MOORAKH/ਮੂਰਖ

ABSTRACT

This word appears in Sabd Guru many times.  It means a spiritually ignorant individual.  It does not mean that such a person is bad. He/she may be well-read but does not subdue his lower instincts of greed and ego to follow the path of spirituality. Sikh Gurus have called themselves Moorakh at times as will be evident in some of their writings mentioned below. Mahan Kosh describes it as Foolish, stupid, silly, blockhead, idiotic, unwise, dunce, ignorant- ਬੇਵਕੂਫ, ਬੇਸਮਝ, ਬੁਧੂ, ਬੁਧੀ ਰਹਿਤ, ਮੂਰਖਤਾ. Sikh Gurus have called themselves Moorakh or spiritually ignorant:

ਜੋ ਤੂ ਦੇਹਿ ਸੁ ਕਹਾ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਮੈ ਮੂਰਖ ਕਹਣੁ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥

ਤੇਰੇ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਵਾ ਦੇਹਿ ਬੁਝਾਈ ॥
Jo ṯū ḏeh so kahā su­āmī mai mūrakẖ kahaṇ na jā­ī, Ŧėrė guṇ gāvā ḏeh bujẖā­ī.

As You (God) permit me, I praise You, O, God and Master; I am ignorant, and I cannot chant Your Praises. Please bless me with such understanding, that I may sing Your Glorious Praises.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Bilawal, AGGS, Page, 795-4

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The spiritual ignorance referred to here is not the lack of information but a deep-seated misperception of reality. Divine Knowledge is the awareness and understanding of facts, truths or information gained in the form of learning. The purpose of Divine knowledge is to find the Truth and develop inner cleanliness by subjugating animal instincts and developing godly instincts or virtues.

ਤੇਰੇ ਗੁਣ ਬਹੁਤੇ ਮੈ ਏਕੁ ਨ ਜਾਣਿਆ ਮੈ ਮੂਰਖ ਕਿਛੁ ਦੀਜੈ ॥

ਪ੍ਰਣਵਤਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਸੁਣਿ ਮੇਰੇ ਸਾਹਿਬਾ ਡੁਬਦਾ ਪਥਰੁ ਲੀਜੈ ॥
Ŧėrė guṇ bahuṯė mai ėk na jāṇi­ā mai mūrakẖ kicẖẖ ḏījai, Paraṇvaṯ Nānak suṇ mėrė sāhibā dubḏā pathar lījai.

Your Glories are so numerous, and I do not know even one of them; Please, give the ignorant me some of them! Prays Nanak, listen, O my Master, please, save the sinking stone.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Sorath, AGGS, Page, 596-16,17

Guru Nanak in Raag Majh describes Moorakh as arrogant and egocentric:

ਪੜਿਆ ਮੂਰਖੁ ਆਖੀਐ ਜਿਸੁ ਲਬੁ ਲੋਭੁ ਅਹੰਕਾਰਾ ॥

ਨਾਉ ਪੜੀਐ ਨਾਉ ਬੁਝੀਐ ਗੁਰਮਤੀ ਵੀਚਾਰਾ ॥

Paṛi­ā mūrakẖ ākẖī­ai jis lab lobẖ ahaʼnkārā, Nā­o paṛī­ai nā­o bujẖī­ai gurmaṯī vīcẖārā.

That scholar who is full of greed, arrogant pride and egotism, is known to be a fool. So meditate on the Name, realize it, and contemplate on the Guru's Teachings.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Majh, AGGS, Page, 140-15

Guru Nanak in his Japji indicates that there are plenty of spiritually ignorant persons in this world;

ਅਸੰਖ ਮੂਰਖ ਅੰਧ ਘੋਰ ॥

ਅਸੰਖ ਚੋਰ ਹਰਾਮਖੋਰ ॥

Asaʼnkẖ mūrakẖ anḏẖ gẖor, Asaʼnkẖ cẖor harāmkẖor.

