These thoughts have been inspired by a lot that has been said in various posts across SPN and at home. What is blind faith? Is it right? Is it helpful? Most importantly, is it the Guru’s way?
The Mool Mantar describes God, therefore, I know exactly what I am believing in:
ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
I know the entity that I am following so my faith cannot be blind. If we take this one step further the ultimate respect we can pay to the Guru is to listen to the wisdom in the Guru and heed what we are told.
If I do not take the time to understand what is written in my Guru then how can I follow the path to Akal Purakh? If Guru Nanak Dev Ji were still alive, we would listen, learn, UNDERSTAND and apply to our lives. Why are we treating Guru Granth Sahib Ji differently? We wouldn’t just parrot Guru Nanak Dev Ji so why is that sufficient with our current Guru? Unless I know what the Guru is telling me, I cannot change my life to become a Gurmukh.
Ang 1022
ਕਾਮੁ ਕ੍ਰੋਧੁ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੁ ਨਿਵਾਰੇ ॥
kaam krodhh ahankaar nivaarae ||
ਤਸਕਰ ਪੰਚ ਸਬਦਿ ਸੰਘਾਰੇ ॥
thasakar panch sabadh sanghaarae ||
ਗਿਆਨ ਖੜਗੁ ਲੈ ਮਨ ਸਿਉ ਲੂਝੈ ਮਨਸਾ ਮਨਹਿ ਸਮਾਈ ਹੇ ॥੩॥
giaan kharrag lai man sio loojhai manasaa manehi samaaee hae ||3||
Whoever distances him/herself from lust, anger and ego, is able to defeat the 5 thieves by joining forces with the Guru’s shabad. Using the sword of spiritual knowledge (imparted by the Guru), the Gurmukh can battle with the mind and desire is wiped out so peace remains.
Ang 220-1
ਰਾਗੁ ਗਉੜੀ ਅਸਟਪਦੀਆ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ਗਉੜੀ ਗੁਆਰੇਰੀ
raag gourree asattapadheeaa mehalaa 1 gourree guaaraeree
ੴ ਸਤਿਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ik oankaar sathinaam karathaa purakh gur prasaadh ||
ਨਿਧਿ ਸਿਧਿ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਨਾਮੁ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ ॥
nidhh sidhh niramal naam beechaar ||
ਪੂਰਨ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਬਿਖੁ ਮਾਰਿ ॥
pooran poor rehiaa bikh maar ||
ਤ੍ਰਿਕੁਟੀ ਛੂਟੀ ਬਿਮਲ ਮਝਾਰਿ ॥
thrikuttee shhoottee bimal majhaar ||
ਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਮਤਿ ਜੀਇ ਆਈ ਕਾਰਿ ॥੧॥
gur kee math jeee aaee kaar ||1||
ਇਨ ਬਿਧਿ ਰਾਮ ਰਮਤ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਨਿਆ ॥
ein bidhh raam ramath man maaniaa ||
ਗਿਆਨ ਅੰਜਨੁ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦਿ ਪਛਾਨਿਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
giaan anjan gur sabadh pashhaaniaa ||1|| rehaao ||
ਇਕੁ ਸੁਖੁ ਮਾਨਿਆ ਸਹਜਿ ਮਿਲਾਇਆ ॥
eik sukh maaniaa sehaj milaaeiaa ||
ਨਿਰਮਲ ਬਾਣੀ ਭਰਮੁ ਚੁਕਾਇਆ ॥
niramal baanee bharam chukaaeiaa ||
ਲਾਲ ਭਏ ਸੂਹਾ ਰੰਗੁ ਮਾਇਆ ॥
laal bheae soohaa rang maaeiaa ||
ਨਦਰਿ ਭਈ ਬਿਖੁ ਠਾਕਿ ਰਹਾਇਆ ॥੨॥
nadhar bhee bikh thaak rehaaeiaa ||2||
This shabad talks about how once the Guru's words are understood and followed, the draw towards temptation is eradicated and the Guru's instructions/praise of Waheguru is the sustenance of the soul. The rahao line says that when you connect with the Shabad Guru, you obtain peace and form a close connection with Ik Oankar. When living according to the Guru (Granth Sahib's) way, the connection is so strong that it becomes like a habit-you can't live without it. The next verse goes on to say that the pure gurbani has eradicated the wandering in my mind and my mind has learnt (and accepted) that a spiritual peace is the best kind of peace. By absorbing and following the bani, my mind glows the solid colour reflecting Waheguru's love, I seen the colours of maya as washed out. With Waheguru's blessing, I have stopped the poison from maya having an effect on me.
