Why Sadh Sangat? Why Not Go It Alone?

[spnadmin]

Tejwant Singh ji

Personally, I am in alignment with what you have said above, and here it is reposted

What is the right environment and where is it found? Didn't our Gurus teach us and give us the tools to create the right environment? If we are searching for the right environment rather than creating it, then the concept of Langar is futile where the idea was to have all kinds of people break the bread together and interact. If we are looking for the right environment then all the travels by our Gurus to the distant parts result into naught. The message here is that we should make our mind-Mann the right environment so that even the filthiest places with the scoundrels living there can become the right ones and with our help they can cease to be what they have been and hence can breed goodness within.

I don't know what the author of blog intended exactly. The article is posted to spur focused discussion. Perhaps it did not.

It seems that this particular thread is veering in the direction of accepting that sadhdsangat does not refer to a congregation of devotees who are trying to follow the Gurus' teaching. Rather the growing sentiment of posters on this thread appears to accept that sadhsangat can only mean spiritual communion with Waheguru ji.

My own understanding, after reading a broad selection of shabads, is that saadhsangat means both the human congregration of sincere devotees and the spiritual communion with the Satguru. Both are journeys we take and are headed in the same direction.

Common sense as well as gurbani leads me in this direction. Forgive my faulty thought processes. Why would Gurus Angad and Amardas have devoted exceptional energies and resources to the creation of sangats, the creation of langar? Why would Guru Ram Das urge congregational kirtan? Did they do these things so that the personal journey of any one person could be supported by companions, who had perhaps travelled the distance a bit longer or farther, and had something helpful to offer someone like me?

On another thread, Saadh Sangat, this point is made, by forum member arshi

Some Sikhs claim they do not go to the Gurdwara because of politics. True these do exist and there are innocent people who may have experienced the bitter end of political disputes in Gurdwaras but the vast majority use this as an excuse not visit the Gurdwara. Do you always walk out or opt out of your work and social activities because of politics? No you persevere. So why not do the same where the cause is noble?

and this point

aadhsang mil naam dhiaavahu pooran hovai ghaalaa (Sorath M: 5 – Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji 617).

Meditate on the name of the Lord (Naam) in the company of the Holy and the Lord will reward your efforts.

In Sikhism the concept of saadh sangat is crucial to the process of developing humility as achieving self-realisation is impossible without it. Humility has to be nurtured. This is done by constant adherence to Shabad Gurbani and the company of gurmukhs (persons attuned to Guru’s teachings). You cannot meet gurmukhs in pubs and clubs. This is why saadh sangat is so crucial for the road to self-realisation and moksha (spiritual liberation, freedom from the cycle of life and death – transmigration).

It is essential that a seeker of self-realisation and enlightenment meets people who will facilitate his progress towards this goal. He will want to meet noble souls who will create self-awareness as to the real purpose of this mortal life, a yearning to immerse his soul in the ambrosial pool of Shabad Gurbani. You do not easily come across such people in ordinary walks of life. A special effort has to be made to develop an inner eye to recognise noble souls whose mere sight will banish ‘manmukhta (wayward inclinations of the mind).

http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-sikhi-sikhism/26905-saadh-sangat.html

Arshi ji's latter remark jolted me when I re-read it. It triggered in a very real way the emotional change in sangat that occurs toward the end of Gurdwara services, a charge of energy that I feel when the moment comes when all together recite Anand Sahib. There is nothing quite like that sensation, a mixture of joy and firmness, pervades everywhere. It creates a sense of readiness to receive the Hukamnama and to share in parshad. I leave shortly afterward feeling very much connected to something. So whatever the short-comings within the sangat, sangat as sangat has been powerful for me.

ਅਨਦੁ ਸੁਣਹੁ ਵਡਭਾਗੀਹੋ ਸਗਲ ਮਨੋਰਥ ਪੂਰੇ ॥
anad sunhu vadbhaageeho sagal manorath pooray.

