Sikh And You Will Find: The Vegetarian Diet, Sikh Gurus and Scriptures, A Collection of Passages

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Sikh And You Will Find: The Vegetarian Diet, Sikh Gurus and Scriptures, A Collection of Passages 

Some have suggested that the Sikh Scriptures are not very clear on vegetarianism, the need to strictly adhere to a vegetarian diet for spiritual and ethical reasons. Not so. Let's have a look! There are numerous vegetarian passages preserved in the Sikh Scriptures (Adi Granth, Shri Guru Granth Sahib) and related Sikh texts  --  quotes from Guru Nanak, Kabir, Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Gobind Singh and others. I've also included quotes from Bhai Gurdaas Ji, also a Persian historian and scholar of comparative religion who wrote about Guru Nanak and the early Sikhs  --  how the original disciples were all vegetarians, and a couple of later Sikh sources documenting vegetarianism in the Sikh world after the time of the Tenth Sikh Guru: Guru Gobind Singh.

Vegetarian Diet, Guru Nanak and the Sikh Gurus: 

 

“The merit of pilgrimages to the sixty-eight holy places, and that of other virtues besides, do not equal having compassion for other living beings.” (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, pg 136) “Do not cause pain to any creature, Go back to your Home with honour.” (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, pg 322) “Keep your heart content and cherish compassion for all beings; this way alone can your holy vow be fulfilled” (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, pg 299) Nanak abstained from animal food and enjoined against cruelty to animals: "Having prohibited his disciples to drink wine and eat pork, he (Nanak) himself abstained from eating flesh and ordered not to hurt any living being." (Mohsin Fani, Persian historian, DABISTAN-E-MAZAHIB) "Numberless degraded persons keep on eating filthy things (Some saints call meat and alcohol the filth)." (Guru Nanak, Jap Ji) “Countless are the cutthroats who trade in violence. Countless are sinners who keep on sinning. Countless are liars, wandering lost in their lies. Countless are the impious who live on unwholesome food." (Guru Nanak, Jap Ji, Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 4) "You kill living beings, and call it a righteous action. Tell me, brother, what would you call an unrighteous action? You call yourself the excellent sage; then whom would you call a butcher?" (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 1103). "Kabeer says, the dinner of beans and rice is excellent when flavored with salt. Who would cut throats to have meat with his bread?" (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 1374) "Kabeer: for those who consume marijuana, fish and wine, no matter what pilgrimages, fasts and rituals they follow, they will all be consigned to hell". (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 1377). “Do not say that the Vedas, the Bible and the Koran are false. Those who do not contemplate them are false. You say that the One Lord is in all, so why do you kill chickens?” (Kabir, Guru Granth Sahib, 1350) “Telling lies, they eat dead bodies. And yet, they go out to teach others. They are deceived, and they deceive their companions. O Nanak, such are the leaders of men. (Shri Guru Granth, 139)

"One who does not steal, commit adultery, slander anyone, gamble, eat meat or drink wine will be liberated in this very life (i.e. Jeewan Mukt)". (Guru Gobind Singh, 10th Sikh Guru, Sudharam Marag Granth —Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s “Updesh” to Bhai Daya Singh ji which is mentioned in “Sudharam Marag Granth”, and also found written in some old handwritten volumes of Sri Guru Granth Sahib): http://www.info-sikh.com/PageM1.html “His Disciples, Soaked in The Bliss of Nam, gave up opium, hashish, poppy, liquor and various other intoxicants. They would not eat meat. They would not steal. They foreswore adultery and deception. They Practised Saintliness.” (Sri Guru Panth Parkash): http://namdhari.faithweb.com/panthparkash.htm

Vegetarian Diet and the Sikh Gurus: 

 

"Living by neglect and greed, the world eats dead carcasses. Like a goblin or a beast, they kill and eat the forbidden carcasses of meat. Control your urges, or else you will be thrown into the tortures of hell." (Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 723). Bhai Gurdaas Ji said: "They eat meat by cutting throats, what will their own condition be?" (Vaar 24, Pauree 17) "To take what rightfully belongs to another, is like a Muslim eating pork, or a Hindu eating beef. Our Guru, our Spiritual Guide, stands by us if we do not eat those carcasses. By mere talk, people do not earn Liberation. Salvation only comes from the practice of truth. By adding spices to forbidden foods, they are not made acceptable. O Nanak, from false talk, only falsehood is obtained.” (Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 141)  

 

Like Satguru Kabir, Sant Ravi Das was very aggressive in his condemnation of eating meat. Selections from the Amrit Bani Granth of Sant Ravi Das, a text also respected by Sikhs: 

 