There are countless fools, blinded by ignorance.  There are countless thieves and embezzlers too.-----Guru Nanak, Japji, AGGS, Page, 4-3

Guru Nanak does not want to call a Moorakh bad but does not hesitate to call him an ignorant/fool in Asa Di Vaar-Pauri:

ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਆਖੈ ਆਪਣਾ ਜਿਸੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਸੋ ਚੁਣਿ ਕਢੀਐ ॥

ਕੀਤਾ ਆਪੋ ਆਪਣਾ ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਲੇਖਾ ਸੰਢੀਐ ॥

ਜਾ ਰਹਣਾ ਨਾਹੀ ਐਤੁ ਜਗਿ ਤਾ ਕਾਇਤੁ ਗਾਰਬਿ ਹੰਢੀਐ ॥

ਮੰਦਾ ਕਿਸੈ ਨ ਆਖੀਐ ਪੜਿ ਅਖਰੁ ਏਹੋ ਬੁਝੀਐ॥

ਮੂਰਖੈ ਨਾਲਿ ਨ ਲੁਝੀਐ ॥

Sabẖ ko ākẖai āpṇā jis nāhī so cẖuṇ kadẖī▫ai. Kīṯā āpo āpṇā āpe hī lekẖā sandẖī▫ai. Jā rahṇā nāhī aiṯ jag ṯā kā▫iṯ gārab handẖī▫ai. Manḏā kisai na ākẖī­ai paṛ akẖar ėho bujẖī­ai. Mūrkẖai nāl na lujẖī­ai.

All call God their own; one who does not own God is picked up and thrown away. Everyone receives the rewards of his own actions; his account is adjusted accordingly. Since one is not destined to remain in this world anyway, why should he ruin himself in pride? Do not call anyone bad; read these words, and understand. Don't argue with fools.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 473

ਮਸਟਿ ਕਰਉ ਮੂਰਖੁ ਜਗਿ ਕਹੀਆ ॥

ਅਧਿਕ ਬਕਉ ਤੇਰੀ ਲਿਵ ਰਹੀਆ ॥

Masat kara­o mūrakẖ jag kahī­ā.,Aḏẖik baka­o ṯėrī liv rahī­ā.

If I remain silent, the world calls me a fool. If I talk too much, I miss out on Your Love.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Parbhati, AGGS, Page, 1330-15

Guru Nanak again points to the Ego of such a person in Raag Asa:

ਊਚੇ ਕੂਕਹਿ ਵਾਦਾ ਗਾਵਹਿ ਜੋਧਾ ਕਾ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥

ਮੂਰਖ ਪੰਡਿਤ ਹਿਕਮਤਿ ਹੁਜਤਿ ਸੰਜੈ ਕਰਹਿ ਪਿਆਰੁ ॥  
Ūcẖė kūkeh vāḏā gāvahi joḏẖā kā vīcẖār, Mūrakẖ pandiṯ hikmaṯ hujaṯ sanjai karahi pi­ār.

They shout out loud and sing epic poems and heroic stories. The ignorant call themselves spiritual scholars, but by their clever tricks, they love to gather wealth.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 469-2
                                     ਏਹੁ ਸਭੁ ਕਿਛੁ ਆਵਣ ਜਾਣੁ ਹੈ ਜੇਤਾ ਹੈ ਆਕਾਰੁ ॥

ਜਿਨਿ ਏਹੁ ਲੇਖਾ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਸੋ ਹੋਆ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਜੇ ਕੋ ਆਪੁ ਗਣਾਇਦਾ ਸੋ ਮੂਰਖੁ ਗਾਵਾਰੁ ॥

Ėhu sabẖ kicẖẖ āvaṇ jāṇ hai jėṯā hai ākār, Jin ėhu lėkẖā likẖi­ā so ho­ā parvāṇ, Nānak jė ko āp gaṇā­iḏā so mūrakẖ gāvār.

All the things in the world come and go. One who knows this that the written account is acceptable and is approved? O Nanak, anyone who takes pride in himself is ignorant and unwise.-----Guru Amar Das, Gujri Ki Vaar, AGGS, Page, 516-18

ਮਹਲੁ ਕੁਮਹਲੁ ਨ ਜਾਣਨੀ ਮੂਰਖ ਅਪਣੈ ਸੁਆਇ ॥

ਸਬਦੁ ਚੀਨਹਿ ਤਾ ਮਹਲੁ ਲਹਹਿ ਜੋਤੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਮਾਇ ॥

Mahal kumhal na jāṇnī mūrakẖ apṇai su­ā­ė, Sabḏ cẖīneh ṯā mahallaheh joṯī joṯ samā­ė.

