LEKH 10
HAUMAI part 2
Just as T.B. is a serious and chronic disease of the body and from this T.B., many other diseases take root, in the same way, ‘egotism’ too is the
foremost
serious
chronic
disease of the mind.
1.1 Ego is a chronic disease, but it contains its own cure as well. 466 M1 L14
It is from the doubt ridden fallacy of egotism that we
loose the link with the Infinite Lord Wahiguru.
come out off His warm and joy giving bosom.
are devoid of the illumination of the Naam.
turn away from the ‘hukam’ (Divine Will) and move into disharmony.
live our life in the pitch darkness of ignorance.
find abode in the 3 attributes (of worldliness).
live in the midst of ‘me-mineness’.
become slaves of the tenacious army of the 5 (lust, anger, greed, attachment and pride) operate in the hue of these ‘5’ and experience pain and pleasure.
bring upon ourselves numerous mental diseases, jeolusy, duality, hatred, enmity, conflict, anger-grievance and fights.
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experiences numerous physical illnesses.
fall prey to yamas (couriers of death) through the play of action & reaction.
Suffer in the cycle of births and deaths.
In Gurbani, the cure for the chronic disease’ of ‘egotism’ is stated as follows -
2.1 In the Company of the Holy, egotism is eliminated. In the Company of the Holy, spiritual wisdom is revealed. 271 M5 L4
2.2 Deep within the mind is the disease of ego; the self-willed manmukhs, the evil beings, are deluded by doubt. O Nanak, this disease is eradicated, only when one meets the True Guru, our Holy Friend. 301 M4 L9
2.3 Through the Shabad, conquer your ego, and in the True Mansion of the Lord’s Presence, you shall find peace. 429 M3 L4
2.4 He becomes free of hope and fear, and burns away his ego with the Word of the Shabad. 468 M1 L1
2.5 The immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord, washes off the filth of ego. True devotional worship brings lasting peace. 664 M3 L4
2.6 O Nanak, the Gurmukh remains merged with the Lord; he burns away his ego through the Word of the Shabad. 653 M3 L14
2.7 Chanting His Glories, your filth shall be washed off. The all-consuming poison of ego will be gone. 284 M5 L2
2.8 The Lord has placed the magic spell of the Shabad into his mouth, and destroyed the poison of ego. 1260 M3 L15
2.9 In the Guru’s service is reflection upon the Shabad. Subduing ego, practice pure actions. 223 M1 L13
2.10 He serves his True Guru forever, and egotism is eradicated from within. 1044
According to the above lines from Gurbani, through
the congregation of the holy
the panacea of Naam
Wahiguru’s eulogy (praise)
simran
the Guru’s Grace
service
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not only is the cure of the disease of egotism is being effected, but also man’s
entire
all
whole
demonic
chronic
deeds of the past birth
diseases of the body, mind, sub-conscious get uprooted.
The foremost causes of egotism’s disease are as follows -
1. Forgetting the Infinite Lord Wahiguru.
2. Doubt ridden fallacy of worldliness.
3. Low worldly company.
4. To spin the wheel of worldliness in the opposite direction. (not in harmony with Wahiguru’s Will)
5. The unceasing meditation on the ‘me-mineness’.
This is how a diagnosis of the demonic diseases can be conducted.
From the mind’s numerous, varied and low worldly -
waves
thoughts
desires
emotions
zeal
determination
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and through the manifestation and effect of the overall
hue
appearance
smell
odour
results
deeds
a diagnosis analysis or understanding of the chronic disease of ‘egotism’ can take place.
This essence of ‘egotism’ has penetrated-settled-diffused into the warp and woof of our inner consciousness and it is intertwined and omnipresent in every facet of our lives.
The truth is we have become an embodiment or statue of ‘egotism’.
If ‘darkness’ by itself cannot get rid of darkness, then we too with our wisdom, schemes-maxims cannot remove egotism easily. It is not ‘like taking off a shirt’. This is so because, the off-spring of egotism is also present in our wisdom, schemes-maxims and efforts.
4.1 As long as someone thinks that he is the one who acts,
he shall have no peace.
As long as this mortal thinks that he is the one who does things,
he shall wander in reincarnation through the womb. 278 M5 L12
The foremost reason for all our mental diseases is in ‘being unmindful of the Lord Wahiguru’ or turning away from Him.