"O man! Renounce these evils. Gambling, eating meat, drinking liquor, going to a prostitute, violence and theft are all sinful deeds, which will take you to hell. The life of the man is auspicious which he gets according to his virtuous deeds. Ravidass says, after consideration, the life of a man is going waste without reciting the name of God."   "By killing an animal how can you achieve the God? Why not this fact has been taught to you by the Pirs, Prophet of God, and other religious men, says Ravidass? [183]"   "Those people who eat meat of cow, goat etc., daily in their meals, Ravidass says, they may perform prayer day and night, but they cannot achieve the heaven. [184]"   "After slaughtering the head of an animal, the foolish people describe it legitimate because it is permitted in their religion. Ravidass says, if they have to cut their own heads like this, only then they will realise the pain. [185]"   "The man who kills an animal for his food or livelihood, Ravidass says, he has to undergo horrible punishment in the court of God. [186]"   "One should not kill any living being because every creature is equal to Creator. Ravidass says, he cannot get liberation from such sinful deeds by giving millions of cows in alms. [187]"   "Ravidass says, who eats meat and fish for the taste of his tongue, one day he will get punishment for this sinful act and he will have to get his head cut for killing innocent animals. [188]"   "Ravidass says, O man! You should not kill animal because the God is fully absorbed in every creature. Everybody has the same soul. There is no other soul except God in the world. [189]"   "One, who eats meat of animals, has to get his neck cut. Ravidass says, such a person will go to hell. [190]"   "A man, who is not kind and merciful, eats meat of animals, such a person will go to hell, verily says Ravidass. [191]"   "The people who butcher animals and eat their meat, have become dead creatures, says Ravidass after full consideration. [192]"   

 

From Another Translation of the Amrit Bani of Sant Ravidass: 

 

"Ravidass moondah kaat kar moorakh kahat halal! Gala katavahu aapna tou ka hoyihi haal!! 185!! Satguru Ravidass Ji articulates that “A foolish person designates slow cutting of throat of an animal as halal meat. Let him severe his own throat slowly the same way and experience the pangs of suffering."   "Ravidass jo aapan het hi par koon maran jaie! Malak ke dar jai kari bhogahi kari sajaie!! 186!! Satguru Ravidass Ji says that “If anyone kills an animal for his use; then he has to suffer grave punishment on reaching the court of God."   "Prani badh nahin kijiyahi jivah Brahm samaan! Ravidass paap nanh shootayie karor gouan kari daan!! 187!! Satguru Ravidass Ji explains that “Human beings should never kill any animal because component of God is uniformly manifest as Atman in all living beings. One, who resorts to killing of animals, can never succeed in atonement of his sins even if he may donate millions of cows in alms."   "Ravidass jibhya swad bas jou maans mashrian khaye! Nahak jeev maaran badal aapan sees kataye!! 188!!  Satguru Ravidass Ji preaches his pious sermon that “Those, who eat meat or fish for the sake of satisfying taste of their tongues, will have to undergo severe punishment for killing animals without any fault and their own heads will get severed one day."   "Ravidass jeev mat marahin ik sahib sabh manhi! Sabh manhi eko Atma doosrah kou nanhi!! 189!!  Satguru Ravidass Ji states that “Human beings should never kill any animal as only same one God is manifest in all living creatures. As such there is but one Atman manifest in every one and there is no second Atman anywhere."   "Mansahari - Narak Adhikari Vegetarian life style   Apnah geev kataihin jo maans praya khanye!  Ravidass maans jau khat haen te nar narkahi janye!! 190!!  Satguru Ravidass Ji preaches human beings to lead a vegetarian life. Those who eat meat ultimately lose their own necks and go to hell." 

 

Vegetarian Diet and More From the Sikh Scriptures: 

 

"You kill living beings, and call it a righteous action. Tell me, brother, what would you call an unrighteous action? You call yourself the excellent sage; then whom would you call a butcher?" (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 1103). “You keep your fasts to please Allah, while you murder other beings for pleasure. You look after your own interests, and so not see the interests of others. What good is your word? O Qazi, the One Lord is within you, but you do not think or contemplation on Him. You do not care for others, you are mad about religion, this is why your life is wasting away." (Kabir, Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 483): http://www.realsikhism.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1248309400&ucat=7

Also See: Cruelty and Food Sikh Discussion:

http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Cruelty_and_food

Also See: Even More Shri Guru Granth Vegetarian Passages — Adi Granth on Meat:

http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Guru_Granth_Sahib_on_meat#Shabads_with_the_word_.22Kill.22

Baba Banda Singh Bahadur (1670–1716)

“On 3rd September 1708, Guru Gobind Singh Ji administered the vows and Amrit (blessed necter) to Madho Das, a Hindu Sadhu or ascetic, and gave him a new name, Banda Singh. At the same time, he gave Banda Singh a Nagara (war drum), Nishan Sahib (banner) and five arrows from his own quiver as symbols of Authority. Banda Singh was also accompanied by five Sikhs to assist him to build up his forces so as to repel the tyranny of the Mughal Empire.” — http://sikhcoin.blogspot.com/2013/05/baba-banda-singh-bahadur-1670-1716-and.html

