General True Honour (BoSKD 5)

Bani of Sant Kabir Das, Shabad #5, starts at the beginning of page 324.


Introduction: Sant Kabir was often insulted by some ignoramuses as Saints often are. To them Kabir replies.

ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ॥
Raag Gaurhi Kabir ji.


ਜਬ ਹਮ ਏਕੋ ਏਕੁ ਕਰਿ ਜਾਨਿਆ ॥
When I understand the all-pervading Oneness

ਤਬ ਲੋਗਹ ਕਾਹੇ ਦੁਖੁ ਮਾਨਿਆ ॥੧॥
then why do people get upset? 1.


ਹਮ ਅਪਤਹ ਅਪੁਨੀ ਪਤਿ ਖੋਈ ॥
I am dishonoured, I have lost all dignity.

ਹਮਰੈ ਖੋਜਿ ਪਰਹੁ ਮਤਿ ਕੋਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
No one should go after what I have found. 1. Think about this.


ਹਮ ਮੰਦੇ ਮੰਦੇ ਮਨ ਮਾਹੀ ॥
I am bad and only bad in my mind.

ਸਾਝ ਪਾਤਿ ਕਾਹੂ ਸਿਉ ਨਾਹੀ ॥੨॥
I do not associate with anyone else.

ਪਤਿ ਅਪਤਿ ਤਾ ਕੀ ਨਹੀ ਲਾਜ ॥
I do not care about honour or dishonour.

ਤਬ ਜਾਨਹੁਗੇ ਜਬ ਉਘਰੈਗੋ ਪਾਜ ॥੩॥
You will know when your own false display is exposed.

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਪਤਿ ਹਰਿ ਪਰਵਾਨੁ ॥
Kabir says, that honour, which Hari has approved, is true honour.

ਸਰਬ ਤਿਆਗਿ ਭਜੁ ਕੇਵਲ ਰਾਮੁ ॥੪॥੩॥
Give up everything, the search for honour and meditate only on Ram.



Summary
Kabir says he derives his honour from Ram/Hari alone. He does not care about worldly honour as that is false. One may have it today and it maybe gone tomorrow. There is immense suffering created when one focuses too much on worldly honour, when one's sense of identity is derived from the material things, because these things do not last very long, and when they are gone, one cries out in pain. "When this happens to you then you will come to search for what I have found", says Kabir "Do not base your honour on worldly things, base it on Ram instead. It is much more stable."

Questions
1. In what ways do we let our sense of identity shift from God to the outside world?
2. What happens when that sense of identity is attacked?


Thirst for God (BoSKD 4)
God the Water (BoSKD 3)
Bani of Sant Kabir Das 2
Bani of Sant Kabir Das 1

ਹਮ ਅਪਤਹ ਅਪੁਨੀ ਪਤਿ ਖੋਈ ॥
I am dishonoured, I have lost all dignity.

ਹਮਰੈ ਖੋਜਿ ਪਰਹੁ ਮਤਿ ਕੋਈ ॥੧॥ਰਹਾਉ ॥
No one should go after what I have found.

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I love this. countless people talk religion...whats right?....whats wrong?...what is a sin? etc etc.
But as soon as someone makes progress, they get laughed at, mocked, told they're crazy...so who in their right ming would go after what Kabir Ji has found

I read in a book once that when one starts to tread the path back to god, that gods opposite (the temporary creation) through fear, life situations will try to rock you, knock you off the path to try and stop you from reaching your destination.

In many ways, i can relate to this. my wife is not at all interested in God...very much material and success to her is proving to her family and friends that she has 'made it' materially. She's also very quick to mock my spirituality. Even mentioning things to good friends, and you notice behavioural changes in them.....they don't yet understand.

So who then is my support? only God himself, and like minded souls just like gurbani has always stated so very clearly.

If I may answer my own questions:

1. In what ways do we let our sense of identity shift from God to the outside world?

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It seems we do this when we make effort towards something in the world. Effort is the keyword here. The act of trying to accomplish something involves effort for most people. It is a mental struggle, a straining, a tightening. An effort to listen, an effort to do a chore, an effort to debate, an effort to learn, an effort to study, an effort to pray, an effort to understand, an effort to make a living, an effort to maintain a relationship, all lead to fixation on the things we are making the efforts for. And this fixation leads to an identity which if it were a statement would read "I am the one who makes effort to bring something about." The identity shifts from God to me and the world and all the effort I put into them. The one who is making the effort becomes very obvious when it tenses up. The 'I' becomes more pronounced when the 'I' makes an effort.

2. What happens when that sense of identity is attacked?

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Effort is like an investment in to the 'I'. The more you put in the stronger the 'I'. Now when this effort, all this hard work we put in building the 'I' gets attacked. We feel horrible, we cry, get stressed, in fact, we make further effort to not feel so bad, having been attacked. This causes more suffering.

The solution is to act effortlessly. Doing things effortlessly, still gets the job done, but gives the mind no currency to invest into the 'I', into any honour derived from it. But this is easier said than done. Like walking a tight rope, effortlessly.

The solution is to act effortlessly. Doing things effortlessly, still gets the job done, but gives the mind no currency to invest into the 'I', into any honour derived from it. But this is easier said than done. Like walking a tight rope, effortlessly

Click to expand...

good post.
I would imagine walking the tightrope effortlessly would require being fearless, no desire for the fame one may receive, no looking into the future (getting to the other side) and worrying if you will make it, no thinking of the past and problems you may have faced...

best to be clear on the job at hand...destination is clear...stay in the present and do the best you can of each step you are taking in the present.

The illusion of Time is crazy....the past exists due to memories...
the future exists because of emotions of Hope, and our ability to imagine and dream. the only thing that we are conscious of is the present.
So lets just do what we can to the best of our ability for the now...and not worry about past and future