Life is raised on four pillars

1.The body is subject to destruction, sooner or later. Everyone is aware of this. Yet everyone is apprehensive of death; no one is eager to face the last moment. All that is born has to die someday - death is inevitable and unavoidable! To unlock the key to this paradoxical experience, ask thus: What is it that meets with death? What is it that leaves and what is it that remains? The answer: it is the body that dies and falls. What does not perish is the Atma. You delude yourselves into thinking that it is the Atma or "you" that dies; that is incorrect. The Atma (Self) has nothing to do with death or birth. It is eternal, true and pure. Realize and remember that you are the eternal, true and pure Atma - you are not the body. 

2.Life is raised on four pillars – Righteousness, Wealth, Desire and Liberation (Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha). When two key pillars, Righteousness and Liberation, are lost, it is a struggle to survive with the remaining two - Desire and Wealth. Then, naturally grief, greed, pretence and anxiety afflict human beings. Each pillar must cooperate and complement the other three pillars. Righteousness must interpenetrate and strengthen Wealth and Desire, so that Liberation can be attained. Through Righteousness alone, wealth for living must be obtained and it should be used for Righteous purposes. Desire must be directed to Liberation from bondage – not to forging of new chains or adding further links in the chain of birth and death. Devoid of Righteousness and Desire for Liberation, human beings will be reduced to the level of beasts and birds.

Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba