We Have Forgotten About Our Original Abode, by Baba Faqir Chand

We Have Forgotten About Our Original Abode

"'The Source of all, now, I say O Swami, 

is Unutterable, Infinite, Unfathomable,

Unnamed [Nameless, Anami].'

(Soamiji Maharaj, Sar Bachan)

"You, me and all have come from There. But, after coming into this world, we have forgotten about our Original Abode and we are completely engrossed in this world. Even though we face all sorts of difficulties, miseries and tortures, this world appears to be very attractive to us. Our desires for wealth, honour, fame and prosperity amidst all sorts of griefs and miseries continue to increase without any end. The Saints come in this world only for those who have no  attachment with this world and with the creations of their own mind. The teachings of the Saints are only for those who understand that they are here for a specific period and not forever. Guru Nanak Sahib has named the Supreme Centre of Energy or the Lord of this world as 'AKAL PURUSH' [Timeless Supreme Being]."

-- Baba Faqir Chand, Know Thyself To Know God:

http://manavtamandir.com/books/english/Know-Thyself-to-Know-God.pdf

Published by the Faqir Library Charitable Trust, Sutehri Road, Hoshiarpur (Pb.)

Here Comes the Suratia -- the Soul

Here Comes the Suratia -- the Soul

Here comes the Suratia [the Soul] full of yearning and pining. 

Nowhere in the world, has she found peace. She 

remained roasted in the fire of pain, pleasure 

and doubts. 

Nowhere could she get the secrets and whereabouts 

of Sat Pad (the True Eternal Region) though she made 

a thorough search in all extant religions.

Seeking and searching, she fortunately came in 

contact with the Sat Guru. She adopted His Saran* 

on listening to His discourses.

Guru very mercifully explained to her the easy 

modes and methods of Surat Shabd Yoga. The 

dried up branches of her mind-tree now again 

became green.

-- Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram, Prem Bani Radhasoami, Volume II: 

https://archive.org/details/PremBaniRadhasoamiPoetryPart2/page/n15

*Saran: Protection, Influence -- see the Glossary of Radhasoami Terms: 

https://archive.org/details/GlossaryOfTheRadhasoamiFaith/page/n205

PODCAST: The Origins of Sant Mat, Part 2: The Mystery of Tulsi Sahib's Guru

PODCAST: The Origins of Sant Mat, Part 2: The Mystery of Tulsi Sahib's Guru 

 

 

 

PODCAST: The Origins of Sant Mat, Part 2: The Mystery of Tulsi Sahib's Guru -- Spiritual Awakening Radio with James Bean-- Listen @ Youtube:

https://youtu.be/AkmizBhR-88

Tulsi Sahib (1763-1843) is viewed as the adi-guru or founding guru, the "great grandfather" of modern-day Sant Mat. Most all recent Sant lineages go back to him. Some believe that Tulsi Sahib, the great Saint of Hathras, never mentioned the name of his guru in the writings of his that have survived. For them there is no answer to this question. Tulsi's guru is simply unknown to history, period. In recent years I have established my own view and have come to believe that Tulsi did mention the name of his guru on numerous occasions. This name has been there the whole time. All we need do is notice it in the writings attributed to Tulsi Sahib.

God is the Ocean of Love and All-Consciousness.

In Divine Light and Sound, Gnosis, Peace, Jai Guru, Jai Sat Naam, Satya Raam, Radhasoami, 

James

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On the Day of the Full Moon — Mystic Verses from the Sikh Scriptures: Adi Granth

On the Day of the Full Moon — Mystic Verses from the Sikh Scriptures: Adi Granth

 

"On the day of the full moon, the full moon fills the heavens. Its power is diffused through its gentle light. In the beginning, in the end, and in the middle, God remains firm and steady. Kabeer is immersed in the ocean of peace."


"The stars, the moon and the sun meditate on Him; the earth and the sky sing to Him. All the sources of creation, and all languages meditate on Him, forever and ever."


"The day of the full moon: God alone is Perfect; He is the All-powerful Cause of causes. The Lord is kind and compassionate to all beings and creatures; His Protecting Hand is over all. He is the Treasure of Excellence, the Lord of the Universe; through the Guru, He acts. God, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, is All-knowing, Unseen and Immaculately Pure. The Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent Lord, is the Knower of all ways and means. He is the Support of His Saints, with the Power to give Sanctuary. Twenty-four hours a day, I bow in reverence to Him."


