Madness Of Judging Others

Judging others through false ego is a symptom as well as pastime of a worldly person. Also called Manmukh — material or unenlightened being — the daily life of such person engrossed in evil ways is full of its natural contentions, contradictions, jealousy, usual competitions, selfishness, corruption, falsehood, baser desires and fears. Consequently, he ends up living a wrong life in all his worldly contacts and experiences; thus wasting useful time and energy by undergoing tensions, strains, and creating chaos within for himself and confusion without for others.

• Manmukh boli na jaananee onaa andari kaam krodh ahankaar....: The Manmukhs (material beings) do not even know how to speak. They are filled with lust, anger and false pride (i.e. all evil passions, which are the faults of the same false ego-sense or Haume). They do not know the difference between good and bad; they constantly think of corruption. In God's Court, they are called to account, and they are judged to be false (sggs 1248).

We are strongly urged by the Gurbani (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, SGGS) to renounce such "evil ways". Instead, we are challenged by the Gurbani to look within to examine and judge ourselves. If we dare doing what the Gurbani asks us to do here, then and only then we will be known as "real judge".

• Nanak parkhe aap kayu ta paarakh jaan: O Nanak, if someone judges himself, only then is he known as a real judge (sggs 148).
• Is mann kayu koee khojo bhaaee: Let each person examine his own mind, O brother (sggs 1128).

Judging oneself means to know "Who Am I?", and then purify himself. To know the time as time, to know the space as space, to know the world-appearance as appearance, to know the Source as Source, and to know oneself as the Source ("Joti svaroop") is being the "real judge". This only is Self-realization — to know one's essential nature as Pure Awareness.

• Aap pachhanai boojhai soi: He who recognizes his Self comprehends God (sggs 25).
• Mann tu jot saroop hai apnaa mool pashaan: O my mind, you are That — the true image of the Divine Light — know your Reality (sggs 441).

Unfortunately, however, the majority of us do not want to know ourselves. But we want to know everything about others! We want to find faults in others, but not in ourselves. We want to see Divine Virtues in others, but not in ourselves! We want others to forgive and forget our demerits, but we don't want to forgive and forget theirs. Hence, on account of false ego-sense, instead of investigating and judging our own conduct, we commit the error of judging others. In other words, we are unaware of our own house being on fire, but we go out of our way to see if someone else's house is burning out there! According to the Gurbani, such practices only tantamount to madness.

• Parh Pandit avraa samjhaae. Ghar jalte kee khabar na paae: The Pandit reads and instructs others, but he does not realize that his own home is on fire (sggs 1047).
• So bayuraa jo aap na pachaanai. Aap pacchaanai ta eko jaanai: Man is mad wihtout Self-realization. When he knows the Self, only then he comes to know the One Reality (sggs 855).

The Gurbani's diagnosis of our instinctive mind is that we are "Kache" (unripe or false) and "Kach Nicach" (falsest of the false). It's this unripe ego-sense that enjoys falsehood such as judging others. In other words, because we are "Kache" and "Kach Nicach" ourselves, our unripe ego goes judging others as such. In such deceptive and shallow intellectualism, we get stuck in "Kathanee Badanee" — babbling and speaking in egoity. The Gurbani roars:

• Andhaa kachaa kach nicach: The spiritually blind are unripe and imperfect, falsest of the false (sggs 5).
• Kathanee badanee kartaa phirai hukmai mooli na bujhayee andhaa kach nicach: He wanders around babbling and speaking, but he does not understand the Divine Law at all. He is blind, the falsest of the false (sggs 509).
• Hor kachee matee kach pich andhiyaa andh beechaar: False and shallow are the intellectualisms of the false; blind are the contemplations of such blind (sggs 1242).
• Bikhu kaa maataa jag siyu loojhai: Intoxicated with poison, man struggles with the world (sggs 414).

The purpose of this rare gift of life is to look within to judge ourselves so that we may Realize the real Self within. But the majority of us (more than 99.9 percent) are unwilling to do it. Why? Because our inflated ego-sense is afraid to face the truth our inner mind would reveal to us — our shocking crookedness, perversions, weaknesses, shortcomings, corruption, ignorance, untruthfulness, selfishness, demoniac instincts, duality, Vaasnaa, fear, falsehood, and so on. As a result, our ever expanding psychological construct self-image or ego-consciousness finds it easy and more pleasant to judge others and find faults with them!

• Mahal kumahal na jaananee moorakh apne suaae. Shabad cheenahi ta mahal lahe joti jot samaae: The fools do not know the difference between good and bad; they are deceived by their self-interests. But if they contemplate the Shabad, they realize the God's Presence within, and their individual light merges in the Light (sggs 649).
• Freeda je tu akal lateef hai kaale likh na lekh. Aapanrhe gireevaan mahi sir neevaa kar dekh: Fareed, if you are so clever, then you should not do evil. Examine your own self instead (sggs 1378).

