Sunday, August 15, 2010




COMPASSION/ਦਇਆ
  

ABSTRACT



Compassion is a sense of shared suffering, most often combined with a desire to alleviate or reduce such suffering; to show special kindness to those who suffer. Compassion is empathy, not sympathy – identification with and understanding of another’s situation, feelings, and motives. Compassion is the highest vibration of the elastic relative Law of Tolerance, under the Principle of Equilibrium. Guru Arjun reflects on the virtuous qualities in Sahskirti Slokes:

ਸਬਦੰ ਰਤੰ ਹਿਤੰ ਮਇਆ ਕੀਰਤੰ ਕਲੀ ਕਰਮ ਕ੍ਰਿਤੁਆ
ਮਿਟੰਤਿ ਤਤ੍ਰਾਗਤ ਭਰਮ ਮੋਹੰ
Sabḏaʼn raṯaʼn hiṯaʼn ma­i­ā kīrṯaʼn kalī karam kriṯu­ā. Mitanṯ ṯaṯrāgaṯ bẖaram mohaʼn.

To be imbued and attuned to the Word of the Sabd; to be kind and compassionate; to sing the Praises of God are the most worthwhile actions in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga (Greek Iron Age). In this way, one's inner doubts and emotional attachments are dispelled.-----Guru Arjun, Sloke Sahskirti, AGGS, Page, 1354-11
                             
                             -----------------------------------------

The whole purpose of any religion is to facilitate love, compassion, patience, tolerance, humility, forgiveness, and teaching the individuals to subjugate their lower instincts. Altruism, selflessness, should be the first and foremost trait of the people. Education has value in as much as it is applied to the welfare of humanity.

ਵਿਦਿਆ ਵੀਚਾਰੀ ਤਾਂ ਪਰਉਪਕਾਰੀ
ਜਾਂ ਪੰਚ ਰਾਸੀ ਤਾਂ ਤੀਰਥ ਵਾਸੀ
Vidya Vicharee Ta Paropkaree, Jaan Panch Raasi Tan Tirath Vaasee.

Contemplate and reflect upon knowledge, and you will become a benefactor to others. When you conquer the five passions, then you shall come to dwell at the sacred shrine of pilgrimage.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 356-14

Without service no one obtains any spiritual reward. Doing good deeds and knowing the Almighty is equal to all your meditation, austerities and reading of Holy books. Practicing righteousness and sharing are the hallmarks of the highest religion, as advocated by Guru Nanak in Raag Sarang:

ਗਿਆਨ ਵਿਹੂਣਾ ਗਾਵੈ ਗੀਤ
ਭੁਖੇ ਮੁਲਾਂ ਘਰੇ ਮਸੀਤਿ
ਮਖਟੂ ਹੋਇ ਕੈ ਕੰਨ ਪੜਾਏ
ਫਕਰੁ ਕਰੇ ਹੋਰੁ ਜਾਤਿ ਗਵਾਏ
ਗੁਰੁ ਪੀਰੁ ਸਦਾਏ ਮੰਗਣ ਜਾਇ
ਤਾ ਕੈ ਮੂਲਿ ਨ ਲਗੀਐ ਪਾਇ
ਘਾਲਿ ਖਾਇ ਕਿਛੁ ਹਥਹੁ ਦੇਇ
ਨਾਨਕ ਰਾਹੁ ਪਛਾਣਹਿ ਸੇਇ
Gi▫ān vihūṇā gāvai gīṯ. Bẖukẖe mulāʼn gẖare masīṯ. Makẖtū ho▫e kai kann paṛā▫e. Fakar kare hor jāṯ gavā▫e. Gur pīr saḏā▫e mangaṇ jā▫e. Ŧā kai mūl na lagī▫ai pā▫e. Gẖāl kẖā▫e kicẖẖ hathahu ḏe▫e. Nānak rāhu pacẖẖāṇėh se▫e.

