“A house must be built on solid foundations if it is to last. The same principle applies to man, otherwise he too will sink back into the soft ground and becomes swallowed up by the world of illusion.”
- November 23, 1926 – April 24, 2011
- Indian
- Spiritual Leader, Guru, Philanthropist, Founder of the Sathya Sai Organization
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Quote
“A house must be built on solid foundations if it is to last. The same principle applies to man, otherwise he too will sink back into the soft ground and becomes swallowed up by the world of illusion.”
Explanation
In this metaphor, Sathya Sai Baba compares a human life to a house that must rest on “solid foundations” in order to endure. Just as a structure without stability collapses, a life without spiritual grounding becomes vulnerable to confusion, suffering, and failure. The “solid foundations” represent eternal values such as truth, righteousness, love, peace, and nonviolence, which he consistently taught as the pillars of a meaningful life.
The warning that man will “sink back into the soft ground” points to the danger of living without moral or spiritual direction. The “world of illusion” refers to Maya, a central concept in Indian philosophy denoting the deceptive nature of worldly attachments and ego-driven pursuits. Without a firm base in spiritual awareness, the soul loses its way, becoming entangled in fleeting desires, materialism, and false identities.
In a modern context, this teaching is a reminder that success, comfort, or external achievements are not enough. For instance, a person with wealth and influence but no inner values may find themselves lost in anxiety, addiction, or moral crisis. Sai Baba’s message encourages us to cultivate inner strength through ethical living, self-discipline, and spiritual reflection, so that when life’s storms come, we remain anchored and unshaken.
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