To the spiritually blind-mind preoccupied with material temptations (one with "Kachee Matee"), the nectarian Divine Name tastes bitter and the poison of judging others sweet. In such deluded frame of mind, we take those engaged in seeking the Absolute Truth as no-Sikh or lesser Sikh, and we take those engaged in falsehood as good Sikh, and so on! The same applies to other religions as well.

• Jag jhoothai kayu saachi jaan kai taa siyu ruchi upjaaee: I judge the false world to be true, and I have fallen in love with it (sggs 718).
• Gurmukh siyu manmukh arhai dubbai hakk niaae: If the Manmukhs fight with the Gurmukh, they are condemned by the True Judge (sggs 148).
• Taa jag aayaa jaaneeai saachai liv laae: One’s coming into the world is judged worthwhile only if one lovingly attunes oneself to the True Being (sggs 421).

Man is bonded unless he is Self-realized. The Gurbani repeatedly reminds us that while in bondage we remain unqualified for judging others. Those of us with spiritually-blind mind do not have the integrity, courage, and wisdom to judge ourselves. Instead, with our stubborn mindedness and our inverted heart-lotus, we look outside. As a result, we put ourselves in a position to commit more mistakes. Only the Pure Being is the True Judge.

• Antar kee gati tum hee jaanee tujh hee paahi nibero...: Only You know the state of my innermost self; You alone can judge me. Please forgive me, O Lord; I have committed thousands of sins and mistakes (sggs 618).
• Moorakh ganat gnaae jhagrhaa paayaa. Satgur hath niber jhagarh chukaaiaa: The fools try to account for their misdeeds, and argue uselessly. The judgment is in the Hands of the True Guru, who puts an end to the argument (sggs 139).

Judging others in ignorance is contradiction, which is the foundation of expansion of our false ego-sense. As long as we take refuse in contradictions, we remain separated from the Supreme Truth that our True Nature is Unconditioned Consciousness ("Joti Svaroop"). Therefore, contradiction is the material bondage, and the absence of contradiction is liberation. By contradicting the world around, we in our foolishness contradicts our very Essence namely the Blissful-Consciousness-Existence. Such foolishness promotes nothing but psychological distress.

Therefore, "renounce the urge to judge others", thunder the scriptures and the Realized Beings. They teach us to leave behind all mental perversions. They urge us to break the chains of doubts and to remain affectionately unattached. They tirelessly tell us that this rare human life is meant to seek the real Self with, not uselessly contradicting the world around.
What is the cure? Before finding the cure, we need to find out the cause of the disease. As mentioned before, the reason the instinct of judging others exists is the expanded psychological ego (Haume). It is not the Pure Self, rather, it is our deluded ego that craves for judging others. That's why the genuine religious texts and the Spiritual Beings repeatedly remind us that the destruction of false ego is the purpose of human life as well as all religions, not other way around. Trying to justify the egoistic urge to judge others would be like falling into the coal-pit; again and again, and then try to shake the body off!

• Hayumai kari nihkarmi hovai. Gur parsaadee hayumai khovai. Antari bibek sadaa aap veechare gur sabadee gun gaavaniaa: Those who act in ego do not go beyond Karma. It is only by Guru’s Grace that one is rid of ego. Those who have discriminating minds, continually examine their Self. Through the Gur-Shabad, they sing Glorious Praises (sggs 128).

Many of us excuse our own shortcomings, but judge others harshly. One who is quick to see and judge evil in other persons has the seed of that evil within himself; because anything of which one is cognizant has a relative vibration within himself. Therefore, the scriptures and the wise ones ask us to reverse this attitude by excusing others' faults and by harshly examining our own.

• Ham nahee change buraa nahee koyi: I am not good; no one is bad (sggs 728).
• Nanak Humble_Gursevak lahau ghar apnaa hari aatam raam naam paya: O Nanak, search and examine your own inner being, and you will find the Supreme Soul, and the Name of the Lord (sggs 1039-40).
• Ustat nindaa kare kiyaa koyee. jaa aape vartai eko soyee: How can anyone praise or slander anyone else? The One Lord Himself is pervading and permeating all (sggs 1128).

For this very purpose, God has given us the power of impartial intuitive self-analysis or discerning introspection. To attain the pure awareness of the Shabad-Surti (Naam or God-consciousness), The Gurbani has recommended daily introspection of our blind sense-mind. To be successful, this introspection has to be impartial, accurate, and without any prejudice. If we let this introspection become marred with the wicked and impulsive mental and sense tendencies such as judging others to satisfy our false ego-sense, then it will be totally meaningless.

• Bande khoj dil har roj naa phir presaanee maahi: O human being, search your own heart every day, and do not wander around in confusion (sggs 727).

