WORKING THE TEACHINGS OF SABD GURU

ABSTRACT

Working the teachings is defined as earnest and truthful living according to the teachings in daily life with reflection. The Grace of God or Guru/ਗੁਰੁ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦ (ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ) is the cardinal doctrine of Sabd Guru, and God’s philosophy revolves around it. It is an expression of DIVINE benevolence and manifests as variously called karam (ਕਰਮ), nader (ਨਦਰ), mehr (ਮੇਹਰ), bakhshish (ਬਖਸ਼ੀਸ਼), parsad (ਪਰਸਾਦ), daya (ਦਿਆ), or kirpa (ਕਿਰਪਾ). Its descent is the ultimate Divine mystery.  No amount of austerities, no amount of intellectual search or performance of ritual or yogic praxis or Akhand Paths or any such devices can force it out of God’s hand.

                           ------------------------------------------------------------

Grace is a pre-requisite for spiritual growth in Sikhism.

1. Recitation of Naam, which in itself depends on Grace:

ਜਿਸ ਨੋ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਕਰਹਿ ਤਿਨਿ ਨਾਮ ਰਤਨੁ ਪਾਇਆ ॥

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਲਾਧਾ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥

ਤੁਧੁ ਆਪਿ ਵਿਛੋੜਿਆ ਆਪਿ ਮਿਲਾਇਆ ॥੧॥

JisNuKirpaKerrehTinNaamRatanPaayaa.Gurmukẖlāḏẖāmanmukẖgavā▫i▫ā.Ŧuḏẖ āpvicẖẖoṛi▫ā āp milā▫i▫ā. ||1||

One, upon whom God showers Its mercy, obtains the jewel of Its Name. The Guru oriented obtains it, and the self-willed lose it. God Itself separate the mortals, and Itself unites them. ||1||-----Guru Ram Das, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 11

Q. What is Naam?

It is living the teachings by their study, with inner cleanliness and not mechanical recitation in different postures with “Irrha, Pingla Aour Sukhmana” as described by Guru Nanak in Raag Asa:

ਪਾਂਡੇ ਐਸਾ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ ॥
ਨਾਮੇ ਸੁਚਿ ਨਾਮੋ ਪੜਉ ਨਾਮੇ ਚਜੁ ਆਚਾਰੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Pāʼnde aisā barahm bīcẖār.Nāme sucẖ nāmo paṛa▫o nāme cẖaj ācẖār. ||1|| rahā▫o.

O Pundit, O religious scholar, contemplate God in such a way that Its Name may sanctify you, may be your study, your wisdom and way of life. ||1||Pause.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 355-3

ਕਥਨੀ ਬਦਨੀ ਪੜਿ ਪੜਿ ਭਾਰੁ ॥

ਲੇਖ ਅਸੰਖ ਅਲੇਖੁ ਅਪਾਰੁ ॥

Kathnee Badnee Parh Parh Bhaar, Laykh AsaNkh Alaykh Apaar.

Words, spoken and read again and again, are useless loads. There are innumerable writings, but the Infinite Creator remains unwritten.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 412-14

ਰਾਮ ਰਾਮ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਕਹੈ ਕਹਿਐ ਰਾਮੁ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥

ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਰਾਮੁ ਮਨਿ ਵਸੈ ਤਾ ਫਲੁ ਪਾਵੈ ਕੋਇ ॥
Ram Ram Sabh Ko Kahai Kahayai RamNaHoey,GurParsaadiRamManVasaiTaPhalPavaiKoey.

Everyone chants the God's Name, Ram, Ram; but by such chanting, the God is not obtained. By Guru's Grace, God comes to dwell in the mind, and then, the fruits are obtained.-----Guru Amar Das, Raag Gujri, AGGS, Page 491-1

ਸਗਲ ਮਤਾਂਤ ਕੇਵਲ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮ ॥

ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਭਗਤ ਕੈ ਮਨਿ ਬਿਸ੍ਰਾਮ ॥

Sagal maṯāʼnṯ keval har nām. Gobinḏ bẖagaṯ kai man bisrām.

The essence of all religions is” God's Name” alone. It abides in the minds of the devotees of God.-----Guru Arjan, Raag Gauri Sukhmani, AGGS, Page, 296-4

   2.  Control of mind, which again depends on Divine Grace:

ਇਹੁ ਮਨੂਆ ਕਿਉ ਕਰਿ ਵਸਿ ਆਵੈ ॥

ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਠਾਕੀਐ ਗਿਆਨ ਮਤੀ ਘਰਿ ਆਵੈ ॥ 
Ih manū­ā ki­o kar vas āvai. Gur parsādī ṯẖākī­ai gi­ān maṯī gẖar āvai.