4.2 Forgetting the Transcendent Lord, all sorts of illnesses are contracted.
Those who turn their backs on the Lord shall be separated from Him and consigned to reincarnation, over and over again. 135 M5
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5.1 My mind is deluded, entangled in Maya. Whatever I do, while engaged in greed, only serves to bind me down. 702 M9 L18
5.2 Acting in egotism, peace is not obtained.
The intellect of the mind is false; only the Lord is True.
All who love duality are ruined.
People act as they are pre-ordained. 222 M1 L10
5.3 O my mind, how can you forget the Lord’s Name?
When the body perishes, you shall have to deal with the Messenger of Death. 1186 M9 L16
The disease of egotism not only afflicts the ordinary people, but the religious and contemporary spiritual institutions are also deeply entrenched in it.
The difference is that while ordinary people are victims of gross ‘egotism’ and worldliness, the egotism of religious institutions is ‘subtle’.
It is easy to break loose the solid iron chains but it is very difficult to escape from the subtle, scintillating traps of maxims, schemes and philosophies of mind’s intelligence.
5.4 I am a great poet, of noble heritage; I am a Pandit, a religious scholar, a Yogi and a Sannyaasi;
I am a spiritual teacher, a warrior and a giver — such thinking never ends. 974
5.5 They read scriptures, and contemplate the Vedas; they practice the inner cleansing techniques of Yoga, and control of the breath. But they cannot escape from the company of the five passions; they are increasingly bound to egotism.
642 M5 L16
Over numerous births we have been ceaselessly meditating (or focusing) on the ‘me-mindness’. For this reason, the ghost of egotism has gone into our heads and through its ‘obdurate army’ it has got us trapped and according to its own will has caused us to
wonder aimlessly
be involved in quarrels
dance
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6
be hit
be walloped
be punished and
to face the yama (the couriers of death)
in the doubt ridden fallacy of worldliness.
In this way the doubt ridden fallacy of egotism has made our life into
6.1 Entangled and enmeshed in the love of false occupations, the whole world is perishing. 1313 M5 L17
6.2 You have misled the world so deeply in doubt. How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? 92 L1 Bh.Kabir
6.3 In egotism, one is assailed by fear; he passes his life totally troubled by fear. Egotism is such a terrible disease; he dies, to be reincarnated — he continues coming and going. 592 m3 l9
6.4 Without understanding, everything is suffering, earning only more suffering. In his ego, he comes and goes, wandering in confusion, deluded by doubt. 752
6.5 All gifts, light and beauty are Yours. Excessive cleverness and egotism are mine. The mortal performs all sorts of rituals in greed and attachment; engrossed in egotsim, he shall never escape the cycle of reincarnation. 1251 M3 L2
6.6 I know nothing; I understand nothing. The world is a smouldering fire. 1378
When the ego of our ‘egotism’ becomes so swell headed, we become blind and deaf and we do deeds that are low-down and wrong. As a result of this our egotism gets a shock in the form of some chronic pain or torment and we unknowingly gasp ‘Oh God!’. We become meek and make supplications and requests before ‘God’. In this way we experience some kind of emotion and the ‘pain’ becomes the ‘medicine’ for our ego ridden mind.
6.7 Suffering is the medicine, and pleasure the disease, because where there is pleasure, there is no desire for God. 469 M1 L4
The manifestation of the fact that ‘Egotism is a chronic disease, the cure for which also lies within it’ manifests itself in this way. But when the ‘pain’ goes off and over a period of time, we forget even God and once again fall into the pitch dark well
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In this condition if we read Gurbani and even attend satsangs -holy gatherings then its effect ‘like and oily vessel’ slips over the ‘ego ridden oily mind’, thereby leaving behind only a residue effect of the virtuous messages.
In reality, the ‘seed’ of egotism germinates in the ‘pitch darkness’ of our mind. Therefore the only thing possible is to do a spiritual graft on the diseased ‘plant of egotism’ so that instead of base, worldly, bitter, sour and poisonous fruits on the thorny pain giving plant of egotism, sweet nectar filled, beneficial, ‘love overflowing with joy’, pure, divine fruits can take root.
Doing a ‘spiritual graft’ on to the ‘plant of egotism’ is(the message of the guru when he says) ‘Ego is a chronic disease, the cure for which is also within itself’
and this is infact the ‘reverse to the play of love’.
7.1 By Guru’s Grace, one remains dead while yet alive; his intellect is transformed, and he becomes detached from the world. O Nanak, no filth sticks to him, and he does not fall into the womb again. 651 M3 L2
For our ego ridden mind to
be grafted
play the game of opposites
over haul the mind
cure the disease of egotism
die (to the worldly ways) while still living,
there is a dire need for
the company of the holy
gurbani contemplation
the practice of simran
the Grace of the Guru.
