What's the story with this?

[Fortyeightvows]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOIlm8qj_bw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Grigoris]

The video looks like a fake to me. That said, realistically, he could easily sponsor a bunch of monks to do a puja for him. Anybody can.

[Fortyeightvows]

I thought it was very odd.
What do mean by fake?

[Grigoris]

That it is a couple of different videos edited together with an audio track added over the top. If the audio was live then there would have been background noises too, but the audio sounds like a studio recording.

[philji]

Here is one such visit by monks....http://youtu.be/LM4Wsyi1lKg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[philji]

Often on Buddha purnima and Chinese New Year, Tibetan monks would visit the ashram and do prayers... Whatever you think of Sathya Sai Baba he did encourage the universality of faiths... Before his death 17th Karmapa. Wrote prayers for him.

[Fortyeightvows]

The one you just posted led me to om mani padme hum!
Good stuff. Very interesting videos
I couldn't decipher the kstitigharba mantra. He is right that just to think the name brings benefit.

[philji]

I think there was a Mani retreat there earlier this year.. Primarily. The ashram is Hnduism but they invite groups of Buddhist, Muslims and Christians at different times to practice which is nice. I lived at the ashram for some time n the 70's before I came to Buddhism.

[Grigoris]

Often on Buddha purnima and Chinese New Year, Tibetan monks would visit the ashram and do prayers... Whatever you think of Sathya Sai Baba he did encourage the universality of faiths... Before his death 17th Karmapa. Wrote prayers for him.

I don't think anything of Sai Baba, I have no idea what he teaches, but the video looked fake.

[frank123]

Surely i'm not going out on a limb here suggesting that Sathya Sai Baba is a fraud?
I cant comment on the other accusations as i have not seen any proof.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNMxQtwkIuk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Kim O'Hara]

Surely i'm not going out on a limb here suggesting that Sathya Sai Baba is a fraud?
I cant comment on the other accusations as i have not seen any proof.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNMxQtwkIuk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Umm ... he died three years ago, so saying he is a fraud suggests you have some special insight into the afterlife.
Aside from that, it's quite possible that he did a lot of good in spite of also being engaged in some fakery and some all-too-human lapses. How are we to know? Who are we to judge? At the very least we should acquaint ourselves with what's public knowledge about him:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sathya_Sai_Baba


Kim

[frank123]

Sorry, WAS a fraud.

[anjali]

The video itself I don't think was a fraud. At 3:24 he is passing by the Buddhist monks. The chanting we hear is likely a voice over. I have no idea why the monks were in the crowd although it was likely related to being the Chinese New Year, when the video was apparently taken. The title of the video is CNY2010 (Chinese New Year 2010). Maybe they were giving some sort of New Year's blessing.

[Kim O'Hara]

Sorry, WAS a fraud.

Evidence?

BTW,

Badmouthing of other spiritual paths is not allowed.

Kim

[frank123]

Sorry, WAS a fraud.

Evidence?

BTW,

Badmouthing of other spiritual paths is not allowed.

Kim

To be clear i was not saying the video in the Original post was a fake(though it does seem to be edited as has been pointed out)

I am not badmouthing other spiritual paths

[philji]

The general opinion these days seem to be that he was a fraud. Although I know for my own experience with him that
1 he encouraged people to be loving and kind.
2 he preached that all religions have virtue
3 he did perform. So called miracles.. May be some were fake?? But what I saw I believe to be true.
4 he encouraged people to do what he called service to others and instigated huge water and waste operations in South India.
5 he gave me a hint that my mind was without beginning or end, vast and open like space...for that I am forever grateful.

[DGA]

This individual is highly controversial, and the controversy is well known...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sathya_Sai ... ontroversy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

...and ongoing...

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/sath ... 45495.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Since the OP's question is answered, and because we're not a comparative religion board but a Buddhist one, I'm locking the thread.