Empathy, The Cream of Sai Philosophy

By : Sri Narasimha Swamiji

Linguists and philologists worldwide have come to the unanimous conclusion that one of the most beautiful words in all languages is ‘empathy’. In Persian, ‘empathy is called taghayyun, yakdali or yaksimt tasavvur. Now the question is: What exactly is empathy?

Let me define it in the words of English poet William Blake, “Empathy is when you and me are no different/ Each soul is me, each man’s my friend.” It’s a sublime sense of inter-connectivity. Empathy is far greater than sympathy. The latter is more of a lip-service whereas the former is emotional merging.

A close study of Sai Baba’s life reveals that the recurrent theme of his mysticism, is empathy. One spirit of universal connectivity runs through all creatures, living or non-living – wrote Hemadpant in Sai Satcharitra when this lofty realization dawned on him when he met Sai Baba.

In fact, empathy is not just the spirit of Indian mysticism but also of all saints in general.

Leonard Lewisohn writes in ‘An Introduction to the History of Modern Persian Mysticism’ that “Empathy is the cornerstone of Persian and Islamic mysticism.” All Persian and Arab mystics might have been inspired by the idea of empathy in Upanishadic universality. The concept of Aham Brahmasmi – I am Truth – became An-Al-Haq in Sai Baba’s oft-repeated quotes. And what’s An-Al-Haq or Aham Brahmasmi? It’s the merging of an individual’s soul into the Universal Being. This is spiritual empathy or Sai Baba’s uniformity of Oneness.

The very notion of Oneness is the spiritual manifestation of empathy. Mystics, especially Sai Baba, believed that the whole of humankind is interrelated on an emotional plane with just one predominant craving regulating all lives on earth. That cementing bond is empathy. Amir Khusro defines it thus: “When there’s one universal chetna, life-spirit or consciousness, that you and I are blessed with, it’s useless to distinguish among humankind.” In other words, we’re all the same; offshoots and branches of the same tree.

Empathy provides a universal vision and profound insights into mind and matter. Coleman Bark writes in his book ‘Rumi’ that the great mystic wouldn’t even kick a piece of stone because he believed that even a stone had a level of consciousness and it, too, deserved respect! Elsewhere Rumi wrote, “I feel the same degree of love even for a stone as I believe that it also belongs to me”.

Universal empathy sublimates into state of self-immersion and the whole of humankind appears to be a big family. One can clearly hear and discern the echoes of the Upanishadic philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam in Sai Baba’s life.

In this age of differences and worldwide turmoil, the imbibing of empathy and acceptance of universal sameness can save all of us. Otherwise, we are likely to be condemned to be doomed.