SAHAJ/ਸਹਜੁ

ABSTRACT

Sahaj is defined as an exhilarating state of rapture; the ecstasy of salvation, absolute happiness, spiritual joy, optimism and an absence of despair. The English word of bliss and the Gurmukhi word of Sahaj are synonymous IMHO.

Mahan Kosh defines it- ਸੁਭਾਵਕ, ਸ਼ਾਂਤੀ-ਪੂਰਵਕ, ਕੁਦਰਤੀ, ਸੁਭਾਵਕ ਹੀ, ਕੁਦਰਤੀ ਤੌਰ ਤੇ, ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦੀ ਰਜ਼ਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਹੀ। ਅਡੋਲਤਾ, ਆਤਮਕ ਅਡੋਲਤਾ, ਸ਼ਾਂਤੀ ਅਵਸਥਾ, ਆਰਾਮ, ਆਪਣੇ ਧੁਰ ਅਸਲੇ ਨਾਲ ਇਕ-ਮਿਕ ਹੋ ਕੇ। ਆਪਣਾ ਨਿੱਜੀ। ਹਜ਼ਾਰ।

It should not be confused with sensual pleasure. You cannot have absolute happiness in a relative physical plane whether you are an atheist, agnostic or have faith in the existence of a Universal Self/God/whatever. It is found only in the fourth state described in Sabd Guru, while Vedas describe only three states.

ਤ੍ਰਿਹੁ ਗੁਣਾ ਵਿਚਿ ਸਹਜੁ ਨ ਪਾਈਐ ਤ੍ਰੈ ਗੁਣ ਭਰਮਿ ਭੁਲਾਇ ॥
ਪੜੀਐ ਗੁਣੀਐ ਕਿਆ ਕਥੀਐ ਜਾ ਮੁੰਢਹੁ ਘੁਥਾ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਚਉਥੇ ਪਦ ਮਹਿ ਸਹਜੁ ਹੈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪਲੈ ਪਾਇ ॥

Ŧarihu guṇā vicẖ sahj na pā▫ī▫ai ṯarai guṇ bẖaram bẖulā▫e. Paṛī▫ai guṇī▫ai ki▫ā kathī▫ai jā mundẖhu gẖuthā jā▫e. Cẖa­uthė paḏ meh sahj hai gurmukẖ palai pā­ė.

In the three qualities lies delusion and doubt and not the transcendent state. All learning and intellectual exposition outside this state is worthless and is lost from the beginning. In the fourth state, lies the intuitive balance; obtained through the guidance of the Guru.-----Guru Amar Das, Siri Raag, AGGS, Page, 68-14

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The teachings contained in AGGS put us on a ladder of spiritual progress and we stride upwards step by step. Of course, we are not saints to reach perfection easily, so we definitely need spiritual progress in the right direction. We should strive for an insight into the stage of Transcendence, a glimpse of this perfection. It may seem like a trance wherein one’s mind is completely restrained from the material, mental activities by the practice of meditation.  In this stage, one may begin to hear Eternal Celestial music.  In this stage, there is peace and pleasure and there is no fear of death.

ਵਾਜਾ ਮਤਿ ਪਖਾਵਜੁ ਭਾਉ ॥
ਹੋਇ ਅਨੌਦੁ ਸਦਾ ਮਨਿ ਚਾਉ ॥

vājā maṯ pakẖāvaj bẖā¬o. Ho¬ė anand saḏā man cẖā¬o

Make your intellect your instrument, and love your tambourine; thus bliss and lasting pleasure shall be produced in your mind.-----Guru Nanak Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 350-9

ਜਨਮ ਦੋਖ ਪਰੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਪਾਛੈ ਅਬ ਪਕਰੇ ਨਿਹਚਲੁ ਸਾਧੂ ਪਾਇ ॥
ਸਹਜ ਧੁਨਿ ਗਾਵੈ ਮੰਗਲ ਮਨੂਆ ਅਬ ਤਾ ਕਉ ਫੁਨਿ ਕਾਲੁ ਨ ਖਾਇ ॥
Janam ḏokẖ parė mėrė pācẖẖai ab pakrė nihcẖal sāḏẖū pā¬ė. Sahj ḏẖun gāvai mangal manū¬ā ab ṯā ka¬o fun kāl na kẖā¬ė.

