THEOLOGICAL GOD/ਧਾਰਮਕ ਅਕਾਲ ਪੁਰਖ
ABSTRACT
Theological God is rather an elusive conception and it becomes difficult in discussing this question, to know what one is discussing? It is an Absolute Principle and It applies to every thing (Sargun) and some thing in terms of itself cannot be defined (Nirgun). One must set aside personal prejudices or bias and keep an open mind to understand the Principle. God and spirit are both out side the limitations of time and space. Prejudiced individuals see only what fits those prejudices.
Q. Do you believe in God?
A. It depends what you mean by the term.
One must keep an open mind and be receptive despite what issues arise?
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The absolute Principle (God) is not a, thing, sound or vibration, not divisible, not diluted or augmented, has no partner or complement, has no form or qualities;
ਬਰਨੁ ਚਿਹਨੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਮੁਖੁ ਨ ਮਾਸਾਰਾ ॥
Baran cẖihan nāhī mukẖ na māsārā.
Akal Purkh has no color, no sign, no mouth and no beard -----Guru Arjan, Raag Suhi, AGGS, Page, 746-10
Akal Purkh is every where(ਨਿਰੰਤਰ) all the time (Immanent & Transcendent) and forever with out any relation to time and space.
ਬਨ ਮਹਿ ਪੇਖਿਓ ਤ੍ਰਿਣ ਮਹਿ ਪੇਖਿਓ ਗ੍ਰਿਹਿ ਪੇਖਿਓ ਉਦਾਸਾਏ ॥ ਦੰਡਧਾਰ ਜਟਧਾਰੈ ਪੇਖਿਓ ਵਰਤ ਨੇਮ ਤੀਰਥਾਏ ॥ ਸੰਤਸੰਗਿ ਪੇਖਿਓ ਮਨ ਮਾਏਂ ॥ ਊਭ ਪਇਆਲ ਸਰਬ ਮਹਿ ਪੂਰਨ ਰਸਿ ਮੰਗਲ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਏ ॥ ਜੋਗ ਭੇਖ ਸੰਨਿਆਸੈ ਪੇਖਿਓ ਜਤਿ ਜੰਗਮ ਕਾਪੜਾਏ ॥ ਤਪੀ ਤਪੀਸੁਰ ਮੁਨਿ ਮਹਿ ਪੇਖਿਓ ਨਟ ਨਾਟਿਕ ਨਿਰਤਾਏ ॥ ਚਹੁ ਮਹਿ ਪੇਖਿਓ ਖਟ ਮਹਿ ਪੇਖਿਓ ਦਸ ਅਸਟੀ ਸਿੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਾਏ ॥ ਸਭ ਮਿਲਿ ਏਕੋ ਏਕੁ ਵਖਾਨਹਿ ਤਉ ਕਿਸ ਤੇ ਕਹਉ ਦੁਰਾਏ ॥ ਅਗਹ ਅਗਹ ਬੇਅੰਤ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਨਹ ਕੀਮ ਕੀਮ ਕੀਮਾਏ ॥ ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਤਿਨ ਕੈ ਬਲਿ ਬਲਿ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਿਹ ਘਟਿ ਪਰਗਟੀਆਏ ॥
Ban mėh pekẖi▫o ṯariṇ mėh pekẖi▫o garihi pekẖi▫o uḏāsā▫e. Ḏandḏẖār jatḏẖārai pekẖi▫o varaṯ nem ṯīrthā▫e. Saṯsang pekẖi▫o man mā▫eʼn. Ūbẖ pa▫i▫āl sarab mėh pūran ras mangal guṇ gā▫e. Jog bẖekẖ sanni▫āsai pekẖi▫o jaṯ jangam kāpṛā▫e. Ŧapī ṯapīsur mun mėh pekẖi▫o nat nātik nirṯā▫e. Cẖahu mėh pekẖi▫o kẖat mėh pekẖi▫o ḏas astī simmriṯā▫e. Sabẖ mil eko ek vakẖānėh ṯa▫o kis ṯe kaha▫o ḏurā▫e.