The one who lacks spiritual wisdom sings religious songs. The hungry Mullah turns his home into a mosque. The lazy unemployed has his ears pierced to look like a Yogi. Someone else becomes a panhandler and loses his social status. One who calls himself a guru or a spiritual teacher, while he goes around begging- don't ever touch his feet. One who works for what he eats, and gives some of what he has- O Nanak, he knows the Path.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Sarang, AGGS, Page, 1245-19

Compassion is one of the prime Sikh virtues in higher instincts, which is not granted but has to be learned and developed. We are subject to two different forces. There is a force, which pulls our consciousness upwards to unite it with God (developed by an inner change and becoming a Guru oriented/Gurmukh), from whom it is now separated.  There is also a force of earthly elements (Lower instincts) that drags it down into the meshes of mind and matter. One has to be contented before he/she becomes compassionate. The omnipotent God is all love and compassion comes to dwell in the mind when the inner change occurs and the individual is blessed with Its Grace. Guru Arjun ponders on it in Siri Raag:

ਅਉਸਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਜਸੁ ਗੁਣ ਰਮਣ ਜਿਤੁ ਕੋਟਿ ਮਜਨ ਇਸਨਾਨੁ ॥
ਰਸਨਾ ਉਚਰੈ ਗੁਣਵਤੀ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਪੁਜੈ ਦਾਨੁ ॥
ਦ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਧਾਰਿ ਮਨਿ ਤਨਿ ਵਸੈ ਦਇਆਲ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਮਿਹਰਵਾਨੁ  
ਜੀਉ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਧਨੁ ਤਿਸ ਦਾ ਹਉ ਸਦਾ ਸਦਾ ਕੁਰਬਾਨੁ ॥੩॥
A▫osar har jas guṇ ramaṇ jiṯ kot majan isnān.Rasnā ucẖrai guṇvaṯī ko▫e na pujai ḏān. Ḏarisat ḏẖār man ṯan vasai ḏa­i­āl purakẖ miharvān. Jī▫o pind ḏẖan ṯis ḏā ha▫o saḏā saḏā kurbān. 

This is the time to speak and sing the Praise and the Glory of God, which brings the merit of millions of cleansing and purifying baths. The tongue which chants these Praises is worthy; there is no charity equal to this. Blessing us with Its Glance of Grace, Kindness, and Compassionate, All-powerful God comes to dwell within the mind and body. My soul, body and wealth belongs to God forever and ever, I am a sacrifice to God. -----Guru Arjun, Siri Raag, AGGS, Page, 49-3

He, who loves, will behold God by Its Grace. He, who beholds God, will not fathom It, who fathoms God will not behold It. One has to stay away from intellectualizing God. The fullness of God's Grace is beyond human appreciation and comprehension. He who has no spiritual peace, consolation, truth, love, and devotion cannot communicate these gifts and virtues to the others. He who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love. He who plants crab apples cannot expect golden delicious.

The Law of compassion deals with the blessings of mercy bestowed on us to be passed on to the others. He who has done you kindness will be more ready to do another, than he whom you have obliged.
ਕਿਤੁ ਬਿਧੀਐ ਕਿਤੁ ਸੰਜਮਿ ਪਾਈਐ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਸੁਰਜਨ ਕਿਤੁ ਜੁਗਤੀ ਧਿਆਈਐ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਜੋ ਮਾਨੁਖੁ ਮਾਨੁਖ ਕੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਓਹੁ ਤਿਸ ਕੀ ਲਈ ਲਈ ਫੁਨਿ ਜਾਈਐ  
ਨਾਨਕ ਸਰਨਿ ਸਰਣਿ ਸੁਖ ਸਾਗਰ ਮੋਹਿ ਟੇਕ ਤੇਰੋ ਇਕ ਨਾਈਐ ॥੨॥੬॥੯੨॥
Kiṯ biḏẖī▫ai kiṯ sanjam pā▫ī▫ai.Kaho surjan kiṯ jugṯī ḏẖi▫ā▫ī▫ai. rahā▫o. Jo mānukẖ mānukẖ kī sėvā oh ṯis kī laī laī fun jāīai. Nānak saran saraṇ sukẖ sāgar mohi tek ṯero ik nā▫ī▫ai. 

In what way, and by what discipline, is God obtained? Tell me, O good man, by what means can we meditate on God? If one human being serves another human being, the one served stands by him. Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary and Protection, O God, ocean of peace and takes the Support of Your Name alone. -----Guru Arjun, Raag Bilawal, AGGS, Page, 822-17

A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical illusion of his consciousness. We should free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures.-----Albert Einstein.

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.-----Dalai Lama.