Gurbani guides and encourages one on this subject in the following way-
7.2 As long as his mind is disturbed by waves, he is caught in ego and egotistical pride. He does not find the taste of the Shabad, and he does not embrace love for the Name. 1247 M3 L12
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8.1 His service is not accepted; worrying and worrying, he wastes away in misery. O Nanak, he alone is called a selfless servant, who cuts off his head, and offers it to the Lord 1247 M3 L12
8.2 O mind, why are you so puffed up with egotism? Whatever is seen in this foul, impure and filthy world, is only ashes. 1 Pause Remember the One who created you, O mortal; He is the Support of your soul, and the breath of life. One who forsakes Him, and attaches himself to another, dies to be reborn; he is such an ignorant fool! 530 M5 L13
8.3 Egotism is opposed to the Name of the Lord; the two do not dwell in the same place. In egotism, selfless service cannot be performed, and so the mind goes unfulfilled. 1 O my mind, think of the Lord, and practice the Word of the Guru’s Shabad. If you submit to the Hukam of the Lord’s Command, you shall meet with the Lord, and then egotism will depart from within. Pause Egotism is within all bodies; through egotism, we come to be born. Egotism is utter darkness; in egotism, no one can understand anything. 2 In egotism, devotional worship cannot be performed, and the Hukam of the Lord’s Command cannot be understood. In egotism, the soul is in bondage, and the Naam does not come to abide in the mind. 3 O Nanak, meeting with the True Guru, egotism is eliminated, and then, the True One comes to dwell in the mind. 560 M3 L10
8.4 This is the nature of ego, that people perform their actions in ego. This is the bondage of ego, that time and time again, they are reborn. Where does ego come from? How can it be removed? This ego exists by the Lord’s Order; people wander according to their past actions. 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. Nanak says, listen, people: in this way, troubles depart. 466 M2 L13
8.5 O Nanak, when the Lord grants His Grace, He is obtained. He becomes free of hope and fear, and burns away his ego with the Word of the Shabad. 468M1L1
8.6 The wall of egotism and pride separates us, but I can hear Him nearby. There is a veil between us, like the wings of a butterfly; without being able to see Him, He seems so far away.
The Lord and Master of all has become merciful; He has dispelled all my sufferings. 62
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9.1 Says Nanak, when the Guru tore down the wall of egotism, then, I found my Merciful Lord and Master. 624 M5 L9
9.2 O Nanak, one who understands His Command, does not speak in ego 1M1 L11
9.3 O Nanak, only one thing is of any account: everything else is useless babbling and idle talk in ego. 467 M1 L13
In the end it is important to clarify that ‘egotism’ is indeed the ‘hue’ or consciousness’ of the mind. The question of killing or ‘destroying’ egotism does not arise. The consciousness of me-mineness of egotism is the name given to a state of forgetfulness or the non-existence of the Infinite Lord Waheguru, in the same way as the non-existence of light is called darkness.
From these deliberations it is clear that -
n The thought of egotism emerges from the state of ‘forgetfulness’ of the Lord Waheguru.
n The disappearance of egotism can only take place through the remembrance of the Infinite Lord Waheguru or simran.
n The consciousness of me-mineness of egotism needs to be changed.
n This
‘mind changes and transformation takes’
“With the changing of the mind miraculous powers are obtained’
‘The reverse play of love’
· By escaping from the painful enslavement of egotism -
(you come into) the sweet love bondage of the Infinite Lord Waheguru.
Through the above deliberations it has been explained that - to ‘alter the mind map’ or (bring) about a transformation of consciousness there is a need for
1. Lofty, pure vibrant company of holy souls.
2. The cultivation of the ceaseless meditation of Naam Simran.
3. The Grace of the Guru.
According to gurbani, through the graft of the company of holy souls, the attitude of the mind will take a flip into divine consciousness and our mind, body, self, consciousness and sub-consciousness will slowly change and transform us from manmukhs ( mind orientated) to gurmukhs ( guru orientated).
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But this ‘transformation of love’ cannot be achieved through some ‘magic chant’.
This terrifying
egotism
pride
respect
arrogance
vanity
show
conceit
is a form of ‘chronic disease and to do away with it, the
thought
effort
encouragement
worry
will only come when the disciple on receiving the ‘infection of love’, finds that egotism is causing an interruption in his bliss or regards this hindrance as ‘death’ itself.