How can this mind come under control? By Guru's Grace, it is held in check; instructed in spiritual wisdom, it returns to its home.-----Guru Amar Das, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 426-11

ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਤੇ ਮਨੁ ਵਸਿ ਆਇਆ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਤਰੀ ਤਿਨਿ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੪॥
Parabẖ kirpā ṯė man vas ā­i­ā. Nānak gurmukẖ ṯarī ṯin mā▫i▫ā. ||4||

By God's Grace, the mind is brought under control; O Nanak, the Guru oriented crosses over the ocean of Maya. ||4||-----Guru Arjan, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 385-17

 3.   Divine Wisdom and understanding is bestowed through Grace and right actions;

ਗਿਆਨੁ ਨ ਗਲੀਈ ਢੂਢੀਐ ਕਥਨਾ ਕਰੜਾ ਸਾਰੁ ॥

ਕਰਮਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਤਾ ਪਾਈਐ ਹੋਰ ਹਿਕਮਤਿ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਖੁਆਰੁ ॥

Gi▫ān na galī▫ī dẖūdẖī▫ai kathnā karṛā sār. Karam Milai Ta Paa-eeai Hoar Hikmat Hukam Khuaar.

Divine Wisdom cannot be found through mere words. To explain it is as hard as iron. When god bestows Its Grace, then alone it is received -- other tricks and orders are useless.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 465-1

ਨਾਮੁ ਏਕੁ ਅਧਾਰੁ ਭਗਤਾ ਈਤ ਆਗੈ ਟੇਕ ॥

ਕਰਿ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਦੀਆ ਗੁਰ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਬੁਧਿ ਬਿਬੇਕ ॥
Nām ek aḏẖār bẖagṯā īṯ āgai tek. Kar kirpā gobinḏ ḏī­ā gur gi­ān buḏẖ bibėk.

The One Name is the support of God’s devotees; in this world, and in the world hereafter, it is their anchor and support. In His mercy and kindness, the Guru has given me the divine wisdom of God, and a discriminating intellect.-----Guru Arjan, Raag Gujri, AGGS, Page, 501-5

ਜਹ ਕਰਣੀ ਤਹ ਪੂਰੀ ਮਤਿ ॥

ਕਰਣੀ ਬਾਝਹੁ ਘਟੇ ਘਟਿ ॥੩॥
Jah karṇī ṯah pūrī maṯ. Karṇī bājẖahu gẖate gẖat. ||3||

When one's actions are right, the understanding is perfect. Without good deeds, it becomes more and more deficient. ||3|| -----Guru Nanak, Sri Raag, AGGS, Page, 25-3

Divine Knowledge alone removes ignorance. Once ignorance is dispelled human mind becomes pure.  When all traces of egoism gone, the mind gets illuminated with Spiritual Wisdom.   All its misapprehensions end. Upon attaining this state of direct Vision one rids of any misapprehension of the Self as well as that of Reality.  Such doubt and misapprehension will not arise again.  When true wisdom arises, doubt and uncertainty depart.  One experiences his self-less true self.  Unreality vanishes; only the One Pure, All-pervading Consciousness remains.

Conclusion:

Grace is bestowed on to those who humble themselves in submission to his will, with development of higher instincts or virtues. When Truth and rigorous honesty have reached their highest levels in a person, he may be in a state of readiness for God’s Grace.

Ø  As one progresses in spirituality, Grace is lovingly bestowed.

Ø  One must be a good steward of whatever gift of Grace, he has received and should remain steadfast in his devotion to God, lest he falls from grace.

Ø  No matter how far we have progressed, our desires may want to lead us in a direction away form the grace of God.

Ø  It seems plain that the g\Grace of God will not enter until and unless one recognizes and admit fearlessly the flaws in one’s character.

Ø   One can then humbly ask God to remove the falsehood in his character and imbue instead the virtue of truth.

Ø  Grace of God will not come until one has cleared the wreckage of the past created by our ego with inner cleanliness.

Ø  Grace of the God can do for us what we could not do ourselves.

Ø  God, in Its Mercy, destroys the impurities and limitations of the human ego and bestows upon him the true knowledge and everlasting existence. When freed from the gravitational pull of the world of corruption one becomes weightless and purified with Truth, that is, the Word.

Ø  Finally Grace is bestowed through the Guru, which at present is AGGS (Sabd Guru).

 

ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰਹਿ ਜੇ ਆਪਣੀ ਤਾ ਨਦਰੀ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਪਾਇਆ ॥

ਏਹੁ ਜੀਉ ਬਹੁਤੇ ਜਨਮ ਭਰੰਮਿਆ ਤਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਸਬਦੁ ਸੁਣਾਇਆ ॥

Nader Kareh Jay Aapni Ta Nadri Satgur Payeaa. Ėhu jī▫o bahuṯe janam bẖarammi▫ā ṯā saṯgur sabaḏ suṇā▫i▫ā.

If the Merciful God shows Its Mercy, then the True Guru is found. This soul wandered through countless incarnations, until the True Guru instructed it in the Word of the Sabd.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 465

ਭੂਲੇ ਮਾਰਗੁ ਜਿਨਹਿ ਬਤਾਇਆ ॥

ਐਸਾ ਗੁਰੁ ਵਡਭਾਗੀ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
Bẖūlė mārag jineh baṯā­i­ā. Aisā gur vadbẖāgī pā­i­ā.

One who places the strayed back on the right path such a Guru is found by great good fortune.-----Guru Arjan, Raag Bilawal, AGGS, Page, 803-18,19