DHARAM PRACHAR(KHOJI)LEKH NO.14

Religious Preaching – Part 4
(Spiritual Aspect)


In the previous booklet it was mentioned that there were two separate spheres of this world. The prevailing religions too are different from one another and their methods of preaching also differ.

1. The materialistic sphere of trigun (three attributes).
2. The intrinsic ‘spiritual’ sphere.

The methods of preaching of the various religions of ‘materialistic’ sphere of trigun have been discussed in detail.

Now in this article, the intrinsic hidden intuitional ‘spiritual sphere’ of the ‘fourth stage’ which is beyond the ‘trigun’, is being discussed.

Before discussing the preaching of this abstract deep spiritual topic it is necessary to have

intrinsic awareness
intuitional knowledge
complete faith
unshaken belief

of the intrinsic spiritual sphere.

This abstract sphere is the ‘play’ of the innermost consciousness. Therefore its awareness, knowledge is

beyond the grasp of our intellect
beyond the understanding of our intellect
beyond the discussion of our intellect
beyond the language of our intellect
is without words
is above the feelings of the mind
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and its

discussion
awareness
recognition
identification
discernment
discovery

can only be understood with the innermost consciousness, intuition and personal spiritual experience.

Therefore its explanation knowledge, direction, secret and touch

is different
is intuitional
is a magnet
is wondrous
is astonishing
is intoxication
is a melody
is a form of enlightenment
is a touch of love
is a cup of love
is a gift of life
is silent love
is spiritual touch
is the word (shabadh)
is naam.

Although the intrinsic spiritual play cannot be explained and understood through language, yet to show the limitless ‘aspects’, ‘secrets’, colours’ of this spiritual play, very beautiful and mind attracting methods have been given in Gurbani which gives many ‘hints’, ‘feelers’, ‘directions’ and ‘indications’ as follows:-
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1 Intoxicated with the Lord’s sublime essence, the mind is forever in ecstasy. 377
2 One who drinks in the Lord’s sublime essence, is intoxicated and enraptured 377
3 There is a chamber filled with jewels, overflowing with Ambrosial Nectar, in the Guru’s Treasury. 883
4 This thing is wonderful and amazing! It cannot be described. It is an unfathomable object, O Siblings of Destiny! 833
5 Tasting such Ambrosial Nectar, the mind remains satisfied and satiated. 884
6 The light of the jewel of spiritual wisdom shines within his heart, O Nanak, and he loves the Naam, the Name of the Lord. 584
7 The Divine Light illuminates his heart deep within; he seeks the Lord, and obtains Him. 955
8 He is the Embodiment of light, the incomparable essence. . He is stainless, without stain, beyond both sunshine and shade. 344
9 Without clouds, the rain falls, if one contemplates the essence of reality. 657
10 The unstruck melody resounds and resonates, and the Saints contemplate the essence of reality; this discourse is their daily routine. 783
11 My mind is enticed by the unstruck celestial melody; its flavor is amazing! 1226
12 I have churned the ocean of the body, and I have seen the incomparable thing come into view. 442
13 Taste the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within your mind. Its taste is wondrous — it cannot be described. 742
14 That Lord and Master, whose wisdom is said to be unfathomable, has been enshrined within my heart, by the Guru. 612
15 The celestial harp plays the incomparable melody, but in your intoxication, you do not hear it, O Yogi. 886
16 Slowly, slowly, slowly, very slowly, the drops of Ambrosial Nectar trickle down. 442
17 She is attracted to the Lord’s Name, day and night, and her body is drenched in the color of the Love of the Lord, Har, Har. 642
18 The sermon of the Lord is the unstruck, endless song. Becoming a swan, one recognizes the Diamond of the Lord. 483
19 It is the realm of celestial peace and bliss. The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, sits and sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. There is no disease or sorrow there, no birth or death. 888
Although the religious state of these two spheres (the materialistic sphere and the divine sphere) are different and appear contradictive, but in reality:-
the separate stages
the different degrees
the diverse ‘edges’
the high and low levels
the projections
the support
is but the flow of one and the only life – current.
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When drops of water from time in memorial have been falling from the sky onto the earth as rain, they have been getting together and flowing through drains, small streams, rivers, passing through various territories, mountains and plains to join their master, the ocean. But if some obstacle occurs in this life-long journey and a hitch occurs in the flow of the life-current, then this water will gather in holes, ponds, pools and become imprisoned in the limited space. Gradually this imprisoned water in the ponds will become dirty and the environment around this dirty water becomes harmful.