Every moment, there is a spiritual and psychological battle going on between the Soul and the sense-infatuated mind under the delusive influence of the false ego-sense. We can invoke the God given power of introspection to review the battle of the day in our mind in order to determine who won the battle — the good or the evil. As scriptures tell us, "good" being that which expresses truth and virtue and attracts the consciousness to God; and "evil" being ignorance and delusion, repels the consciousness from God. Thus, we, the material or unenlightened beings, can realize the eternal Bliss (Anand) only if we side with "goodness" and win the battle between the good and evil inclinations that guide our activities on the external bodily field of action.

• Man kee patree vaachanee sukhee hoo sukh saar: To read the horoscope of the mind, is the most sublime joyful peace (sggs 1093).
• Jan Nanak bin aapaa cheenai mitai na bharam kee kaayee: O servant Nanak, without knowing one’s own Self, the moss of doubt is not removed (sggs 684).
• Nanak Humble_Gursevak lahau ghar apnaa hari aatam raam naam paya: O Nanak, search and examine your own inner being, and you will find the Supreme Soul, and God's Name (sggs 1039).​
• Bande khoj dil har roj naa phir presaanee maahi: O man, search your own heart every day, and do not wander around in confusion (sggs 727).

Once the false ego is thinned out, many evil urges will lose their grip on us. We can shake the unripe ego off by becoming humble beings, and knowing that "I am not good; no one is bad". To a spiritually wise (Gurmukh), what is bad is a good, and what is good is a good; for he is beyond duality (false ego)! The scriptures disapprove of judging others because in Pure Consciousness there is no good, and there is no bad! We Manmukhs (material beings), suffering in ignorance of the Self, however, do not understand this mystery.

• Sabh te neech aatam kari maanahu mann amhi ih sukh dhaarahu: I judge myself to be the lowest of all; in this way, I instill peace within my mind (sggs 532).
• Ham nahee change buraa nahee koyi: I am not good; no one is bad (sggs 728).
• Ustat nindaa kare kiyaa koyee. jaa aape vartai eko soyee: How can anyone praise or slander anyone else? The One God Himself is pervadingand permeating all (sggs 1128).
• Kabeer sabh te ham bure ham taji bhalo sabh koi. Jin aisaa kari boojhiaa meet hamaaraa soi: Kabeer, I am the worst of all. Everyone else is good. Whoever understands this is a friend of mine (sggs 1364).
• Hari prabh sang khelahi var kaamani Gurmukh khojat man mane. Manmukh duhaagan naahi bheyu. Oh ghat ghat raavai sarab preyu: The Gurmukhs look Within themselves; their minds are filled with faith. The Manmukhs, suffering in separation, do not understand this mystery (sggs 1170).

The state of fearlessness is equated with the state of Spiritual Perfection. In other words, fearlessness is directly proportional to the degree of humbleness or Spiritual Realization. Therefore, the spiritual quality such as humbleness is not to be mistaken for weakness or pessimism; for the humble person is the most fearless and active person one can find! He is both Sant (humble) and Sipaahee (fearless). To an ordinary person, a humble being may look inactive on the outside, but on the inside he is the most active person one can find! Just look at our ten Gururs! They were the most humble, the most fearless, and the most active beings!

• Saran pario Nanak thaakur kee abhai daan sukh paayo: Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of his God, and has received the blessings of fearlessness and peace (sggs 498).
• Kabeer jis marne te jagg darai mere mann anand: Kabeer, the world is afraid of death — that death fills my mind with bliss (sggs 774).
• Khet ju mandio soormaa ab joojhan ko daayu. Sooraa so pehchaaneeai jo larai deen ke het. Purjaa purjaa kat marai kabhoo na shaadai khet: He alone is known as a spiritual hero, who fights in defense of righteousness. He may be cut apart, piece by piece, but he never leaves the battle (sggs 1105).

Therefore, the Gurbani's emphasis is in becoming a truly humble being. Also called Gurmukh (a Self-realized person), such person is pure both inside and outside. Since the Gurmukh acts through his natural state of Being (Sahaj Avasthaa: the state of egolessness, desirelessness or non-duality), his actions become non-binding or "no-actions". Nothing can stop such person from thinking, speaking and doing what's righteous. For such person, there is no accounting for his Karma; because he is living liberated (Jeevanmukta).

• Gobind kee tahal safal ih kaayaa: Working for God, the body becomes fruitful (sggs 202).
• Gurmukh laahaa kai gaye. Manmukh challe mool gavaae jeeo: The Gurmukhs (Self-realized) reap the true profits of their life and leave, while the Manmukhs (material beings) lose all and depart (sggs 74).
• Sabad soojhai taa mann siyu loojhai: When you understand the Shabad (Naam or God-consciousness), then you can control your mind (sggs 1126).

—T. Singh