I have left behind the countless sins, now I have grasped the feet of the eternal Holy Guru. My mind sings the celestial melody of peace and joy and death shall no longer consume it.-----Guru Arjun, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 373-5

The ecstasy and tranquility are derivatives of one’s ability to see the self through a pure mind and the capacity to relish and rejoice in it. In that joyous state, one is situated in the boundless transcendental happiness, realized through transcendental senses. Spiritual bliss is the highest bliss, the transcendental bliss of one’s own consciousness.  It has nothing to do with religion. It is independent of the surrounding material objects. It is continuous, uniform and eternal. It is enjoyed only by enlightened individuals. The purpose of the material creation is to give living beings the chance to satisfy their physical and bodily desires. They can further cultivate temporary senses and gratify them.  But it is far better to advance toward ultimate liberation through spiritual progress. Everyone has the freedom to make that choice. No one is forced to do one or the other. Short-lived sense gratification can be achieved even in the animal species. The highest purpose of human life is to achieve Self-realization through the fourth state.

ਕਾਮ ਕੋ੍ਧ ਲੋਭ ਮੋਹ ਅਭਿਮਾਨਾ ਤਾ ਮਹਿ ਸੁਖੁ ਨਹੀ ਪਾਈਐ ॥
ਹੋਹੁ ਰੇਨ ਤੂ ਸਗਲ ਕੀ ਮੇਰੇ ਮਨ ਤਉ ਅਨਦ ਮੰਗਲ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਈਐ ॥

Kām kroḏẖ lobẖ moh abẖimānā ṯā meh sukẖ nahī pā­ī­ai. Hohu rėn ṯū sagal kī mėrė man

ṯa­o anaḏ mangal sukẖ pā­ī­ai.

In sexual desire, anger, greed, emotional attachment and self-conceit, peace is not to be found.  So be the dust of the feet of all, O my mind, and then you shall find bliss, joy, and peace.-----Guru Arjun, Raag Sorath, AGGS, Page, 614-10                             

Ignorant persons attribute their pleasure to external objects. This is human folly.  In reality, there is no pleasure or pain in objects. They both are the mind’s creation, mental perception, and mental jugglery. It is only the mental attitude and a certain kind of mental behavior towards objects that brings us joy or grief, pleasure or pain. Maya has a powerful seat in the imagination of the mind. Sensual pleasure comes out of emotion. Bliss, on the other hand, is the consciousness of self-delight. It is the innate nature of the Conscious. Pleasure is temporal and fleeting. Bliss is eternal and everlasting. Pleasure is mixed with pain. Bliss is unalloyed happiness. Pleasure depends upon nerves, mind, and objects. Bliss is independent and is self-existent.

ਪੂਰਾ ਸੁਖੁ ਪੂਰਾ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ॥
ਪੂਰਾ ਤਪੁ ਪੂਰਨ ਰਾਜੁ ਜੋਗੁ ॥

Pūrā sukẖ pūrā sanṯokẖ. Pūrā ṯap pūran rāj jog.

Once the mind rests in peace and one feels perfect bliss in life; patience and contentment prevail, the worship is considered perfect.-----Guru Arjun, Raag Gauri, AGGS, Page, 188

Bliss can be confused with fathoming God.  It is in fact, a result of gaining spiritual knowledge.  It comes from realizing one’s true identity through the practice of the teachings contained in AGGS with deliberation.  In daily life, one can reawaken one’s dormant love for God through reflection upon Gurbani. He can begin to lose all interest in the material existence and can taste the association with the Supreme Being.

ਏ ਮਨ ਮਿਰਤ ਸੁਭ ਚਿੰਤੰ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦਿ ਹਰਿ ਰਮਣੰ ॥
ਮਤਿ ਤਤੁ ਗਿਆਨੰ ਕਲਿਆਣ ਨਿਧਾਨੰ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮ ਮਨਿ ਰਮਣੰ ॥

Ė man miraṯ subẖ cẖi­aʼnṯaʼn gur sabaḏ har ramṇaʼn. Maṯ ṯaṯ gi­ānaʼn kali­āṇ niḏẖānaʼn har nām man ramṇaʼn.