The fools do not know the difference between good and bad; they are deceived by their self-interests. But if they contemplate the Word of the Sabd, they obtain the Mansion of the God's Presence, and their light merges in the Light of God.-----Guru Amar Das, Raag Sorath Vaar, Page, 649-9,10

                                              ਮੂਰਖੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਸੋ ਸੁਣੈ ਮੂਰਖ ਕਾ ਕਹਣਾ ॥

ਮੂਰਖ ਕੇ ਕਿਆ ਲਖਣ ਹੈ ਕਿਆ ਮੂਰਖ ਕਾ ਕਰਣਾ ॥

ਮੂਰਖੁ ਓਹੁ ਜਿ ਮੁਗਧੁ ਹੈ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੇ ਮਰਣਾ ॥

ਏਤੁ ਕਮਾਣੈ ਸਦਾ ਦੁਖੁ ਦੁਖ ਹੀ ਮਹਿ ਰਹਣਾ ॥

Mūrakẖ hovai so suṇai mūrakẖ kā kahṇā, Mūrakẖ kė ki­ā lakẖaṇ hai ki­ā mūrakẖ kā karṇā, Mūrakẖ oh je mugaḏẖ hai ahaʼnkārė marṇā, Ėṯ kamāṇai saḏā ḏukẖ ḏukẖ hī meh rahṇā.

Only a fool listens to the words of the fool. What are the signs of the fool? What does the fool do? A fool is stupid; he dies of egotism. His actions always bring him pain; he lives in pain.-----Guru Amar Das, Ramkali Ki Vaar, Page, 953-9, 10,11

ਮਨਮੁਖ ਵਾਪਾਰੈ ਸਾਰ ਨ ਜਾਣਨੀ ਬਿਖੁ ਵਿਹਾਝਹਿ ਬਿਖੁ ਸੰਗ੍ਰਹਹਿ ਬਿਖ ਸਿਉ ਧਰਹਿ ਪਿਆਰੁ ॥

ਬਾਹਰਹੁ ਪੰਡਿਤ ਸਦਾਇਦੇ ਮਨਹੁ ਮੂਰਖ ਗਾਵਾਰ ॥

ਹਰਿ ਸਿਉ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਲਾਇਨੀ ਵਾਦੀ ਧਰਨਿ ਪਿਆਰੁ ॥

ਵਾਦਾ ਕੀਆ ਕਰਨਿ ਕਹਾਣੀਆ ਕੂੜੁ ਬੋਲਿ ਕਰਹਿ ਆਹਾਰੁ ॥

ਜਗ ਮਹਿ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮੁ ਹਰਿ ਨਿਰਮਲਾ ਹੋਰੁ ਮੈਲਾ ਸਭੁ ਆਕਾਰੁ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਚੇਤਨੀ ਹੋਇ ਮੈਲੇ ਮਰਹਿ ਗਵਾਰ ॥
Manmukẖ vāpārai sār na jāṇnī bikẖ vihājẖeh bikẖ sangar­hahi bikẖ si­o ḏẖareh pi­ār, Bāhrahu pandiṯ saḏā­iḏė manhu mūrakẖ gāvār, Har si­o cẖiṯ na lā­inī vāḏī ḏẖaran pi­ār, vāḏā kī­ā karan kahāṇī­ā kūṛ bol karahi āhār, Jag meh rām nām har nirmalā hor mailā sabẖ ākār, Nānak nām na cẖėṯnī ho­ė mailė mareh gavār.

The self-willed does not appreciate the excellence of trading in Truth. He deals in poison, collects poison, and is in love with poison. Outwardly, they call themselves Pundits, a religious scholar.  But in their minds, they are foolish and ignorant. They do not focus their consciousness on God; they love to engage in arguments. They speak to cause arguments and earn their living by telling lies. In this world, only God's Name is immaculate and pure. All other objects of creation are polluted. O Nanak, those who do not remember Its Naam is polluted.  They die in ignorance.-----Guru Amar Das, Raag, AGGS, Page, 1091                                                                                       

ਮੈ ਮੂਰਖ ਮੁਗਧ ਊਪਰਿ ਕਰਹੁ ਦਇਆ ॥

ਤਉ ਸਰਣਾਗਤਿ ਰਹਉ ਪਇਆ ॥
Mai mūrakẖ mugaḏẖ ūpar karahu ḏa­i­ā, Ŧa­o sarṇāgaṯ raha­o pa­i­ā.

I am foolish and ignorant, O, God; please be merciful to me. Let me remain in Your Sanctuary?-----Guru Amar Das, Raag Basant, AGGS, Page, 1170-15,16

ਸੰਨਿਆਸੀ ਬਿਭੂਤ ਲਾਇ ਦੇਹ ਸਵਾਰੀ ॥

ਤ੍ਰਿਅ ਤਿਆਗੁ ਕਰੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਚਾਰੀ ॥

ਮੂਰਖ ਹਰਿ ਆਸ ਤੁਮਾਰੀ ॥
Sani­āsī bibẖūṯ lā­ė ḏėh savārī, Par ṯari­a ṯi­āg karī barahamcẖārī. Mai mūrakẖ har ās ṯumārī.

