To Be or Not To Be

Even praising Vaheguroo,
I-am-ness can challenge us
© Atma Singh 2008



So much of the religious and spiritual solutions we come across today are based upon the concept that good actions equal spiritual achievement. The thing is that doing good deeds and speaking sweet words, we often tell ourselves how good we are. We tell others of our Gunn (virtues) or try to display them indirectly. It doesn't even have to be consciously either because our subtle ego, that most insidious aspect of Hou(n)mai (I-am-ness), constantly makes us pat ourselves upon our own backs.

ਸਭਿਗੁਣਤੇਰੇਮੈਨਾਹੀਕੋਇ ॥
sabh gun thaerae mai naahee koe
All virtues are Yours, I have none at all.

ਵਿਣੁਗੁਣਕੀਤੇਭਗਤਿਨਹੋਇ ॥
vin gunn keethae bhagath n hoe
Without virtue, there is no loving meditation.
Ang (Page) 4

In particular, when we do Bhagtee (loving-meditation upon Vaheguroo), Hou(n)mai attacks us viciously whether or not we realise it. The Satguroo tells us that we have no Gunn…and yet we are then told that without Gunn, Bhagtee is impossible. How can this riddle be solved?

ਮੋਹਿਨਿਰਗੁਨਤੁਮਪੂਰਨਦਾਤੇਦੀਨਾਨਾਥਦਇਆਲ ॥੧॥
mohi nir-gunn thum pooran dhaathae dheenaa naath dhaeiaal 1
I am unworthy; You are the Perfect Giver. You are the Merciful Master of the meek. 1
Ang 980

We are Nir-gunn (completely without virtues), so we need to be given these virtues; they are not our possessions. By constantly reminding ourselves that we are Nir-gunn, we begin to disarm our mind which loves nothing better than to dwell upon it's 'own virtues'. When this begins to happen, the door to Vaheguroo's Grace is opened and we begin to receive blessings; the gifts of Gunn from the Perfect Giver.

Those who are truly humble are like the empty cup. They are ready to be filled by The Master of the meek. Manmukhs (those who follow their mind) are filled with self-regard. They are overflowing with the wine of self-intoxication. What can be poured into such a toxic and overflowing cup? They cannot absorb nor contain Gur-parsaad (The Satguroo's Grace). From Rehraas Sahib (evening recitation):

ਹਰਿਧਿਆਵਹੁਸੰਤਹੁਜੀਸਭਿਦੂਖਵਿਸਾਰਣਹਾਰਾ ॥
har dhiaavahu santhahu jee sabh dhookh visaaranehaaraa
Meditate upon The Ever-Blossoming O Spiritual Ones; The Dispeller of all pains.

ਹਰਿਆਪੇਠਾਕੁਰੁਹਰਿਆਪੇਸੇਵਕੁਜੀਕਿਆਨਾਨਕਜੰਤਵਿਚਾਰਾ ॥੧॥
har aapae thaakur har aapae saevak jee kiaa naanak janth vichaaraa 1
The Ever-blossoming is The Master, The Ever-blossoming is The Servant. O Nanak, the poor beings are miserable! 1
Ang 10

The Sants (spiritually-enlightened ones) become free of Dhookh (pains) and Chintaa (anxieties) because they become free from Hou(n)mai. After all, how can you attack that which has no form? To lose your Hou(n)mai is to become unassailable. When the self disappears and all that remains is The Master (Par-aatmaa, The Universal Soul) and The Servant (Aatmaa, The Soul), the drop merges with the ocean and vice-versa. We come to know that there is no other. It was Vaheguroo alone all along.

Whilst other paths such as Buddhist schools of thought stress the importance of Udham (personal/right effort) as the only way to collect the Gunns needed for The Path, The Satguroo stresses Gur-parsaad upon the Path of Brahm-Giyaan (Vaheguroo-consciousness). Only through Gur-parsaad will we be blessed with Gunns such as Udham, Nimrata (selflessness) etc. Any 'virtues' that the mind self-generates through ‘personal/right effort’ cannot be classed as Gur-parsaad. To possess or place faith in any such Gunn would be to embrace Hou(n)mai according to The Satguroo.

When having been given Gunn by Vaheguroo we begin to believe that we had something to do with it, the Gunn are taken away. Like a loving parent, The Satguroo reveals to us our mistake so that we may recover. If we do not heed this lesson, then we are unable to advance spiritually. We are left worshipping our sense of self, devoid of Bhagtee. At the mercy of our sense of separateness we will ultimately be miserable even if we aren't at the moment.

Why is it that the highest-achievers are often secretly unhappy? Why do some of the most intelligent minds become depressed? Why do some of the most popular people feel the most insecure? Something inside them remains unhappy, despite them having developed certain virtues. Essentially they come to know they are un-fulfilled, with or without these virtues, even if they don’t know why.

It’s a scary situation for those who haven't begun The Inner Journey. In a second, the sham will be exposed, when our Aatmaa drops the cloak of this body at the time of mortal death. Our sense of self, constantly cultivated and consolidated through lifetimes of words and actions, will be the 'virtuous best friend' that suddenly reveals itself as our worst enemy. The Truth that was hidden from us instantaneously becomes blinding. We will not have mastered our destiny, through Gur-parsaad.

These three Pankteeaa(n) kept coming to me this morning, when my mind was wandering whilst trying to Jap Naam (loving meditation upon Vaheguroo). I share that which is not mine, in the hope that you will find some meaning of your own.

( ( ( :-)>>> Atma Singh