Hukamnama (edict or order) to the Sikhs of Jaunpur by Baba Banda Singh Bahadur on 12th December 1710. “Ek Ongkar Fateh Darshan. Sri sache sahib ji ka hokum hai sarbat Khalsa Jaunpur ka Guru rekhega, guru japna janam savraega, tusi sri akal purakh ji ka khalsa ho, panj hathear banh ke hukam dekhdiya darshan awna. Khalsae di rahet rahena, bhang, tumakoo, hafeem, posthe, dharoo, amal koyee na hi khana, mas masheli paeaj na hi khana, chori jari nahi karni, asa satjug vertaeya hae aap vech pyar karna, mera hukam hae jo khalsae di rahet rahega tesdi Guru bahori kareaga. Methi Poh 12 samvat pahela satrathes.”

English Translation of the Hukamnama Shown Above

“Ek Ongkar Fateh Darshan. By the order of the true king, all the Khalsa of Jaunpur will be protected by Guru ji, Pray to the Guru for he will improve your life. You are God’s Khalsa, wear the five weapons and on being ordered, present yourself. You must obey the principals of the Khalsa. You are not to consume hemp, tobacco, opium, poppy seeds or alcoholic drinks. You are not to eat meat, fish and onions. You must not steal. We usher in a new era, Satjug — the Age of Truth. Love one another. This is my order, those who should live according to the principals of the Khalsa will be protected by God. Dated 12 Poh samvat pahela 1 (= 12 December 1710)” — http://sikhcoin.blogspot.com/2013/05/baba-banda-singh-bahadur-1670-1716-and.html

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PODCAST: Guru Nanak and the Adi Granth: The Sikh Scriptures -- Spiritual Awakening Radio With James Bean

 

 

PODCAST: Guru Nanak and the Adi Granth: The Sikh Scriptures -- Spiritual Awakening Radio With James Bean @ Youtube: https://youtu.be/sjr3jcJJ5AY

Notes About Today's PODCAST: Guru Nanak and the Adi Granth: The Sikh Scriptures

During this human existence we have an opportunity to experience God. As we experience communing with God's love during meditation -- Surat Shabd Yoga -- we can rise above body-consciousness and explore Inner Space, the "Kingdom of the Heavens" that are within us. "We travel back from the realm of Darkness to the realm of Light, from the Light to Divine Sound, and from the realm of Sound to the Soundless State." (Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj) The drop merges back into the Ocean of Love.

As we get initiated into Shabd Naam by a Living Satguru, the purpose of our life is fulfilled. Reuniting with God is our reason to be here: "It was for the sake of the God-conscious beings that our True Lord created this earth, and began this play of death and birth". (Adi Granth)

The Mind is Filled with the Divine Music of the Spheres

The Lord placed the soul in the body's cave,
And the breath held the Music of Life.
He made each body with nine gates, (1)
With the Tenth Gate (2); remaining well hid.
And the Tenth Door was opened to him
Who truly loved the Guru's wisdom.
And there lives the Lord in His myriad forms,
as well as the nine treasures of the Name.
His limit cannot be found.

Says Nanak, the Lord placed the soul in the
body's cave and the breath held the Music of Life.

Listen to this Song of Bliss, you blessed ones,
And all your heart's longings shall be fulfilled.
You will reach the Transcendent Lord, and
your sorrows will depart.
All afflictions and sorrows are destroyed
at the Sound of the True Word,
And my friends, the saints were in ecstasy when
the perfect Guru revealed it.
Those who speak and those who listen are pure,
And they see the All-pervading Lord everywhere.
Nanak prays: Attaching to the feet of the Guru,
The mind is filled with the Divine Music of the Spheres.

-- Guru Amar Das, from Anand Sahib
_____
Notes:

(1) "nine gates": The nine visible orifices of the body.

(2) "The Tenth Gate": The Tenth, or Hidden, Gate of the body: The Third Eye, in essence, is the Portal to inner realms. The Upanishads describe a human being as a city with ten gates. Nine gates (eyes, nostrils, ears, mouth, urethra, anus) lead to the outside world. The Tenth Gate, the Third Eye, opens onto inner worlds: the whole spectrum of levels of consciousness.

God is the Ocean of Love.

Jai Sat Naam, Jai Guru, Radhasoami, Satya Raam, In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be to You,
James
Spiritual Awakening Radio

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PODCAST: Kabir's Treasure of Spiritual Wisdom: The Bijak, and Brahm Nirupan -- Spiritual Awakening Radio With James Bean, a Satsang Without Walls.