The shabad is quite long so I'll stop there. Clearly unless we follow bani we will not have the tools to stop temptation and obtain spiritual peace.
Ang 124
ਨਉ ਦਰ ਠਾਕੇ ਧਾਵਤੁ ਰਹਾਏ ॥
no dhar thaakae dhhaavath rehaaeae ||
ਦਸਵੈ ਨਿਜ ਘਰਿ ਵਾਸਾ ਪਾਏ ॥
dhasavai nij ghar vaasaa paaeae ||
ਓਥੈ ਅਨਹਦ ਸਬਦ ਵਜਹਿ ਦਿਨੁ ਰਾਤੀ ਗੁਰਮਤੀ ਸਬਦੁ ਸੁਣਾਵਣਿਆ ॥੬॥
outhhai anehadh sabadh vajehi dhin raathee guramathee sabadh sunaavaniaa ||6||
Those who engage the brain and control the restless mind, truly go home (i.e. join with Waheguru). They constantly hear and speak the pure sweet words of Gurbani as it becomes part of their being.
There are over 500 references to gyaan (knowledge) in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
Let’s look into it a little deeper. We’ve established knowing the shabad and knowing what GuruJi is telling us is important, but what do we do with that information?
There are 50 references in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji for budhi or bibek budh meaning wisdom or discerning intellect.
A Guru is a teacher, a guide, an enlightener. However, the Guru cannot do any of these things unless we take the time to learn from the Guru just like we take the time to learn from a teacher in school. If we do not know what our Guru is telling us then we can easily be manipulated by others in the name of the Guru and that will take us away from the wonderful path of Sikhi. Therefore, blind faith is not possible in Sikhi.
Jasleen Kaur
The Mool Mantar describes God, therefore, I know exactly what I am believing in:
ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
I know the entity that I am following so my faith cannot be blind. If we take this one step further the ultimate respect we can pay to the Guru is to listen to the wisdom in the Guru and heed what we are told.
If I do not take the time to understand what is written in my Guru then how can I follow the path to Akal Purakh? If Guru Nanak Dev Ji were still alive, we would listen, learn, UNDERSTAND and apply to our lives. Why are we treating Guru Granth Sahib Ji differently? We wouldn’t just parrot Guru Nanak Dev Ji so why is that sufficient with our current Guru? Unless I know what the Guru is telling me, I cannot change my life to become a Gurmukh.
Ang 1022
ਕਾਮੁ ਕ੍ਰੋਧੁ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੁ ਨਿਵਾਰੇ ॥
kaam krodhh ahankaar nivaarae ||
ਤਸਕਰ ਪੰਚ ਸਬਦਿ ਸੰਘਾਰੇ ॥
thasakar panch sabadh sanghaarae ||
ਗਿਆਨ ਖੜਗੁ ਲੈ ਮਨ ਸਿਉ ਲੂਝੈ ਮਨਸਾ ਮਨਹਿ ਸਮਾਈ ਹੇ ॥੩॥
giaan kharrag lai man sio loojhai manasaa manehi samaaee hae ||3||
Whoever distances him/herself from lust, anger and ego, is able to defeat the 5 thieves by joining forces with the Guru’s shabad. Using the sword of spiritual knowledge (imparted by the Guru), the Gurmukh can battle with the mind and desire is wiped out so peace remains.
