Purpose of Life in Sikhism

Purpose of Life explained with the guidance of our everlasting Guru, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee.
Guru Ji's bani shows us the way. The way is the path. The path is that of love. The love for True Guru who is within us. The True Guru lightens the path in this world of darkness.

Guru Ji's bani motivates us to act before time runs out. Guru Ji links us with the True Bani - Anhad Bani Gur Sabad Jaani, Har Naam Har Ras Bhogo......

Guru Ji explains in Aasa Mhula Punjvan :-

Bhyee Praput manukh day-hureya
Gobind milun kee ih tayree bareya

Avur kaj tayrai kitai na kam
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Mil sadh sungat bhuj kayvul Nam

Srun-jam lag bhuvjul tarun kai
Janum birtha jat rung ma-iya kai (ruhao)

Jup tup sunjum dhurum na kma-iya
Sayva sadh na jania Hur Ra-iya

Kuhau Nanak hum neech krum-ma
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=20312
surun puray kee rakhauh surma

Translation of first 4 lines :

You have obtained this human body
Now is your chance to meet the Sustainer.
No other deed avails us,
But to join the faithful and recite the NAME'

 
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__________________
God closes doors no man can open & God opens doors no man can close.

Thanks naamjap ji for this thread.

Even after repeated reminders in Bani we are not doing enough.To this effect it is stated as follows:

qnu Dnu jobnu clq gieAw ] (826-6, iblwvlu, mÚ 5)
Body, wealth and youth pass away.

rwm nwm kw Bjnu n kIno krq ibkwr inis Boru BieAw ]1] rhwau ] (826-6, iblwvlu, mÚ 5)
You have not meditated and vibrated upon the Lord's Name; while you commit your sins of corruption in the night, the light of day dawns upon you. ||1||Pause||

Aink pRkwr Bojn inq Kwqy muK dMqw Gis KIn KieAw ] (826-7, iblwvlu, mÚ 5)
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Continually eating all sorts of foods, the teeth in your mouth crumble, decay and fall out.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=20312
myrI myrI kir kir mUTau pwp krq nh prI dieAw ]1] (826-8, iblwvlu, mÚ 5)
Living in egotism and possessiveness, you are deluded; committing sins, you have no kindness for others. ||1||

mhw ibkwr Gor duK swgr iqsu mih pRwxI glqu pieAw ] (826-8, iblwvlu, mÚ 5)
The great sins are the terrible ocean of pain; the mortal is engrossed in them.

srin pry nwnk suAwmI kI bwh pkir pRiB kwiF lieAw ]2]24]110] (826-9, iblwvlu, mÚ 5)
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of his Lord and Master; taking him by the arm, God has lifted him up and out. ||2||24||110

There many verses in Gurbani and I need someone's help to find as many as possible.

The one that comes to mind right now is ......shaho neiray dhan kamaliye, bahar kya dhundai............
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=20312

tilang mehlaa 1.
Tilang, First Mehl

i-aanrhee-ay maanrhaa kaa-ay karayhi.
O foolish and ignorant soul-bride, why are you so proud?

aapnarhai ghar har rango kee na maaneh.
Within the home of your own self, why do you not enjoy the Love of your Lord?

saho nayrhai Dhan kammlee-ay baahar ki-aa dhoodhayhi.
Your Husband Lord is so very near, O foolish bride; why do you search for Him outside?



This parable nicely fits in the description.

A beggar had been sitting by the side of the road for over thirty years. One day a stranger walked by. "Spare some change?" mumbled the beggar, mechanically holding out his baseball cap. "I have nothing to give you," said the stranger. Then he asked, "What are you sitting on?" "Nothing," replied the beggar. "Just an old box. I have been sitting on it for as long as I can remember." "Ever looked inside?" asked the stranger. "No." said the beggar.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=20312
"What's the point ? There's nothing in there." "Have you looked inside?" insisted the stranger. The beggar managed to pry open the lid. With astonishment, disbelief and elation, he saw the box was filled with gold.

namjap ji
Excellent example. Believe me or not, most of us are just looking at it and keep saying it is beautiful. Wah Wah, unfortunately never try to open it.What is stopping us? Ego of having knowledge and mind in duality. Thanks

We are spiritual beings. Souls. God created us from Its own essence. God individuated some of Itself to create us. Our true home is in the highest heavens. But we have been sent to this world to gain experience and to help in the great expansion of God’s awareness and capacity–and to explore that capacity. As Souls, we have physical bodies. We wear physical bodies like “suits,” in a sense, in order to be able to live in this arena consisting of energy, matter, time, and space. Bodies and minds allow Souls to receive lessons in this world–to create, act, learn, think, and live.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=20312

Socrates said: “The unexamined life is not worth living.”
He also said: “Know thyself.”

Munn Tu Jot Swaroop Hai,
Apna Mool Pachaan.

The human life is the golden opportunity that you have. The highest mission of man's life is to know himself and to know God. If he has not done that he has not achieved the object for which man's life was meant. You may be an excellent engineer, you may be a great astronomer, you may be a famous doctor, you may be anything, but unless you know something about your own self, you have done precious little. Why? Because, after all, you have to leave the body. All your intellectual attainments and all your outer possessions cannot help you towards self-knowledge, which alone shall make easy the passage from this world to the Beyond.