Listen to the song of bliss, O most fortunate ones; all your longings shall be fulfilled.

ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਉਤਰੇ ਸਗਲ ਵਿਸੂਰੇ ॥
paarbarahm parabh paa-i-aa utray sagal visooray.

I have obtained the Supreme Lord God, and all sorrows have been forgotten.

ਦੂਖ ਰੋਗ ਸੰਤਾਪ ਉਤਰੇ ਸੁਣੀ ਸਚੀ ਬਾਣੀ ॥
dookh rog santaap utray sunee sachee banee.

Pain, illness and suffering have departed, listening to the True Bani.

ਸੰਤ ਸਾਜਨ ਭਏ ਸਰਸੇ ਪੂਰੇ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਜਾਣੀ ॥
sant saajan bha-ay sarsay pooray gur tay jaanee.

The Saints and their friends are in ecstasy, knowing the Perfect Guru.

ਸੁਣਤੇ ਪੁਨੀਤ ਕਹਤੇ ਪਵਿਤੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਰਹਿਆ ਭਰਪੂਰੇ ॥
suntay puneet kahtay pavit satgur rahi-aa bharpooray.

Pure are the listeners, and pure are the speakers; the True Guru is all-pervading and permeating.

ਬਿਨਵੰਤਿ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਗੁਰ ਚਰਣ ਲਾਗੇ ਵਾਜੇ ਅਨਹਦ ਤੂਰੇ ॥੪੦॥੧॥
binvant naanak gur charan laagay vaajay anhad tooray. ((40)(1))

Prays Nanak, touching the Guru's Feet, the unstruck sound current of the celestial bugles vibrates and resounds. ((40)(1))

The "Saints" may not be real human beings. What about their "listeners?"

 

[spnadmin]

http://www.expatherapy.com/nitnem/5_anand_sahib_kirtan_by_palji.mp3

 

[japjisahib04]

Seeker3 ji

This is not my interpretation. Gurbani tells us who is jivan mukat by stating, '
ਜੀਭੈਬਾਝਹੁ ਬੋਲਣਾ ਇਉ ਜੀਵਤ ਮਰਣਾ ॥ਨਾਨਕਹੁਕਮੁ ਪਛਾਣਿ ਕੈ ਤਉ ਖਸਮੈ ਮਿਲਣਾ ॥੧॥
to speak without a tongue-like this, one remains dead while yet alive. this way O Nanak, recognize the Hukam of the Lord's Command, and accomplish the mission to become ONE and merge with your Lord and Master. ||1||

Moreover, when gurbani tells us, '
ਜਿਹਬਾ ਗੁਨ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਭਜਹੁ ਕਰਨ ਸੁਨਹੁ ਹਰਿਨਾਮੁ ॥
Vibrate with your tongue the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe; with your ears, hear the Lord's Name. Is gurbani discrimantory by above instruction ? what about those who don’t have tongue and and are deaf. So it means this pankti does not apply to them and is discriminatory. But when we read the following panti, ‘ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਸੁਨਿ ਰੇ ਮਨਾ ਪਰਹਿ ਨ ਜਮ ਕੈ ਧਾਮ - it makes clear guru sahib is pointing towards my mind. Therefore guru sahib is not pointing towards outer tongue and ears but inner created by us with hard labour by enshrining supreme virtues.
Best regards
sahni mohinder

 

[japjisahib04]

Aman Ji,
We have to be very careful, as when we take literall interpretation of gurbani, then in my case when I live in kuwait and you live in U.s.a, and I need to understand gurbani, it leads to the game of dehdhari guru. When gurbani tells us, 'ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਬਾਝਹੁ ਸੰਗਤਿ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥ without the divine wisdom, there is no Sangat, no Congregation, it opens up the meaning of many other sabd, like, ' ਗੁਰਸਿਖਾਂ ਕੀ ਹਰਿ ਧੂੜਿ ਦੇਹਿ ਹਮ ਪਾਪੀ ਭੀ ਗਤਿ ਪਾਂਹਿ ॥ O Lord, please bless me with the dust of the feet of the Guru's Sikhs. I am a sinner - please save me. Thus again literal meaning leads to collecting of dust of the sangat of sikhs under the mat instead of divine wisdom. But mind only gets transformed when someone sincerely contemplate upon truth and i.e. whether he is sitting in the company of ten - twenty sikhs or thousands of sikhs or alone.
Best regards
sahni Mohinder