Ang 220-1
ਰਾਗੁ ਗਉੜੀ ਅਸਟਪਦੀਆ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ਗਉੜੀ ਗੁਆਰੇਰੀ
raag gourree asattapadheeaa mehalaa 1 gourree guaaraeree
ੴ ਸਤਿਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ik oankaar sathinaam karathaa purakh gur prasaadh ||
ਨਿਧਿ ਸਿਧਿ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਨਾਮੁ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ ॥
nidhh sidhh niramal naam beechaar ||
ਪੂਰਨ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਬਿਖੁ ਮਾਰਿ ॥
pooran poor rehiaa bikh maar ||
ਤ੍ਰਿਕੁਟੀ ਛੂਟੀ ਬਿਮਲ ਮਝਾਰਿ ॥
thrikuttee shhoottee bimal majhaar ||
ਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਮਤਿ ਜੀਇ ਆਈ ਕਾਰਿ ॥੧॥
gur kee math jeee aaee kaar ||1||
ਇਨ ਬਿਧਿ ਰਾਮ ਰਮਤ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਨਿਆ ॥
ein bidhh raam ramath man maaniaa ||
ਗਿਆਨ ਅੰਜਨੁ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦਿ ਪਛਾਨਿਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
giaan anjan gur sabadh pashhaaniaa ||1|| rehaao ||
ਇਕੁ ਸੁਖੁ ਮਾਨਿਆ ਸਹਜਿ ਮਿਲਾਇਆ ॥
eik sukh maaniaa sehaj milaaeiaa ||
ਨਿਰਮਲ ਬਾਣੀ ਭਰਮੁ ਚੁਕਾਇਆ ॥
niramal baanee bharam chukaaeiaa ||
ਲਾਲ ਭਏ ਸੂਹਾ ਰੰਗੁ ਮਾਇਆ ॥
laal bheae soohaa rang maaeiaa ||
ਨਦਰਿ ਭਈ ਬਿਖੁ ਠਾਕਿ ਰਹਾਇਆ ॥੨॥
nadhar bhee bikh thaak rehaaeiaa ||2||
This shabad talks about how once the Guru's words are understood and followed, the draw towards temptation is eradicated and the Guru's instructions/praise of Waheguru is the sustenance of the soul. The rahao line says that when you connect with the Shabad Guru, you obtain peace and form a close connection with Ik Oankar. When living according to the Guru (Granth Sahib's) way, the connection is so strong that it becomes like a habit-you can't live without it. The next verse goes on to say that the pure gurbani has eradicated the wandering in my mind and my mind has learnt (and accepted) that a spiritual peace is the best kind of peace. By absorbing and following the bani, my mind glows the solid colour reflecting Waheguru's love, I seen the colours of maya as washed out. With Waheguru's blessing, I have stopped the poison from maya having an effect on me.
The shabad is quite long so I'll stop there. Clearly unless we follow bani we will not have the tools to stop temptation and obtain spiritual peace.
Ang 124
ਨਉ ਦਰ ਠਾਕੇ ਧਾਵਤੁ ਰਹਾਏ ॥
no dhar thaakae dhhaavath rehaaeae ||
ਦਸਵੈ ਨਿਜ ਘਰਿ ਵਾਸਾ ਪਾਏ ॥
dhasavai nij ghar vaasaa paaeae ||
ਓਥੈ ਅਨਹਦ ਸਬਦ ਵਜਹਿ ਦਿਨੁ ਰਾਤੀ ਗੁਰਮਤੀ ਸਬਦੁ ਸੁਣਾਵਣਿਆ ॥੬॥
outhhai anehadh sabadh vajehi dhin raathee guramathee sabadh sunaavaniaa ||6||
Those who engage the brain and control the restless mind, truly go home (i.e. join with Waheguru). They constantly hear and speak the pure sweet words of Gurbani as it becomes part of their being.
There are over 500 references to gyaan (knowledge) in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
Let’s look into it a little deeper. We’ve established knowing the shabad and knowing what GuruJi is telling us is important, but what do we do with that information?
There are 50 references in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji for budhi or bibek budh meaning wisdom or discerning intellect.
A Guru is a teacher, a guide, an enlightener. However, the Guru cannot do any of these things unless we take the time to learn from the Guru just like we take the time to learn from a teacher in school. If we do not know what our Guru is telling us then we can easily be manipulated by others in the name of the Guru and that will take us away from the wonderful path of Sikhi. Therefore, blind faith is not possible in Sikhi.
Jasleen Kaur
