Spirit-WWW: NewsGateway Article <news:alt.consciousness.41919>


From "Y. A. Singh, M.D." <yasingh@concentric.net>:
Newsgroups: alt.consciousness,

Subject: Guru & Sikh Ver 2.0 (2nd attempt)

All Follow-Up: Re: Guru & Sikh Ver 2.0 (2nd attempt)
Date: Sat, 03 Jan 1998 09:54:06 -0500

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh


   Guru and Sikh, Version 2.0


The following are some essential thoughts on God, Guru, and
His Seekers.  This document will serve to answer the
questions frequently asked by the Sikhs and the non-Sikhs on
the net.  Writing a complete but a short answer is very
difficult.  A barely adequate discussion on the Sikhs can
get quite cumbersome and hairy.  You may want to save it on
a disk first.  A sincere spiritual seeker will find, at the
least, a few useful hints here.  It can be used as a concise
reference on the Sikh thought, also.  In my opinion, this is
a "must read" for those who are searching for a spiritual
teacher.

Most readers should skip sections # 1 and # 2 below.  The
Section # 1 is only to make this discussion comprehensive.
Sections # 2 and # 3 will be important only to the Sikhs,
mostly.  Section # 4 on Gursikh will be useful to all
readers.  If you are interested only in the ‘Guru’, go to
this section after the following few paragraphs.

Though called a religion, Sikh Path is not, in the way a
religion is commonly known.  For instance: A Sikh does not
exclude or condemn any religion. He does not believe that
only he deserves heaven and all others are going to burn in
hell, etc.  We are all children of the same God.  A Sikh
respects everyone's religious sentiment and freedom to
choose their own way to Truth.  He believes that all
religions originally lead to the same truth if we simply
understood and followed the real teaching correctly.

Birth in a Sikh household cannot make a Sikh.  A Sikh
(Disciple) is only he who lives by the spiritual guidance of
a personal Teacher (Guru).  For a Sikh, It is a path of
spiritual return to God through following, and connecting,
with Gurbani (God’s Word).  Anyone can follow it.  This is
why the correct name is Sikh Panth (Punjabi word for path).
“Sikhism” is a misnomer.  It can be called a "Religion" in
one way that, a large number of people call themselves Sikhs
without knowing what a Sikh really is!  In this document,
Panth means the path shown by Guru Gobind Singh Ji, The
Tenth Master.

The Sikh scripture, Guru Granth Sahib, contains authentic
Gurbani from Saints of diverse religious origins.  The Gurus
also rejected many writings alleged to be of the same Saints
because they did not meet the criteria to be worshipped as
Gurbani.  They included all Gurbani they could find,
regardless of its cultural or religious origin.  Though the
Sikhs are the custodians of Gurbani, the Gurus addressed it
to people of all faiths.  Unlike some religious writings,
Gurbani is not a history or prediction, related to some
nation, etc.  It is God's truth written in verse.  It is for
everyone.  God put you in your religion for a special
purpose.  You do not need to convert in order to enjoy,
understand, and take advantage of the Sikh Gurus'
teachings.  For example, anyone can learn to be always
mentally aware of a unity (God) being present inside
everyone.

A Sufi Saint, Sheikh Farid Ji said:
" Spiritually sincere people have an enduring love of God in
their heart.  Unripe souls are not accepted, because they
did not really mean what they say.  Having witnessed a True
Master, the Seekers live intoxicated with God's love.
Others, who pass moments forgetting His Name, are in fact,
excessive burden to this earth." (SGGS, p.488)

God neither cares about the various religious labels, nor
does He care how you call Him.  What really matters, is that
we are spiritually sincere toward Him so that we do not lose
our soul in the objects of the world, lead an honest life
with clean thoughts, love one-another as His children, and
take care of the poor and the oppressed.  This enables us to
achieve the highest fulfillment of our life.

Often, trying to follow those who brought us this simple
message, we do just the opposite, and argue among
ourselves.  A dysfunction of the human nature becomes
integrated with most religious practices.  Awed by their
Glory, and due to our inner desire for magic, we worship the
messengers, expecting some kind of magical transformation in
us, rather than put their teaching into practice and become
as complete as them.  God wants us to follow His messengers
in their footsteps, not just worship them and keep waiting
to see them sometime later.  He has already given us the
miracle we are waiting for.  It is in following His very
simple rules.  God continues to send someone periodically,
to teach us the same lesson, again and again.  The same
Truth has been presented in different molds to fit the
temperament and the environment of different people.

Sikh Path is not a branch of a religion, as some people
would like to claim.  The prevailing Hindu and Muslim sects
of that time did influence the Sikh rituals and its outer
skeleton.  Though not well defined till the Ten Masters, all
True Seekers, since the beginning, have followed this Path
in some form.  Truth is universal. It is the same in all
religions.  Just as, Benjamin Franklin was an American of
European ancestry.  Does that make electricity American or
European?  You will notice the absurdity.  The Sikh Gurus
have taught the Sikhs to adopt and uphold everything that is
good, in any religion, culture, or science.  Calling the
Sikhs as a part of some religion, is exactly the opposite of
what Gurus want to accomplish through the Panth.

Guru Nanak said, "We are neither Hindu nor Muslim, all our
bodies breathe a life from the same Allah."  Many Hindu and
Muslim devotees enjoy worship at the Sikh shrines.  Sikhs
respect the Hindu, Muslim, and other places of worship the
same way.  Guru Nanak, The First Master, was the first Sikh
to show this.  He happened to visit a Muslim priest during
the time of a Muslim prayer.  Guru Nanak joined him in the
prayer without hesitation.  Later, this priest learned from
Guru Nanak how to be a good and sincere Muslim.  Guru Gobind
Singh, The Tenth Master said, "The same God is worshiped in
a Hindu temple and a Muslim Mosque.  The same God resides in
the Hindu Puja and the Muslim Nawaz.  Yet, the appearance of
variety tricks human beings." (DG, p.19)

My best friend, Saint Scholar Shri Naranjan Singh Ji, was
well versed in Bhagwad Gita, the Upnishads, Ashtavakra
Samhita, Patanjali, and Bhartrihari etc., as well as the
western literature, beside the Sikh literature.  He would
quote Jesus, or from Gita, without hesitation.  Guru Arjan,
the Fifth Master wrote: “Some call Him Rama, Rama, others
bow to Allah, while others would serve only Krishna.  Some
run to a Hindu pilgrimage, others say only a Haj will do,
while others say only Hindu Puja is accepted. Some chant the
Vedas others want only Koran.  Lord, have mercy on them.
Nanak says, those who live by His will, get to know the
secret truth of my beloved Master (Then all these
differences disappear).” (SGGS, p.885)

You will notice my bias, as a Sikh, in this document.
However, this is not an attempt to advertise The Guru Granth
Sahib, The Ten Sikh Masters, the Sikhs, or some other human
“Sant,”  “Guru” etc.  Nor is this an endorsement of, or an
attempt to condemn, some specific religious group.  Many
serious religious groups, as well as some cults, use the
ancient Indian, eastern, and Sikh terminology (Sant, Shabda,
Bani, Guru, Singh etc.) liberally, when in reality they are
not following the Sikh Path.  Sikhs do not have an exclusive
right to the Ten Gurus, the teaching of Guru Granth Sahib,
or to the use of eastern words, either.  People use them as
they see fit.  This results in confusion.

Words can be important vehicles of sacred information.
However, in the present climate, highly esoteric terms, like
Great Master, True Guru, Sat Guru, Sant, etc., are just a
few more cults away from appearing on people's grocery
lists.  Several times in the past such a tide of ignorance
has, confirmed God's reason for sending the Ten Masters to
establish the Khalsa Panth.  In fact, the primary goal of
the Ten Masters was to inoculate the society against the
false prophets or green gurus, and to nurture genuine
Sainthood in common households.  This document is an attempt
to remove the prevalent ignorance about the True Guru, how
not to get cheated by a fake guru, and about the Khalsa
Panth.  Many readers will find this document helpful in
discerning the facts from fiction.

My American friends think that Guru Gobind Singh must be my
blood relative, because of the same last name!  Then I
explain that he gave his own last name to all the baptized
Sikhs, more than three hundred years ago, because he
regarded them as his children.  This name continues simply
as a tradition among people born in those households.  All
the Sikhs are responsible, collectively, for society's
confusion about some other, more serious issues.  For
instance, a growing spiritual relationship with the Guru,
which is the center of Sikh faith, is ignored by most
Sikhs.  What can we say?  The masses are not interested in
any spirituality, anyway.  Similarly, everything in this
document will not be of interest to everyone.  To many, this
will be just another case of verbal diarrhea, as, a news
poster put it very aptly.

By the way, I am not a scholar on the Sikhs.  I have not
studied any literature formally.  I hope this document is a
good example of, how Sadh Sangat can influence an ordinary
person.  As the Fifth Master has said: "My friend, hear from
me about the miraculous rewards of a Sadhu's company.  A
totally disabled person is able to climb over a mountain.
An idiot becomes able to explain the Four Vedas like a
scholar.  A blind person can see his Holy Guru and becomes
aware of the three worlds……  I cannot possibly describe all
the supreme virtues……!" (SGGS, p.809-10)

I should prefer someone with better writing skills and a
spiritual life to write it.  However, the need for
dissemination of correct information about the Sikh Path, in
plain English, is now.  It would be a shame not to share
what I have learned from observing some real Gursikhs (in
flesh!)  Most of this, is simply a representation of the
words of Shri Naranjan Singh Ji as I heard them, and some
writings based on his words.  It may be colored with my own
understanding.   As Wayne Dyer says, "These words are not
mine," and I am no Wayne Dyer.  Writing this paper has been
a learning experience in itself.  If I waited to post it
only when it is perfect, it would never be posted!  I expect
it to evolve and rectify further, as the fellow readers
continue to offer corrections of my mistakes.

I have adhered to male gender throughout.  This is for
convenience only.  Females are equally important wheels in a
Sikh household, Gurudwara, and Sikh society.  They are the
mothers of future Khalsa (God's Own).  I have paraphrased
and condensed most of the quotations.  Because I believe
that elucidation of their meaning is more important, than an
accurate literal translation that may be confusing due to
antiquity of the verse and our cultural differences.
Sometimes I have omitted the extensions of "Ji" etc., for
the Gurus, because respect for them is inherent to their
name.  I have tried to avoid the use of non-English words in
sentences, except where there is no substitute.

The aim of this document is to represent how Guru Gobind
Singh, The Tenth Master, must regard today's Sikhs.  Let us
keep in mind that God’s aim was to start a Panth that is
stable like a rock, a Path that will withstand all the
storms of change in the coming generations. To achieve some
organization, I have arbitrarily created five categories
here: 1) The Anti Sikh, 2) The Common Sikh, 3) The Sikh, 4)
The Gursikh, and 5) Khalsa.  These categories are definitely
an oversimplification.  In a real world they often overlap,
because the human life is dynamic.  No one's life can be
pigeonholed into any one of these.  Many individuals move
back and forth among these divisions, especially the earlier
ones, throughout their life.