Man is a temple of God. All are creatures of God and Its creation. He who looks upon all men equal is religious. True and clear perception of life is most essential towards realizing that purpose. It is of great importance to know ourselves, to know what we are and to know the various principles that can guide our progress toward spirituality. The spirituality declines as we cease to minister to the higher nature of man and become subservient to the lower self or selfishness.

Hatred is not eliminated by hatred but with love, which is the eternal law. The Divine transcendence (metaphysical) and the Divine immanence (omnipotence) are the two complementary concepts of life. A materialistic mind might degrade the spiritual state to a carnal one.

In charity, if one donates to the poor on the street because he wants others to think well of him, the act does not enhance his spirituality.  He is just inflating his personal Ego.   But he, who gives out of a concern for the good of the recipient, is being benevolent and is furthering his spiritual progress.

True learning induces the service of mankind in one’s mind. The trinity of self, mind, and will are the irresolvable unit of our intellectual conception. Compassion is the basis of morality. A good heart is better than all the heads in the world. Without a rich heart, wealth is an ugly beggar. We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.

Strong and united communities are the foundation of a healthy society. It is the duty of every human being to respect and support people all over the world. It is our sacred responsibility to take care of our habitats and leave them better shape - physically, spiritually, and culturally. Environmental stewardship is one aspect of this responsibility, as are caring for the less fortunate, and maintaining the values that make any country great. We should try to completely eradicate and eliminate the source of suffering from the Grace of God. The more we meditate on suffering, the deeper our compassion becomes, until one day we finally realize that to be of the greatest help to beings, we ourselves must attain enlightenment for the benefit of the others.

ਕਾਮ ਕ੍ਰੋਧ ਮਾਇਆ ਮਦ ਮਤਸਰ ਏ ਖੇਲਤ ਸਭਿ ਜੂਐ ਹਾਰੇ ॥

ਸਤੁ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਦਇਆ ਧਰਮੁ ਸਚੁ ਇਹ ਅਪੁਨੈ ਗ੍ਰਿਹ ਭੀਤਰਿ ਵਾਰੇ ॥
Kām kroḏẖ mā­i­ā maḏ maṯsar ė kẖėlaṯ sabẖ jū­ai hārė. Saṯ sanṯokẖ ḏa­i­ā ḏẖaram sacẖ ih apunai garih bẖīṯar vārė.

I have got rid of all my vices like sexual desire, anger, and deceit. In the gamble of life, I am glad to lose the falsehood of the world.  The cycle of reincarnation is gone.  I have gained instead, the virtues of truth, contentment, compassion, faith, duty, and purity of mind.-----Guru Arjun, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 379-3

One must make an honest effort to raise his/ her lower nature and make it fit for a union with God within us. Thus lower self has to die to its desires and passions and rise to the higher life of the spirit.  Evil seeks to drag down the higher nature. We should seek its purification and elevation.  Each step upwards may seem to be a death, but really is an upward transformation of life. God is a spirit and should be worshiped in true spirit. To know the truth, one must become one with it. To tread the path one has to become the path himself. To know God one has to become one with the Divine within himself. God is absolute and without form.  It is not anthropomorphic and is the cause of causes. Forgetting God, who is an ocean of pleasures, one tosses up and down in the world ocean of delusions and deceptions. The strokes of the waves of World Ocean stir up the fire of five lower instincts.  These continually burn the inner self.  However, God is the compassionate lover of his devotees, who humbly serve It.  Bhagat Kabir in Raag Ramkali takes up this theme:

