Sikhi Sikh Spirituality And Its Manifestations

[Original]

Veer Tejwant Singh Ji

Hope all is well at your end and trust spirit will be chardi kala through n through 2016 - Happy New Year !

It is time to become honest and brave if one calls him/herself a Sikh.

...hmn ! ....difficult one ! I know I've been a cheat loads n loads of times, but never dishonest. Bravery [courage] perhaps is intrinsic to human nature, particularly within the Sikh community albeit nonsensical at times. As for being a Sikh, yes, that I can vouch for being 100%. I was a learner, I am a learner and will continue to be a learner [meaning Sikh].

Please name the commentator that you mentioned and elaborate with concrete examples of what you mean this person would do. You may use SGGS, our only Guru as your guide.

....this was said in gest to compliment Veer Ambarsaria Ji's assertion re parroting. And although, constructive criticism empowers us to better understand everyday life scenarios, it doesn't I'm afraid warrants an all-out abuse of another's preferred discipline [meditation]. Discrimination of this kind stagnate one's spiritual progress and is contrary to wider Sikh belief [nam jap]. We're forever asking Waheguru Ji for "sarbat da bhalla and vivek dhan". Definitely not Sikh like at all, but rather, very down trodden and uncivil.

Lastly, I am still waiting for the responses to my questions addressed to you sometime ago in order to educate myself whether Guru Nanak Saab/Sahib/Saheeb was a pragmatist or not. I asked you several questions regarding that.

....I'm sorry for having reserved my determinations simply because the subject-matter [pragmatism] was never my cup of tea whilst a student of philosophy at uni. However, Nanak did speak out against the 24/7 wannabe meditators who'd shun life on account heavenly glory upon mountain tops. In stead he called it real, meaningful and a gift. He placed so much emphasis on the individual might [industrious], exertion of which will yield both spiritual and physical dividends. That as a result is evident within the Sikh diaspora.

Pragmatism, I believe is incompatible with Nanak's ontological Ikonkar, that is to say, Nanak's Akal Purakh is theoretically unchangeable, timeless, shapeless and permanent being, which is contrary to the fluidity of the pragmatists philosophy. I'm not overtly familiar with the subject matter to hand and feel you need to educate me to move forward.

Much obliged and a very good nite !

Gurfateh

 

[Harkiran Kaur]

I'm still trying to understand where it's written hat anything in Sikhi must even be approached 'pragmatically' ?? Nobody has shown me this... Where does it say to be Sikh I have to even be pragmatic at all?? Assuming that pragmatism requires denying anything you can't hold in your hand or see with your eyes...
To me Guru Nanak Dev Ji shunning useless ritual is not the same as shunning anything beyond the everyday physical reality, but only means he was shunning useless ritual. Bowing to physical idols for example won't help your spirituality because for that you need to go within. Or practice of sati as a means to erase all sin of both husband and wife... Doesn't mean he was saying there is no existence beyond physical death, just means he was saying sati is useless as a ritual and the true sati stays alive and suffers the separation while putting trust in only our husband lord instead of physical husbands. Yet these things keep being quoted as some sort of proof that Sikhi must be approached only pragmatically and I don't see it...

 

[Original]

I'm still trying to understand where it's written hat anything in Sikhi must even be approached 'pragmatically' ?? Nobody has shown me this... Where does it say to be Sikh I have to even be pragmatic at all?? Assuming that pragmatism requires denying anything you can't hold in your hand or see with your eyes...
To me Guru Nanak Dev Ji shunning useless ritual is not the same as shunning anything beyond the everyday physical reality, but only means he was shunning useless ritual. Bowing to physical idols for example won't help your spirituality because for that you need to go within. Or practice of sati as a means to erase all sin of both husband and wife... Doesn't mean he was saying there is no existence beyond physical death, just means he was saying sati is useless as a ritual and the true sati stays alive and suffers the separation while putting trust in only our husband lord instead of physical husbands. Yet these things keep being quoted as some sort of proof that Sikhi must be approached only pragmatically and I don't see it...

Good morning Harkiran

Hope u gd n waiting [4 Balbir] in vain as Bob Marley wud say ! All worth it I can assure ya - by the way "Happy New Year" !

Pragmatism Is a contemporary philosophy, proponents of which I believe were Thomas Hobbs [founder ?] and William James. It took American thought to what we call real deals and was pretty effective n popular, but short-lived. Nanak' s philosophy however, anchors onto the imperishable God, the never changing, in what is otherwise a changing [matter] world. His was an outcry to both social n and religious reformation of the day and an attempt to reconcile and reaffirm Renaissance, meaning, rebirth of art n culture of antiquity. That is to say, the philosophy of "nam" got lost over the ages through ritual n outward practices. Spiritual enlightenment through karm-yog became a thing of the past. Nanak brought it back, hence the term, nam simran [remember God - don't forget u hear]. And, the connection was not an outward display of ritual n practice as Hinduism practised at the time, but rather, an inner union through rendering of selfless service [seva] and nam jap [open to wider interpretation].