We will start with the question, how not to be a "Bad Sikh,"
if there is such a person.  So we begin with discussion of
some sinister elements inside the Sikh arena:

1. < THE ANTI SIKH>

This end of the spectrum is discussed simply for the sake of
completeness.  This does not pertain to people outside the
Sikh faith.  Anti Sikhs are those inside the Sikh society
who appear to be Sikhs due to birth, appearance, or their
claims in their writings, but they disrupt the faith through
deliberate acts.  They show respect for the Sikh faith,
along with their effort to confuse others with remarks and
suggestions against the Panth, or with deliberate use of
obsolete and strange terms that will create confusion and
division among the Sikhs.  For example, Anti Sikhs will try
to rekindle the issue of cast and class in Sikh society to
achieve their aims, because it still works on most South
Asians.  In reality, this issue has been long removed from
the Sikh Panth since the time of Guru Nanak more than five
hundred years ago.

You will also find them disrupting the places of prayer by
causing fights in the Gurudwaras.  They are eager to get
elected to an office in Sikh organizations.  Often, they try
to control the Sikh places of worship, especially after a
significant amount of money from worship offerings has been
accumulated.  Anti Sikhs need to be distinguished from those
devout Sikhs who appear to be engaged in a similar activity
while trying to defend a just cause, whose only interest is
selfless service.  Obviously, those who raise silly issues
simply because of their ignorance should not be considered
Anti Sikh.

In the eyes of The Tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh, sects,
cults, saints and gurus with a Sikh appearance and name, who
specifically lead the Sikhs away from the Sikh Panth, can be
called Anti Panth.  They undermine the Khalsa Panth, as it
was outlined by The Tenth Master, without thinking.  God has
created a variety of people, for a reason.  All have an
important place in the divine plan.  We should not argue
with anyone.  It is not for us to dissect the spirituality
of others.  Some of these people are very sincere and they
appear to believe in what they do.  However, some of this
can be because of a religiously exalted Ego, because, to a
Gursikh, their lack of esteem for the Panth is a clear
evidence of some deficiency in their spiritual experience.
It is very important to understand the following, a very
common problem:

Just a miniscule mystical feeling, a religious emotion or
fervor, can make us feel divine, and strangely, make us feel
that we are “Almost there.”  Whenever this results in
thinking that we are better than others are, or, if it leads
us away from a genuine Path, there is definitely a flaw
somewhere.  Generally, the origin of such an exalting
feeling is not to be blamed.  Our fanatic interpretation of
- an extremely limited spiritual experience - corrupts it.
This is much more prevalent in the followers of imperfect
gurus.  The result is a stronger ego, and argument with
others, to the extent that some feel justified and religious
even if they kill those who disagree, 'In God's name!'
(Torturing a nonbeliever, and inventing new devices to do it
more thoroughly, has been the specialty of one such
“religious” group!)

Anti Sikhs will raise doubts, and question authenticity of
the established Sikh literature, under the notion of Sikh
renewal and research.  This is an issue of a separate
paper.  Anti Sikhs are modern counterparts of Meenha,
Massand, and Ram Rai, etc.  The correct Sikh response is to
ignore them and avoid their company.  The word "hate" is not
found in Gurbani, neither should it be found in a Sikh's
heart.  To a Sikh, God has no enemy.  History of the Ten
Masters shows that a Sikh does not engage in a physical
confrontation with the tyrant unless all other peaceful
means have failed.  A Sikh cannot be a bystander to someone
slander his Guru, persecute people because of their
religion, or tyrannize the defenseless and the poor.

The Sikh way to fight the darkness of ignorance is to first
flood it with the light of abundant goodness, as written by
the Fourth Master, Guru Ram Das: “God’s servant worships Ram
Nam (generates goodness).  When someone talks evil of him
(ignites wickedness), he does not lose his serenity and
simply continues in his virtue.  He knows that God is in
everything and everyone.  God created everything.  (He
created the wicked also, for some reason).  God gives people
wisdom and, He Himself makes people do what they do.  When
it pleases God, He lets them find the True Guru.  This
resolves all their quibbling.” (SGGS, p.720)

2. <THE COMMON SIKH>

Most people born in the Sikh households are indifferent
toward the Sikh teachings.  They do visit the Sikh places of
worship, on special occasions or every weekend, because of
tradition, for social reasons, or to pray for favors.  They
do not have a desire to understand the Sikh teaching.  Until
they reach some awakening, they are no different than the
similar masses in any other faith.  Many believe they are
"Sikh" because they go to a Gurudwara, they pray (whenever
they have a problem) only “to the Sikh Gurus or Guru Granth
Sahib,” and to no one else.  Others think they are Sikh
because they are strict in keeping the "Five Ks."  But,
these do not fulfil the features of a Sikh.  It simply adds
to the number of people who can argue or fight on behalf of
the Sikhs without a valid knowledge of the Sikh Guru's
teaching.  They do not represent the Sikh Panth.

Some people differ from the above because of their
sentiments and desire.  They have an interest in learning
these teachings, but they lack the understanding,
motivation, or courage to follow them completely, and they
cannot maintain a Sikh appearance.  We can see that many
work harder for the Sikh causes.  They may possess a
stronger faith, morality and honesty than some others with
full hair and a turban.  However, they cannot represent the
Sikh Panth either.  These poor souls stand out as the only
"dissidents", because of their appearance.  A niche and
proper spiritual support for these people is painfully
lacking in the Sikh society today.  Sometimes, the Sikhs
give more respect to people with hair, regardless of their
character.  This makes them appear as if they honor
hypocrisy.

Sikh Panth is the only spiritual path in the entire world,
where, preservation of natural hair is an important
component of worship.  The Sikhs look different than
everyone else.  Therefore, they live mostly, in a social and
political isolation.  Sikhs have no spiritual allies
either.  For this reason the Panth has required an enormous
sacrifice from its followers. Sikhs have been martyred in
large numbers.  This gives them strength.

At the same time, Sikh Children and weak Sikhs suffer a
tremendous psychological stress.  Being constantly bombarded
with, suggestions and signals contrary to their faith,
extremely strong peer pressure and other forces of outer
society where, truancy, smoking, unrestrained sex, drugs,
delinquency, sensual "music", as well as shaving and
mutilation of hair, is also the rule.  People outside the
Sikh faith cannot understand the impact, and the conflict it
causes in the Sikh households.

The Sikh Panth stands only on faith in the Guru, and a
sincere, spiritual worship in the ancient tradition, while
staying ready to sacrifice for the Guru and Dharma.  Lacking
this ideal, a Sikh turns into nothing but a spiritually
disabled and a morally weak character, with a barren life.
Keeping a Sikh appearance then becomes meaningless and, also
very difficult.  Various social maladies crop up in the Sikh
communities along with confusion and arguments in the
Gurudwaras, lacking the preservation of spirituality and
ancient tradition as their major ideal.  A path without the
hair is not the Sikh Panth.  Hair, turban, or a sword,
without, love and adoration for the Ten Masters, a true
spiritual hunger, worship, humility, and the proper Sikh
conduct, becomes a mere disguise.

For this reason, members of a Sikh household should not be
forced to be Sikh, if it is against their will.  Forcing
people against their own choice will only result in a
society of extremely maladjusted individuals.  Rather, they
should be encouraged to follow by setting a good example, of
the Sikh family members in the house.  This will also
motivate the devout Sikhs to be more diligent themselves.
During the time of The Ten Masters, and until recently, the
family members of most Punjabi households were mixed as Sikh
and Hindu.  They all spoke mixed Punjabi.  They used to live
together peacefully, along with the Muslim friends as their
next door neighbors.

Sikh sects not respecting the rules set by The Tenth Master
could be, probably placed somewhere here in this hierarchy.
Some examples: Offshoots of Sikh Panth with new names and
groups, for no particular reason.  Influencing others with a
display of occult powers.  Strange practices, for instance,
hyperventilating under the notion of Simran, rhythmic or
circular motions of the body, causing a sensation of
self-hypnosis and euphoria.  Teaching physical Yoga, or some
other exotic disciplines, as an integral part of the Sikh
curriculum, etc.  Some of these sects have provided an
example of the intensity and motivation needed in the
indolent masses noted above in this section.  They deserve
praise for that part.

However well intentioned these sects may be, if they do not
adhere to the spiritual conduct and practices the Ten
Masters, as illustrated by them over the span of two hundred
years, they defeat the purpose of their sacrifice and their
teaching.   The Tenth Master concluded this process with the
final Sikh form, an established Sikh way of worship, and the
accepted Sikh lifestyle (Rehet-Maryada).  He did so chiefly
to prevent any future modification and resulting
degradation, for the coming generations.  This is why The
Tenth Master said, "Whenever a Khalsa abandons his
uniqueness and adopts extraneous spiritual practices and
rituals of others, I will leave his company." (SLG, p.667)

The Gurus did not condemn Yoga.  However, Yoga cannot be
counted as a required ingredient in what makes a Sikh.
Anyone who disputes this should first examine the history of
the Ten Masters, or study the Gurbani, like, "Paath purrhio
ur beid beechario..." (SGGS, p.641-42).  Just like hygiene,
regular exercise, balanced diet, vitamins, Yoga is an
activity that any sensible Sikh should explore and use,
being careful not to become obsessed with the bodily
functions.  For instance, a vegetarian diet, various simple
forms of Pranayama, are very useful, and chastity is
essential, to enable one for the higher energy of the
Shabad.  Sikh Path is liberal and progressive.  The Gurus do
not reject a healthy lifestyle through proper use of any
science.  We all know that science is still struggling to
prove how accurately Guru Nanak described the universe and
biology in his verses, five hundred years ago.

Gurbani supports the concept of Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga,
Janana Yoga, and Raja Yoga.  Bhakti, Seva, and Nam,
extensively cited in Gurbani, cover the first three, not as
Yoga but as a Gift, a consequence of God-Guru's Mercy.  This
flows freely after complete submission to a True Spiritual
Master.  Yoga is, simply, a philosophical science.  Like
physical exercise, when used sensibly, it can help build a
body and mind that are better prepared to receive, and share
the spiritual energy with others.  When practiced without
submission, just like practice of charity, it can, however
subtly, result in a stronger ego and thus keep us farther
away from Truth.  Raja Yoga is mentioned favorably several
times in Gurbani, because of the supreme aim of Raja Yoga:
As Patanjali said, "Yoga is removal of mind's noise.  Then
the observer can return to a view of the Self."  At the same
time, Gurbani names various limbs and segments of Raja Yoga
as not conducive to Truth.