PODCAST: Kabir's Treasure of Spiritual Wisdom: The Bijak, and Brahm Nirupan -- Spiritual Awakening Radio With James Bean, a Satsang Without Walls.







Listen @ Youtube:
https://youtu.be/ozFWXevy4FU


Guru Kabir is considered to be one of the primary founding masters of Sant Mat spirituality, the Sant tradition. Kabir is also the "Rumi" of India, a wonderful bhakti poet-mystic and lover of the Beloved Lord of the Soul, the Ocean of Love.

Sant Kabir lived during the fifteenth century, raised near Banaras by Muslim parents. He was a weaver, a simple and unlettered man, who earned his living 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 Koran, meaning, “The Greatest”.

Today, Kabir has over twenty-five million devotees in various Kabir Panth and Sant lineages, and is loved by Sikhs, Hindus, Jains, Christians, and Muslims alike. Kabir’s hymns are still sung in the satsangs of various paths all over India and around the world.

Everyone’s Universal Saint, Kabir was:

 a Master or Sant Sat Guru of Surat Shabd Yoga, a founding Guru of Sant Mat and Kabir Panths;

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

* a great teacher of Eastern Gnosis (Gnosticism or mysticism);

* peace maker between Hindus and Muslims;

* a social reformer in India who denounced the caste system;

* thought of by many in Islam to be a Sufi Master or Murshid;

* believed by Hindus to be one of the 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);

* influenced by Goraknath and the Nath Yogis, and the Nath Yogis of northern India were, in turn, influenced by Tantric Buddhism;

Kabir’s spirituality is a blend of Prem and Bhakti: love and devotion for the Beloved Lord, the One God (Ek Ongkaar), and mystical, soul travel experiences of a visionary and auditory nature (Inner Light and Sound Meditation, Surat Shabd Yoga).

A new Kabir book is now available in English called, "The Complete Bijak Of Kabir -- Guru Kabir's Mystical Teachings on God-Realization", by Dr. Jagessar Das, translating into English and commenting on the entire Bijak of Kabir. This is an impressive work, a true, grassroots "satsang template" of traditional Sant Mat, wonderful to have, featuring all 11 sections of the Bijak in one volume: the Ramainis, Shabdas, Sakhis, Gyan Chowntisa, Vipramtisi, Kahara, Basant, Chachar, Beli, Birahuli, and Hindola. You can find it at Amazon.

"Bij" means: the seed or essence. "Bijak" means treasure. The Bijak of Kabir is intended to be a treasure-map to the essence of reality: our soul and God.

Another new book explored during this Sant Mat satsang podcast is, The Brahm Nirupan of Kabir, a very informative collection of over three hundred and fifty sayings about meditation practice, the inward journey of the soul, and offers the genuine spiritual seeker much wisdom about how to life a spiritual life.

Jai Guru. Radhasoami. Jai Sat Naam. Satya Raam!

All for the love of wisdom and radio,
James Bean

Website:
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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

 

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)

Exploring the Sikh Religion and Scriptures of India—Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcast

Exploring the Sikh Religion and Scriptures of India—Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcast:

https://youtu.be/4BVpo-xwWgw?si=zEWcBDSVu3B6E-fp

The yogis asked Guru Nanak: "Who are you? What is your name? What is your sect? What is your goal? We pray that you give us your true answers, for we are a sacrifice to the truthful ones. Where is your seat? Where do you live? From where have you come? Where are you going? The non-attached Siddhas wait to hear your reply. 0 tell us, what is your path?"

Answered the Master: "The Lord is in every heart, and within Him is my seat and my home. I walk in the will of the Sat Guru [True Qualified Master-Teacher], and this is my only caste. I have come from God and I shall go wherever His will guides me. Nanak is my name, and I live to obey His command. My way is to sit in contemplation of the Imperishable Lord, and the attainment of such an all-encompassing Vision is my life’s goal. By the Guru’s grace I have come to know and recognize myself, and have merged with the truest of the true."

Satsang (Spiritual Community) -- Guru Nanak’s Conversation with the Yogis

Below is based on: Peace Lagoon – Sacred Songs of the Sikhs, the Collected Hymns of Guru Nanak, Guru Amar Das, Guru Ram Das, Guru Arjun Dev, and Guru Gobind Singh, translated by Sardarni Premka Kaur, published by the Sikh 3HO, a very nice anthology of the Sikh scriptures of India in clear contemporary English.

Opening Verse of the Book of Sidh Gosht: “The Siddha Yogis formed an assembly, and sitting in their yogic postures spoke to Guru Nanak: ’Make your obeisance to this gathering.’”

