Imagine . No Religion Too

[amar prakash]

Sat Naam

"Imagine ... No religion too, Imagine all the people living life in peace..." John Lennon wrote these words and concluded with: "You may say I'm a dreamer,..." Well, I don't have to imagine or be a dreamer to realize this because Guru Nanak gave us "no religion."

When Guru Nanak emerged from his Meditation, he was quoted as saying: 'There is no Hindu and there isno Muslim. Then who's path should I follow? I will follow the path of Truth.' Was he saying that Hinduism and Islam had ceased to be relevant religions and that he was going to start a new religion that would be a syncretism of both? No, he was saying that there was no religion and if he were alive today he would say: 'There is no Sikh.' His next utterance was Mool Mantar. We only have to look at the first line of Mool Mantar to understand what he was talking about. To really understand this, you have to look at what Ek Ong Kaar, Sat Nam means. Does it mean 'There is one God (Creator) and Truth is His Name?' Or does it just mean 'There is One Truth?' I believe that it is the second. Was there truth before Guru Nanak? Yes, that is what is meant by Aad Sachch. "The Truth was in the beginning." It's the Truth that we are after. Truth is our Sat Guru. It may be a trite statement but 'The Truth will set you free.'

I believe that Guru Nanak was taking all the attributes that people believe that God or Gods possess and distilled them down to one idea and that is the Truth. The Truth transcends all other concepts. It is not limited by preconceived notions of what God is. Western and especially British concepts of God and religion are very limiting but have come to define the way Sikhs approach the teachings of the Gurus.

Sikhs had the Truth and the Truth was passed on to the Adi Granth. One of the Truths that Guru Nanak taught was the uselessness of rules and rituals. What do golden temples, marble floors, chauri sahibs made with silver strands, jedhadars, singh sahibs, siri singh sahibs, have to do with the Truth. Absolutely Nothing!! Because he knew what would happen to the Truth if it was turned into a religion, he taught a Spiritual Path. A Spiritual Path that entailed attaining the Truth.

Guru Nanak understood that religion and spirituality were mutually exclusive. Being religious has nothing to do with being spiritual.


And just how do we attain this truth? Nam Simran is remembering and contemplating the Naam or the Truth. Chanting or meditating on a mantra such as WaheGuru is a dead end. You will never attain any understanding of the Truth by this method. Jap is the title of Jap Bani, which means a meditation. Meditation can be defined as engaging in devote religious contemplation or transcendental spiritual introspection. I have come to the realization that the true meaning of "Jap" is contemplation. This becomes more apparent when you realize that "Rahao" is the only command and appears several thousand times in the Guru Granth.

What is Rahao? The Rahao line of a Shabad is the essence or meaning of the Shabad. What does Rahao mean? Loosely translated it means Pause but it means more than that. It means Pause and Contemplate the previous line. It is said that Sikhi is a meditative religion but what it really is, is a Spiritual Path of Contemplation.

"God's name, Truth, is the real pilgrimage place which consists of contemplation of the word of God, and the cultivation of inner knowledge." Guru Nanak

"The state of Contemplation of the Lord in His Praises, is the Highest state of Mind of Sehaj, the Essence of Worship, which takes man to Highest Eternal Wisdom, Joy and Eternal Truth." Guru Arjan

Before you can begin to Contemplate you must first have meaning. Gurbani should be read and studied in the language that you understand. Phonetically reading Gurbani or reading a transliteration of Gurbani without meaning is an empty ritual and as Kabir would say, empty rituals are like churning water. No matter how long you churn, you will never get butter.


diD kY BolY ibrolY nIru ]1] rhwau ]

"Mistaking it for cream, the people are churning water." Bhagat Kabir

Through contemplation I have come to understand that everything in Sikhi is Transcendental, it's all in the mind, and what most people believe is grounded in Maya. Somewhere along the line, what was symbolic became real and what was real became symbolic. It's as if Sikhi has been hijacked by the people who most do not understand the Truth.