Ninth Master, Guru Teg Bahadur said: "The Guru explains this
secret: Without Love of God, we cannot be free from fear,
and the cycle of misery continues.  Pilgrimage, fasting,
greatest charities, or Yoga, they are all useless if we
forget to praise God in whatever we do, and if we do not
resort to rely only on Him for all results.  A rare soul
gives up pride and co-dependence of family etc. and then,
meditates only on Gobind.  Nanak says that such a human is
what they call, free of birth and death while still living
among us." (SGGS, p.830-31)

The Ten Masters have regarded meditation as essential.  For
example, The Tenth Master said: "Meditate on Him whose
infinitely forceful light permeates the whole world," and
the Fifth Master said, in Sukhmani: "My dear saint friends,
when you praise God, do it with an alert and one pointed
mind."  It cannot be done unless we put some effort to
practice it every day as a routine exercise.  Being
‘saintly’ is not enough.  This is why a mantra is given.
Gurmantra is a vehicle, a thread, only for meditation.  It
is not something that you hang on your Karra (bracelet) as
an ornament!  Again, The Tenth Master says: "Meditating on
Him, as the Single aim and thought, even for the fraction of
a second, has liberated humans from the noose of death."

Sikh Panth, as shown by the Ten Masters, leads to the
ultimate truth through an inner death, then living
abundantly and spiritually through the Guru’s command,
breathing only whatever the Guru allows.  A Sikh, on the
Panth, cannot bother with attempts to open some Chakra
(energy level) or any other experiences related to different
Chakras per se.  Doing so, will divert him from a higher
aim, Pure Love, which is at the innermost seat of
consciousness, or should we say, at the highest energy
level.

What is the practical outcome of, the perfect knowledge of
Truth, at the Sahasrara Chakra?  Is it not Pure Love for the
whole creation and a true humility toward all humans?  So,
instead of taking detours, a Sikh does it naturally, through
Love and humility from the Guru, by Singing Gurbani with
other devout Sikhs, and quiet meditation on Gurmantra and
Gurbani.  The Sikh rises above preoccupation and
identification with the body and mind by "selling" it to the
Guru in exchange for a perpetual supply of (spiritual) Naam,
engaging in extensive Seva (selfless service), and following
the Gurbani.  This is also called Sehej Yoga, or the Natural
Yoga.

A Gursikh is not deprived of any esoteric body experiences,
if that is his Guru’s will.  If there is a need, the Inner
Guide shows all the required disciplines.  They are
practiced naturally by following the Guru’s command, rather
than through a personal attachment with the body.  Verbal
details of these practices are not intrinsic to the Panth.
This is why Gurbani does not dwell on this subject.  For
some, the direct way is too simple.  Some seekers will be
more inclined toward physical exercises and controlling the
energy than pure love and devotion, especially till they
have witnessed it in flesh.  Still, they should clearly
regard all Yoga practices as what they really are, a
separate science, not as a requirement on the Sikh Path.
Some will enjoy the honey, while others examine the
honeycomb and practice various approaches to it first.

3. <THE SIKH>

The Sikh, a disciple on the Sikh Path, regards Guru Granth
Sahib as the supreme source of spiritual light.  A Sikh
evaluates all other religious literature in the light of
Guru Granth Sahib, and not vice versa.  He endeavors to
understand all Ten Sikh Gurus' teachings.  He sees no
difference in Guru Nanak and the other Nine Masters.  He
does not follow any other human guru after Guru Gobind
Singh, The Tenth Master.  He strives to put the Gurus'
teaching constantly into practice, every day.  These are
some features that make a Sikh.

I will limit the discussion of Sikh philosophy and a Sikh’s
daily spiritual practices to a brief explanation of some
Sikh vocabulary, below.  The Gurbani, in Guru Granth Sahib
is God's view of a true Seeker's sentiments, his actions,
his motives, and his prayers, during different aspects of
his spiritual growth, flavored with the Guru’s teaching.  A
Sikh meditates on it, repeats it daily, and sings it, so
that day by day, its sentiments and its Light rub off, into
his heart.  Sharing it with others (Sangat) through singing
(Kirtan) and discussion (Katha) is essential to reveal this
Light.   These are required.  They are potent catalysts.
One day, the Sikh's heart starts beating in sync with the
Guru's heart.  No one can venture to describe what happens
then.  A seeker should not talk about his own relationship
with the Guru and God.

Guru Nanak brought an activity of the angels of heaven, as
mentioned in Sodar (in Japji and Reheras) within the grasp
of the modern masses, five hundred years ago.  Gurbani was
written in verse, according to the ancient Indian music
(raga), to ensure that it will be sung.  Singing God's True
Words, with others joined for the same purpose, facilitates
mind's flight to the region of spiritual knowledge.  This is
called Kirtan.  Gurbani, unlike some other poetry, is alive
with the Spirit.  When sung in a congregation of two or more
Sikhs, with adoration and attention (Sat Sangat), especially
at or before daybreak, it is able to uplift all the
participants to the level of Begumpura (Lord's Town).  Real
guidance and knowledge, not restricted by words, are found
there.  This is the most appropriate spiritual activity for
the masses of today.
In the Sikh Panth, home made verses, or verses written by
some other ‘guru’ besides The Ten Masters, however
devotional and uplifting - do not replace Gurbani.  A
translation of Gurbani is useful to understand it, but the
original verse is lost in the translation.  Only the
original sound, with accurate pronunciation, is acceptable
as the holy singing of Gurbani.  To emphasize that it did
not belong to any particular group, the Gurus wrote the
Gurbani in several languages but they did not always follow
the rules of these languages.  This made Gurbani a unique
language.  Gurbani has its own unique grammar.  For the same
reason, the Second Master, Guru Angad, created the Guru's
way of writing Gurbani (Gurmukhi), as different from all
other forms of the alphabet.  Learning Gurmukhi is not any
harder than learning to recognize an alphabet and its few
simple rules.  This alphabet is now, also used in writing
Punjabi, the contemporary language of Punjab.

A Sikh is expected to get married and be an ideal
householder, husband, father, doctor, carpenter, etc., not
to be a monk and live off others.  He is to live in the
world physically, mix with the society and not run away from
it, but his heart is to be set on God.   Disrespect of
parents and elders, adultery, falsehood, slander, careless
use of, or an addiction to, drugs and other intoxicating
substances, accepting the worship offerings for personal
use, exploitation of the poor, excessive sleep, excessive
eating, excessive talk, and disrespect of hair, is
prohibited for a Sikh.  Guru Nanak said to Guru Angad that
the hair (and turban) is his mark.  The Gurus have also said
that appearance alone is not enough!  A Sikh is also
prohibited from touching the "Sewer of the World," i.e.,
tobacco, and from eating meat of animals killed through slow
torture, under some religious ritual.

A Sikh, who ignores meditation, is like a bird without any
feathers.  The Fourth Master wrote: "Whoever calls himself a
Sikh of the True Guru, will wake up in the ambrosial hours
and meditate on God's Name.  He gets rid of sloth and
practices Ishnan, to immerse himself in the Waters of
Immortality.  By obeying the Guru's teaching he learns how
to meditate on God's Name.  This results in cleansing of
poison from iniquity, sins, and faults.  Upon daybreak, he
sings Gurbani, and holds God's Name in heart during all
activity.  A Gursikh, who worships my God with each breath
and bite, is really liked by the Guru.  Whenever my Master
has mercy, the Guru conveys His spiritual teaching to that
Gursikh.  Nanak begs for the enlightening dust, from that
Gursikh' feet, who practices Nam and helps others do the
same."(SGGS, p.305-6)

Anyone, despite his or her personal views, can participate
in generating peace and goodness in his own life and in this
world, by doing at least this:

Wake up before dawn every day.  Rinse hands, face, and
mouth.  Sit (Stand or kneel) for five-ten minutes in prayer
and thankfulness of an entity that is infinitely greater
than you.  Thank Him (Her or It) who: Is with you all the
time, is infinitely more able and intelligent than you are,
gave you everything you have, knows all your thoughts needs
and desires, loves you regardless because you are His child,
and forgives you every time you sincerely ask for it.
Mentally, send peace and harmony to all your brothers and
sisters in the world, especially those that bother you.
Forgive them also.  Now, resolve to be polite and generous
to everyone freely and without reason, especially the lowly,
because of this higher entity hidden inside everyone,
especially the so called lowly.  You can rest again,
afterwards.  All day, whenever you remember, remind yourself
of this hidden entity, you talked with, this morning.  You
are, now, planting seeds of goodness in the universe.  Watch
it blossom in your life each day.

Some will argue, why not simply be charitable, run soup
kitchens and shelters, help the poor and the sick, feed the
hungry children?  Charity is very important.  It is good for
the world as well as for the self-esteem.  However, without
being linked with a heartfelt supplication to God, it
results in a stronger, though glorified, ego, and thus, it
can be bad for the soul.  On the path to ultimate truth, the
correct form of charity is Seva (Selfless service) through
submission to a True Master, combined with some form of
worship and humility.  The above is just one example of
worship.  This is essential.

 Many volumes can be written on this, and the next two
sections.  I am now, simply going to list some Sikh
vocabulary, some buzzwords.  They represent the core of the
Sikh thought, conduct, and tradition, not subject to change
with the fads of the ever-changing society.  This list is
not complete.  From a philosophical view, each of these is
just a different facet of Naam.  I apologize, for using too
many non-English words.  If you want, you may go to the next
sections first and read this later.

A student of Sikh Panth should understand at least these.
They are not in an alphabetical order:

**Gurudwara: A Sikh place of worship.  In a Gurudwara, any
Gursikhs can take turns to lead the activity as long as they
respect Maryada and time constraints.  A Granthi (Custodian)
or a secretary is merely there to maintain order.

**Amrit: Ambrosia of eternal life, the Initiation of a
Gursikh with Amrit, a Sikh form of Baptism.  When the Sikh
submits completely to the Guru, Five Gursikhs give him
instructions regarding the Nitt Name, the Rehet, and how to
meditate on a Word.  Waheguru is the Sikh Gurmantra.  Amrit
is the only way to spiritually receive Gurmantra from the
Sikh Guru. Having a Gurmantra is not an exclusive privilege
of a Gursikh, though.  It is an ancient practice, followed
in some form by all serious seekers and Saints.  Meditation
on the Sikh Gurmantra without Amrit is compared to someone
trying to earn a diploma without being enrolled in the
school.  A Gurmantra, with submission to a Guru and proper
meditation, is essential for a true repose in God, leading
to a wholesome life.  To stress this, this is the only time
the Fifth Master has used such harsh words: "A living being
without Gurmantra turns his precious human birth into a
disgrace.  He becomes putrefied and foul.  This fool is like
a (helpless) dog, a (muck eating) swine, a donkey (toiling
for others), a (vagrant) crow, and a (venomous) snake."
(SGGS, p.1356)

**Rehet: The Sikh conduct, whether alone or in the company
of others, as The Tenth Master explained to the "Five
Beloved."  Rehet has the essential attributes of Tenth
Master's lifestyle, including the five K’s (see the next
section) and the Nitt Name.  In the words of The Tenth
Master, "My Sikh is only he who lives the Rehet, he is my
master and I am his servant."  Why? Rehet allows The Tenth
Master to turn the Sikh into Khalsa, which is his own
personality.