Agah agah be▫anṯ su▫āmī nah kīm kīm kīmā▫e. Jan Nānak ṯin kai bal bal jā▫ī▫ai jih gẖat pargatī▫ā▫e.
I have seen Akal Purkh in the woods, in the fields, in the household, and in renunciation. I have seen It as a Yogi carrying His staff, with matted hair, fasting, making vows, and visiting sacred shrines of pilgrimage. I have seen It in the Society of the Saints, within my own mind, in the sky, in the nether regions of the underworld, pervading and permeating in everything. With love and joy, I sing Its Glorious Praises. I have seen It among the hermits, the ascetics, the celibates, the wandering hermits and the wearers of patched coats. I have seen It among the men of severe self-discipline, the silent sages, the actors, dramas and dances. I have seen It in the four Vedas, in the six Shaastras, in the eighteen Puraanas and the Simritees as well. All together, they declare that there is only One Akal Purkh. So tell me, from whom is It hidden? Unfathomable and Inaccessible, It is our Infinite Akal Purkh and Master; Its Value is beyond valuation. Servant Nanak is a sacrifice, a sacrifice to those, within whose heart It is revealed. -----Guru Arjan, Raag Bhairo, AGGS, Page, 1139
ਅਦਿਸਟੁ ਦਿਸੈ ਤਾ ਕਹਿਆ ਜਾਇ ॥
Aḏisat ḏisai ṯā kahi¬ā jā¬ė.
If the Unseen Akal Purkh could be seen, then It could be described.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Gauri Guarary, AGGS, Page, 22-12
It is One and unity, determines every thing, comes before every thing, and is the law of every thing being blind but Its justice is evenhanded. The ancient pagan Greek philosopher Plato said that the highest power was the Good Itself, that transcendent principle by whose light we could tell the difference between good and bad, right and wrong, appropriate and inappropriate. The Primary Good is good, pure and simple, not by virtue of connection with some thing else, because there is nothing else above it. All things are below It, and receives good from It. It is further more, an agent, through Its action is intellect, life, and the self, and every thing in which there is life and intelligence. The Primary Good, therefore, is that which has no opposite. God is, (Truth Itself and formless), which is why people can't get it until they get honest with themselves.
ਬੋਲੈ ਭਰਥਰਿ ਸਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੁ ॥ਪਰਮ ਤੰਤ ਮਹਿ ਰੇਖ ਨ ਰੂਪੁ ॥
Bolai bẖarthar saṯ sarūp. Param ṯanṯ meh rėkẖ na rūp.
Says Bhart'har (ਗੋਰਖ ਦਾ ਚੇਲਾ, ਇਕ ਜੋਗੀ ਜੋ ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੇਵ ਜੀ ਨੂੰ ਮਿਲਿਆ) God is the embodiment of Truth; the supreme essence of reality has no shape or form. -----Guru Nanak, Raag Ramkali, AGGS, Page, 953-3
Sikhism rejects the idea of a personal God or an extra-cosmic anthropomorphic God. The God of theology is a bundle of contradictions and a logical impossibility as It is Absolute (Avgat-ਅਵਿਗਤ) and Infinite (Apaar-ਅਪਾਰ). Guru Nanak elucidates God with an open Oorhaa (ਓ), and describes the word in Raag Asa;
ਊੜੈ ਉਪਮਾ ਤਾ ਕੀ ਕੀਜੈ ਜਾ ਕਾ ਅੰਤੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
Ūṛai upmā ṯā kī kījai jā kā anṯ na pā­i­ā.
Ooraa: Sing the Praises of the One whose limit cannot be found.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 432-12
Sikhism believes in a Divine Principle, Universal in nature and the root (ਮੂਲ) of all, from which all proceeds and with in which all is absorbed at the end of the great cycle of Being as expressed by Guru Ramdas in Raag Asa;
ਤੁਧੁ ਆਪੇ ਸ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਸਭ ਉਪਾਈ ਜੀ ਤੁਧੁ ਆਪੇ ਸਿਰਜਿ ਸਭ ਗੋਈ ॥ਜਨੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਵੈ ਕਰਤੇ ਕੇ ਜੀ ਜੋ ਸਭਸੈ ਕਾ ਜਾਣੋਈ ॥
Ŧuḏẖ āpė sarisat sabẖ upā¬ī jī ṯuḏẖ āpė siraj sabẖ go¬ī. Jan Nānak guṇ gāvai karṯė kė jī jo sabẖsai kā jāṇo¬ī.