Awsw mhlw 5 ]
dwnu dyie kir pUjw krnw ] lYq dyq aun@ mUkir prnw ] ijqu dir qum@ hY bRwhmx jwxw ]
iqqu dir qUMhI hY pCuqwxw ]1] AYsy bRwhmx fUby BweI ] inrwprwD icqvih buirAweI ]1] rhwau ]
AMqir loBu iPrih hlkwey ] inMdw krih isir Bwru auTwey ]
mwieAw mUTw cyqY nwhI ] Brmy BUlw bhuqI rwhI ]2] bwhir ByK krih Gnyry ] AMqir ibiKAw auqrI Gyry ] Avr aupdysY Awip n bUJY ] AYsw bRwhmxu khI n sIJY ]3] mUrK bwmx pRBU smwil ] dyKq sunq qyrY hY nwil ] khu nwnk jy hovI Bwgu ] mwnu Coif gur crxI lwgu ]4]8]


"Aasaa, Fifth Mehl: They give you donations and worship you. You take from them, and then deny that they have given anything to you. That door, through which you must ultimately go, O Brahmin - at that door, you will come to regret and repent. 1 Such Brahmins shall drown, O Siblings of Destiny; they think of doing evil to the innocent. 1Pause Within them is greed, and they wander around like mad dogs. They slander others and carry loads of sin upon their heads. Intoxicated by Maya, they do not think of the Lord. Deluded by doubt, they wander off on many paths. 2 Outwardly, they wear various religious robes, but within, they are enveloped by poison. They instruct others, but do not understand themselves. Such Brahmins will never be emancipated. 3 O foolish Brahmin, reflect upon God. He watches and hears, and is always with you. Says Nanak, if this is your destiny, renounce your pride, and grasp the Guru's Feet." Guru Arjan

Guru Arjan warned us about this many years ago but we have not heeded his warnings. The farther away we get from the Guru's teachings of the Truth, the more we will stray.

As Yosuf Al Islam (Cat Stevens,) a British convert, said: "I thank Allah that I met Islam before I met Muslims." I sometimes wish that I had met the Truth as taught by Guru Nanak before I met Sikhs. This is not to say that there are no Sikhs who understand the Truth, but that they are few and far between.

Chardi Kalaa

Amar Prakash

http://throwofftheveilofillusion.blogspot.com

 

[Ambarsaria]

Re: "Imagine ... No religion too,..."

Amar Prakash ji thanks for your post. Well written and many valid points. I have some comments for further dialog

When Guru Nanak emerged from his Meditation, he was quoted as saying: 'There is no Hindu and there isno Muslim.....

You have violated your own pristine thoughts to color your postulation. What you write is called sakhi/fable based and has little connection to real ways our Guru ji may have worked. No one will know and it should not matter. What the teach or share is the important and not how, wher and when. Indeed my understanding is that the truth that makes basis of the creation is named as a collective Waheguru and we can give it our own names. It is unchanging but its total qualities are not fully known nor these ever will be fully known. Hence when people try to look for the complete God/creator they become delusional and also open to exploitation as many sant, babey and so called yogis have done in many examples around.

Then who's path should I follow? I will follow the path of Truth.' Was he saying that Hinduism and Islam had ceased to be relevant religions and that he was going to start a new religion that would be a syncretism of both? No, he was saying that there was no religion and if he were alive today he would say: 'There is no Sikh.'

Paths are a misnomer in spirituality if you look at the core of Sikhism thought. We cannot define the beginning nor the end and perhaps not even clearly state where we are at and where we are headed. More important teaching of our teachers (Guru jis and others in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji) is that realizing as much as you can. Always yearning for more but not all. More importantly living through the realization. In Sikhism there is no judge or jury or a prosecutor or a defendant. Every Sikh may consider oneself as that who realizes more of the truth every moment and one so living by it.

....Was there truth before Guru Nanak? Yes, that is what is meant by Aad Sachch. "The Truth was in the beginning." It's the Truth that we are after. Truth is our Sat Guru. It may be a trite statement but 'The Truth will set you free.'

Indeed well stated and not trite at all.

I believe that Guru Nanak was taking all the attributes that people believe that God or Gods possess and distilled them down to one idea and that is the Truth. The Truth transcends all other concepts.

I disagree with the distilling part. All those ingredients if distilled will not produce truth no matter who tries to do it. Guru ji was a teacher. He took people's prevailing beliefs and while teaching showed how many such were devoid of spirituality or the seeking of truth but at times were simply as handed down by the exploiters, blind faith, getting people to become followers and so on. He questioned the need for inter-mediation in search of the truth be it the Brahmins, Brahma, Rama, Krishna, Vishnu, Jesus, or any one else. Guru ji taught that if we sought honestly that anyone was capable of by self generate ever lasting fulfilling spirituality and understanding and the ways to live there by.

Sikhs had the Truth and the Truth was passed on to the Adi Granth. One of the Truths that Guru Nanak taught was the uselessness of rules and rituals.

In my humble view, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is not about all truths or compendium of defining the creator and creation in full. Many use it this way and get trapped. I view it as a heritage for Sikhs as an enabler who need it so to learn to seek truth and live there by. It is a teacher par excellence. It does not give you proverbial "fish" but teaches you "how to fish". One everlasting enabler there for the taking and live by oneself.