**Maryada: Rules for conducting various ceremonies in a
Sikh's life, including procedures in the Gurudwara.

**Gurbani: The verses in the Sikh Scripture, Guru Granth
Sahib.  Any other verses or writings may be respected, but
they are not to be considered as Gurbani.  To emphasize
this, The Tenth Master did not include his own writings in
the Guru Granth Sahib, though they should be considered as
Gurbani.  Gurbani acts as a verbal teacher, as well as the
Shabad.  The Tenth Master mandated:  "The Panth was launched
only after God's command.  All Sikhs are ordained to regard
the Granth as the Guru.  You shall see Guru Granth Ji as the
Guru's physical body.  Whoever wants to see God, can search,
and find all the guidance in the Shabad."

**Shabad: The Word.  God's Voice.  God's Light.  It is
manifest to the world in Gurbani, now in Guru Granth Sahib.
Shabad is useless without **Surat: Inner attention fixed on
the Shabad.  Surat is the place where Shabad (Gurbani)
acts.  When Surat is tied to Shabad through Guru's Mercy, a
sad but peaceful and spontaneous, melody of God's Love can
be “heard” in the mind, and in everything else.  Then the
Shabad is felt to be present everywhere.  A seeker follows
this delicate thread, leading him to where the Shabad
resides.  Some day, by Guru's Grace the seeker gives up
everything, including food and personal care, but he would
not let this thread go.  This is one example of Naam (God's
Name).   The Gurbani stresses its importance by repeatedly
recounting the stories of its practice by Kabir, Namdev,
Dhruva and Prahalad.  Only this kind of union with Naam
creates a perfect Saint (Sant).

**Satt: Being a man of your word.  Having a yearning for
absolute Truth. **Santokh: Contentment. To give up chasing
things of the world, and **Vichaar: Reflection.  Analyzing
Guru's message.  These are three prerequisites for
understanding Gurbani.  A Sikh is expected to understand and
absorb when he reads and recites Gurbani, not just use it as
a mouthwash.

**Nam or Naam: Worship of God during all activity.  Not
forgetting Him, and thanking Him for his gifts, life, body,
and other things of the world, while, not losing your soul
among those things.  Realization that life without Him, like
a leaf broken away from a tree, cannot thrive.  Holding on
to God as the ultimate aim of life at every moment, just
like a mother cannot forget her newborn child during all her
activities. This needs to be developed as an inner, mental
habit, not to become a show.

**Daan: Giving.  Taking care of the needy, giving to the
poor.  The spiritual gift of Naam is considered as the
greatest Daan.

**Ishnan: A spiritual act of washing oneself with prayer and
water before dawn.  A bath or shower taken after dawn is not
considered as Ishnan.

**Nitt Nem: Daily Routine. This includes Ishnan, Simran and
meditative recitation of five prescribed pieces of Gurbani:
The Japji, Jaap Sahib, Anand Sahib, Savaiyae, and Chaupaee.
A spiritual practice is considered a routine, and it starts
being fruitful after it is practiced for forty days.

**Amrit Vela: Last three hours of the night, the ambrosial
hours.  This time is reserved for meditation and Ishnan.  A
Sikh should not waste these precious moments in useless talk
etc.  Meditation during these hours is infinitely more
fruitful than meditation done at any other hour of the day
or night.

**Hukam: Command, God’s Will: Realizing that only God is the
real doer and everything is working out according to His
Will.  Accepting His work above personal preference and
desires.  Since Guru's Command is in-tune with God's will,
it is also the Hukam.

**Haumei: Ego, the basic human disease.  This is the real
sin.  All other sins originate from the ego: Feeling
rational and self-sufficient while apparently thriving as
separated from God.  Pride, or, self-condemnation.  Feeling
responsible for one's past actions.  An outlook, as if we
are in complete control of our life.  Ego is the opposite of
Hukam.  It comes in countless and deceptive forms and
shapes.  To avoid this, a Sikh does not worship God as the
Self.  Ego is the only barrier between the man and his true
nature.  Obeying the True Guru's teaching and his Command is
the only way to release the heart and soul from the grips,
and invisible chains of ego.

**Waheguru: It is the **Gurmantra, the word for meditation.
It is a pregnant word.  It is also used as a synonym of
“God.”  Its meaning, just like Gurbani, continues to renew
and expand for the seeker who meditates on it.  Literally,
it means, "God-Guru, The Spiritual Light, You are beyond
description."  A Sikh worships only One, formless God, who
has no limits, and who is able to transcend His own laws.

**Nam Japna or **Simran: Meditation on God's Name, seeing
Waheguru everywhere.  Repetition of Gurmantra with breath,
as explained during Amrit, the Sikh form of baptism.
Breaths taken without the Simran are totally wasted.  Just
like something most precious is allowed to run from a
leaking container, without making a good use of it.  This is
why, upon this realization, a Sikh prays to have "a million
mouths" (tongues), so that he can make up with what is left
so far.  This realization is not possible without Sadh
Sangat.

**Wand Chhakna: Feeding the hungry before feeding oneself.
Sharing everything with the needy.  It seems the Gurus
advocated this form of socialism, implemented at the
personal level.

**Dharam Di Kirat: To earn only an honest livelihood.  Not
accepting gifts that are not earned.

**Deswand: Tithing.  Giving 10 percent of income to the
Guru, or to poor and needy Sikhs.

**Sangat: A Spiritual alliance.  Gursikhs gathered for
singing of Kirtan, discussion, and meditation on Gurbani
with other Sikhs.  Often overlooked: Correct and steady
posture with crossed legs when sitting and, undivided
attention is also necessary.  A parrot-like recital, or
listening to prerecorded Kirtan, while doing other things,
is of little value.

**Sat Sangat: Sangat gathered only for God’s Voice and Nam.
In Sikh Panth, sharing God’s Name with others is the highest
form of Yoga.  This is the purpose of Gurbani.  Among the
Sikhs, to assure that we are engaged in a sharing of True
Naam without someone's ego contaminating it, a meeting is
restricted to singing (Kirtan) of Gurbani (From Guru Granth
Sahib) and listening to Katha.  The Tenth Master's writings
are also considered as Gurbani, though we know that he did
not designate his own writings as the Guru.

Writings of Bhai Gurdas and Bhai Nand Lal are the only other
acceptable pieces, as footnotes, for singing during Sat
Sangat.  This is because: 1) They were written during the
time of the ten Masters, who approved them, and 2) they are
written to help us follow Gurbani.  They were not written
with an intention to replace, become equal to, or as an
addition to, the Gurbani.  Other “Satsangis,” outside the
Panth can do or sing whatever they like, a Sikh does not
argue with anyone.  Quiet meditation on one word for a
prolonged period, generally does not build a Sat Sangat,
because, everyone's mind is not then harnessed by the music
and Gurbani.

**Sadh Sangat: Spiritual company of a True Saint.  For
Sikhs, it is Guru Granth Sahib in Sangat, or, Sangat of an
enlightened Sikh, a Khalsa Gursikh.  Sadh Sangat, with
Kirtan, is the best spiritual activity, higher than any form
of Yoga.

**Pangat: Sharing of food while sitting together on floor
mats, a traditional practice to remove class differences and
to generate humility.  To feed and sit with the homeless and
the destitute.  Sikh Gurus required all visitors, even a
king, to sit and eat in a Pangat with the homeless, before
seeing the Guru.

**Seva: Service of the Guru without a desire for any
outcome.  Service of the Sangat and others without ego.  A
neutralizer of Seva is to envy others who do Seva or, to
want a reward or recognition.

**Jote and **Jugat: The Light (Jote), and the Method (Jugat)
for uncovering this Light.  These are two aspects of the
Guru.  Jote resides in Guru Granth Sahib.  Jugat cannot be
explained.  It is the proper inner conduct combined with
Rehet.  It can be learned only through the company of other
True Gursikhs.  Meditation without proper Jugat is not very
fruitful in uncovering the Jote.  Jugat resides in the heart
of a Khalsa.  It resides in the Guru's Mercy.  Real Jugat
starts only after Amrit from the Five Gursikhs.  It then
unfolds in a Gursikh’s heart through Simran, Sangat, and
Seva.  Jugat also comes naturally through the service of a
True Saint, which, for a Sikh, is only a Khalsa.

**Katha: Listening to history and works of the Ten Masters,
and spiritual exposition of Guru Shabad.

**Sanmukh: A Faithful Sikh.  A Sikh with firm faith in the
Guru finds that the Guru always stays with him to help and
guide him.  He depends on the Guru's inner guidance for each
breath and activity, and does not do anything without the
Guru being present.  This nurtures a spiritual link between
the Sikh and the Guru.  Among other things, it also assures
clean thoughts and action.  A Sanmukh Sikh sees his Guru in
everyone.  Its opposite is **Bemukh.

**Deg (Dish): It symbolizes food.  Food is a representative
of God as His Love.  A Sikh does not take a bite without
thanking God for this and His other Gifts.  This is an
important spiritual practice.  It can even lower your
cholesterol and blood pressure!  Deg is also a reminder that
a Sikh is to take care of the hungry.  Hoarding food away
from the hungry is not in a Sikh's nature.

**Guru Ka Langar: Guru's Free Kitchen is open to all at a
place of worship, without discrimination about a person’s
religion, race, political views, cast, class, or
occupation.  Feeding each other's friends at the end of a
meeting, as is common in the western, Gurudwaras, is not
what the Gurus aimed for. It can be called a form of
Pangat.  Wherever possible, Guru Ka Langar is open all days
of the week, to feed the really needy and the poor.  It is
based at a Gurudwara.

**Teg or **Kirpan (Sword): It symbolizes Force, or Mahan
Kaal (The Great Destroyer).  This represents God, as Force,
Death, and Mercy.  Death, of the personal ego, the evil,
and, ultimately, everything that He created.  The Sixth and
The Tenth Gurus taught the Sikhs to worship God also as the
Force, and not be afraid to fight and die for justice.
Death during such an act puts one directly in the lap of
Force.  For a Sikh, this is the preferred form of death,
than dying on a bed or in the ICU.  This does not mean that
a dying Sikh is to go out and pick a fight with someone!  A
Sikh is prepared to defend Dharma, and protect the
persecuted and the saints. He prays that, when he is old, he
may die while engaged in a combat with some tyrant.

The Tenth Master says: "O Shiva, bless me so that: I may not
avoid any pious deeds; I may not be afraid when I fight with
the tyrant; I may be always victorious through my faith in
you; I may preach only to myself; may my only desire be to
utter your praise; and when I am nearing death may I get
executed while fighting fiercely."  (DG, p.99)

**Parshad: A Gift out of pure Mercy, not because of any
merit in the recipient.  It is a synonym of **Kirpa (Grace)
or, God's Merciful Touch.  A sweet dish served after the
prayer as the representative of God's Grace, after it is
touched with Kirpan (A symbol of God's Mercy) is also called
Parshad.