ਜਿਹ ਘਰਿ ਕਥਾ ਹੋਤ ਹਰਿ ਸੰਤਨ ਇਕ ਨਿਮਖ ਨ ਕੀਨ੍ਹ੍ਹੋ ਮੈ ਫੇਰਾ
ਲੰਪਟ ਚੋਰ ਦੂਤ ਮਤਵਾਰੇ ਤਿਨ ਸੰਗਿ ਸਦਾ ਬਸੇਰਾ
ਕਾਮ ਕ੍ਰੋਧ ਮਾਇਆ ਮਦ ਮਤਸਰ ਏ ਸੰਪੈ ਮੋ ਮਾਹੀ
ਦਇਆ ਧਰਮੁ ਅਰੁ ਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਏ ਸੁਪਨੰਤਰਿ ਨਾਹੀ
ਦੀਨ ਦਇਆਲ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾਲ ਦਮੋਦਰ ਭਗਤਿ ਬਛਲ ਭੈ ਹਾਰੀ
ਕਹਤ ਕਬੀਰ ਭੀਰ ਜਨ ਰਾਖਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਸੇਵਾ ਕਰਉ ਤੁਮ੍ਹ੍ਹਾਰੀ
Jih gẖar kathā hoṯ har sanṯan ik nimakẖ na kīnĥo mai fėrā. Lampat cẖor ḏūṯ maṯvārė ṯin sang saḏā basėrā. Kām kroḏẖ mā­i­ā maḏ maṯsar ė sampai mo māhī. Ḏa­i­ā ḏẖaram ar gur kī sėvā ė supnanṯar nāhī. Ḏīn ḏa­i­āl kirpāl ḏamoḏar bẖagaṯ bacẖẖal bẖai hārī. Kahaṯ Kabīr bẖīr jan rākẖo har sėvā kara­o ṯumĥārī.

I have not visited the house even for an instant in which the Saints speak of God.  I constantly dwell with drunkards, thieves, and evil-doers. I collect within myself a sexual desire, anger, wine of materialism, and envy. Compassion, righteousness, and service to my spiritual teacher do not visit me even in my dreams. God is merciful to the meek, compassionate and benevolent. God is the Lover of Its devotees, the Destroyer of fear. Says Kabir, please protect Your humble servant from disaster, and I only serve You.-----Kabir, Raag Ramkali, AGGS, Page, 971-3, 4 & 5                                   

Conclusion:

Compassion is the keen awareness of the interdependence of all things. Compassion is the ultimate and most meaningful embodiment of emotional maturity. It is through compassion that a person achieves the highest peak and deepest reach in his or her search for self-fulfillment. Compassion is not just a sentiment. It is doing justice and rendering works of mercy. Compassion is also not just a moral commandment.  It is instead a flow and overflow of the fullest human and divine energies. It becomes infectious in the company of holy people as indicated by Guru Arjun in Raag, Jaitsari:

ਜਾ ਕਉ ਭਏ ਗੋਵਿੰਦ ਸਹਾਈ ॥

ਸੂਖ ਸਹਜ ਆਨੰਦ ਸਗਲ ਸਿਉ ਵਾ ਕਉ ਬਿਆਧਿ ਨ ਕਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥


ਦੀਸਹਿ ਸਭ ਸੰਗਿ ਰਹਹਿ ਅਲੇਪਾ ਨਹ ਵਿਆਪੈ ਉਨ ਮਾਈ ॥

ਏਕੈ ਰੰਗਿ ਤਤ ਕੇ ਬੇਤੇ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਬੁਧਿ ਪਾਈ ॥੧॥

ਦਇਆ ਮਇਆ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਕੀ ਸੇਈ ਸੰਤ ਸੁਭਾਈ ॥

ਤਿਨ ਕੈ ਸੰਗਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਿਸਤਰੀਐ ਜਿਨ ਰਸਿ ਰਸਿ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਨ ਗਾਈ ॥੨॥੩॥੭॥
Jā ka▫o bẖa▫e govinḏ sahā▫ī.Sūkẖ sahj ānanḏ sagal si▫o vā ka▫o bi▫āḏẖ na kā▫ī. rahā▫o.Ḏīsėh sabẖ sang rahėh alepā nah vi▫āpai un mā▫ī.Ėkai rang ṯaṯ ke beṯe saṯgur ṯe buḏẖ pā▫ī. Ḏa▫i▫ā ma▫i▫ā kirpā ṯẖākur kī se▫ī sanṯ subẖā▫ī.|Ŧin kai sang Nānak nisṯarī▫ai jin ras ras har gun gā▫ī. 

One who has God of the Universe as his help and support is blessed with all peace, poise and bliss; no afflictions cling to him. He appears to keep company with everyone, but he remains detached, and Maya does not cling to him. He is absorbed in love of the One God; he understands the essence of reality, and he is blessed with wisdom by the True Guru.Those whom the God and Master blesses with Its kindness, compassion and mercy are the sublime and sanctified Saints. Nanak is saved associating with them. With love and exuberant joy, they sing the Glorious Praises of the God. -----Guru Arjun, Raag Jaitsari, AGGS, Page, 701-11

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