Answered Guru Nanak: “I bow only to Him who is true, infinite and beautiful beyond compare. My body and mind I surrender to Him and my head I place before Him. It is in keeping the company of the saints that one reaches the Truth, and by the Truth itself one is blessed. No goal is reached by wandering aimlessly. Purity is only achieved through the practice of the True Name [Sat Naam]. Without the True Name, liberation comes to none.”

The yogis asked Guru Nanak: “Who are you? What is your name? What is your sect? What is your goal? We pray that you give us your true answers, for we are a sacrifice to the truthful ones. Where is your seat? Where do you live? From where have you come? Where are you going? The non-attached Siddhas wait to hear your reply. 0 tell us, what is your path?”

Answered the Master: “The Lord is in every heart, and within Him is my seat and my home. I walk in the will of the Sat Guru [True Qualified Master-Teacher], and this is my only caste. I have come from God and I shall go wherever His will guides me. Nanak is my name, and I live to obey His command. My way is to sit in contemplation of the Imperishable Lord, and the attainment of such an all-encompassing Vision is my life’s goal. By the Guru’s grace I have come to know and recognize myself, and have merged with the truest of the true.”

My Commentary: Sidh Gosht is my favorite book of Guru Nanak. It’s question-and-answer format serves as a kind of catechism for souls learning about the path of mysticism. What a spiritual feast! It sheds light on the teachings of Guru Nanak, one of the greatest Masters in all of human history, born during the year 1469 in the village of Talwandi Rai Bhoi, around forty five miles from Lahore (now part of Pakistan).

The yogis were asking Guru Nanak some serious questions about life, living, and the path to enlightenment. Indeed, each soul rousing from the slumber of the ages may wonder: Where did I come from? Who am I? Why am I here? What is my path? Where is my spiritual community? What “tribe” or “caste” do I belong to? What IS my goal in life? Where am I going? What spiritual practice should I adopt? The earlier in life we ponder these big questions, the better. And blessed are those who have a Guru Nanak-like sage to call upon.

An Emphasis of: “God, God, God, Guru, God”, and Not: “Guru, Guru, Guru, God, Guru”

These particular yogis said to Nanak: “Make your obeisance to this gathering”, but Nanak’s reply seemed to beg to differ: “I bow only to Him who is true, infinite and beautiful beyond compare. My body and mind I surrender to Him and my head I place before Him.” For Guru Nanak, the genuine spiritual teacher does not seek to eclipse or undermine our direct relationship with God. Rather, Nanak presents the role of a genuine living Master as being that of someone who serves as a catalyst, that guides us into our own personal experience of God within. The hymns of Guru Nanak do include devotion for Masters – spiritual teachers play a vital role, but God is the goal, the primary focus of attention. To quantify this bhakti or devotion mathematically in the teachings of Guru Nanak and other lovers of the Beloved: a ratio of around ninety percent God-bhakti to ten percent Guru-bhakti. God is the destination, the Object of Contemplation. Thus, it is wise for spiritual seekers to be aware of such sacred texts as Sidh Gosht when evaluating contemporary spiritual organisations and teachers that claim to represent a continuation of the path of the masters and great saints of the past. Caveat emptor.

Satsang, An Association with Lovers of Eternal Truth

Guru Nanak said: “It is in keeping the company of the saints that one reaches the Truth, and by the Truth itself one is blessed. No goal is reached by wandering aimlessly.” In the Gurmuki language, “sant” is a word with several meanings. It can refer to an advanced soul who has gone far in his or her spiritual practice. Spiritual movements over time may produce many such sants or saints, many mystic-souls or disciples who have made progress in their journey back to the Beloved. The term “sant” can also refer to those who have been chosen to be Sant Sat Gurus, the qualified teachers and guides, the leaders of whole spiritual communities. There is another usage of the word “sant”: a general term for devotees, disciples, satsangis, or initiates, one’s fellow-travelers and companions along the path, in other words a spiritual community or congregation of students who are, affiliated with and studying the teachings of, a certain Master, and meet together in his or her name. In this passage from Sidh Gosht, the word “saints” or “sants” can refer to all of the above, in the varied circumstances of satsang attendance one may encounter over the years.

Satsang is a word used in India for spiritual gatherings. According to the teachings of Guru Nanak however, a satsang is not just a meeting, but a fellowship of those that seek to associate with the Eternal Truth or God. Satsang is a very special time when all the distractions and illusions of “maya’s place” are to be put aside. It is an auspicious occasion when the Secrets, Mysteries, the Hidden Gnosis or Esoteric Teachings are freely shared out in the open. Satsang is a place of learning, of serious spiritual discourses being given by competent teachers. One may sing hymns known as banis, kirtans, or bhajans during satsangs. Group meditation is also part of the format of satsang. It is considered to be a great blessing for souls to meditate together, and an even greater blessing to meditate with those who are more advanced on the way. The New Testament passage: “Where two or three are gathered in My Name, I Am in their midst”, is a wonderful description of the group-energy that can be present when people come together to sing, meditate, and focus on the Eternal Truths of the spiritual journey as revealed by the great Masters of the past and the living present. In a similar passage from the Gospel of Saint Thomas found in Egypt, Yeshua said, “Whoever drinks what flows from My mouth will come to be as I Am and I also will come to be as they are, so that which is Hidden can become manifest.” (Logion 108, Lynn Bauman translation, White Cloud Press)

Fortunate also are those who have a soul-mate that they share the journey with, who they can also converse with about the things they care about most in life.