**Nanak Nam Charrdi Kala (Nanak says, life under Your Name
is always advancing and cheerful) **Tere Bhanne Sarbatt Da
Bhala (Because, whatever You do is, always for the best of
everyone): This is the way every **Ardas (The Sikh Prayer)
is concluded.

**Sat Siri Akal (Only God is immortal and real): This is the
common way of greeting among Sikhs.

**Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji ki fateh: This is a
required greeting between Gursikhs.  It represents the
Khalsa Panth revealed by The Tenth Master.  Its meaning is,
"Khalsa is God-Guru’s property, and ultimate victory belongs
only to Him."

**Mool Mantra: The first stanza of Guru Granth Sahib.  This
is the root of Sikh philosophy.  Mool Mantra is the first
few words uttered by Guru Nanak when he came out of a deep
trance, after having disappeared into the river for three
days.  Bhai Gurdas writes about Guru Nanak: "Guru Nanak
engulfed the whole world in a spiritual light causing the
thick fog of ignorance to vanish.  It is like the sun rising
against the stars, or, when a lion roars, all the deer go
into hiding.  Each house is now a temple of worship.  Kirtan
and spiritual joy is the rule."

We all know that a whole book could be written on exposition
of Mool Mantra alone, because each statement has several
deep implications.  The whole Guru Granth Sahib can be very
accurately called an expansion of Mool Mantra and
Gurmantra.  Here is a brief meaning of the Mool Mantra:

*1O: Pronounced EkOnkar: The Only One is everything.  The
letter "O" here, represents everything.  Guru Nanak used
only a number (1) before it to indicate God, the reality.
He did not want to pollute the unity in the reality by
adding any man made words.  If he did, it would not be a 1
anymore!  In The Tenth Body, in the form of Guru Gobind
Singh, two hundred years after Japji, Guru Nanak composed
the Jaap Sahib, naming several different aspects of this
number (1).  Only the One is the reality in everything,
visible and invisible.

*SattNaam: In reality, He is the Naam.  His real Name (Naam)
is He Himself.  This is the ultimate Truth.  A Sikh's
destination is His Name.  A Sikh has no reason to argue
about which other name is correct.  He uses the Hindu names
of Ram, Hari, Madhav, Keshav, Gobind, Shiva as well as
Muslim Allah and Christian God, etc., interchangeably and
without hesitation because all names are equally
provisional.  This is why the Guru chose "Waheguru" as a
closer match to God's real name.

This leads to another important understanding, that all the
religions are also provisional.  They all become merely
skeletal when the seeker reaches this fact: The only proper
Dharma is, whatever is acceptable to God.  Only He can show
us how we should worship Him.  Books, except perhaps, the
Vedas, cannot describe it.  In the Sikh Panth, Gurbani is
the only written word that can communicate true Dharma in
the spirit.

*Karta: The Doer.  He is the real creator and the real doer
of everything, though it may not be so obvious at first.
Everything in the world is like a puppet show.  God is the
puppet master behind everything.  As Shri Naranjan Singh Ji
used to say, "Even a single leaf cannot quiver in the breeze
without His Will."  How does God do it?  The Surat can see
this.  This is worship.  A Sikh is not to lose sight of the
Puppet Master behind all the various forms of puppets.

*Purakh: Husband.  Some may imagine God as an energy field
or force (which could be harnessed and used by anyone), a
light (which can be directed, controlled, or blocked, it has
no will of its own), an emotion or a feeling (which presumes
someone other than itself experiencing it), or, a space, a
ghost, a cloud, a human, an animal, the list can go on and
on.  None of these represent God.  It is important that God
is understood as our Master, acting only by His own will
which is completely fearless and carefree, and who controls
everything.

Guru Nanak called God our Husband, to foster a more accurate
idea of our relationship with Him.  Sorry if this offends
any females, or the males.  If it is any consolation, Guru
Nanak has called Him as our Master, Father, Mother, Brother,
and Friend also.  There is no question that He is also the
real Guru.

*Nirbhau: He has no fear, because He has only Love for
everything He created, and because there is nothing that is
outside His control.  His Will is not influenced by some
kind of threat, because He has no rival, or death, to worry
about.  This is in contrast to theology where people believe
in God's battle with a rival who has fallen out of God's
command.

*Nirvaer: He holds no grudge or hostility.  We are all
equally His children.  He has only love and forgiveness for
us.  All we need is to become receptive, ask Him sincerely,
with a sincere desire to be correct.  It is us, who do not
forgive ourselves.  It is not His nature to view, and to
dwell on our mistakes.  Only the ego carries a detailed and
a permanent record of everything we ever did.  The ego,
bound by the law of Karma, prescribes the penalty also.  He
made the ego.  Only He has the power to erase it.

*Akaal: He is beyond time and space.  He made the time.  He
created the space.  He is Eternal.  He has no limits.  He is
above all the law and the restrictions of nature.  He can do
anything.  He sees everything, in the past, the present, and
the future, as if it were here and now.

*Moorat: Still.  He is motionless, He neither is coming from
somewhere, nor is he heading somewhere.  He is everywhere.
Therefore, He neither comes nor goes.  The universe in Him
is constantly in motion when he is perfectly still.  How can
this be?  Only He can do this.  That is why He is God.  He
is the creator of all motion, inside the stillness.  He just
is, always.

*Ajooni: He is the only one beyond birth and death.  He does
not have a life cycle.  He has no beginning or end.  All
entities at various godly levels (Brahma etc.) are subject
to falling back into the lowest life forms at any moment.
Only He holds the key for releasing a Jiva (life) from
transmigration.

*Saibhun: Existence.  Everything is, because of God.  He is
self-effulgent and Self-Sufficient.  There is no one else
out there, and there is no such thing as "outside Him."  He
is not here (or, everywhere) because of someone or something
else.  Therefore, He is also in a state of ultimate love,
peace, and certitude, which is beyond human imagination.

*GurParshad: He is in Guru's Mercy (see Parshad above).

**Such: I could go on and on.  I would like to just mention
the fist stanza of Japji.  Japji starts with the command:
"Japa" (Meditate), to meditate on Truth.  Next, Guru Nanak
gives us the absolute test of Truth: Truth always was before
anything else, it has been here through the ages, it is here
now, and it will always be.  Everything else, because it
does not pass this test, is not the Truth, and not worthy of
meditation.  Whenever this word, Truth ("Such" in Gurmukhi,
with a Gurmukhi u at the end), is seen in Gurbani, the same
yardstick is to be used, so that we will understand its
meaning in a proper context.  When everything visible and
thinkable is gone, the Truth will still be the same.

4. <THE GURSIKH>

Some readers will be baffled that I use the terms like,
Truth, God, Waheguru, Shabad, Gurbani, Guru, Gurus, True
Teacher, Saint, Khalsa, Gursikh, True Sikh etc. in the
present and past tense, and interchangeably, as if they were
synonyms.  Guru Nanak’s philosophy, like the Vedas, teaches
a unity in diversity.  In reality, and under ideal
conditions, what is the difference between a True Sikh and
the Guru, and what is the difference between the Guru and
God?  The one cannot help it but quietly disappear into the
other.  I have used these terms freely to indicate this as
the goal of a Sikh and its relevance, today as well as in
the past, and that we cannot tell where one merged into the
other.  The differences are only semantic.

However, to avoid another delusion, a delusion of
self-glorification, we should see all of these as above
ourselves.  A True Sikh, in his own mind, is always less
than what is required.  No sooner a seeker believes that he
has reached an attainment or understood a principle, he is
shown that he was wrong.  Because, as God has no limits, so
do His principles.  Besides, the ego itself is an
interruption, and God does not want us to stagnate at any
level, no matter how glorious it may seem to us, or to
others.  A Gursikh regards himself as the lowest of all.

As this word indicates, when the Guru (Teacher) and the Sikh
(Disciple) have established a permanent relationship, the
Sikh can be called a Gursikh.  Before any real progress on
the inner journey, a Sikh has to become Gursikh.  Why?

The aim of a Gursikh is to reject all the falsehoods and
manifest the ultimate Truth, during his lifetime, and at all
costs.  In other words, it is, to become a perfect Sikh,
like the Guru.  All other rules on this Path are only the
means toward this goal.  This can be called a spiritual
cloning.  It is possible only through a complete submission
to the True Spiritual Teacher.  Without it, the walls of ego
severely limit all personal efforts to rise above the human
nature.  Because, all work keeps feeding the ego, which
simply mutates into a glorified and a more intangible kind
of ego.  As Swami Vivekananda said, being bound with chains
made of pure gold is the same as bound with chains of
steel.  The bondage of ego, along with its sting, death, is
not removed.  This is the reason Jesus said that no one
could reach his Father except through him.  People take it
literally.  The followers of other messengers have
misunderstood them the same way.  This has resulted in
needless strife, argument, and bloodshed.

The Ultimate Truth is also unique, not understood by the
intellect.  It does not match any preconceived human ideas.
This is why the Guru is compulsory, but only on the final
path, the path to ultimate Truth.  When the seeker submits
to the Guru with this humility, the Guru quietly plants the
way to Truth in his heart.

Scientific and technological advances of today make the man
feel, more than ever, in control of his destiny.  This makes
it harder to be spiritually humble and work on our death.
Death insurance, as we may call it, is more important than
life insurance.  Stop and look around you.  It is hard to
imagine, but is true, that, the moment our body takes its
last breath, none of this intricate knowledge, technology,
possessions, or the family and friends, is going to
accompany us on the other side.  That moment can come at
anytime, without a warning.  Suddenly, whatever our soul has
earned, or lost, will be final. However, our outlook and
demeanor show that we are always in a state of denial of
this, certain and unpredictable nature of, our death.
Gautama, the Buddha saw this and many other such human
characteristics as completely irrational, like some
psychosis.  This made him the Buddha, different from the
rest of humanity.

Most individuals with an analytical disposition will find
that, time to seek a true teacher is after they have done
some serious philosophical analysis.  By philosophy, I do
not mean Plato or Kant, but the kind that Paul Brunton
discusses in 'The Hidden Teaching Beyond Yoga', ‘The Wisdom
of the Overself’, and his earlier books.  A True Spiritual
Teacher can be useful only when we understand the urgency,
and after we have seen the limitation of all personal
effort, not before.

A seeker without a Spiritual Guide is like an orphan child
in the wilderness.  The word, Guru, means - Supreme
Spiritual Light.  When the seeker has developed a permanent
and firm conviction - that his intellect, his education, and
all knowledge of the world, without the constant inner
guidance of A True Teacher, is actually complete darkness
which ultimately leads to death - he is called a **Gurmukh.
Then, he is able to receive, and share, what the Guru has
come to give. Its opposite is called a **Manmukh.