The condition of human beings is exactly like this. As long as our souls continue to move in the Divine ‘life current’, in the ‘Will’ of the ‘Command’ and in the Divine Flow, they reach their destination and become absorbed in the Lord Master although in this long and difficult ‘life-journey’ they may have to bear many ups and downs and face numerous difficulties.

But if there are obstacles in the flow of their life-journey created by ego-ridden cleverness and cunningness, then these souls get entangled in their own self created ‘whirlpool’ of egotism and get imprisoned – thereby meeting their ‘doomsday’ in the materialistic world of ‘trigun’. (Gurbani describes this thus)

1 I reap the fruits of my own deeds (I) cannot blame any other person. 433

2 Whoever follows his self will, he will face the blows of separation. 601

3 Entangled and enmeshed in false occupations everyone perishes. 133

When our life-current ‘having’ been imprisoned in the pool-like egotism becomes impure and dirty, then not only do we suffer ourselves but we also pollute the environment around us with the odour arising from our ‘egotism’, the bad effect of which spreads in the world through vibrations. In this way, instead of making others happy we become sinners for spreading the poison of the ‘chronic disease of egotism’ in nature divine.

Ego entrapped human beings escaping from the flow of Divine Current and regarding themselves as ‘better and nobler’ and truthful in egotism, look down upon others and are ever ready to impose ‘fatwas’ or decrees on others. This is the obstinacy of the ego-ridden mind, the result of which is clearly before us in the form of our mental, religious and spiritual decline and degeneration.


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1 In ego they come, and in ego they go. In ego they are born, and in ego they die.466
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In ego they are ignorant, and in ego they are wise.
They do not know the value of salvation and liberation.
In ego they love Maya, and in ego they are kept in darkness by it. Living in ego, mortal beings are created.
When one understands ego, then the Lord’s gate is known.
Without spiritual wisdom, they babble and argue. 466

2 Ego is a chronic disease, but it contains its own cure as well.
If the Lord grants His Grace, one acts according to the Teachings of the Guru’s Shabad. 466

The practice of rites and rituals of outward materialistic religion from many births have led these rites-rituals to penetrate, control and subdue our mind, intellect and sub consciousness to such an extent that we have begin to regard these external rites-rituals as ‘complete religion’ and we are so satisfied and intoxicated with this that we have become incapable, unaware and indifferent towards the

knowledge
understanding
discovery
discerning
researching
deliberating
recognising
analysing
paying attention
and enjoying

the high pure Divine intuitional sphere. The result is that apart from the religion of external ‘rites-rituals’ we have :-

no thought
no craving

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no need
no spare time
no joy
no eagerness
no ambition
no faith (or its superficial)
for any other intuitional, lofty spiritual teaching of the spiritual realm.

The astonishing and regretful thing is that despite:-
reading, singing Gurbani, having discourses daily,
reading and teaching, listening and relating, digressing knowledge about the lofty pure spiritual sphere in Gurbani, yet this negligence is taking place.

As a result of all this we are being deprived of Gurbani’s intrinsic intuitional:

spiritual virtues
spiritual swaying
spiritual flights
‘divine love’
‘taste of love’
‘cup of love’
‘touch of love’
‘love of the self’
‘divine melody’
wondrous intoxication
‘spiritual illumination’
‘life-current’
‘Sabadh’
‘Naam’

and many other gifts of spiritual spheres from which we are divorcing ourselves and our ego-ridden life, becoming dry and dull, is moving towards (the situation depicted in Gurbani as follows)

Being entangled and enmeshed in the love of false occupations, the whole world has perished.