In the book of Sidh Gosht, Guru Nanak taught that: “No goal is reached by wandering aimlessly.” We human beings are social creatures. As the saying goes, “Spirituality is not only taught, but caught.” Even with a solitary practice such as meditation, done alone at home, we sometimes need the inspiration of others to stay motivated. Mystic paths or schools of spirituality which advocate meditation, also practice some degree of spiritual community, providing opportunities for social interaction, meaningful instruction, and they encourage one to remain committed to following certain ethical values and specific methods of spiritual practice. “Joining the satsang, my intellect is enlightened.” (Guru Ram Das) “Joining the satsang, I meditate on the Lord’s Name.” (Guru Arjun Dev in the Sikh scriptures) “Chanting, meditating on You in the satsang, You are revealed.” (Guru Arjan Dev) “There, sitting in the satsang the Glorious Praises of the Lord are sung [kirtans, hymns].” (Guru Arjan Dev) “In the satsang, the Society of the Saints, the State of Supreme Awareness is attained. The Merciful Lord carries us across the ocean of life”. (Guru Ram Das) “They realize the essence of Reality, and know the state of their inner being. This is the true glorious greatness of those who join the satsang.” (Guru Nanak Dev)

(James Bean explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, meditation, and books for HealthyLife.net -- The Positive Talk Radio Network and other stations via a syndicated program called Spiritual Awakening Radio.)

Guru Nanak Jayanti -- Light and Sound on the Path

Guru Nanak Jayanti -- Light and Sound on the Path

Happy Birthday Guru Nanak! Sunday, November 17th, 2013

"Guru Nanak Jayanti is the birthday of the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak, and one of the most sacred festivals in Sikhism. Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born on 15 April 1469 in Rai-Bhoi-di Talwandi in the present Shekhupura District of Pakistan, now Nankana Sahib.

"Guru Nanak Gurpurab also known as Guru Nanak's Prakash Utsav, celebrates the birth of the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak. The Nanak panthi Hindus and other followers of Guru Nanak's philosophy also celebrate this festival.

"The birthday of Guru Nanak Sahib falls on Kartik Poornima, i.e., the day of the full moon in the month of Kartik. In the Gregorian Calendar, the birthday of Guru Nanak usually falls in the month of November, but its date varies from year to year, based on the traditional dates of the Indian calendar.

"Guru Nanak Jayanti ranks among the popular festivals in India. It is celebrated with great zeal in the state of Punjab.

"Guru Nanak Jayanti Festival is usually a three day festival. Two days prior to the birthday, Akhand Path is held in the Gurudwaras. It is the practice of forty-eight-hour non-stop reading of the Guru Granth Sahib, the religious book of the Sikh religion.

"On the day of the Guru Nanak Jayanti, people get up early in the morning and sing Asa-di-Var or the morning hymns from the Sikh scriptures. Priests recite poems in praise of the Guru in the Gurudwaras. In the afternoon, Langar or special community lunch is prepared and people eat these together with family members and friends. The main objective of this lunch is to offer food as a form of seva (service) and bhakti (devotion)."

-- Above:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Nanak_Jayanti 

And from:

http://www.indianholiday.com/best-of-india/festivals/guru-nanak-jayanti.html

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By Remembering God (Simran) We Walk on a Clear Path and Find the Door to Liberation -- Guru Nanak

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No words can speak of remembrance,

Attempts to explain are later regretted.

No paper, pen or scribe can describe,

Nor any philosophizing help to realize,

So wondrous is the immaculate Name,

IT is known only by those who hold IT in their mind.

Remembering, our mind and intellect awaken,

Remembering, we learn of all the worlds;

Remembering, we are safe from blows and pain;

Remembering, we part company with death.

So wondrous is the Immaculate Name,

IT is known only by those who hold IT in their mind.

Remembering, we walk on a clear path,

Remembering, we advance in honour and glory,

Remembering, we do not stray down lanes and byways,

Remembering, we keep to righteousness.

So wondrous is the immaculate Name,

IT is known only by those who hold IT in their mind.

Remembering, we find the door to liberation,

Remembering, our family is liberated too,

Remembering, we swim and lead our companions

to the shore.

Remembering, says Nanak, we need not beg

in circles for freedom.