An old adage, "When the disciple is ready, the Guru
appears," has withstood the test of time, and is still
true.  (I was surprised to see last night that someone else
has used almost the same words in another post, is there
such a thing as telepathy?)  In the eastern circles, such a
relationship was always established through some form of
initiation.  For that, the disciple has to take a vow of a
lifelong, complete submission to the teacher.  Some form of
baptism, sipping or dipping in water, etc. has always
accompanied this.  An initiation is mandatory.

For reasons known only to God, the disease of false prophets
and "green gurus", as I call them, has plagued the society
since the beginning of human quest.  Talking or writing
endlessly about deep and lofty spiritual principles does not
prove anything.  Some writers appear to be excellent
teachers.  We all learn something from them.  However, a
True Guru uncovers the truth, which is already within the
seeker’s heart, and transforms him, without the need of any
words.  Since he is here to teach only one thing, he does it
mostly silently, through his own example and a spiritual
touch.  Such a True Spiritual Master is extremely rare and
very hard to find.

A seeker's hunger to follow a tangible human guru is real.
At some point it is very strong because, it is inherent in
the human nature.  It is not a sign of some inner weakness.
However, it often results in a weak character when the
seeker is satisfied with partial spiritual experiences under
the care of an imperfect guru.  Some people will follow
anybody pointing at the sky.  Most seekers looking for a
spiritual guru are deceived every day.

For this reason, the masses have always rejected their
current Spiritual Messenger, however genuine he might be.
They may worship him afterwards, though.  On one hand, a
half-guru or a fake can waste the life of many sincere
spiritual seekers.  On the other hand, most people turn
their faith into a stagnant faith by following only a
Teacher of the past.  They will refuse to accept or
recognize an Oasis of Truth of their own time if he happens
to cross their path, even if He comes and knocks at their
door.  We can call it, a religious dysfunction.  What can we
do about it?

Guru Nanak, the First Master brought the solution to this
problem with the advent of Shabad Guru.  The Ten Masters
proved that God's Word is The Real Guru.  They showed it in
their own life through two hundred years of its practical
application.  The Fifth Master, after compiling the Gurbani
into a volume, kept this Holy Granth at a higher seat, while
he would sit and sleep on the floor.  This truth reached its
culmination under The Tenth Master.  The Tenth Master turned
the tide for humanity by prohibiting the Sikhs from,
searching for or, following any human Guru.  He permanently
banished the incurable disease of false prophets from Sikh
Panth, through two major changes in the curriculum of
spiritual seekers.  This was not easy.  It has required
endless and unmatched sacrifice especially from the Gurus
themselves.  I will not go into details already recorded in
history.

First: Unlike any prior Messengers of God, The Tenth Master
did not make a Sikh his, or any other Guru’s disciple.  He
said that a Sikh was God's Property.  A Sikh gets Baptism
(Amrit), not from a person, but only from water stirred with
a double-edged sword while reciting the five daily Sikh
prayers.  Five Gursikhs, "The Five Beloved," as The Tenth
Master called them at their Initiation, represent the body
of the Guru at this ceremony.  Being so baptized, the Sikh
belongs only to God.  The Five Gursikhs, represent the Tenth
Master, and initiate the Sikh in the practice of meditation
on God's Name with the Gurmantra (the Holy Word, Waheguru).
The Amrit and the accompanied Initiation are mandatory.

The Tenth Master did something else that no Savior has done:
After initiating the first Five Gursikhs with the Amrit, he
bowed to them and became their spiritual disciple.  The Guru
himself took the same initiation so that there was no
difference between Guru Gobind Singh and the "Five
Beloved."  Its significance is not understood easily.  In
doing so, The Tenth Master blended his own spiritual
identity into the Khalsa, so that he will never leave the
Khalsa.  This shows how he honored God’s command to assist
Khalsa.  In contrast, other Masters in the past left us
saying they are going back to God, to make room for us,
etc.  Who wants to stay with us?  History is replete with
supreme sacrifices of The Tenth Master.  His whole life,
including family, was a sacrifice toward worthy causes for
humanity.  However, this act cannot be duplicated by anyone.

I do not want to tire the reader with details of how the
first "Five Beloved" were chosen.  I will also skip other
instructions given to the Gursikh at the time of Amrit.  In
short, the aim of a Gursikh is to lose his smaller self in
the spiritual service of the Truth, to realize his unity
with God or, in other words, to merge with the Khalsa
Ideal.  Amrit is a start on this path.  It is not an
automatic qualification or a diploma.  It is very important
to understand that a Gursikh does not accept initiation of
any other kind, from a single personal guru etc.

Second: God's Word, called Shabad, or Gurbani, is the only
formal Sikh Guru.  True Guru, who is always the True
Spiritual Teacher of everyone, is the Shabad, the Word.  It
is also called the Divine Light.  In the Sikh Path, only the
Word part of the Guru is worshipped.  Since the appearance
of Gurbani, we do not need to worship or glorify the person
who brought it to us, or declare him as "The Only One" etc.
The First Master, Guru Nanak, introduced this concept, when
he humbly proclaimed that all teaching, in the form of
Gurbani, comes to him from his Master (God) to be given to
the world.  He merely composed the verse however God
commands him.  The real abode of Gurbani is God Himself.
When they asked Guru Nanak who was his Guru, he said that
Shabad (Gurbani) was the Guru.

A Sikh may still look for a guru to learn Yoga, archery,
philosophy, Mathematics, etc.  But, to reach the highest
fulfillment of life, he does not go in search of a Guru
anymore.  This was a giant spiritual step for humanity,
although it never made headlines on the news.  One day, The
Fourth Master quietly wrote the punch lines, for the world:
"Gurbani is in the Guru, and the Guru is in Gurbani.
Gurbani holds all the virtues and rewards.  When a servant
obeys Gurbani's command, the Guru Himself is tangibly
present to get him to the destination."  (SGGS, p.982)

Gurbani from Saints of "other" religions, and the Gurus
themselves, is preserved in one volume, Guru Granth Sahib.
This is the ten Gurus' greatest gift to humanity.  Guru
Granth Sahib is treated as the Guru’s own body.  Any
addition or modification of Gurbani is not allowed, nor is
it necessary.  The Ten Masters' soul resides in Gurbani
(Jote).  Some Gursikhs will become one with this Light.
Such a true Sikh is a living example of the Method (Jugat)
for seeing it.  At least one such Sikh is always here.
There is no need to run around searching for him.  He knows
where you are.  He does not run around looking for you
either.  He lives completely by God's Will.  When you need
to, God makes sure that you will meet him.  Such Gursikhs
are served through service of the congregation (Sangat),
because Sangat is an extension of the Guru.  Sometimes,
through God’s Mercy, such a Gursikh graces a congregation
with his physical presence (Sadh Sangat).  The number of
such True Sikhs is directly proportionate to number of
seekers who sincerely want to meet them.

Witnessing a Gursikh of this stature often makes one weep
uncontrollably without any reason, with an intense desire to
stay in his presence and become his servant.  Gurbani is
then seen in its true form, as a living entity.  It glows
with a romance between man and God.  Everything else seems
worthless then.  Besides Gurbani and Nam Simran, all other
activity seems futile.  This is the effect of his loving
gaze and his enlightened words, soaked with God's Love.  It
feels like coming home for the first time.  This starts to
occur whenever the Sikh gets a spiritual glimpse of the same
Love in Gurbani, during Kirtan and meditation.  Not everyone
is affected in this way, though.  An occasion to serve such
Gursikhs is found once in many lifetimes.  This is a
glorious milestone in a person's spiritual journey, because,
his journey actually starts now.  However, these Gursikhs
are not to be worshipped as a Guru.  In the Sikh Panth, no
Gursikh, no matter how great, is to be considered as another
Guru.  A Gursikh himself would never allow or accept such a
label.

To reiterate, though A Gursikh deeply reveres the Ten
Masters, above all other Masters, he is forbidden from
worshipping any human from the past, the present, or the
future.  He sees Guru's presence in singing of Gurbani
sincerely with other Sikhs (Sangat).  Sangat in the presence
of Guru Granth Sahib is Sadh Sangat, because Guru Granth
Sahib is also Guru’s body.  It is not for a seeker to assess
the spiritual state of others.  Therefore, it is only
correct to consider all Sat Sangat as Sadh Sangat.  Then
Guru himself takes care of the details.  The Sikh always
yearns and prays that he happens to be in the company of
some enlightened Gursikhs, because the Guru's teaching tells
him to do so.  The Fifth Master, Guru Arjan wrote: "I bow to
every Gursikh I see. I share with them my heart's desire.  I
pray that they will help me (Spiritually) meet my Beloved
Friend Guru" (SGGS, p.763).  It is not appropriate for
anyone to guess or discuss whatever spiritual exchanges may
take place between sincere seekers and True Gursikhs.

Too complicated?  Let us examine all the alternatives.
Today's seeker has four choices: 1) He can sweep the whole
idea of the need of a living Guru under the rug, until he
really needs one.  2) Worships and accepts only a Messiah
from the past and rejects any current ones who are regularly
sent by God to connect us with the Truth; this will assure
that he is spiritually stagnant like the masses, until he
chooses to wake up and smell the reality.  Remember that,
stagnation results in decay and disease.  3) Searches for a
spiritual guru in a human and takes his chance with whatever
he finds.  Many fakes and half-spiritual gurus are always
waiting, also on the Internet.

Or, 4) He follows the Sikh way: Regards Gurbani, God's Word,
as the only True Guru.  Finds some Sangat, or forms his own
Sat Sangat, that is joined only for Naam, not to worship
some human.  He pays proper homage to all His Messengers,
past and present.  This is the message of Gurbani.  This
way, when he is ready, he will meet someone in the Sangat
who truly talks and lives Gurbani.  The simple presence and
spiritual touch will help him on the path to become just
like this Gursikh.  Such a Gursikh will never attempt to
replace the Guru, in Gurbani, with himself or with some
other writings.

To many, the idea of submission to something written in a
foreign language is not appealing.  Besides, it is too
simple and too safe for an intellectual to follow.  There is
a fifth choice: If you cannot accept the truth, or if you
cannot trust Gurbani, keep praying to God for the correct
way.

In the Sikh Path, and in Gurbani, enlightened Gursikhs are
given ranks of, Gurmukh – Brahmgyani - Sant  – Sadh – Jan -
etc.  It cannot be said too often.  Their company is
compulsory for a Sikh's spiritual progress.  Only a lit
candle can quickly light another one.  However, in Sikh
Panth, if someone calls himself such a person, or if his
followers call him a guru, run away as fast as you can!
Display of occult powers, which, come to a Gursikh naturally
as he continues to advance, is prohibited in the Guru's
House.  If someone does so, stay away again, because he is
not a mature Sikh.  Needless to say that Truth is not for
sale and it cannot be bought, if it is, it is not for a
Sikh.  Again, the only place, to find a True Gursikh is Sadh
Sangat.