In this way we are becoming ignorant and indifferent towards the ‘points’ which have correct, internal, intuitional essence knowledge of the ‘hidden’ secret ‘word’ recorded in Gurbani
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as follows:-

‘ God is one’
‘one statement’
‘one word’
‘essence word’
‘unstruck word’
‘unstruck sound’
‘one Bani’
‘one Guru’
‘beads of pearls’
‘neectar food’
‘Divine water’
‘love cup’
‘unnarratable story’
‘divine melody’
‘spiritual calm’
‘command’
‘Naam’
‘essence’

With our verbal intellect without knowing we explain these words in a manner that is

superficial
wrong
contradictory
ridiculous
beating about the bush

The pearls are scattered on the road; the blind man comes along. Without the Light of the Lord of the Universe, the world just passes them by. 1370

We are living in the materialistic sphere of ‘trigun’ (worldliness) and as long as we do not rise above this sphere to the spiritual realm through ‘sadh sangat’ (the company of evolved beings) and the Guru’s Grace,
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it is mandatory that we follow the religion’s external rites and rituals as per the rules of the materialistic sphere.

But the important point to note is that all these actions-

are efforts - not results
are means - not fulfillment
are steps - not the peak
are the journey - not the destination
are the knowledge - not the illumination

The difference in the means, expectations and results of the religious preaching in these spheres can be identified as follows;_

The Preaching of External Religion Intrinsic Spiritual Teaching

1 is intellectual topic
is intuitional play
2 is dependent on words
is wordless
3 is language based
is languagless
4 is learnt and taught
is the touch of the innate soul
5 forced upon from the outside
it sprouts from within the soul
6 is a search in darkness
is the glow of spiritual light
7 is doubt – fallacy
is plainly manifest
8 is understood and made to understand
is intuitional awareness
9 has many garbs
has only one farb
10 has many names
is nameless
11 has multiple points to focus upon
has only one focus
12 are intellectual emotions
is spiritual wonder
13 is discriminatory
is oneness
14 has many colours
has only one colour
15 has enmity – opposition
is love
16 egotism predominates
is humility
17 is cleverness
is blessing and simplicity
18 is rooted in hardwork
is Guru’s Grace
19 is searching externally
everything is within the ‘house’
20 is physical action
is internal churning

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21 has ups and downs
is calmness
22 is tasteless and hollow action
has great taste
23 has dead (worthless) means
is ‘life-current
24 is materialistic life
is ‘divine life’
25 has suffering and comfort
has eternal comfort
26 has transmigration
is ‘eternal life’
27 has sins and virtue
has goodness forever
28 is truthfulness enveloped in egotism
is pure truth
29 is external bathing
is the innate bathing with God’s water
30 has fanaticism
has broad mindedness
31 is separation
its eternal union of the soul within
32 is the distancing caused by hatred
there is divine pull
33 has many ‘mantras’ or incantations
has only one supreme ‘mantar’ wordless word
34 has many scripture
there is only one scripture
35 has many gurus
has only one guru
36 has many words
has only one word.
























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He loves gifts, but he forgets the Giver. The wretched creature does not even think of death.676

They prefer the gift, instead of the Giver; such is the way of the self-willed manmukhs. 138

He looks upon the creation like a mountain of gold, and sees the Creator as a blade of grass.613

The unfortunate, self-willed manmukh does not obtain it; this priceless jewel remains hidden behind a curtain of straw. 880

























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1 Wandering and roaming around, I met the Holy Perfect Guru, who has taught me. 676

2 If only some Saint, some humble Saint of the Lord, my Holy Beloved, would come, to show me the way. 1201

3 Make me meet only those people upon meeting whom your Name come into (my) remembrance. (ardaas)

4 Millions of sins are wiped away by the dust of the feet of the Saints.
By the Grace of the Saints, one is released from birth and death. 1
The Blessed Vision of the Saints is the perfect cleansing bath.
By the Grace of the Saints, one comes to chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord. 188
5 O mind, chant the Name of the Lord, and be enlightened. Meet with the Saints of the Lord, and focus your love; remain balanced and detached within your own household. 1295

As mentioned earlier, in the trigun materialistic sphere, our religions and the methods of preaching them are dependent on our intellectual knowledge within the boundary of egotism.. This stage (being similar to) the education system of schools and colleges

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can be compared to it. The condition (stage of life) of the rare, supreme, pure souls with the achievements of previous lives is distinctive and for such souls the knowledge of religion and the preaching of religion is also different.

