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General What Is The Meaning Of Life?

BALIstik916

SPNer
Nov 16, 2006
3
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What is the meaning of life to Sikhs?

Also, about karma. I feel that I do not necessarily lead a good life in the eyes of God. I'm American, shaven, 18 yrs old, just a regular American Sikh but I am pretty religious in the sense that I will defend to the death my religion and am ideologically knowledgeable (except for what is the meaning of life). I like to think I'm not white-washed but I just don't feel that I'm really that authentic either. Are people like me doomed ?

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh
 

BALIstik916

SPNer
Nov 16, 2006
3
0
doomed in the sense that i will not be reborn into a sikh...and i was told by a family member that sikhs are born because they were good in their previous life
 

spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
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Jun 17, 2004
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BALIstk ji

That is very sad to hear. Guruji tells us that our family will not be with us when we die, but the Compassionate Lord who sustains us will be there if we turn to him. At some point, the family message needs to be put into perspective. And the Bani of Guruji need to be taken to heart. You do not know that you are doomed.

ਪਤਿਤ ਪੁਨੀਤ ਦੀਨ ਬੰਧ ਹਰਿ ਸਰਨਿ ਤਾਹਿ ਤੁਮ ਆਵਉ ॥
pathith puneeth dheen bandhh har saran thaahi thum aavo ||
He is the Purifier of sinners, the Friend of the poor. Come, and enter the Lord's Sanctuary.

ਗਜ ਕੋ ਤ੍ਰਾਸੁ ਮਿਟਿਓ ਜਿਹ ਸਿਮਰਤ ਤੁਮ ਕਾਹੇ ਬਿਸਰਾਵਉ ॥੧॥
gaj ko thraas mittiou jih simarath thum kaahae bisaraavo ||1||
Remembering Him, the
elephant's fear was removed; so why do you forget Him? ||1||

Guru Teg Bahadur
Ang 219


If you do not know the story of the elephant, one of us here can tell you how it went.

And there is this to remember also:

ਦੂਖ ਤਿਸੈ ਪਹਿ ਆਖੀਅਹਿ ਸੂਖ ਜਿਸੈ ਹੀ ਪਾਸਿ ॥੩॥
dhookh thisai pehi aakheeahi sookh jisai hee paas ||3||
Tell your troubles to the One who is the Source of all comfort. ||3||

Guru Naanak Dev ji
Ang 16

 

Astroboy

ਨਾਮ ਤੇਰੇ ਕੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਲਗਾਈ (Previously namjap)
Writer
SPNer
Jul 14, 2007
4,576
1,609
Here's an extract from another Sikhi Forum called Universal Mind :-

The mythical story of elephant and crocodile is the one refered to in the pungtee by the ninth Guru. A worthy effort.

Now let me take it a bit further.

In the pungtee the pointer is "LIKE IN THE CASE OF ELEPHANT"
This is a hindu mythical story .At no of places in SGGS ji there are references to myths. This led me into finding out what essential point is there in the story.
I found the story in one sight. The link is as under :


The portions relevant for our understand are as under from this source.

"Thus when the elephant was in a sad situation and despaired of his life, unable ever so long to free himself, thought of an idea. "

"I shall seek HIM the ultimate refuge. I seek refuge of the Lord that protects the scared seeking HIS refuge, for refuge from the powerful serpent of Death that pursues ever so swiftly, but yet itself runs away in utter fear of the Lord."


"Thus, as the elephant prayed to the Lord who is indistinctive, the celestials headed by Brahma, who had each his own distinction and ego in his own form, did not approach him, as the prayer was to the all embracing One, when on the spot there appeared Hari, who is of the form of all the celestials together,"

The inference that can be drawn from the above is that :
the prayer was to the Lord.

It thus appears that Guru ji means the support sought should be not of any other lesser being but of HAR.

The question next in natural sequence would be : How ?

Guru ji gives the answer in the next pungtees :

An understanding that - Everything is in HIS hands.