 

[spnadmin]

:closed:

The thread is closed. It is definitely traveling in circles, and very little has been posted that brings the meanings of gurbani into relation with an experience of sangat that can be felt in more than one way, at more than one level. The conversation has been mostly about the "correct" meaning of the word "sangat." Not so much has been said of how "sangat," as expressed in Gurbani, is lived.

Is it not important to describe all the ways in which sangat is understood in Sikhi? Sikh history, the lives of the Gurus, gurbani and the insights of Bhai Gurdas ji clearly describe sangat as something that has both an earthly and a spiritual significance. Sangat can mean not only association with the divine within, but also association with people who are seeking sangat to support one another on this inner journey. Is it not possible that our Gurus believed the divine would be sensed in the earthly experience of seva, or langar, or congregational prayer and kirtan?

For now let us consider sangat as being both metaphor and actual, an experience in which we seek and perhaps find the Naam enshrined within us. Sangat in its collective human form is not required to attach ourselves to the Lotus feet of the Creator. At the same time sangat in its human form can teach and inspire us to live in the Guru's way, as it does in congregational prayer, kirtan, langar and seva.

We can end with a bit of a shabad from SriRaag, on Ang 140 in which Guru Nanak explains these feelings so well. We take this journey alone. The journey seems such a struggle. To reach our destination we must lose our false sense of ego and become slaves of this creative force. It is so easy to get lost. And so easy to forget. Yet the other travelers may be able to point the way. They know the way to the threshold of the king. He can be found everywhere.




ਭੂਲੀ ਭੂਲੀ ਥਲਿ ਚੜਾ ਥਲਿ ਚੜਿ ਡੂਗਰਿ ਜਾਉ ॥
bhoolee bhoolee thhal charraa thhal charr ddoogar jaao ||
Wandering around and making mistakes, I climb the plateau; having climbed the plateau, I go up the mountain


ਬਨ ਮਹਿ ਭੂਲੀ ਜੇ ਫਿਰਾ ਬਿਨੁ ਗੁਰ ਬੂਝ ਨ ਪਾਉ ॥
ban mehi bhoolee jae firaa bin gur boojh n paao ||
But now I have lost my way, and I am wandering around in the forest; without the Guru, I do not understan

ਨਾਵਹੁ ਭੂਲੀ ਜੇ ਫਿਰਾ ਫਿਰਿ ਫਿਰਿ ਆਵਉ ਜਾਉ ॥੭॥
naavahu bhoolee jae firaa fir fir aavo jaao ||7||
If I wander around forgetting God's Name, I shall continue coming and going in reincarnation, over and over again. ||7||

ਪੁਛਹੁ ਜਾਇ ਪਧਾਊਆ ਚਲੇ ਚਾਕਰ ਹੋਇ ॥
pushhahu jaae padhhaaooaa chalae chaakar hoe ||
Go and ask the travellers, how to walk on the Path as His slave

ਰਾਜਨੁ ਜਾਣਹਿ ਆਪਣਾ ਦਰਿ ਘਰਿ ਠਾਕ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥
raajan jaanehi aapanaa dhar ghar thaak n hoe ||
They know the Lord to be their King, and at the Door to His Home, their way is not blocked.

ਨਾਨਕ ਏਕੋ ਰਵਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਦੂਜਾ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥੮॥੬॥
naanak eaeko rav rehiaa dhoojaa avar n koe ||8||6||
O Nanak, the One is pervading everywhere; there is no other at all. ||8||6||