Just as in a specialisation course the external study ends and the student through his internal research reveals some special aspect of a certain topic for his thesis, so also when these pure souls are not satisfied with the external intellectual knowledge, then in their innermost consciousness occurs some high-pure Divine ‘hunger’, ‘thirst’ and ‘desire’ and they ‘research’ in their innermost consciousness through simran (meditation). In this distinctive research of the innermost consciousness, only spiritually elevated beloved ones and saints can give direction and help. This inward-looking deep research is impossible without special qualification, discernment of spiritual essence. Here the educational degrees of the ‘trigun’ (worldly) intellectual scholars have no access. This is stated in Gurbani as:-

1 Whoever does not realize the essence of the soul — all his religious actions are hollow and false. 1351

2 Know that all religions are hollow, all religious actions are fruitless,
Without the support of the One Name, all actions are the result of doubt ridden thinking. Guru Gobind Singh - Akaal Ustat

3 Acting in egotism, selfishness and conceit, the lovers of rituals carry the unbearable load. When there is no love for the Naam, then these rituals are corrupt. 252

4 I have churned the ocean of the body, and I have seen the incomparable thing come into view. 442

5 Everything is within the home of the self; there is nothing beyond. One who searches outside is deluded by doubt. 102

6 In the Word of the Guru’s Bani is the wealth of the unstruck sound current. The Saints hold the key to it in their hands. 893

7 But if he joins the Society of the Saints, then he comes to embrace love for the Truth. 756

8 This is the essence of karma, righteous conduct and spiritual wisdom, to chant the Lord’s Name in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. 866

Our knowledge is limited up to the development of our intellect. The human power of enquiry is limitless but the amusing thing is that our intellect ha no power of its own. It receives power from the reflection of Divine Intelligence. But all our energy is being used for material research and we are becoming
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ignorant and indifferent towards our ‘Nucleus’. For this reason we are being deprived of the lofty-pure, comfort giving original Divine Spiritual Knowledge.
























This external knowledge is encircling our ego. Because of the colour of egotism in our thoughts, there is the continual confrontation of duality, and our lives, becoming dull and dry, are deeply engrossed in the mire of low passions such as jealousy, duality, enmity-opposition, passion, anger, ego, etc.

Opposed to this, if we develop the inward looking spiritual knowledge our intellect will acquire spiritual colouring and Divine virtues will enter our mind. We shall live calm and comfortable lives.

EXTERNAL KNOWLEDGE

Through our senses we acquire external influences, or we receive them by seeing-hearing, reading-thinking. This external knowledge only keeps us limited up to the materialistic world, the circle of ‘trigun’ (worldliness). It is in these ‘tirgunas’ that we are absorbed in the research of the development of unending literary and scientific education and

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are becoming totally hollow or indifferent towards the innate (inward-looking) spiritual education. For this reason our lives have become painful and perturbed (disturbed). At this point of time, we urgently need such spiritual company that can bestow on us innate spiritual knowledge. Such teachers who bestow innate spiritual knowledge con only be pious men, saints, evolved souls possessing spiritual lives, but ‘discerners of spiritual-essence knowledge are rare. According to Gurbani, such gurdwaras and dharamsalas are ‘sadhsangat’ or satsangat where in reality ‘spiritual life’ is moulded and spiritual knowledge is bestowed. At this time there is ‘famine’ of saints and holy people whose lives reflect ‘spiritual knowledge’. The intellectual knowledge which we have acquired from outside by reading, listening and understanding is ‘superficial’, ‘incomplete’ and ‘borrowed’. The real knowledge is that which sprouts from the soul and is said to the ‘essence-knolwedge’.

Preachers devoid of innate intuitional spiritual knowledge learn some lines of Gurbani or sakhians (stories) and with their sharp intellect, through reasoning and
and devices are putting the common people in doubt. As a result, simple people and truth seekers, falling into confusion, drift far away from the correct and truthful path of Guru’s teachings. This ‘superficial’, ‘incomplete’, ‘borrowed’ or contaminated intellectual knowledge keeps both those individuals / preachers and listeners in doubt. Gurbani, from the original source is the illuminated language of the spiritual essence-knowledge of the ‘intuitional abode’ and is beyond the understanding and grasp of the intellect. This ‘intuitional spiritual knowledge’ will be able to sprout from the ‘Divine Fountain’ only by being in the ‘sadhsangat’, going into our inner being, through the continuous practice of simran. So long as the intuitional does not occur through the inward looking spiritual research, we will not be able to get the full benefit of the true-pure, real complete ‘essence-knowledge’ of Gurbani.