YouTube - "The Chicken and The Eagle Story" by Dr. Eldon Taylor

True identity of the mind does not rest with the body. ‘I am the body’ is a wrong notion of the mind. Its true identity lies with the Atam - with the JOT. It is a reflection of the Jot and that is its true identity. Mind derives its Light from the source which is JOT.

Atam is true Divine Abode of the mind. It is here that the Divine Presence thrills and fills one with Divine Ecstasy. Established in Atam one gets detached from the perishable body, mind and name complex.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=20312
Atam is the Holiest of the Holy Pilgrimage, Tirath. Dip and to bathe in Atam is the Real Truth.
Sach Taan Par Janiai
Ja Atam Tirath Karey Niwas
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=20312
Sri Guru Granth Sahib (Page 468)

Here is a part of it namjapji
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=20312

mn qUM joiq srUpu hY Awpxw mUlu pCwxu ]
mn hir jI qyrY nwil hY gurmqI rMgu mwxu ] mUlu pCwxih qW shu jwxih mrx jIvx kI soJI hoeI
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=20312
] gur prswdI eyko jwxih qW dUjw Bwau n hoeI ] min sWiq AweI vjI vDweI qw hoAw prvwxu ]
ieau khY nwnku mn qUM joiq srUpu hY Apxw mUlu pCwxu ]] 441

Thanks PK70 ji,

With the page number given by you (page 441), this is from Sri Granth :

ਮਨ ਤੂੰ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੁ ਹੈ ਆਪਣਾ ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣੁ ॥
Man ṯūʼn joṯ sarūp hai āpṇā mūl pacẖẖāṇ.
O my mind, you are the embodiment of the Divine Light - recognize your own origin.

ਮਨ ਹਰਿ ਜੀ ਤੇਰੈ ਨਾਲਿ ਹੈ ਗੁਰਮਤੀ ਰੰਗੁ ਮਾਣੁ ॥
Man har jī ṯėrai nāl hai gurmaṯī rang māṇ.
O my mind, the Dear Lord is with you; through the Guru's Teachings, enjoy His Love.

ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣਹਿ ਤਾਂ ਸਹੁ ਜਾਣਹਿ ਮਰਣ ਜੀਵਣ ਕੀ ਸੋਝੀ ਹੋਈ ॥
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Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=20312
Mūl pacẖẖāṇeh ṯāʼn saho jāṇeh maraṇ jīvaṇ kī sojẖī ho­ī.
Acknowledge your origin, and then you shall know your Husband Lord, and so understand death and birth.

ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਏਕੋ ਜਾਣਹਿ ਤਾਂ ਦੂਜਾ ਭਾਉ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥
Gur parsādī ėko jāṇeh ṯāʼn ḏūjā bẖā­o na ho­ī.
By Guru's Grace, know the One; then, you shall not love any other.

ਮਨਿ ਸਾਂਤਿ ਆਈ ਵਜੀ ਵਧਾਈ ਤਾ ਹੋਆ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥
Man sāʼnṯ ā­ī vajī vaḏẖā­ī ṯā ho­ā parvāṇ.
Peace comes to the mind, and gladness resounds; then, you shall be acclaimed.

ਇਉ ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਮਨ ਤੂੰ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੁ ਹੈ ਅਪਣਾ ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣੁ ॥੫॥
I­o kahai Nānak man ṯūʼn joṯ sarūp hai apṇā mūl pacẖẖāṇ. ||5||
Thus says Nanak: O my mind, you are the very image of the Luminous Lord; recognize the true origin of your self. ||5||

In Japji Sahib Pauri 29, Guru Ji explains :-

bhugat gi-aan da-i-aa bhan-daaran ghat ghat vaajahi naad.
Make Divine Knowledge thy food and mercy thy steward and listen to the Divine music that beats in every heart.

aap naath naathee sab jaa kee riDh siDh avraa saad.
He Himself is supreme Lord who has snaffled all. Riches and miracles are extraneous relishes not liked by saints.

sanjog vijog du-i kaar chalaavahi laykhay aavahi bhaag.
Union and separation both regulate the world's business and by destiny man obtains his share.

aadays tisai aadays.
Obeisance, my obeisance is unto that Lord.

aad aneel anaad anaahat jug jug ayko vays. ||29||
He is primal, pure since beginning, indestructible and of the same one vesture through all the ages.

Guru Ji foretells the dangers that lie on the spiritual journey. Not only is wealth a hindrance, but the power one gains through self-discipline and partial spiritual attainment may itself become an obstacle in the way of fuller realisation. One begins to practise these occult powers and absorbed in them, one tends to forget the real goal. Nanak, therefore, warns us against this possibility. Once we have begun the journey God-wards. we must not rest, waver or wander on the Way.

Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=20312
Today's new age religions and occult practices only lead the mind astray from spiritual realisation and concentrate on the self-gratification of the mind. Such obstacles run throughout one's lifetime, robbing one the real opportunity.

You may want to skip this article as it's got nothing to do with Gurmat Vichaar.
The True Spiritual Path: What it really means to live a spiritual life
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=20312
But if you have an open mind, then read on.