The learning of the above truth is a great meditation.This understanding has to be lived . The invisible presence within everything including us.
Do we drive a car or HE drives it.
Is HE the one sitting before PC.
Who is seeing through the eyes- HE or I.
The experiencer and the experienced through are to be merged with no separate I being there.


The story is not about belief -- as when we pray, oh God, because I believe in You, then will You rescue me? This way is to make the Divine like a merchant with whom we can barter. No. Rather, He rescues when he chooses and whom He chooses for His reasons.

Which of the following would be the best answer ?

1. Regardless of our belief, he does help us.
2. He helps us always, but be might fail to see it.
3. We fail to see him helping us because we want the help on our terms.
4. When we understand the Divine Plan, we understand His way of helping us.
5. When we understand our trueselves, we see the Divine Plan working in helping us.
 
Apr 4, 2007
934
29
doomed in the sense that i will not be reborn into a sikh...and i was told by a family member that sikhs are born because they were good in their previous life


you're very young and can turn your life around if you wish. Guru sahib has told us that we have taken birth as a human by God's grace, and must take advantage of this opportunity, for it may not come again for a long time...



ਲਖ ਚਉਰਾਸੀਹ ਭ੍ਰਮਤਿਆ ਦੁਲਭ ਜਨਮੁ ਪਾਇਓਇ ॥
Lakẖ cẖa*orāsīh bẖarmaṯi*ā ḏulabẖ janam pā*i*o*ė.
Through 8.4 million incarnations you have wandered, to obtain this rare and precious human life.



so take advantage of it! it may not come again. as long as you move towards God, God will move towards you.




ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
आसा महला ५ ॥
Āsā mehlā 5.
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:

ਭਈ ਪਰਾਪਤਿ ਮਾਨੁਖ ਦੇਹੁਰੀਆ ॥
भई परापति मानुख देहुरीआ ॥
Bẖa*ī parāpaṯ mānukẖ ḏėhurī*ā.
This human body has been given to you.

ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਮਿਲਣ ਕੀ ਇਹ ਤੇਰੀ ਬਰੀਆ ॥
गोबिंद मिलण की इह तेरी बरीआ ॥
Gobinḏ milaṇ kī ih ṯėrī barī*ā.
This is your chance to meet the Lord of the Universe.

ਅਵਰਿ ਕਾਜ ਤੇਰੈ ਕਿਤੈ ਨ ਕਾਮ ॥
अवरि काज तेरै कितै न काम ॥
Avar kāj ṯėrai kiṯai na kām.
Nothing else will work.

ਮਿਲੁ ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਭਜੁ ਕੇਵਲ ਨਾਮ ॥੧॥
मिलु साधसंगति भजु केवल नाम ॥१॥
Mil sāḏẖsangaṯ bẖaj kėval nām. ||1||
Join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; vibrate and meditate on the Jewel of the Naam. ||1||
 
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spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
SPNer
Jun 17, 2004
14,500
19,219
...thats very depressing. does God expect us to be detached from our family because I think it's a little late for that...

BALIstik ji

No. You do not abandon your family. After all, they have been standing behind you. But you move to a different understanding of your relationship with them because of your relationship with the Guru. I never abandoned my family -- but they don't define who I am. Because of our relationship with Guruji, they are rescued with us.

ਮੰਨੈ ਪਾਵਹਿ ਮੋਖੁ ਦੁਆਰੁ ॥
mannai paavehi mokh dhuaar ||
The faithful find the Door of Liberation.

ਮੰਨੈ ਪਰਵਾਰੈ ਸਾਧਾਰੁ ॥
mannai paravaarai saadhhaar ||
The faithful uplift and redeem their family and relations.

ਮੰਨੈ ਤਰੈ ਤਾਰੇ ਗੁਰੁ ਸਿਖ ॥
mannai tharai thaarae gur sikh ||
The faithful are saved, and carried across with the Sikhs of the Guru.

This is in Japji Sahib. So you would not be abandoning your family.
 

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