In the olden times the religious places and dharamsalas of spiritually elevated souls and pious men were ‘gurmat colleges’ in the real sense of the word. Here the lives of the ‘truth seekers were moulded under the guidance of highly evolved souls according to Gurbani.Instead of producing religiously educated people or graduates these places created ‘Bhai Sahibs’, saints, holy men who with the ‘touch’ of their lofty pure spiritual life changed the lives of numerous truth seekers and bestowed upon them the ‘life-essence-knowledge’. As long as the managers and teachers of our religious institutions and colleges, instead of acquiring the degrees in intellectual knowledge,


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do not lead the lives of the illumination of spiritual – essence – knowledge and become the beloved ones and pious people, the study and research of Gurbani and Gurmat will remain superficial, incomplete and hollow. In Gurbani this inward-looking research is known as deliberating, discovering, knowing, discerning, unraveling, researching. This is ‘intuitional’ play and certainly not an intellectual feat.

We have become entangled again in the darkness of that spiritual ignorance from which our Guru Sahibaans freed us because of our ignorance of ‘essence-intuitional knowledge’ of Gurbani.

Gurbani has come the original source of spiritual realm and is filled with illuminating Divine ‘essence-knowledge’. Just as we receive ‘light’ from the sunshine in this world, so also the ‘spiritual illumination’ like essence knowledge is ‘spiritual light’ like knowledge for the whole world and through the limitless Grace of the Gurus, the Gursikhs have received it in inheritance and (Guru Ji’s call)

1 O brother eat and spend in a spirit of togetherness.
There will never be any) shortage (in fact it will) keep increasing 185

is a command. This (Naam) is the one and only medicine for all ailments’. It was entrusted to us by the Gurus, for curing the world’s physical, mental and spiritual ailments. We did not use this (cure) ourselves nor did we distribute it to the world. On the contrary using this great divine ‘gift’ for our materialistic self, we are accumulating sins. Due to this serious and grave error, as punishment, our present painful and ridiculous downfall is taking place. This topic is for the special attention and lengthy deliberation of today’s educated members, scholars, religious leaders of the Sikh Community.

Just as ‘love’ cannot be taught, it can only sprout with ‘touch’ (love is caught not taught) so also it is with the intuitional ‘touch’ of the beloved ones or the knowers of essence-knowledge that ‘spiritual coagulant’ can take place thereby resulting is spiritual ‘flashes’. Gurbani illustrates this point as follows:-

2 The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is so very pure and sacred.
Meeting with them, love for God is embraced. 392

3 The karma of good deeds, the righteousness of Dharma and the essence of spiritual wisdom are obtained in the Society of the Saints. 521



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1 When the seed of the karma of past actions sprouted, I met the Lord; He is both the Enjoyer and the Renunciate.
My darkness was dispelled when I met the Lord. O Nanak, after being asleep for countless incarnations, I have awakened. 204

2a I have come to the Saints to save myself. 1 Pause
b Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of their Darshan, I am sanctified; they have implanted the Mantra of the Lord, Har, Har, within me. 1
c The disease has been eradicated, and my mind has become immaculate. I have taken the healing medicine of the Lord, Har, Har. 2
d I have become steady and stable, and I dwell in the home of peace. I shall never again wander anywhere. 3
e By the Grace of the Saints, the people and all their generations are saved; O Nanak, they are not engrossed in Maya. 4 1299
3 In the Company of the Holy, there is no suffering.
The Blessed Vision of their Darshan brings a sublime, happy peace. 272

4 This is the essence of karma, righteous conduct and spiritual wisdom, to chant the Lord’s Name in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. 866

Note: Since this (Lekh) Religious Preaching Part 4 has become quite long, the balance of the discourse on the religious part will be covered in the next Lekh Religious Preaching Part 5.


















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