As for "sati", it has no religious connotations [IMHO] other than the fear of being abducted by the then Mughal regime. It was considered virtuous by the widowed Rajastani Queens to die along side their hubbies than to sleep with a Moslem. This became a popular practice through out south west n central India and was outlawed by the Brits during their reign.

More another time - time to keep the body fit to keep the mind healthy.

Speak soon - Ciao

 

[hpsp]

Since the pankti also refers to 'bachra', it links with:

<cut single tuk - Ishna>

ਰਾਗੁ ਗੂਜਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
Rāg gūjrī mėhlā 5.
Raag Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:

ਕਾਹੇ ਰੇ ਮਨ ਚਿਤਵਹਿ ਉਦਮੁ ਜਾ ਆਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਜੀਉ ਪਰਿਆ ॥
Kāhe re man cẖiṯvahi uḏam jā āhar har jī▫o pari▫ā.
Why, O mind, do you plot and plan, when the Dear Lord Himself provides for your care?

ਸੈਲ ਪਥਰ ਮਹਿ ਜੰਤ ਉਪਾਏ ਤਾ ਕਾ ਰਿਜਕੁ ਆਗੈ ਕਰਿ ਧਰਿਆ ॥੧॥
Sail pathar mėh janṯ upā▫e ṯā kā rijak āgai kar ḏẖari▫ā. ||1||
From rocks and stones He created living beings; He places their nourishment before them. ||1||

ਮੇਰੇ ਮਾਧਉ ਜੀ ਸਤਸੰਗਤਿ ਮਿਲੇ ਸੁ ਤਰਿਆ ॥
Mere māḏẖa▫o jī saṯsangaṯ mile so ṯari▫ā.
O my Dear Lord of souls, one who joins the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, is saved.

ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦਿ ਪਰਮ ਪਦੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਸੂਕੇ ਕਾਸਟ ਹਰਿਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Gur parsāḏ param paḏ pā▫i▫ā sūke kāsat hari▫ā. ||1|| rahā▫o.
By Guru's Grace, the supreme status is obtained, and the dry wood blossoms forth again in lush greenery. ||1||Pause||

ਜਨਨਿ ਪਿਤਾ ਲੋਕ ਸੁਤ ਬਨਿਤਾ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਕਿਸ ਕੀ ਧਰਿਆ ॥
Janan piṯā lok suṯ baniṯā ko▫e na kis kī ḏẖari▫ā.
Mothers, fathers, friends, children and spouses-no one is the support of anyone else.

ਸਿਰਿ ਸਿਰਿ ਰਿਜਕੁ ਸੰਬਾਹੇ ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਕਾਹੇ ਮਨ ਭਉ ਕਰਿਆ ॥੨॥
Sir sir rijak sambāhe ṯẖākur kāhe man bẖa▫o kari▫ā. ||2||
For each and every person, our Lord and Master provides sustenance. Why are you so afraid, O mind? ||2||

ਊਡੇ ਊਡਿ ਆਵੈ ਸੈ ਕੋਸਾ ਤਿਸੁ ਪਾਛੈ ਬਚਰੇ ਛਰਿਆ ॥
Ūde ūd āvai sai kosā ṯis pācẖẖai bacẖre cẖẖari▫ā.
The flamingoes fly hundreds of miles, leaving their young ones behind.

ਤਿਨ ਕਵਣੁ ਖਲਾਵੈ ਕਵਣੁ ਚੁਗਾਵੈ ਮਨ ਮਹਿ ਸਿਮਰਨੁ ਕਰਿਆ ॥੩॥
Ŧin kavaṇ kẖalāvai kavaṇ cẖugāvai man mėh simran kari▫ā. ||3||
Who feeds them, and who teaches them to feed themselves? Have you ever thought of this in your mind? ||3||

ਸਭਿ ਨਿਧਾਨ ਦਸ ਅਸਟ ਸਿਧਾਨ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਕਰ ਤਲ ਧਰਿਆ ॥
Sabẖ niḏẖān ḏas asat sidẖān ṯẖākur kar ṯal ḏẖari▫ā.
All the nine treasures, and the eighteen supernatural powers are held by our Lord and Master in the Palm of His Hand.

ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਬਲਿ ਬਲਿ ਸਦ ਬਲਿ ਜਾਈਐ ਤੇਰਾ ਅੰਤੁ ਨ ਪਾਰਾਵਰਿਆ ॥੪॥੫॥
Jan Nānak bal bal saḏ bal jā▫ī▫ai ṯerā anṯ na parāvari▫ā. ||4||5||
Servant Nanak is devoted, dedicated, forever a sacrifice to You, Lord. Your Expanse has no limit, no boundary. ||4||5||

"By Guru's Grace supreme status is obtained" . What do you exactly infer from Supreme status.....?/

 

[hpsp]

She has aptly and correctly used brackets to disperse the confusion. It is o.k. for me. Till we understand what the author wants to convey, everything seems to be in place , Ishna ji. Rest is all semantics