So wondrous is the Immaculate Name,

IT is known only by those who hold IT in their mind.

-- Guru Nanak, Jap Ji (Morning Prayer),

"The Name of My Beloved, Verses of the Sikh Gurus" -- Nikky Singh Translation

"Make the transaction for which you came into this world, through the Guru, deposit the Divine in your mind. So easily will you find the joy that dwells within your own Self, and no more will you enter the circle of living and dying." (from the, Adi Granth, Kirtan Sohila, Evening Prayers, translated by Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh, "The Name of My Beloved, Verses of the Sikh Gurus")

Definitions of Simran

by James Bean

"Simran" is a term which means "Remembrance", the spiritual practice of remembering or being mindful of God by repeating his Name. In the Sant tradition, the name (or names) of God that one repeats are taught or revealed by a living Master at the time of your initiation into the meditation practices of Sant Mat. Devotees sometimes sing or chant various names for God. Higher spiritually, and more "within you" is the practice of "Manas Jap", the mental Simran-repetition of God's name or names "with the tongue of thought" -- in other words, chanting names of God within one's mind. The Sants have always placed much greater emphasis upon mental Simran over any kind of vocal chant.

This is a spiritual exercise -- Simran -- Mantra -- Zikhr - that is practiced on the 'inner,' when we go within during meditation practice. Sant Namdev and other Masters have taught how important it is to develop the spiritual practice of repeating God's name. This can be done during meditation as a way to: relax, get centered, still the thoughts of the mind, and Above All, to invoke the Positive Power to transform one's meditation through Divine Grace into the experience of God. The answer to this prayer of God's name is God Himself-Herself-ITself.

"When doing spiritual practices, you should sit in one unflinching posture and do mental Simran only, with your inner gaze fixed. Think of nothing else except Simran. Sit in a position most comfortable to you, one in which you can sit the longest without moving; that while sitting in this position, you are to remain wide awake with your attention directed at the seat of the soul behind and between the two eyebrows; that you are to look sweetly and serenely into the middle of the darkness in front of you, repeating the Simran of five charged names slowly and at intervals. At the time of hearing the Sound Current, listen to the Sound only and do not do Simran while hearing the Sound." (Kirpal Singh)

(1) Simran or Manas Jap refers to the remembrance of God by the repetition of a name of God or combination of names.

(2) Becoming One with the Name Being Repeated: "When Simran (the repetition of a sacred name or charged words) is merged in the mind, and mind be merged in Simran, such fusion of mind and the name (mantra) is called Manas Jap (mental repetition)." ('Aranya Kand', Maanas Peeyush)

(3) Do Simran with Love. The True Spirit of Simran Practice is Bhakti: "If the person repeats the name with love, distress is destroyed and one lives in happiness." (Sant Tulsi Das) "The practitioner who does Jap [Simran] sitting in a secluded place with the right method and immense love [Bhakti], becomes the excellent devotee." (Swami Bhagirath Baba): http://www.Scribd.com/doc/118372093/Shri-Swami-Bhagirath-Baba-A-Spiritual-Discourse

There is however, more to Simran than the repeating of sacred words. Simran must be approached with the right attitude, the right spirit, for one's intent determines how successful the practice will be, and what effect it will have upon one's consciousness. Simran has never been intended to be a dry or lifeless mantra practice. The path of the Sants is a Bhakti path, a path of love and devotion for the Supreme Being. Thus, the true Masters have always instructed their students to repeat God's Name with love and devotion, as a lover calling out to one's Beloved, the Lord of Love.

Radiant Form of the Master

"My mind pines for a vision of the Guru,

It wails like the chatrik bird.

My thirst is unquenched, and I find no peace

without sight of the Beloved Saint.

May I offer myself again and again,

for a vision of the Beloved and Holy Guru.

Your face is beautiful, and the Music of Your sweet Word

brings peace within.

It has been so long since I caught a glimpse of You,

I yearn for You as a soaring bird for water.

Blessed is the land where You dwell,

my good and Beloved Friend.

May I offer myself again and again,

my Guru, my good and Beloved Friend.

A moment without sight of You passes painfully

as a long dark age.

When shall I see you now, my blessed Beloved?

My nights are a torment, I cannot sleep a wink

without a glimpse.

May I offer myself again and again,

to the True One's court.

By good fortune I have met the Holy Guru,

And I have found the Immortal in my own house.

May I always serve You,

never parting for a minute

or moment, Nanak is Your humble slave.

May I offer myself again and again,

Nanak is Your humble slave."

(From Shabad Hazare, in, "The Name of My Beloved, Verses of the Sikh Gurus", an anthology of the Adi Granth/Guru Granth/Sikh Scriptures translated by Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh)

Prayers

"They who reflect, who reflect upon You,

they live peacefully in this world.