O mind, even death wishes you well, when you remember the God through the Word of the Guru's Sabd. The intellect receives the treasure, the knowledge of reality and supreme bliss, by repeating the God's Name in the mind.-----Guru Arjun, Raag Gujri, AGGS, Page, 505-14                               

ਜੋ ਨਰੁ ਦੁਖ ਮੈ ਦੁਖੁ ਨਹੀ ਮਾਨੈ ॥
ਸੁਖ ਸਨੇਹੁ ਅਰੁ ਭੈ ਨਹੀ ਜਾ ਕੈ ਕੰਚਨ ਮਾਟੀ ਮਾਨੈ ॥
ਨਹ ਨਿੰਦਿਆ ਨਹ ਉਸਤਤਿ ਜਾ ਕੈ ਲੋਭੁ ਮੋਹੁ ਅਭਿਮਾਨਾ ॥
ਹਰਖ ਸੋਗ ਤੇ ਰਹੈ ਨਿਆਰਉ ਨਾਹਿ ਮਾਨ ਅਪਮਾਨਾ ॥
ਆਸਾ ਮਨਸਾ ਸਗਲ ਤਿਆਗੈ ਜਗ ਤੇ ਰਹੈ ਨਿਰਾਸਾ ॥
ਕਾਮੁ ਕ੍ਰੋਧੁ ਜਿਹ ਪਰਸੈ ਨਾਹਨਿ ਤਿਹ ਘਟਿ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਨਿਵਾਸਾ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਜਿਹ ਨਰ ਕਉ ਕੀਨੀ ਤਿਹ ਇਹ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਪਛਾਨੀ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਲੀਨ ਭਇਓ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿਉ ਜਿਉ ਪਾਨੀ ਸੰਗਿ ਪਾਨੀ ॥
Jo nar ḏukẖ mai ḏukẖ nahī mānai.Sukẖ sanėhu ar bẖai nahī jā kai kancẖan mātī mānai. Nah ninḏi­ā nah usṯaṯ jā kai lobẖ moh abẖimānā.Harakẖ sog ṯė rahai ni­āra­o nāhi mān apmānā. Āsā mansā sagal ṯi­āgai jag ṯė rahai nirāsā.Kām kroḏẖ jih parsai nāhan ṯih gẖat barahm nivāsā. Gur kirpā jih nar ka­o kīnī ṯih ih jugaṯ pacẖẖānī.Nānak līn bẖa­i­o gobinḏ si­o ji­o pānī sang pānī.

If one never departs from the truth and is never shaken in the midst of the greatest difficulty then one has achieved freedom from the miseries arising from the material context of one’s life. At this stage of spiritual perfection and bliss a person in the midst of pain does not feel pain, nor is he affected by pleasure, affection or fear.  He is indifferent to gold or dust.  He is not swayed by either slander or praise, nor affected by greed, attachment or pride.  He remains unaffected by joy and sorrow, honor and dishonor.   He renounces all hopes and desires and remains desire-less in the world.  He is not touched by sexual desire or anger.  God dwells in such a person’s heart. That man, blessed by Guru's Grace, understands His way. O Nanak, he merges with the Creator of the Universe, like water with water.-----Guru Tegh Bahadur, Raag Sorath, AGGS, Page, 633.

Kabir describes this state of bliss when the individual reaches the fourth state.