You Yourself created the entire universe, and having fashioned it, You Yourself shall destroy it all. Servant Nanak sings the Glorious Praises of the Dear Creator, the Knower of all. -----Guru Ram Das, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 11-13
Creation is a process, which is unfolding according to the Absolute Divine Principle. It is of utmost importance to have a correct intellectual conception by the individual of the “Supreme Akal Purkh”, for illogical and erroneous conception are capable of misleading and keeping in dark people who otherwise by their intuitions would be on the right track. An individual is entitled to define his Higher Power of his own understanding but on the other hand a false conception of God is responsible for spiritual ignorance.
ਅਸੰਖ ਮੂਰਖ ਅੰਧ ਘੋਰ ॥
Asaʼnkẖ mūrakẖ anḏẖ gẖor.
Countless fools are blinded by ignorance. -----Japji, AGGS, Page, 4
ਅਗਿਆਨੀ ਮਾਨੁਖੁ ਭਇਆ ਜੋ ਨਾਹੀ ਸੋ ਲੋਰੈ ॥ ਰੈਣਿ ਅੰਧਾਰੀ ਕਾਰੀਆ ਕਵਨ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਜਿਤੁ ਭੋਰੈ ॥
Agi¬ānī mānukẖ bẖa¬i¬ā jo nāhī so lorai. Raiṇ anḏẖārī kārī¬ā kavan jugaṯ jiṯ bẖorai.
Humanity is in spiritual ignorance; people see things that do not exist. The night is dark and gloomy; how will the morning dawn? -----Guru Arjan, AGGS, Page, 212-11
Thus the Universe itself is unfolding out of its own essence beyond the reach of our limited senses. It is a waste of time in arguing with people who do not want to be convinced or ridicule every thing, which is new to their limited outlook regarding God/Higher Power. The message is for those---- who want to know and are seeking something that will solve their doubts (duality) and remove their difficulties. Guru Arjan prays in humility for Lord’ in Raag Asa;
ਕਿਛੂ ਨ ਜਾਨਾ ਮਤਿ ਮੇਰੀ ਥੋਰੀ ॥ ਬਿਨਵਤਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਓਟ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਤੋਰੀ ॥
Kicẖẖū na jānā maṯ mėrī thorī. Binvaṯ Nānak ot parabẖ ṯorī.
I know nothing, and my intellect is inadequate. Prays Nanak, O God, You are my only Support. -----Guru Arjan, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 388-3
He, who sees the Eternal existing alike in imperishable and perishable things, sees indeed. So God is every where, in every atom of the visible and invisible Cosmos as a Power of evolution and involution as expressed by Guru Arjan in Raag Gauri and Farid Slokes and Kabir in Raag Parbhati;
ਸੂਖਮ ਅਸਥੂਲ ਸਗਲ ਭਗਵਾਨ ॥
Sūkẖam asthūl sagal bẖagvān.
God exists in all subtle and gross matter (ਨਿਰਗੁਣ & ਸਰਗੁਣ).-----Guru Arjan, Thiti Raag Gauri, AGGS, Page, 299-17
ਫਰੀਦਾ ਖਾਲਕੁ ਖਲਕ ਮਹਿ ਖਲਕ ਵਸੈ ਰਬ ਮਾਹਿ ॥
Farīḏā kẖālak kẖalak meh kẖalak vasai rab māhi.
