What message do we get from the life of Sathya Sai Baba? From studying his actual person while alive – not just his many flowery words – one of the main things that some cite in favor of Sathya Sai Baba is his “teachings”. However, independent and objective non-followers (including many devotees I knew) have found the following to apply to him:-
He was often very self-contradictory in word and action
He demonstrated ignorance on many facts about scientific, historical, religious and other subjects
His teachings were eclectic, borrowing for most Hindu traditions, some Christian, Buddhist.. and much traditional Indian superstition
He provided a ‘pick and mix’ menu of advice and commandments for aspirants, clashing with much of modern human science and human rights
He often ignored what people asked him by irrelevant answers or other reactions
He mostly spoke in vague, sweepingly general, impractical and exaggerated ways about things
He was highly condemnatory of many groups, professions (eg. scientists, doctors, parents, politicians, youth, children, and most of his devotees)
He was controlling, imperious, and frequently belittling of devotees and rude when he so chose
He set an autocratic, dictatorial example of leadership (towards most of his staff and office-bearers)
He would never tolerate the slightest hint of criticism of any kind whatever from anyone
Basooning his claimed self-sacrifice, he enjoyed a life that for Indians is sheer luxury (cars, houses, all services, no labour at all etc.)
He constantly claimed as ‘his’ achievements all the work of others who supported him
He very often made promises to followers which he never kept and predictions which events proved false (one big example)
He constantly borrowed and recycled the teachings of others without mentioning them
He praised those who promoted him vigorously and worshipped him ostentatiously in public
He boasted repeatedly of being world famous, that the whole world would come to him and ‘Everyone loves me‘
He did not follow his own teachings on many matters: by criticising others (in discourses, interviews), by not being chaste and acting on sexual desires, and by condoning executions
See more: My Life is My Message & Sai Baba (the slogan stolen from it’s originator, Gandhi)
