| According to the holy Sikh scripture Guru Granth Sahib: The simplest equation of spirituality is: Man – ego = God. |
| Sikhism is not just another ism or a religion but is the simplest spiritual way of life for the entire mankind to follow, as enunciated by Guru Nanak and his holy successors. The Divine wisdom of the Sikh Gurus is incorporated in the form of holy hymns in the Divine scripture, known as Guru Granth Sahib, the Eternal Guru of the universe. It is clearly defined in Guru Granth Sahib as to how this universe was created and demolished many a time: Saache te pavnaa bha-i-aa pawanai te jal hoe Jal te tribhawan saajiaa ghat-ghat jot samoe (19) (Air came into existence from the Divine. Then air created water, which in turn created the whole universe, where the Divine light is pervading.) It is further narrated in Sukhmani Sahib that the universe was created and destroyed several times: Ka-ee baar pasrio paasaar. Sadaa Sadaa ik ekankaar (276) (Many times has the universal expanse recurred. Ever and ever, the Unique Lord remains the same.) In fact, Guru Nanak says: Houmai wich jag upjai purkhaa naam visarai dukh paaee. Gurmukh hovai su giaan tatt beechaarai houmai shabad jalaaeae (946) (O man, through ego the world comes into being. By forgetting the Name, it suffers pain and perishes. The one, who becomes Gurmukh contemplates the essence of spiritual wisdom; through Shabad he burns his ego.) The universe was created under the influence of ego and the human being forgot the Divine. This led to all his miseries (hell). A divine person sheds his ego by perceiving or imbibing divine wisdom with a meditation on the Divine Name and merges himself with God. Water created the earth, where many species of plant kingdom and animal kingdom came into being. In the process of evolution the human being came into existence with the sole aim of merging his self with the divine: Bhaee paraapat maanukh dehureeaa. Gobind milan kee ih teree bareeaa. (12) (This human form has come into your possession. It is your opportunity to realize the One, who sustains the Universe.) There are two forces working in the universe. One is positive force, called the divine and the other is negative force called ego. Let us take the example of the human being, who is considered to be the most superior amongst all the species. Every cell of his body has positive force (divine) and negative force (ego). He, who completely eradicates his ego attains salvation in this very life. Salvation means to become divine (God). Guru Sahib ordains: O man! Shed your ego completely to become Divine (God): Jeevan mukat so aakheeai mar jeevai mareeaa (449) (He, who effaces his ownself and is dead in life, is said to have been emancipated while alive.) Dubidhaa chhod bhae nirankaaree (685) (Forsaking duality, one becomes the worshipper of the One Formless Lord.) As stated above, a very simple equation of spirituality is: Man – ego = God All the worldly thoughts, figures or pictures, negative emotions and instincts are egoistic. All the worldly intellectuals as well as fools are egoistic because they do not know the way of treading the Divine path to achieve salvation: Hao wich moorakh hao wich siaanaa (466) (In pride he is foolish and in pride he is wise.) All forms, which are created and with the passage of time destroyed, are not considered to be true reality. Similarly, this universe is also not an everlasting reality. Gurbani reminds us that this universe is false and will not stay forever: Jag rachnaa sabh jhooth hai jaan lehu re meet (1428) (O my friend, know this that totally false is the structure of the world.) Gurbani further stresses: Ih jag dhooe kaa pahaar. Tai saachaa maaniaa kih bichaar (1187) (This world is a mountain of smoke. By what reasoning have you deemed it to the real?) Every religion of the world has accepted that there are two ways in this Universe. One is leading to heaven and the other to hell. Heaven is considered as salvation of man. The concept of heaven or salvation is visualized differently in different religions. But according to the holy Guru Granth Sahib, the attainment of heaven or salvation is the merger of the human being with the Divine (God) by shedding his ego completely in this very life on earth. |