ਉਸਤਤਿ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਦੋਊ ਬਿਬਰਜਿਤ ਤਜਹੁ ਮਾਨੁ ਅਭਿਮਾਨਾ ॥
ਲੋਹਾ ਕੰਚਨੁ ਸਮ ਕਰਿ ਜਾਨਹਿ ਤੇ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਭਗਵਾਨਾ ॥
ਤੇਰਾ ਜਨੁ ਏਕੁ ਆਧੁ ਕੋਈ ॥
ਕਾਮੁ ਕ੍ਰੋਧੁ ਲੋਭੁ ਮੋਹੁ ਬਿਬਰਜਿਤ ਹਰਿ ਪਦੁ ਚੀਨ੍ਹ੍ਹੈ ਸੋਈ ॥
ਰਜ ਗੁਣ ਤਮ ਗੁਣ ਸਤ ਗੁਣ ਕਹੀਐ ਇਹ ਤੇਰੀ ਸਭ ਮਾਇਆ ॥
ਚਉਥੇ ਪਦ ਕਉ ਜੋ ਨਰੁ ਚੀਨ੍ਹ੍ਹੈ ਤਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹ ਹੀ ਪਰਮ ਪਦੁ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
ਤੀਰਥ ਬਰਤ ਨੇਮ ਸੁਚਿ ਸੰਜਮ ਸਦਾ ਰਹੈ ਨਿਹਕਾਮਾ ॥
ਤ੍ਰਿਸਨਾ ਅਰੁ ਮਾਇਆ ਭ੍ਰਮੁ ਚੂਕਾ ਚਿਤਵਤ ਆਤਮ ਰਾਮਾ ॥
ਜਿਹ ਮੰਦਰਿ ਦੀਪਕੁ ਪਰਗਾਸਿਆ ਅੰਧਕਾਰੁ ਤਹ ਨਾਸਾ ॥
ਨਿਰਭਉ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹੇ ਭ੍ਰਮੁ ਭਾਗਾ ਕਹਿ ਕਬੀਰ ਜਨ ਦਾਸਾ ॥
Usṯaṯ ninḏā ḏo­ū bibarjiṯ ṯajahu mān abẖimānā. Lohā kancẖan sam kar jāneh ṯė mūraṯ bẖagvānā. Ŧėrā jan ėk āḏẖ ko­ī. Kām kroḏẖ lobẖ moh bibarjiṯ har paḏ cẖīnĥai so­ī. Raj guṇ ṯam guṇ saṯ guṇ kahī­ai ih ṯėrī sabẖ mā­i­ā. Cẖa­uthė paḏ ka­o jo nar cẖīnĥai ṯinĥ hī param paḏ pā­i­ā. Ŧirath baraṯ nėm sucẖ sanjam saḏā rahai nihkāmā. Ŧarisnā ar mā­i­ā bẖaram cẖūkā cẖiṯvaṯ āṯam rāmā. Jih manḏar ḏīpak pargāsi­ā anḏẖkār ṯah nāsā. Nirbẖa­o pūr rahė bẖaram bẖāgā kahi Kabīr jan ḏāsā.

Those who ignore both praise and slander, who reject egotistical pride and conceit, who look alike upon iron and gold, are the very image of God. Hardly anyone is a humble servant of Yours, O God. Ignoring sexual desire, anger, greed, and attachment, such a person becomes aware of God's Feet. Rajas, the quality of energy and activity; Tamaas, the quality of darkness and inertia; and Satvaas, the quality of purity and light, are all called the creations of Maya, an Illusion. The one who realizes the fourth state, he alone obtains the supreme state. Amidst pilgrimages, fasting, rituals, purification, and self-discipline, he remains always without thought of reward. His thirst and desire for Maya and doubt depart as he remembers  God, the Supreme Soul. When the temple is illuminated by the lamp, its darkness is dispelled. The Fearless God is All-pervading. Doubt has run away, says Kabir, the God's humble slave.-----Kabir, Raag Kedara, AGGS, Page, 1123

Conclusion:

Purify the mind by active participation through charity, self-restraint, selfless service, study of the AGGS, singing the praises of God, the subjugation of sensual joys (Maya) and the development of virtues in Holy Congregation. These activities will lead to the celestial music playing in the mind with the exhilaration and absolute rapture so-called Bliss/Sahaj, where virtue or vice does not affect says, Guru Nanak:

ਅੰਤਰਿ ਸੁੰਨੰ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਸੁੰਨੰ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣ ਸੁੰਨ ਮਸੁੰਨੰ ॥

ਚਉਥੇ ਸੁੰਨੈ ਜੋ ਨਰੁ ਜਾਣੈ ਤਾ ਕਉ ਪਾਪੁ ਨ ਪੁੰਨੰ ॥

Anṯar sunaʼn bāhar sunaʼn ṯaribẖavaṇ sunn masuʼnnaʼn. Cẖa¬uthė sunnai jo nar jāṇai ṯā ka¬o pāp na puʼnnaʼn.

The absolute God is deep within and outside as well, which totally fills the three worlds. One, who knows the God in the fourth state, is not subject to virtue or vice.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Ramkali, AGGS, Page, 943-15