Many Sikhs contend that these ranks do not apply to a living
person anymore.  This is the cause of doubt, weakness, and
lack of direction among the common Sikhs today.  This
creates a spiritual void.  It leaves the door wide open for
so-called gurus, the false prophets, to emerge and fill this
void, and they lead the sincere Sikhs away from Gurbani and
the Panth.  Most Sikhs doubt that anyone can live up to the
high standards set by the Ten Masters.  If they were
correct, the Gurbani is simply metaphorical.  Those, who
believe Gurbani is mostly metaphors, can get little, if
anything, out of it.  Sincere Non Sikhs can benefit more
from Gurbani.  Mediocrity, dishonesty and disorganization
prevalent in the Sikh arena can be very discouraging.  These
are perhaps, the reason for such beliefs among the Sikhs.
However, chronicles of regular emergence of True Gursikhs
who are firm in practice of Dharma, the Khalsa Panth,
meeting such Gursikhs in flesh and witnessing their Glory,
eliminate all such doubts.

As Shri Naranjan Singh Ji used to say, "Some think that Sikh
Panth is disappearing.  This is a mistake.  Some say that
Panth is in a danger.  One who is not the Panth is always in
a danger.  Someone, who gives up Japji, gives up Amrit Vela,
is truly in a danger.  How can Waheguru’s Panth be in any
danger?  Do not look for large numbers.  The Guru did not
rely on the count at all.  Guru Nanak was looking for only
one real Gursikh, Guru Gobind Singh Ji said five would be
sufficient.  He did not even ask for the sixth."

The Tenth Master says: "Khalsa is my own body… Khalsa is my
face…. Khalsa is my own appearance…This is where I live."
(SLG, p.667)  These words, as well as the rest of Gurbani,
are not metaphors.  Honoring Guru Granth Ji, as Guru's own
body, is imperative to its preservation for the future
generations.  This is one of the reasons that The Tenth
Master ordained this. This is not idolatry.   A Sikh prays
only to the Waheguru and Gurbani in Guru Granth Sahib.  We
turn to the Holy Book during prayer.  This does not mean
that we pray to the physical Book.   A Sikh does not expect
that some day, God or the Guru will step out of the binding
or the paper of this Holy Scripture.  The Tenth Master has
also said,  "All those who worship me as God shall burn in
the hellfire." (DG, p.57)

Sikh Panth is not like the religions of the past.  It is
just as alive and well now as it has been since Guru Nanak,
perhaps, even more so.  The only change is that, since the
initiation (or, should we say, emergence) of Khalsa, Guru
Granth Sahib is the only Sikh Guru in spirit.  His Darshan
(Glory) in a physical form, thanks to Guru Gobind Singh Ji,
has never left us.  However, it is not to be found at
Hemkunt, nor is it in any human guru.  It is experienced in
the company of Khalsa.  That is not to say that Khalsa is
found easily.  Such blessed people, as always, do not
advertise themselves.  A Sikh prays for the blessed sight of
Khalsa every day and, then he leaves it up to God to do as
He sees fit.

A primitive, stone-age trait of human behavior is found even
today: “If it looks different, kill it before it gets
closer.”  Many Non Sikhs feel threatened by the uniqueness
of the Sikhs.  They feel relief in making some simple Sikhs
the butt of their jokes.  One should not condone lack of
hygiene, or bad manners, which can be found among all
cultures.  Yet, they target only the Sikhs.  A car can pass
through the eye of a needle before these cultured people can
find spirituality or holiness in simple folks!  This does
not mean that all, or only simple people are holy.  However,
there are certain abstract reasons for God’s choosing the
very simple and candid people of Punjab, with a rich ancient
Indian and spiritual heritage, and with constantly volatile
and changing borders, to receive Guru Nanak’s message.
Could it be that Jesus was born in a manger, to a homeless
and poor carpenter’s wife, probably for similar reasons?

Personally, I would rather roll in dust from the feet of
very common people gathered to sing Gurbani, than see the
face of someone who wants to replace Gurbani and promises to
show me "Sach Khand (God's Abode)" with all the bells and
whistles.  Most of the Sikhs stand by the fence, rather than
follow the teachings seriously.  Still, they get to enjoy
beneficial fallout of the Holy activities, of the Ten
Masters in the past and some rare and obscure Gursikhs at
present.  This is clear.  For instance, modern Sikh
children, with hair, who simply recite Japji as a rule
before breakfast, excel in school and whatever else they do,
whether it is farming, the military, business, academics, or
the sports.

Be realistic when you go to a Sikh place of worship.  Expect
to find mostly, rather common Sikhs, than some masters of
Yoga.  Perhaps, the only purpose of the Sikhs from Punjab
has been, not to attract or convert others through intricate
theology, or elegance, but to simply preserve and perpetuate
the flame of Khalsa for the rest of the world.  It seems
that their work is now done.  Proliferation of false gurus
today, especially with the advancement of technology, makes
it important that all the true spiritual seekers in the
world know the meaning of the True Guru, and what Gurbani
and the Panth represent in truth.  Spiritual sincerity
toward God is the central message of Gurbani.  If you have
it, you are on the right track.  You do not have to leave
your religion to follow Gurbani.  However, if your religion
does not support it, it is time to move on and be an example
to others.

More than once, during, and after the time of The Tenth
Master, the Sikhs have been virtually annihilated.
Nevertheless, they always survive.  History is filled with
countless accounts of the Sikhs' martyrdom.  For this
reason, The Tenth Master ordained that all the Sikhs should
also be warriors.  Being constantly oppressed and mistreated
as a minority has made most Sikhs of today anxious to have a
Sikh domain, separate from India.  However, God's Khalsa has
no country.  The whole world is his country.  Granted that
every man with blood in his arteries is patriotic in his
heart, but a Khalsa cannot be nationalistic in practice.  A
Khalsa does not aspire to rule over others or acquire a
piece of land.  His goal is to see that ultimately, only
God's dearest will govern a universal brotherhood on this
earth, with a harmony among all religions and all countries.

Besides a Sikh’s spiritual practices, the Sikh conduct, and
the five daily prayers, there are five essentials of a
Gursikh's uniform.  Otherwise, he is not considered a
Gursikh, as a part of God-Guru's army.  These are five
attributes of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, The Tenth Master.  They
are also known as the "Five K's."  The Tenth Master
designated these as a mandatory first step on a Sikh’s way
to become like The Tenth Master himself.  Therefore, the
Gursikhs consider them inseparable from their body.  The
Tenth Master's uniform makes the Sikh stand out in a crowd.
A Sikh cannot hide himself.  Here are some other reasons:

A) Kesh:  The Tenth Master did not mutilate his hair.  Only
humans have long hair, animals do not.  If we cut a hand
off, it is not equipped to recover, but the hair does, even
if you continue cutting it for years.  Preserving natural
hair is also a denial of preoccupation with one’s
appearance.  Throughout the history, for some reason, all
Holy men have stopped cutting hair at some point of their
spiritual development.

A Sikh’s head is kept covered.  Women wear a scarf, while
men wear a turban.  This is an ancient, perhaps necessary,
and forgotten, a gesture of respect toward God, who is
always here, with us.  The turban is wrapped fresh every day
after the bath.  In many countries it is considered a
disgrace to be seen bareheaded.  This is in contrast with
the western tradition of going bareheaded in a formal
place.  This makes each appear odd in the eyes of the other,
especially to those who have not traveled outside their own
small circles.  A cap or a hat is prohibited for a Gursikh.

B) Kachhahra: The Tenth Master always wore a pair of knee
length shorts, a holy undergarment, even (especially) during
Ishnan.  It also preserves a Sikh man or a woman’s dignity
in times of emergency, and during their devotional states of
oblivion.

C) Kirpan: The Tenth Master always carried a sword.  He
worshipped it as an emblem of God’s Mercy, Siri Sahib, as
Guru Gobind Singh Ji called it.  Kirpan is a Sikh's
ornament, in the memory of The Tenth Master.  It is his
fashion statement, like a necktie.  He wears and displays it
with pride, except where people cannot tolerate it due to
lack of understanding.

The struggle for survival of the pious will continue for
many centuries ahead.  An advent of Khalsa marks a
reemergence of the ancient ideal man, the saintly-warrior.
He is desperately needed today, as The Tenth Master said,
“Khalsa is God's own army.  Khalsa has appeared because of
God’s wish.”  His sword is a token of fearlessness and his
readiness to die while defending the truth and the
persecuted.  With today's weaponry, it is a mere symbol, but
the meaning is still as important as it was in the past.  A
Khalsa respects the sword as The Tenth Master did.  A True
Sikh follows The Tenth Master's example and uses a weapon
only as a last resort, with extreme humility and
compassion.  There will always be those, the Sikh or the Non
Sikh, who misuse weapons.

D) Karra:  The Tenth Master said that Sikhs should always
wear a steel bracelet.  He wore it too.  It is a symbol, as
a link in the chain of brotherhood of Gursikhs, and a sign
of his commitment as a servant of God.

E) Kangha: The Tenth Master carried a small comb.  He said
the Sikhs should do the same, to make its use mandatory.  It
is to remind us not to regress toward rituals of empty
show.  Some Indian monks grow artificially cultured hair,
several yards long, unbroken and uncombed, as a display of
holiness.

It is not so obvious that hair is also a living appendage of
the body. Read Dr. Birendra Kaur’s article on this.  For
spiritually sensitive people, sharing a comb is essentially
the same as sharing a toothbrush.

 People ask why we need any outer rules to find God’s simple
Truth inside ourselves.  It is the complexity of society
that makes some rules extremely necessary.  If you live in a
jungle, no rules are necessary.  If you come to a city, you
need to obey at least the rules of traffic.  If you join the
army or take some other responsible job, you have to follow
even more extensive and strict rules.  Strangely, we expect
to achieve the highest fulfillment of our life without
having to obey any rules.  Besides, how many rules are
there?  People are horrified most about the prospect that
they will have to stop mutilating the hair, they will not be
able to keep up with the social fads, and thus face
rejection by their peers.  People can benefit from the
Guru’s teachings without growing uncut hair, until they have
the strength to accept and understand all the important
issues.  Some sacrifice is inevitable.   As a whole, it is a
very small price to pay, for being able to spiritually
participate, in helping people avoid being influenced by the
green gurus.

Some of these rules will never make any sense to some
people.  Spiritual rules are senseless, and needless, if you
do not or, cannot have faith in them.  Then, they definitely
turn into empty rituals that no intelligent person should
ever practice.  Doing so has only degraded the image of
serious seekers.  For the same reason, people should not
force their children and other family members to conform.
Rather, be a good example for them to follow, and give them
some freedom.  Spirituality is a very personal matter.  Only
ignorant people will blame you for the actions of your
family.  Opinions of ignorant people are not important.
Look at the Gurus' history, their own sons did not obey
them.