"In the lamps of the sun and the moon, I see His Light. Dwelling among all is my ever-youthful Beloved. In His Mercy, He attuned my consciousness to the Lord. The True Guru has led me to understand the One Lord. The Gurmukh [disciple] knows the One Immaculate Lord. Subduing duality, one comes to realize the Word of the Shabad. The Command of the One Lord prevails throughout all the worlds. From the One, all have arisen."


"The sun and the moon are one and the same for them, as are household and wilderness. The karma [action] of their daily practice is to praise the Lord. They beg for the alms of the one and only Shabad. They remain awake and aware in spiritual wisdom and meditation, and the true way of life. They remain absorbed in the contemplation of God; they never leave it. Who can estimate their value? They remain lovingly absorbed in the Lord. The Lord unites them with Himself, dispelling their doubts. By Guru’s Grace, the supreme status is obtained. In the Guru’s service is reflection upon the Shabad. Subduing ego, practice pure actions. Chanting, meditation, austere self-discipline and the reading of the Puraanas [scriptures], says Nanak, are contained in surrender to the Unlimited Lord."


"By the Guru’s Grace, I have entered the home of celestial bliss. Darkness is dispelled, and the moon of wisdom has risen."


"The day and the sun shall pass away; the night and the moon shall pass away; the hundreds of thousands of stars shall disappear. He alone is permanent; Nanak speaks the Truth."


"Neither the sun, nor the moon, nor the planets, nor the seven continents, nor the oceans, nor food, nor the wind -- nothing is permanent. You alone, Lord, You alone."


-- Selections from the Sikh Scriptures: Adi Granth/Shri Guru Granth: English Translation of Siri Guru Granth Sahib: Singh Sahib Sant Singh Khalsa

 

The Divine Reality (God) According to Sant Mat

The Divine Reality (God) According to Sant Mat, by Swami Vyasanand Ji Maharaj, Inward Journey of the Soul (Chal Hansa Nij Desh)

 

Santmat emphasizes a belief in the existence of a Supreme Being. According to the teachings of the Sants, it is essential to have faith in the existence of the Eternal, Infinite Reality. As is evident, all created beings of this world are dependent upon one another for their existence and sustenance. However, the element that is the First Cause is not dependent on any other thing and is self-existent -- beyond creation and destruction.

This First Cause or Source is the Lord of all creation and is therefore called the Supreme Being. Time and space are created but Divine Reality is uncreated and eternal. The Supreme Soul pervades all and yet transcends material creation; it is beyond the confines of time and space. It cannot be destroyed; it is infinite, and indestructible. It cannot be grasped by the senses and is beyond the reach of the senses. It does not have any form, color, depth or breadth. It is not the subject of thoughts or the senses. According to the Kena Upanishad, it is the "eye of the eyes, ear of the ears, and mind of the mind." Having understood this, a persevering man or woman becomes immortal. This Reality cannot be limited by, or reduced to, thoughts of the mind because it is the very source of the mind. It cannot be seen by the eyes because it is the source of seeing. It cannot be heard by the ears, because it is the source of hearing. All senses derive their power through the source, the Divine Reality.

The Divine Reality is beyond the confines of this transitory creation. A part of the Divine, when it comes in contact with material reality, becomes an individual soul or jiva. Material nature is impermanent but the individual soul is a part of the Divine. Even though it is conscious and pure in essence, it becomes dependent on material things. The Divine Being is without any material confines and is beyond the qualified and unqualified nature. It is beyond the three gunas (material attributes that are essential to our existence in this creation): sattva (truth, purity, and lucidity), rajas (action, passion, and excitement), and tamas (dark inertia, sloth, and passivity). These three gunas permeate the entire creation, but the Divine is beyond them.

The following is a brief explanation of the relationship of three gunas with the creation:

* From the power of sattva guna, the essence of mind, intellect, emotion, and ego (I-principle) are created;

* From the power of rajas guna, the five senses of knowledge (eyes, ears nose, tongue and skin) and the five organs of actions (hand, feet, mouth and two organs of excretion) are created;

* From the power of tamas guna,, the five elements (earth, fire, wind, water and ether) and the five subtle elements (form, taste, smell, touch, and sound) are created;

* From sattva guna, the universe, permeated by sound and purity, emerges;

* From rajas guna, arises light, the source of action;

* From tamas guna, emerges darkness, the source of passivity and rest;

* From sattva guna, the covering of the sound is created;

* From the rajas guna, the layer of light is created;

* From tamas guna, the covering of the darkness is created.

The Divine Reality is beyond all these three gunas (three creative attributes of the material substratum).