What do golden temples, marble floors, chauri sahibs made with silver strands, jedhadars, singh sahibs, siri singh sahibs, have to do with the Truth. Absolutely Nothing!!

I believe your generalization and comments perhaps will hinder you in your progress towards realizing and living the truth. Let me explain. Does the environment provide possibly trigger our living and thought processes. Is it as easy for all to sit down in their own house, work place, etc., and find a moment to contemplate and seek. There may be handful who in all truth can say so. Places, people and connecting rituals or reminders of our Guru ji may serve a useful purpose in limits. For a King limit is obviously higher and so the Gold of the Golden Temple, the marble, and so on. Is it a place unique in its own ways if one wants to use it in such a way. I have experienced as a child without core drivers to seek the truths that it was. It is a calming, serene place if you are of that bent.

In terms of the people you mention, a place operationally needs people and perhaps we don't always have the right people and so on. Sikhism inherently is focused on actions and what people do and not who they are and it is a very easy trap to fall into.

Because he knew what would happen to the Truth if it was turned into a religion, .....

Reallyeacesign:

Guru Nanak understood that religion and spirituality were mutually exclusive. Being religious has nothing to do with being spiritual.

Reallyeacesign:. I think Generalizations kill spirituality.

And just how do we attain this truth? Nam Simran is remembering and contemplating the Naam or the Truth. Chanting or meditating on a mantra such as WaheGuru is a dead end.

There is perhaps only one guidance in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji with different names or use of words and that is contemplation. Contemplation does not start or end and it needs to be part of every moment of our lives and the living we do with it in every moment of our lives. I am no big fan of "Disco Waheguru" but then again if it helps people contemplate, I would not generalize and damn the process or the people.

You will never attain any understanding of the Truth by this method.

You are a wise man in your writing, you are unnecessarily encumbering your progress in making such statements.

Through contemplation I have come to understand that everything in Sikhi is Transcendental, it's all in the mind, and what most people believe is grounded in Maya.

Sikhism does not encourage heretic living. Putting so called Maya in its place while living in truth and ever more learning truth is the key. Unnecessary link to Maya will naturally fade and requires no special focus if you continue to contemplate and learn more truths and live there by. Guru ji specifically mention entrapment of so called focus on "Tiag/"living by giving up". You can live and be part of the beautiful mosaic of humanity without becoming a recluse.

Hope it adds to dialog and mutual learning.

Sat Sri Akal.

 

[amar prakash]

Re: "Imagine ... No religion too,..."

Ambarsaria

Thanks for your comments. It's pretty obvious that you gave my article a good read.

This was an article that I wrote several years ago. I will be posting more articles and it will become obvious that there has been an evolution in my thinking concerning Gurmat over time.

Thanks again.

Chardi Kalaa

Amar Prakash

http://throwofftheveilofillusion.blogspot.com

 

[Ambarsaria]

Re: "Imagine ... No religion too,..."

Ambarsaria

Thanks for your comments. It's pretty obvious that you gave my article a good read.

This was an article that I wrote several years ago. I will be posting more articles and it will become obvious that there has been an evolution in my thinking concerning Gurmat over time.

Thanks again.

Chardi Kalaa

Amar Prakash

http://throwofftheveilofillusion.blogspot.com

Amar Prakash ji I have had a chance to read part of your latest or 2014 essay. It appears you are badly damaged brother but to each their own. There is so much negativism where you have to imprison yourself with duality talk. This is talk of not spirituality aware but very defensive posturing. In order to shine showing darkness in other places is hardly spirituality. Most of your wriitngs start with "this not that" logic. Let people see "this" through your actions "that" be left to "those".

Your excessive naming of Guru Nanak Dev ji in your posts is divisive by design or more likely through following some misguidance whether 3HO or other tantric mumbo jumbo. Unless you believe that Nanak is simply a handle for all who contributed to writings in SGGS.

Sorry if I am direct and this is always done in case it creates a spark of some type that creates positive energy. If it is of negative I apologize and let me know and I will delete my post.

Sat Sri Akal.

 

[Harry Haller]

Re: "Imagine ... No religion too,..."

Although I agree with my Veerji Ambarsariajis comments in that you appear to have merely switched sides rather than switched methods, I think sometimes side switching is hard enough and that good methodology follows naturally.

I enjoyed reading the above post and the blog, we are all growing, and there does appear, as has been stated some baggage left over, I would not call it critical, rather a truthful observation, we all have baggage, you are not alone in that, I like your direction, other than a few points, may I make a suggestion, I would enjoy debating with you, post your blogs on here, make a home here, we can all learn and contemplate together,