SPIRITUAL BANKRUPTCY

ABSTRACT

Most humans are generally spiritually bankrupt. What has blocked their spiritual progress deserves some attention.  The teachings incorporated in AGGS are not just abstract statements of theory, but guidance to an active faith, demanding their active application in daily life.  The teachings stress on subjugation of the lower instincts and development of the higher instincts in human beings.  It leads to evolvement of practitioner’s character and cleanse his inside.  Both are important for one’s spiritual growth. Most of the discussions relate to material subjects and neglect spirituality. Anyone raising issues related to spirituality is considered as having some subversive agenda, even when this may not be the case. Guru Amar Das ponders in Raag Bilawal;

ਜਿਨੀ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮ ਧਨੁ ਨ ਖਟਿਓ ਸੇ ਦੇਵਾਲੀਏ ਜੁਗ ਮਾਹਿ ॥

ਓਇ ਮੰਗਦੇ ਫਿਰਹਿ ਸਭ ਜਗਤ ਮਹਿ ਕੋਈ ਮੁਹਿ ਥੁਕ ਨ ਤਿਨ ਕਉ ਪਾਹਿ ॥

O▫e mangḏe firėh sabẖ jagaṯ mėh ko▫ī muhi thuk na ṯin ka▫o pāhi.Jinī gurmukẖ har nām ḏẖan na kẖati▫o se ḏevālī▫e jug māhi.

Those who do not become Guru orientd and earn the wealth of the God's Name, are bankrupt in this age. They wander around begging all over the world, but no one even spits in their faces.-----Guru Amar Das, Raag Bilawal, AGGS, Page, 852-17

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Sikh faith teaches that one should not judge others, should remain open minded and receptive to all aspects of spirituality.  Mostly, there is a tendency to blow one’s own horn even if one is ignorant on spirituality.  Rather than judging others personally, we should be receptive to the content of views other than one’s own.  Many writers indicate that the authors have no clue relating to spirituality. Yet, they remain critical while remaining oblivious of the content in another’s writings. The literal translations of the Sabd Guru hymns seem to be self-serving.  

Mired in ignorance, most perceive their selfish prayers in terms of a variety of rituals.   They seem to worship AGGS as an idol and invoke physicality in their rituals of spirituality.  They regard their conduct as the only way to have their selfish desires fulfilled. Desire, duality and selfish egotistical conduct of superiority are the root causes of spiritual bankruptcy. On a path to spiritual growth, first, one need to take a fearless and searching moral inventories of one’s self honestly and truthfully. One has to search for flaws in their makeup that caused their failure in spiritual progress. Self-will is most often the root cause of our troubles.  It is manifested in our resentments, our fears, our sexual conduct, and the harm we cause to the others.  Instead of living under the God’s will, most of us like to live under own will.  This leads us to judge the others instead of ourselves. The end result is a spiritual malady. When the spiritual malady is overcome, we are again restored mentally and physically.

As humans, we have three basic instincts -- the social instinct, the security instinct and the sex instinct. They are needed for the human race to survive but when used selfishly or incorrectly they bring harm to the others. In our selfish attempt to fulfill these desires, we are in constant conflict with the others.  For example, we interject when someone is speaking or making remarks during a debate, without having any understanding of the issues involved in the discussion. This is more common in self-centered people in general.

ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਪੂਰਾ ਆਪੇ ਹੋਵੈ ਘਟਿ ਨ ਕੋਈ ਆਖੈ ॥

ਪਤਿ ਪਰਵਾਣਾ ਪਿਛੈ ਪਾਈਐ ਤਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਤੋਲਿਆ ਜਾਪੈ ॥

Sabh Ko Poora Aapay Hovai Ghat Na Koyee Aakhai, Pat Parvaanaa Pichhai Paa-ee-ai Taa Nanak Toli-aa Jaapai.

Everyone calls himself perfect; none call themselves imperfect. If the weight of honor is placed on the scale, then, O Nanak, one sees his true weight.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 469-4

ਕੁਬੁਧਿ ਡੂਮਣੀ ਕੁਦਇਆ ਕਸਾਇਣਿ ਪਰ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਘਟ ਚੂਹੜੀ ਮੁਠੀ ਕ੍ਰੋਧਿ ਚੰਡਾਲਿ ॥

ਕਾਰੀ ਕਢੀ ਕਿਆ ਥੀਐ ਜਾਂ ਚਾਰੇ ਬੈਠੀਆ ਨਾਲਿ ॥

ਸਚੁ ਸੰਜਮੁ ਕਰਣੀ ਕਾਰਾਂ ਨਾਵਣੁ ਨਾਉ ਜਪੇਹੀ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਅਗੈ ਊਤਮ ਸੇਈ ਜਿ ਪਾਪਾਂ ਪੰਦਿ ਨ ਦੇਹੀ ॥

Kubudh Doomni Kudaiyaa Kasaa-en Par Ninda Ghat Choorhi Muthee Krodh Chandaal, Kaaree Kadhee Ki-aa Thee-ai JaaN Chaaray Baithee-aa Naal. Sach Sanjam Karnee KaaraaN Naavan Naa-o Japayhee, Nanak Agai Ootam Say-ee Je PaapaaN Pand Na Dayhee.