Farid, the Creator is in the Creation, and the Creation abides in God.-----Guru Arjan, Sloke Farid, AGGS, Page, 1381-17
ਲੋਗਾ ਭਰਮਿ ਨ ਭੂਲਹੁ ਭਾਈ ॥ ਖਾਲਿਕੁ ਖਲਕ ਖਲਕ ਮਹਿ ਖਾਲਿਕੁ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਸ੍ਰਬ ਠਾਂਈ ॥
Logā bẖaram na bẖūlahu bẖā¬ī. Kẖālik kẖalak kẖalak meh kẖālik pūr rahi¬o sarab ṯẖāʼn¬ī.
O people, O Siblings of Destiny, do not wander deluded by doubt. The Creation is in the Creator, and the Creator is in the Creation, totally pervading and permeating all places.-----Kabir, Raag Parbhati Bhibhas, AGGS, Page 1350-1
The Eternal is the source of everlasting life, power, and wisdom through its manifestations in the world. Some call him hypothetical personal Creator-- to whom they petition—for the fulfillment of personal questionable desires. This Eternal power teaches that right action is the truest supplication for the benefit desired. Aristotle said that there is Something above the substance of the firmament, nothing is greater than It and there is no way to quantify or measure It. It is beyond change in any manner or mode. There is no limit to Its power. Therefore It performs Its acts outside of time, being by nature effective and thus always in action, with out Its actions affecting It. Nothing comes from It in a state of potential, rather things come from It in action, while Its potential always pervades the universe.The present age is learning to apply scientific method to find that truth about the Eternal Wisdom.
There is no absolute scientific proof of the presence of The Absolute Principle or the Infinite God; henceforth the Lord’s subtle essence cannot be obtained by any one. Religion and science will always clash due to perceived insults to the research and rationality by fundamentalists and non progressive individuals. Spirituality was the domain of the faith but lately science has developed with close alignment. Science ends, when reason fails and then spirituality takes over. God cannot be completely contained with in nature and therefore God’s existence is out side the science’s ability to weigh in. Scientists are not blind believers but make a critical analysis of the evidence, quite opposite to the religious approach based on blind faith and belief. On the other hand because something is vastly improbable, we need a God to explain it. Since we are profoundly ignorant about certain things we need to work on them like understanding the physiology of conscience to reduce human suffering of pain and depression.
ਹਾਹਾ ਹੋਤ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਜਾਨਾ ॥ਜਬ ਹੀ ਹੋਇ ਤਬਹਿ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਨਾ ॥ਹੈ ਤਉ ਸਹੀ ਲਖੈ ਜਉ ਕੋਈ ॥ਤਬ ਓਹੀ ਉਹੁ ਏਹੁ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥
Hāhā hoṯ ho¬ė nahī jānā, Jab hī ho¬ė ṯabeh man mānā, Hai ṯa¬o sahī lakẖai ja¬o ko¬ī, Ŧab ohī uho ėhu na ho¬ī.
HAHA: God exists, but also is not known to exist. When Akal Purkh is known to exist, then the mind is pleased and appeased. Of course the God exists, if one could only understand It. Then, alone It exists, and not this mortal being.-----Kabir, Gauri Bawan Akhari, AGGS, Page, 342-16 & 17
The Primary Good (God) does exist as It is the cause of causes and It does not cease to exist. The secondary good is what the Primary Good has created, which is intellect. The tertiary good is the self with its arrangement winding up in bodies.
The forces and qualities of Mother Nature are not blind and unintelligent they may appear so when viewed by our physical senses but in the depth of the thought they are alive and conscious. It is not irreverent to say that God acts through some form of energy (heat/electricity/magnetic/some form of waves). In history at one time people were persecuted for making scientific discoveries.
God is a sum of forces of physical nature higher than the real Self. The Higher Self is far higher than ordinary conception of God, which is limited by the imperfections of mind that imagines and fathoms It. When man’s nature becomes so sublimated that he can rise beyond thought to a higher and fuller state of consciousness and becomes enlightened with the Divine knowledge, it is then that he may stultify the nature of that “Higher Power”.
The energy/force/conscience source of life in an individual is a part of the same.