For a serious seeker, following the Guru's command,
regardless of its reason, is an exercise in
self-abnegation.  Others cannot comprehend this behavior.
Any rules, prescribed by any Master, are of no value to
these people.  History shows that a Guru will frequently ask
his disciple to do things that make no apparent sense.  The
Guru does this, sometimes, just to strengthen a Sikh’s
submission to the Guru.  It is acceptable to question
everything a Guru does, until the seeker turns into a
spiritual disciple.  You can take a lifetime to satisfy your
intellectual doubts first.  In the end, you will find that
each of the Guru's commands has some hidden reasons.  A Sikh
(spiritual disciple) accepts his Guru’s command without
question.  This is a required condition.  Otherwise, he is
not a spiritual disciple; he can be called a student, an
observer, or, a bystander.  Not everyone will follow the
simple rules prescribed by the Tenth Master.  Many will
prefer some other teachers.

The way to God is not difficult, but it is totally different
from what we can imagine.  It requires breaking the ages
old, firmly established habits of the intellect and
mastering new disciplines.  We can spend our whole life
trying to accomplish this on our own or, we can submit to a
True Guru with no more questions.  This allows a Master to
destroy the disciple’s ego and transform him quickly and
easily, from the inside.  When the disciple is ripe, the
Guru can accomplish many lifetimes’ work with one look.
Shri Naranjan Singh Ji used to say, "An ant may try to get
to the top of a tree on its own.  Or, someone may have
mercy, pick it up and put it there."  Again, in the Sikh
Panth this is accomplished by 1) The Gurbani and Sangat, 2)
The Tenth Master, when a Gursikh follows his lifestyle and
3) The Khalsa Gursikh, through his physical presence and his
spiritual touch.  All three are essential.  In fact, in
essence, there is no difference among the three.

Some say that they will "follow" only the first nine Gurus.
This is a fallacy.  There is no difference in the Ten
Gurus.  The Tenth Master completed what the First Master
started.  Some argue that we need to change with time and
thus eliminate or modify the five K's etc.  Who is qualified
to change Guru Gobind Singh’s mandate?  “But,” they say, “Is
it not the inside rather than appearance, that is important
to God?”  A curt answer is, yes it is, to God, but not to
you.  Try not washing yourself from now on, or stay out in
sub zero temperature without your gloves, or walk naked on
Broadway, then meditate in the jail, or, just chop your
fingers off, they are not important to God!  I hope you have
grasped the idea.

Everything we do to our body is very important.  It leaves
an imprint on the inner mind, unless we were totally free
from the psycho spiritual bondage to our body.  The five K’s
serve as a conduit of blessings from The Tenth Master to
common Sikh masses that may be otherwise weak.  The Five
K's, the five daily pieces of Gurbani, and correct Sikh
conduct (Rehet) is a track that leads to becoming like The
Tenth Master, because these are his own characteristics.  In
the least, they act like a thorny fence around delicate
spiritual flowers in the garden of Sikh Panth.  Again, all
these rules are means to an end, which is spiritual
self-realization.  When a Sikh considers any one his
activities as an attainment by itself, his progress stops.

Guru Nanak, the First Master, brought a social order of the
ancient Spiritual Masters, hidden in the Himalayas, to
common people of the world.  Common Sikhs have not risen to
its call.  This social order has no obligation to conform to
the society, or to the ever-changing fads of society.  It
has no need to convert the whole world into its mold.  Its
welfare does not depend on us; our welfare depends on it.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Tenth Master, was the perfect
living example of this order of Saints.  He gave it a final
shape with a few very essential rules.  He did this to
assure that it will not disintegrate, dissolve, or get
contaminated and assimilated by other cultures or cults.
And to maintain a favorable environment that will facilitate
a regular emergence of the ancient Saintly characters in
common households.  This was not possible in the world
before.

The Ninth Master describes some qualities of such a Saintly
character, whose only joy is in the spirit: "One, who is not
afraid of suffering, does not desire pleasure, and is not
attached to love of others.  He has no fear, and regards
gold and clay as equal in value.  It is same if someone
worships him or slanders him, nor does he have greed,
attachment with family, or pride.  He stays above elation or
gloom.  Honor or dishonor does not faze him.  He gives up
vain planning (and would rather stay rooted in devotion),
and has no hunger for any fruit from his deeds.  He sees a
futility in the things of the world.  When he is also free
of lust, as well as anger, God manifests in him.  A man
understands this method (Jugat) only from Guru's mercy.
Such a soul merges into God, just like the ice mixes with
water." (SGGS, p.633-34)  The Ninth Master was an embodiment
of this Shabad.

A Sikh is taught to have an inner spirituality, rather than
make a show of it.  His aim is to see God during this
lifetime.  Gurbani is filled with this teaching.  For
example, The Tenth Master describes the Sikh version of
Sannyasa (Renunciation).  Sannyasa is the final of the four
stages of a householder among the ancient Hindus, where, at
the last quarter of his life, the seeker leaves the world to
meditate on God.  A Sikh should practice Sannyasa from the
beginning, at a young age, while continuing as a
householder, rather than leaving the world.  The Tenth
Master tells us how a true Sikh would substitute each of the
rituals of Sannyasa:

"Make it a mental Sannyasa: Regard all the comforts in the
house as wilderness, remain free of desires.  Be lonely in
your heart (staying with your family, instead of leaving
them).  Replace your artificially cultured hair with
chastity.  Replace your obsessive cleansing rituals with
true Yoga.  Let a fixed daily spiritual routine replace your
preserved nails.  Let the spiritual knowledge be your
minister to pronounce you a sannyasi.  Teaching lessons to
your self should replace the wandering to preach others.
Let meditation on God's Name replace the ashes you put on
your body.  Minimal food, minimal sleep, mercy, forgiveness,
a body intoxicated with God's love, tolerance, and
contentment, thriving on these will make you stay above the
three worldly qualities.  Then you will see your innermost
Self and meet God, but only when you also stay away from
lust, anger, pride, greed, compulsion, and attachment with
the family. (DG, p.709)


5. <KHALSA>

The Tenth Master writes: When I had become one with God, He
said to this worm, "Now, you will be called my son.  I
created you to show My Panth to the world.  Go, spread
Dharma, and show people how to refrain from foolish
practices.” (DG, p.57) and, "My adorable Guru (The Ninth
Master), gave his life for the sake of Dharma.  I have come
to this world for the same reason.  All True Seekers should
understand this clearly, I took a human birth only for this
purpose: To promote Dharma, to nurture genuine Sainthood,
and to destroy the roots of all corruption." (DG, p.57)

The term Khalsa (God's Own) is reserved for those Gursikhs
who have perfected the spiritual principles of The Tenth
Master.  Khalsa is a spiritual clone of Guru Gobind Singh
Ji, who is the father of Khalsa.  Therefore, only a Gursikh,
after accepting the Amrit, can hope to realize this ideal.
The word, Khalsa, is used more as an adjective rather than a
noun.  Khalsa is a rare soul.

How rare is Khalsa?  Most Sikhs of today have probably never
met one.  Most of those who meet a True Gursikh do not
recognize him.  To be able to recognize him, you need to
have an intense desire to meet such a person.  He does not
advertise that he is a Khalsa Gursikh.  As Kabir Ji said,
"Kabir, having found the Divine gems, do not display your
goods.  Neither is there a market, nor recognition, nor a
customer willing to pay the price of your priceless
merchandise."  (SGGS, p.1365)

Sikhs may call each other Khalsa.  However, calling
ourselves Khalsa does not make us Khalsa.  For a Khalsa
Gursikh, in his humility, Khalsa simply represents an ideal
that he will continue to revere all his life.  He sees
Khalsa in the Sangat, or another Gursikh, and ignores his
own greatness.  This is why the Sangat is often called
Khalsa Ji, or Guru Khalsa Ji.  Though the term “Guru Panth
Khalsa” is popular, and in fact, it represents only such
Gursikhs in the Sangat, a Gursikh or a Khalsa Gursikh, would
not consider himself worthy of such an honor.  He would not
accept to be called a saint, a sadhu nor a guru, either.

Others can do whatever they see fit, but a Khalsa strictly
follows the rules of the Tenth Master, and does not go
around offering personal initiation to seekers.  However, a
Khalsa does not hide away from the Sangat.  Being humble, he
is always nurtured by the spiritual sharing with the
so-called common people.  The Tenth Master said: "I am
glorified and sit on a throne only because of the mercy of
these Sikhs, or I would be lying on the streets, just like
the millions worthless like me." (DG, p.645)

Saint Scholar Shri Naranjan Singh Ji would not let anyone
bow, or call him a saint.  Hindus and Sikhs, whoever met
him, became firm followers of Guru Granth Sahib.  The mere
sight of him at the feet of Guru Granth Sahib convinced
others that this Holy Scripture is a Living Guru.  This is
the conduct (Jugat) of a Khalsa.  He appealed that every
Sikh should say, "Dhann Shri Guru Granth Sahib" (Guru Granth
Sahib is Glorious), five times every morning when they first
open their eyes.  He said that if you did this every day for
forty days, you could see that Guru's Light (Jote) lives in
Guru Granth Sahib.

The word "Khalsa" has several meanings.  The most common is
"Pure."  Shri Naranjan Singh Ji described one meaning of
Khalsa as "Property."  Here is the definition of Khalsa in
the words of The Tenth Master:

"Day and night, he worships the Living Light.  He does not
entertain any thought of duality.  Perfect Love and perfect
conviction adorn his personality.  How can he follow fasting
(rituals) or, even by accident, pray to an idol or a grave?
His pilgrimage will be Daan (giving), mercy, self-discipline
of tolerance, and self-control.  He sees only the One, One
God everywhere.  Only when The Perfect Light fully
illuminates his heart, can you call him Khalsa.  Otherwise,
he is not Khalsa." (DG, p.712) and:

"One who knows the delight of abiding in the Overself alone,
is Khalsa, worthy of adoration.  There is not a miniscule
difference between him, me, and my beloved God." (SLG,
p.668)

 Let me quote Shri Naranjan Singh Ji again, similar to what
Dr. Harcharanjit Singh wrote in the book, "Divine Mystic
Reflections on Gurmat" (a record of His Holiness' words):

"The word 'religion' is a western term.  The eastern word,
Dharma, simply means duty.  The Fifth Master, Guru Arjan Dev
Ji has said in his Gurbani of Sukhmani Sahib: 'Of all
religions (Dharma), the best one is, to utter sincerely the
Name of God; this is the most pious work.'  That is, the
foremost of all religions is the religion of remembering the
Lord and having pure thought and action.  Religion abides in
every soul.  It is the innermost nature of everything that
exists.  It is the yearning of man to be perfect.  There is
only one religion: Of the droplet of water to become the
ocean; of the incomplete man to become complete; and of a
flame to merge with the fire.  Even without knowing it, we
are all moving towards that perfection "(p.20)

Key to quotations:
SGGS  =  Sri Guru Granth Sahib
DG    =  Dasam Granth
SLG   =  Sarab Loh Granth


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