False-mindedness is the drummer woman, cruelty is the butchers,’ slander of others in one's heart is the cleaning woman, and deceitful anger is the outcast-woman. What good are the ceremonial lines drawn around your kitchen, when these four are seated there with you? Make Truth your self-discipline, and make good deeds the lines you draw, make chanting the Name your cleansing bath. O Nanak, those who do not walk in the ways of sin, shall be exalted in the world hereafter.-----Guru Nanak, Siri Raag, AGGS, Page, 91

ਦੁਬਿਧਾ ਲਾਗੇ ਪਚਿ ਮੁਏ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਤ੍ਰਿਸਨਾ ਅਗਿ ॥

ਗੁਰਿ ਰਾਖੇ ਸੇ ਉਬਰੇ ਹੋਰਿ ਮੁਠੀ ਧੰਧੈ ਠਗਿ ॥

Dubidha Laagay Pach Moo-ay Antar Trisna Agg, Gur Raakhay Say Ubray Hor Muthee DhanDhai Thag.

Those attached to duality, are petrified and die. They are filled with the fire of desire within. Those who are protected by the Guru are saved; all others are cheated and plundered by the deceitful worldly ways.-----Guru Nanak, Siri Raag, AGGS, Page, 19-10

Actually we are all at different stages of spiritual growth, if at all.  As such no two can be compared.  As individuals, each of us is unique in terms of spiritual growth, as per one’s priorities.

ਸਚਿ ਰਤੇ ਸੇ ਟੋਲਿ ਲਹੁ ਸੇ ਵਿਰਲੇ ਸੰਸਾਰਿ ॥

ਤਿਨ ਮਿਲਿਆ ਮੁਖੁ ਉਜਲਾ ਜਪਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਮੁਰਾਰਿ ॥

Sach Ratay Say Tol Lahu Say Virlay Sansaar, Tin Mili-aa Mukh Ujlaa Jap Naam Muraar.

Seek and find those who are imbued with Truth; they are so rare in this world. On meeting them, one's face becomes radiant and bright, as one chants the Name of God.-----Guru Amar Das, Raag Maru, AGGS, Page, 994-10

Crux of resentment may be, “the other person is not acting the way I think he should”. This is rather self-centered.   What we resent in the others are often the same limitations that we are struggling to overcome within ourselves. We see in the others merely a reflection of what we do not like in ourselves. This can be a tool that enables us to see our own so we can ask ourselves, “where have we been selfish, self-seeking, frightened, dishonest or inconsiderate and whom did we hurt?” One should ask himself, did I unjustifiably arouse bitterness? Was I at fault? What should I have done instead?  A situation may not have arisen entirely from our own fault.  We may have tried entirely to disregard the other person involved. Where were we to blame? The inventory was OURS, not the other one’s.

Have we begun to learn tolerance, patience, compassion, forgiveness, and goodwill towards all men, as wind and water teach us?

ਸਹਨ ਸੀਲ ਪਵਨ ਅਰੁ ਪਾਣੀ ਬਸੁਧਾ ਖਿਮਾ ਨਿਭਰਾਤੇ ॥

ਪੰਚ ਤਤ ਮਿਲਿ ਭਇਓ ਸੰਜੋਗਾ ਇਨ ਮਹਿ ਕਵਨ ਦੁਰਾਤੇ ॥

Sahan Seel Pavan Ur Paani Basudhaa Khima Nibhraatay, panch tat mil bha-i-o sanjogaa in meh kavan duraatay.

Wind and water have patience and tolerance, the earth has compassion and forgiveness, no doubt. The union of the five tattvas (five elements), has brought you into being. Which of these is evil?-----Guru Arjan, Raag Maru, AGGS, Page, 999-17

Now you have swallowed and digested big chunks of Truth about your self. This kind of analysis is not about who you are but it is about finding out who you are not? It is about cleaning your house by throwing out the things you do not want and not rearranging the old stuff.

One should know that one can’t be helpful to all people, but ask God at least to show you how to take kindly and tolerant view of each and every one. Thy Will, will be done.

The motto of an individual should be “I might be a single person in this world, but I may be the world for the individual I help”.

 Conclusion:

The way you are is NOT the result of what has happened to you, it is the result of what you decide to keep inside you. Non-consideration of our character defects and criticism of others is every bit as self destructive as denial of them.  One’s admission and acceptance of deficiencies can open the door for improvement. "The teachings contained in AGGS, when followed in their entirety at each step of life will allow ego to vanish in the fire of Divine love and lead to spiritual growth and giving us the wisdom for our spiritual ignorance."  The purpose of developing our spirituality is to be free of spiritual ignorance, free of selfish or destructive behavioral patterns of criticizing the others, and free to return to our Eternal home in God by attaching ourselves to Sabd.

ਮਨੁ ਬੈਰਾਗਿ ਰਤਉ ਬੈਰਾਗੀ ਸਬਦਿ ਮਨੁ ਬੇਧਿਆ ਮੇਰੀ ਮਾਈ ॥

ਅੰਤਰਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਨਿਰੰਤਰਿ ਬਾਣੀ ਸਾਚੇ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਸਿਉ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਈ ॥

Man Bairaag Rata-o Bairaagee Sabd Man BayDhi-aa Mayree Maa-ee, Antar Joat Niranter Baani Saachay Sahib Seo Liv Layee.

My mind is detached; imbued with detachment, the Word of the Sabd has pierced my mind, O my mother. God's Light shines continually within the nucleus of my deepest self; I am lovingly attached to the Sabd, the Word of the True God and Master.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Sorath, AGGS, Page, 634-10