations made in the clarified intellects of impartial sages. They are basic and eternal.

Right Conduct is the eternal source. Right Conduct is a great virtue. Right Conduct is the basis for everything. In this world nothing is higher than righteousness. Man must follow the path of Right Conduct, to know himself, to discard demonic qualities, to foster human qualities, to develop divine qualities and to achieve a good life.

SOME QUOTES BY SATHYA SAI BABA:

Bear all and do nothing,
Hear all and say nothing,
Give all and take nothing,
Serve all and be nothing.

So long as the sugar is on the tongue, you feel the sweetness in taste. Similarly, so long as the heart has love, peace and devotion, you feel the bliss.

Seek out your faults and others' merits. Seeking others' faults is dire sin.

Hear good things, see good, do good, think good, then you get the Grace of God, as all the evil tendencies will be uprooted.

See God in everyone you meet; see God in everything you handle. Live together, revere each other, let not the seeds of envy and hate grow and choke the clear stream of Love.

Make your life a rose, that speaks silently in the language of fragrance

W.A.T.C.H. your Words, Action, Thoughts, Character and Heart

Every action of yours at the present time is bound to have a reaction, resound and reflection in the future.

You should completely forget the help rendered by you to others and the harm done to you by others.

If wealth is lost, nothing is lost.
If health is lost, something is lost.
If character is lost, all is lost.

Treat all as your own self. Do not have a double standard.

What you would desire others to do for you, you should do for others. You should respect others, as you want to be respected by them.

See good, Hear good, Speak good, Do good, Be good!

Always try to put yourself in the position of the other and judge your action against the background. Then you will not be wrong.

Peace (Shanti)

Peace (Shanti) denotes the capacity to bear success and failure, joy and misery with perfect equanimity. It is within each of us, deep down at the very core of our being. Only thoughts of God and intense love for him bring Peace. As worldly thoughts diminish, thoughts of God increase. Normally, the mind desires these worldly things all the time. As the desires are cut out, the peace becomes stronger.

The external Peace is a reflection of your internal Peace; it is an echo. Peace alone is eternal truth. It has great power. It confers eternal bliss. It is man's principal treasure. You may be of brilliant intellect, or a wealthy person or a physically strong person, but all this is useless, if you do not have Peace. By absence of attachment, desire and egoism, you can achieve Peace.

You must discover your identity; only then can you have Peace. Else we are like a man who has forgotten his name, his address and his mission in life. Realise it and try to delve deep into yourself, so that you may know who you are. Then you get security and Peace. Sharpen your intellect for this purpose; and cleanse your consciousness for this purpose through good company (Satsang), repetition of Lord's name (Japa), meditation (Dhyana), etc.

Perfect Peace is derived as a result of the absence of desire, anger, greed and hatred. Peace must be expressed in feeling, word, posture and action; also in mind and the performance of duty - all in uniform measure. Then Peace becomes perfect, the highest and most stable type. Genuine Peace is won by the control of senses. Pure love can emanate only from a heart immersed in peace. The realisation "Everything is God" then becomes natural to you.

Peace is another name for steadiness of the mind. Peace is a sacred virtue; it is the embodiment of the Self. It is an ornament to man; the heart of the selfless one is its abode. Accumulation of riches and power cannot endow Peace. Peace can emanate only from the fountain of peace within. How do you get this inner peace? By knowing that you are the Atma, which has no birth or death, no joy or grief, no ups and no downs.

SOME QUOTES BY SATHYA SAI BABA:

I - Want - Peace
"I" is ego,
"Want" is desire,
Remove ego and desire and you have peace.

Peace - It can come only from the Fountain of Peace within.

Peace is a shoreless ocean - it is the light that illuminates the world.

So long as the sugar is on the tongue, you feel the sweetness in taste. Similarly, so long as the heart has love, peace and devotion, you feel the bliss.

You are in the Light, then the Light is in You, You are the Light.

Love(Prema)

Love is the basic nature that sustains human being and strengthens his resolve to march ahead. Without Love man is blind; the world for him will be a dark and fearsome jungle. Love is the light that guides the feet of man in the wilderness.