They are freed, they are freed who remember the Divine,

their snare of death is cut.

They who remember the Fearless One, the Fearless One,

all of their fears are dispelled.

They who serve, who serve my Beloved,

they merge with the Divine Form.

Blessed, blessed are they who remember the Divine."

"I do not understand Your wonders,

nor the way You made me capable.

I am base, without virtue,

but You had compassion for me,

Compassion that showered me with boundless mercy,

and I found a friend in the Sat Guru [True Guru].

Says Nanak, I live to hear the Name

that quickens body and mind with radiant joy"

("The Name of My Beloved, Verses of the Sikh Gurus", translated by Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh)

Vegetarianism in the Sikh Scriptures -- The Teachings of Guru Nanak and Guru Granth

Some have suggested that the Sikh Scriptures are not very clear on vegetarianism, the need to strictly adhere to a vegetarian diet for spiritual and ethical reasons. Not so. Let's have a look. There are numerous vegetarian passages preserved in the Sikh Scriptures (Adi Granth, Shri Guru Granth Sahib) and related Sikh texts -- quotes from Guru Nanak, Kabir, Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Gobind Singh and others. I've also included quotes below from Bhai Gurdaas Ji and a Persian historian who wrote about Guru Nanak and the early Sikhs -- how the original disciples were all vegetarians.

Nanak abstained from animal food and enjoined against cruelty to animals: "Having prohibited his disciples to drink wine and eat pork, he (Nanak) himself abstained from eating flesh and ordered not to hurt any living being." (Mohsin Fani, DABISTAN-E-MAZAHIB)

"Countless are the cutthroats who trade in violence. Countless are sinners who keep on sinning. Countless are liars, wandering lost in their lies. Countless are the impious who live on unwholesome food." (Guru Nanak, Jap Ji, Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 4)

"You kill living beings, and call it a righteous action. Tell me, brother, what would you call an unrighteous action? You call yourself the excellent sage; then whom would you call a butcher?" (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 1103).

"Kabeer says, the dinner of beans and rice is excellent when flavored with salt. Who would cut throats to have meat with his bread?" (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 1374)

"Kabeer: for those who consume marijuana, fish and wine, no matter what pilgrimages, fasts and rituals they follow, they will all be consigned to hell". (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 1377).

"One who does not steal, commit adultery, slander anyone, gamble, eat meat or drink wine will be liberated in this very life (i.e. Jeewan Mukt)". (Guru Gobind Singh, 10th Sikh Guru, Sudharam Marag Granth)

"Living by neglect and greed, the world eats dead carcasses. Like a goblin or a beast, they kill and eat the forbidden carcasses of meat. Control your urges, or else you will be thrown into the tortures of hell." (Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 723).

Bhai Gurdaas Ji said: "They eat meat by cutting throats, what will their own condition be?" (Vaar 24, Pauree 17)

"To take what rightfully belongs to another, is like a Muslim eating pork, or a Hindu eating beef. Our Guru, our Spiritual Guide, stands by us if we do not eat those carcasses. By mere talk, people do not earn Liberation. Salvation only comes from the practice of truth. By adding spices to forbidden foods, they are not made acceptable. O Nanak, from false talk, only falsehood is obtained". (Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 141)

"You kill living beings, and call it a righteous action. Tell me, brother, what would you call an unrighteous action? You call yourself the excellent sage; then whom would you call a butcher?" (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 1103).

"You keep your fasts to please Allah, while you murder other beings for pleasure. You look after your own interests, and so not see the interests of others. What good is your word? O Qazi, the One Lord is within you, but you do not think or contemplation on Him. You do not care for others, you are mad about religion, this is why your life is wasting away." (Kabir, Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 483)

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"James was a vegetarian...." (Robert Eisenman, James the Brother of Jesus)

"James, the brother of the Lord, lived on seeds and plants and touched neither meat nor wine." (Epistulae ad Faustum XXII, 3)

"John never ate meat." (Church historian Hegesipp according to Eusebius, History of the Church II 2:3)

"The Apostle Matthew partook of seeds, and nuts, hard-shelled fruits, and vegetables, without flesh." (Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor, Book 2, Chapter 1)

Peter said, "I live on olives and bread, to which I rarely only add vegetables." (Clementine Homilies 12,6; also see, Recognitions 7,6)

"Now beware in yourselves that your hearts do not become heavy with the eating of flesh and with the intoxication of wine and with the anxiety of the world, and that day come up upon you suddenly; for as a snare it will come upon all them that dwell on the surface of the earth." (Jesus, Luke 21:34, from a Syriac-Aramaic manuscript of the New Testament)

"Your beliefs become your thoughts,

Your thoughts become your words,

Your words become your actions,

Your actions become your habits,

Your habits become your values,

Your values become your destiny."

-- Mahatma Gandhi

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