By nature, all the material elements created by the three gunas are unstable, but Divine Reality is beyond them and is, therefore, constant. All the objects created by the three gunas are within the realm of time and space, and, therefore, are bound to come to an end. The Divine is beyond these and is eternal. It is unmanifest, infinite, and without afflictions. It is the source of infinite peace and joy, the abode of Divine knowledge, and the overseer of the universe. The Supreme Being resides in every heart and is omniscient. It is the source of truth, knowledge and bliss. The tree of joy arises out of the Supreme Being. It cannot be grasped by the mind and the senses. The Supreme Being is called by various epithets because of its multifaceted manifestations. It cannot be compared to any created substance and is unparalleled to any conceptions of the best in the universe. In essence, Divine Reality cannot be conceived by the senses, the mind, or the intellect.

There are numerous ways to describe the transcendent and immanent glories of the Supreme Reality. Just as comparing the sun to millions of fireflies would be a kind of mockery of the sun, comparing the Supreme Being to any objects of its creation would only display our ignorance of the nature of the Divine. A question arises: If God is omnipresent then what path can be taken to reach the Divine? An answer to this may be as follows. It has been stated that the Divine is omnipresent, then, how can there be any distance between the Supreme Being and the individual soul? But then, there arise more questions. If there is a way to reach the Divine, then, what kind of pathway is that? Who is the traveler of this path and how to begin on the path? What kind of hindrances might the traveler face on this path, and what kind of assistance might be helpful in overcoming those hindrances?

Answers to these questions need much deliberation. First, God is omnipresent; therefore, we do not need to go anywhere to find the Divine. Second, God transcends the material world and is subtle; therefore, God cannot be grasped by the mind and the senses. We need a subtle instrument to realize the Divine just as a small wristwatch requires miniature instruments to accomplish the work of repair. God is like a subtle machine and the senses are like big tools, which are unsuitable for realizing the subtle Divine machinery. Only through the instrument of the pure conscious soul is it possible to realize the subtle form of the Divine.

A question arises: the senses are unable to grasp the Divine, but why does the soul -- which is conscious and subtle -- not have the direct experience of the Divine at all times? The answer is this: The sensory sheaths cover the individual soul. Just as a colored pair of glasses obstructs the true color of reality, in the same way, the physical and subtle senses obstruct the true nature of the Divine. Even though Divine Reality is close to us, we are unable to see it due to these obstructions. Many Sants have described this condition through metaphors.

Sant Kabir and Sant Tulsi Das describe the soul as being hidden by a veil or screen of concealment made up of the three layers of darkness, light, and sound. Sant Paltu Sahib cries out: "Lift the veil and Khuda (God) will reveal himself." Sant Tulsi Sahib explains that the human condition is like someone with an eye disease (cataracts), which clouds their vision.

Maharshi Mehi says: "Three covers of darkness, light, and sound encumber the soul. We need to lift this veil in order to have the vision of the Divine."

In the Vedanta tradition, this covering or concealment is called illusion. Many layers obstruct the vision of the Divine and it is no easy task to remove the coverings. The path that leads us to go beyond these three layers lies within us. However, it is necessary to follow the teachings and methods given by a Satguru (true spiritual teacher) to accomplish this task. Given the nature of the Divine, it can only be realized by the soul. When the soul goes beyond the senses and the realm of three gunas, it becomes purified and attains readiness to experience the Divine. Only by getting rid of all the layers of obstructions can the soul experience is own true nature.

The Supreme Being is one, and, it is by isolating oneself from all other bondages that one can realize this Reality. Through meditation all the coverings and layers are gradually removed and the soul becomes one with the Divine. This requires a specific regimen or sadhana [meditation practice]. As the soul travels on this path within, it begins to shed the sensory layers and the distance to the Divine begins to diminish. The path will be completed upon the accomplishment of this task, eliminating the distance between the Divine and the soul.

#SantMat   #God   #Radhasoami   #SatPurush   #Anami   #SatyaRaam   #Khuda

Remembering God -- Passage from the Adi Granth

Remembering God

"When one is in utter distress and there is no one to support him,

And the adversaries gather-in upon him and even his kinsmen desert him;

When all the props have given way and all hope is lost,

If he then remembers the Lord, even the hot wind will touch him not.

O Master, Thou art the Might of the humble,

O Thou, the Eternal One, the True, through the Guru's Word art Thou known.

If one is weak and is afflicted by hunger and nakedness,

And has no money on him and no one is there to give him comfort,

No desire of his is fulfilled; no work of his is accomplished,

If he, in his heart, remembers the Absolute Lord, he attains Eternal Rule.