Every human being needs Love, inhales Love and exhales Love. Love is the basic breath; every one is the embodiment of Love. Love knows no fear; it seeks no rewards; love is its own reward. When it is directed towards God, it is called Devotion (Bhakti). Love removes all egoism; the self is forgotten, it is superseded, it is transcended. Divinity is the magnet. Humanity is the iron. Love is the force that brings them together. God is love and can be won only through the cultivation and exercise of Love. He cannot be trapped by any trick; he yields Grace only when his commands are followed - command to Love all, serve all. Love is God, God is Love. Live with Love, move with Love, speak with Love, think with Love, act with Love - this is the most fruitful spiritual discipline (Sadhana). Love is the core of Soul (Atma). Love is selflessness. Love brings people together. Love is the solvent for the hardest hearts. Love is the strongest antidote for greed. Love will destroy the roots of ego.

Love is the natural state for man and all the other contrary emotions are unnatural. When you recite the Name of God, remembering his majesty, his compassion, his glory, his splendour, his presence, Love will grow within you. Its roots will grow deeper and deeper; its branches will spread wider and wider, giving cool shelter to friend and foe. Love God without reserve. To love God destroys all the barriers to Love. If you develop Love, you do not need to develop anything else.

Love must grow with every moment of spiritual discipline. It must sweeten every word, deed and thought of yours. Emerge from Meditation as a person more charged with Love! Return from devotional singing with a greater measure of Love! Love in speech is truth.

There is no power greater than Love in this world, because it is selfless and pure. Love is happiness ; Love is power; Love is light; Love is God. Love helps you to see God in everyone, everyone as divine.

SOME QUOTES BY SATHYA SAI BABA:

Love as Thought is Truth.

Love as Action is Right Conduct.

Love as Understanding is Peace.

Love as Feeling is Non-violence.

Start the Day with Love; Spend the Day with Love; Fill the Day with Love; End the Day with Love;
This is the way to God.

True love expands the self; attachment contracts it.

Love knows no fear and so love needs no falsehood to support it.

There is only one royal road for the spiritual journey...Love.

Non-violence (Ahimsa)

Ahimsa is not merely refraining from causing harm or injury to others. It implies also refraining from causing harm to one’s self. One who harms himself cannot avoid harming others. How is this to be ensured? By constantly examining whether his conduct is right or wrong. For instance, in the matter of speech, one must examine whether the words are causing pain to others. One must see that the way one looks at a person is not tainted by evil intentions or thoughts. One should not listen to evil talk. Hence everyone should see that they give no room for bad looks, bad hearing, bad speech, bad thoughts and bad actions.

You should also be careful with regard to your food. Excessive eating does violence to the body. Moderation is conducive to happiness. Non-violence is thus what confers happiness on you. When you realise that God is in everyone, you will practice Non-violence.

By following Non-violence, one achieves Love. To follow the path of Non-violence, it is necessary to change the mental attitude. Mind, body or speech should harm nobody. By purity of thought, word and deed, one should serve even one's enemies. Overwhelm the bad and jealous by your goodness. Humility is the main quality of those who want to don the mantle of Non-violence.

SOME QUOTES BY SATHYA SAI BABA:

There is only one religion, the religion of Love;
There is only one language, the language of the Heart;
There is only one caste, the caste of Humanity;
There is only one law, the law of Karma;
There is only one God, and He is Omnipresent.

You must act ever in the consciousness of your divinity and recognise in each being, a brother, and a child of God. The whole world is one family.

Nations are many, but Earth is one;
Beings are many, but Breath is one;
Stars are many, but Sky is one;
Oceans are many, but Water is one;
Religions are many, but God is one;
Jewels are many, but Gold is one;
Appearances are many, but Reality is One.

Where there is Faith, there is Love;
Where there is Love, there is Peace;
Where there is Peace, there is Truth;
Where there is Truth, there is God;
Where there is God, there is Bliss

Honour all religions. Each is a pathway to God.

source-   http://www.srisathyasai.org.uk/