The Sannyaasee (Ascetic) smears his body with ashes; renouncing other men's women, by practicing celibacy. I am just a fool, God, but place my hopes in You!-----Guru Ram Das, Raag Gauri Guarary, AGGS, Page, 164-1

ਦੀਨ ਦਇਆਲ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾਲ ਸੁਖ ਸਾਗਰ ਸਰਬ ਘਟਾ ਭਰਪੂਰੀ ਰੇ ॥

ਪੇਖਤ ਸੁਨਤ ਸਦਾ ਹੈ ਸੰਗੇ ਮੈ ਮੂਰਖ ਜਾਨਿਆ ਦੂਰੀ ਰੇ ॥
Ḏīn ḏa­i­āl kirpāl sukẖ sāgar sarab gẖatā bẖarpūrī rė. Pėkẖaṯ sunaṯ saḏā hai sangė mai mūrakẖ jāni­ā ḏūrī rė.

The Compassionate God is Merciful to the meek and is the ocean of peace. It fills all hearts, sees, hears, and is always with me. But for me the ignorant think that God is far away.-----Guru Arjun, Raag Sorath, AGGS, Page, 612-8

This Sabd of Kabir in Raag Gond again ponders on similar personalities;

ਸੰਤੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਕਿਛੁ ਸੁਨੀਐ ਕਹੀਐ ॥

ਮਿਲੈ ਅਸੰਤੁ ਮਸਟਿ ਕਰਿ ਰਹੀਐ ॥

ਬਾਬਾ ਬੋਲਨਾ ਕਿਆ ਕਹੀਐ ॥

ਜੈਸੇ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਰਵਿ ਰਹੀਐ ॥

ਸੰਤਨ ਸਿਉ ਬੋਲੇ ਉਪਕਾਰੀ ॥

ਮੂਰਖ ਸਿਉ ਬੋਲੇ ਝਖ ਮਾਰੀ ॥

ਬੋਲਤ ਬੋਲਤ ਬਢਹਿ ਬਿਕਾਰਾ ॥

ਬਿਨੁ ਬੋਲੇ ਕਿਆ ਕਰਹਿ ਬੀਚਾਰਾ ॥

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਛੂਛਾ ਘਟੁ ਬੋਲੈ ॥

ਭਰਿਆ ਹੋਇ ਸੁ ਕਬਹੁ ਨ ਡੋਲੈ ॥
Sanṯ milai kicẖẖ sunī­ai kahī­ai, Milai asanṯ masat kar rahī­ai, Bābā bolnā ki­ā kahī­ai, Jaisė rām nām rav rahī­ai, Sanṯan si­o bolė upkārī, Mūrakẖ si­o bolė jẖakẖ mārī, Bolaṯ bolaṯ badẖeh bikārā, Bin bolė ki­ā karahi bīcẖārā, Kaho Kabīr cẖẖūcẖẖā gẖat bolai, Bẖari­ā ho­ė so kabahu na dolai.

When you meet a Saint, talk to him and listen. Meeting with an unsaintly person, just remain silent. O father, if I speak what words should I utter? Speak such words, by which you may remain absorbed in the Name of God. Speaking with the Saints, one becomes benevolent. To speak with a fool is to babble uselessly. By speaking and only speaking, corruption only increases. If I do not speak, what can the poor wretch do? Says Kabir, the empty pitcher makes noise, but that which is full makes no sound.-----Kabir, Raag Gond, AGGS, Page, 870

Conclusion:

Spiritual ignorance is a very serious matter. It is said that "What you don't know won't hurt you". We all know that is incorrect and yet it seems that many people have adopted that philosophy toward spiritual matters. "Many people are destroyed for lack of spiritual knowledge". It is not merely the lack of knowledge, but self-destructive turning away from the truth in all areas of life and to be ignorant of one's ignorance that is the malady of the ignorant. People practice their faith differently than what is written in their holy scriptures due to spiritual ignorance.  

There are three types of persons:

1. Those, who confess their own faults and mention the excellence of others, are the highest type.
2. Those, who highlight their own excellence and decry the faults of others, are worse.
3. Those, who parade their own faults as excellence and deride the excellence in others as faults, are the worst. The last type is nowadays most rampant.