ਜਿਨੀ ਆਤਮੁ ਚੀਨਿਆ ਪਰਮਾਤਮੁ ਸੋਈ ॥ ਏਕੋ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਬਿਰਖੁ ਹੈ ਫਲੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਹੋਈ ॥
Jinī āṯam cẖīni­ā parmāṯam so­ī Ėko amriṯ birakẖ hai fal amriṯ ho­ī..
Those who understand their own Higher Self are themselves the Supreme Akal Purkh. The One Akal Purkh is the tree of ambrosial nectar, which bears the ambrosial fruit. -----Guru Nanak, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 421-16
Conclusion:
God cannot be defined because It applies to every thing and can not be measured, Atula, Atolak (ਅਤੁਲ, ਅਤੋਲਕ.). The words such as Agochar Ached (ਅਛੇਦ), Agaadh (ਅਗਾਧ), Adisatt/Alakh(ਅਦਿਸਟ/ਅਲਖ), Agocher (ਅਗੋਚਰ), Agum (ਅਗਮੁ), Ajooni (ਆਜੋਨੀ/ਅਜੋਨੀ), Akal Moorat (ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤ), Akhut (ਅਖੁਟ), Alipaari/Alpana-(ਅਲਪਾਰੀ/ਅਲਪਨਾ), Anaath (ਅਨਾਥ), Apaah (ਅਪਾਹ), Alpat (ਅਲਿਪਤੁ/ਅਲੇਪ), Apaar (ਅਪਾਰ), Aprasa (ਅਪਰਸ), Athaha (ਅਥਾਹ), Itthrha (ਇਠੜਾ), Karta Purkh (ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖ), Nirbhau (ਨਿਰਭਉ), Nirvair (ਨਿਰਵੈਰ), Niranjan (ਨਿਰੰਜਨ), Nirankar (ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ), and Saibhung (ਸੈਭੰ) have been used in Gurbani to express Its Unfathomable nature. Those who fathom It cannot behold God and those who behold God do not fathom It. God in incomprehensible and cannot be anthropomorphized since It is Infinite and hence cannot be squeezed into a finite human body.
ਹੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਕੋਊ ਬੂਝਨਹਾਰੋ ਜਾਨੈ ਕਵਨੁ ਭਤਾ ॥ਸਿਵ ਬਿਰੰਚਿ ਅਰੁ ਸਗਲ ਮੋਨਿ ਜਨ ਗਹਿ ਨ ਸਕਾਹਿ ਗਤਾ ॥ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੀ ਅਗਮ ਅਗਾਧਿ ਕਥਾ ॥ਸੁਨੀਐ ਅਵਰ ਅਵਰ ਬਿਧਿ ਬੁਝੀਐ ਬਕਨ ਕਥਨ ਰਹਤਾ ॥ਆਪੇ ਭਗਤਾ ਆਪਿ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਆਪਨ ਸੰਗਿ ਰਤਾ ॥ਨਾਨਕ ਕੋ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਪੇਖਿਓ ਜਤ੍ਰ ਕਤਾ ॥
Hai nāhī ko¬ū būjẖanhāro jānai kavan bẖaṯā. Siv birancẖ ar sagal mon jan geh na sakāhi gaṯā. Parabẖ kī agam agāḏẖ kathā. Sunī¬ai avar avar biḏẖ bujẖī¬ai bakan kathan rahṯā. Āpė bẖagṯā āp su¬āmī āpan sang raṯā. Nānak ko parabẖ pūr rahi¬o hai pėkẖi¬o jaṯar kaṯā.
No one understands the Akal Purkh, who can understand God’s plans? Shiva, Brahma and all the silent sages could not understand the state of the Higher Power. God's sermon is profound and unfathomable. God is heard to be one thing, but is understood to be something else again; God is beyond description and explanation. God Itself is the devotee, Supreme and Master; is imbued with Itself. Nanak's God is pervading and permeating everywhere; wherever one looks he finds him there.
-----Guru Arjan, Raag Gujri, AGGS, Page, 498
Every individual has the liberty to understand his/her Higher Power according to his/her understanding and contact It in any way he/she likes IMHO.
Virinder
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