If one is full of anxious thoughts, and his body is attacked by disease,

And is involved in his household and suffers sometimes pain, sometimes pleasure;

And he wanders about in the four continents, and no rest finds,

If he remembers the Lord in his heart, his body and mind are cooled...

If he remembers the Lord with all his heart, even for a twinkling of the eye,

he is saved."

(Adi Granth/Guru Granth, Gopal Singh translation)

Mystic Verses of Sant Dadu Dayal: We are Influenced by the Company We Keep -- Satsang

Mystic Verses of Sant Dadu Dayal: 

We are Influenced by the Company We Keep

Something becomes sweet when mixed 

with sugar, it becomes salty when 

mixed with salt.

Such is the nature of humanity, O Dadu.

This is our trait, indeed.

In the company of the unholy, a barrier 

is created, and the taste of piety and 

devotion [bhakti] disappears;

In the company of the holy, bliss 

is generated, and overfilled is one 

with joy.

If the company of the holy one 

is obtained, the divine fruit 

of immortality does it bear.

But if the company of the unholy 

is obtained, the fruit of poison 

does it yield, says Dadu.

In the assembly of a Saint, noble 

thoughts arise,

Whereas by sitting in the assembly of 

worldlings, knowledge parts company 

with the body, O Dadu.

The company which does not arouse piety 

and devotion, wherein the Lord 

is not talked about,

Whereby blemishes of sensuality are not 

shaken off, by what measure can that 

be called a *Satsang?

Commentary

In the company of worldlings, mankind loses love and devotion for God along with his entire spiritual qualities, whereas in the company of Saints he develops love, devotion and spiritual wisdom, and enjoys the fruit of divine bliss. To increase love and devotion for God and to wash off the impurities of the mind are the basic functions of Satsang.*

* Satsang: True Association; Being in the Presence of the Eternal Truth of the Positive Power (God, Sat Purush), and other souls on the Path;

("Encyclopaedia of Saints of India, Volume 25: Sant Dadu Dayal", Bakshi and Mittra, Criterion Publications, New Delhi)

Sant Mat Blog Archive: https://SantMatRadhasoami.Blogspot.com

Kabir: One of India's Greatest Poet-mystics and Spiritual Masters

Kabir: One of India's Greatest Poet-mystics and Spiritual Masters

By James Bean

Copyright February 2011, All Rights Reserved

 

 

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Kabir lived during the fifteenth century, raised near Banaras, India by Muslim parents. He grew in the impassioned poetry and deep philosophy of the Persian mystics like Jalaludin Rumi. He is, as he says in his hymns, "at once the child of Allah and of Ram". He achieved a synthesis of Hindu and Muslim belief and freely used symbols from both religions. He was a weaver, a simple and unlettered man, who earned his leaving at the loom. It is out of the heart of the common life that he sings his rapturous lyrics of divine love.

 

 

"Kabir" is an Islamic name popular in the Muslim world - it's one of the "Ninety-Nine Names of Allah" found in the Quran, meaning, "The Greatest". Kabir was indeed a great soul, a kind of "Christ of northern India", believed by some to be one of the most advanced souls to ever incarnate into the world. Today, Kabir has over twenty-five million devotees in various Kabir Panth and Sant lineages, and is universally loved by Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims alike. Kabir's hymns are still sung in the satsangs (spiritual gatherings) of various spiritual paths all over India and the world.

 

 

Kabir is Everyone's Universal Saint 

 

 

He was: 

 

 

a Master or Sant Sat Guru of Inner Light and Sound Mysticism/Surat Shabda Yoga and Sant Mat (Path of the Masters); 

 

 

musician and poet of Nirguna Bhakti (love and devotion for the One Formless God); 

 

 

a great teacher of eastern mysticism and gnosticism; 

 

 

peace maker between Hindus and Muslims; 

 

 

a social reformer in India who denounced the caste system; 

 

 

considered by many in Islam to be a Sufi Master or Murshid; 

 

 

considered by Hindus to be one of India's greatest poet-mystics and Vaishnava devotees in the history of India; 

 

 

considered a Bhagat by the Sikhs -- many of his hymns are included in the Adi Granth (Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh scriptures); 

 

 

was greatly influenced by Goraknath and the Nath Yogis, and the Nath Yogis of northern India were, in turn, influenced by Tantric Buddhism.

 

 

And some Christian missionaries at first thought Kabir might have been a Christian mystic due to his use of the term "Word" or "Shabda" - Celestial Music, which reminded them of the Gospel of John, chapter one: "In the beginning was the Word..."

 

 

Kabir freely used both Hindu and Islamic names for God. He attempted to make peace between Hindus and Muslims by pointing out that there is not a separate God for the East and West, but one universal Spirit Supreme. 

 

 

"The Hindu says Ram is supreme

the Muslim, Rahim

both die fighting each other

neither knowing the Truth.

 

 

"The south is Hari's abode; Allah's camp

is in the west. Look inside your own heart -

inside your heart of hearts - there is His abode, His camp.

 

 

"If Hari is merciful

He will place love in your heart,

and you shall obtain

the fruit of His name.

 

 

"Allah-Ram, I live by Your name.

Be merciful."

 

 

Kabir views humanity as being caught up in illusion, searching for Ultimate Reality in all the wrong places, always seeking It outside of ourselves in various rituals, temples, forests and mountaintops, not realizing That for which we seek is already hidden within us. 

 

 

"Your God dwells within you

like fragrance in the flower;

Musk lies within the Musk-deer

yet seeks it afar."

 

 

For Kabir, God, called "Allah" in the west and "Hari" in the east, can be experienced directly in a rapturous meditative state of Love, Bliss, visions of Light, Heavenly Sound -- a total oneness of soul and Oversoul in the Ocean of Love.

 

 

Kabir's spirituality was a blend of Prem-Bhakti: love and devotion for the Beloved Lord of Love, the One God (Ekongkar), and mystical soul travel experiences of a visionary and auditory nature.

 

 

This is my all-time favorite poem of Kabir, and it illustrates Kabir's approach to God as both that of an out-of-body mystic as well as that of a lover for the Beloved. 

 

 

"How could the love between Thee and me sever?

As the leaf of the water abides on the water:

so Thou art my Lord, and I am Thy servant.

As the night-bird Chakor gazes all night at the moon:

so Thou art my Lord and I am Thy servant.

From the beginning until the ending of time,

there is love between Thee and me;

and how shall such love be extinguished?

Kabir says: 'As the river enters into the ocean,

so my heart touches Thee.'"

 

 

That's from the book, Songs of Kabir, by Rabindrath Tagore. From that same translation here are verses where Kabir described some of his own inner mystical experiences. 

 

 

"What a wonderful lotus it is, that

blooms at the heart of the spinning

wheel of the universe! Only a few

pure souls know of its true delight.

Music is all around it, and there the

heart partakes of the joy of the

Infinite Sea.

 

 

"Rapture wells forth, and all space is

radiant with light.

There the Unstruck Music is sounded;

It is the music of the

three worlds.

 

 

"There the whole sky is filled with

sound, and there that music is

made without fingers and without

strings.

 

 

"The effulgence of the Supreme Being

is beyond the imagination:

Ineffable is His beauty,

to see it is the only proof."

 

 

Below is a list of recommended key translations of Kabir in English. In addition to those, I also want call attention to a book called, The Anurag Sagar, (Kabir's Ocean of Love), published by Sant Bani Books, Sanbornton, New Hampshire, USA 03269.

 

 

The Anurag Sagar is an epic reminiscent of the Ghat Ramayana of Tulsi Das and the Bhagavad Gita of the Mahabharata. In India, this text serves as a kind of "Genesis", "Gospel", and "Book of Revelation" all in one! a kind of gospel of Kabir, if you will. It summarizes the teachings of Kabir about the creation of the universe and higher planes/heavenly realms, the origin of evil and suffering in the world, the path to freedom from transmigration and reincarnation, and about Kabir's past lives. It is believed by some that Kabir incarnated during each of the Four Yugas or epochs of time to establish lineages of spiritual Masters in the world in order to enlighten humanity. This Ocean of Love or Anurag Sagar is also a valuable manual for learning about meditation practice.

 

 

Recommended Books On Kabir

 

 

Songs of Kabir, Rabindranath Tagore, Samuel Weiser Books; 

 

 

The Bijak of Guru Kabir (volumes I, II, and III), Dr. Jagessar Das, published by The Kabir Association # 208 - 14770 64th Avenue, Surry, B.C. CANADA V3S 1X7 

 

 

Kabir: Songs of the Divine -- 180 Mystical Poems of Kabir, Dr. Jagessar Das, Urban Mystic Books, Surrey, BC. Canada;

 

 

A Weaver Named Kabir, Charlotte Vaudeville, Oxford University Press; 

 

 

The Kabir Book, Robert Bly, Beacon Press, Boston; 

 

 

Praises to a Formless God, David Lorenzen, SUNY Press, NY 

 

 

Kabir - The Weaver of God's Name, Radha Soami Books;