10.1 O my mother, I have not renounced the pride of my mind. I have wasted my life intoxicated with Maya; I have not focused myself in meditation on the Lord…….
When this anxiety arises in the heart, then, one comes to love the Guru’s feet. My life becomes fruitful, O Nanak, only when I am absorbed in the Praises of God. 1008 M9 L11
This ‘divine play of about turn’ is certainly difficult and time consuming but with the company of the holy souls and through the grace of the guru it becomes easy.
10.2 In the Company of the Holy, there is no suffering. The Blessed Vision of their Darshan brings a sublime, happy peace. 272 M5 L1
10.3 By Guru’s Grace, one remains dead while yet alive; his intellect is transformed, and he becomes detached from the world. 651 M3 L2
Without this transformation’s ‘play of love’, we, in the doubt ridden fallacy of egotism
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under the enslavement of ‘me-mineness’ will lead a life that
‘leads to the horrifying door of hell’
‘ensnared and enmeshed in false occupations and attachments
the whole world perishes’
and simply waste away our precious life.
When through the blessings of the Guru, the veil of man’s doubt-ridden fallacy of egotism comes off, then the divine state of man is depicted in Gurbani as follows -
11.1 I have found the jewel of my Beloved within my mind. My body is cooled, my mind is cooled and soothed, and I am absorbed into the Shabad, the Word of the True Guru. 1 Pause My hunger has departed, my thirst has totally departed, and all my anxiety is forgotten. The Perfect Guru has placed His Hand upon my forehead; conquering my mind, I have conquered the whole world. 1 Satisfied and satiated, I remain steady within my heart, and now, I do not waver at all. The True Guru has given me the inexhaustible treasure; it never decreases, and never runs out. 2 Listen to this wonder, O Siblings of Destiny: the Guru has given me this understanding. I threw off the veil of illusion, when I met my Lord and Master; then, I forgot my jealousy of others. 3 This is a wonder which cannot be described. They alone know it, who have tasted it. Says Nanak, the Truth has been revealed to me. The Guru has given me the treasure; I have taken it and enshrined it within my heart. 215 M5 L4
This divine miraculous
‘right about turn play’
‘grafting’
‘transformation of consciousness’
‘wondrous miracles’
‘when God of the world becomes merciful’
can be clearly represented as follows -
State under egotism
State under ‘Naam”
1.
pitch darkness of worldliness
divine illumination
2.
the meditation of worldliness
Waheguru’s meditation
3.
the doubt ridden fallacy of worldliness
manifestation of Naam
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4.
me-mineness
you-yours
5.
enslavement within worldliness
spiritual freedom
6.
‘command’ of the mind
divine command
7.
solitary confinement in the cell of egotism
divine freedom
8.
scatteredness
focused- One Waheguru
9.
duality
He and only He
10.
forgetfulness of Waheguru
Remembrance of Wahegur
11.
desire
‘gone are all the desires’
12.
in the presence stranger
‘all are connected’
13.
‘foe-enemy’
‘all are friends’
14.
polluted consciousness
pure consciousness
15.
the desire for projecting the self
humility ‘demure disposition of the heart’
16.
one’s own will
Waheguru’s will
17.
pain and anxiety
eternal peace ‘permanent bliss
18.
worry - anguish
‘all anxiety has vanished’
19.
search without (or outside)
‘everything is within the house or self
20.
heart burning arises by asserting claim
one without claim remains carefree
21.
numerous thoughts
thought of One
22.
cannot bear even one reproach
calm in the company of the holy
23.
intellectual knowledge
divine essence of knowledge
24.
hatred
love
25.
false emperor
eternal emperorship
26.
mind orientated
guru orientated
27.
sentence of death’s couriers
come sit and be honoured by all
28.
As long as I walked along carrying bundle of worldliness, till then I continued to pay the fine.
When I Nanak threw away the bundle (of worldliness), I met the perfect guru and was rendered fearless then.
29.
bloating from the pride of egotism
O intoxicated mind, relax and drink the nectar of the Naam
30.
false, false, false, false is the worldly pride
abundant, abundant, abundant, abundant, abundant is your Naam.
When a tree is bud-grafted, the ‘life-current’ in the tree is same, but that ‘life current experiences a new ‘hue’ or essence.
Similarly, the water in the pipe is the same but as it passes through a cooler or heater, the water becomes hot or
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In the same way the graft of good or bad company on our mind will bring about a complete transformation in the
essence,
off-spring
colour
thought
desire
faith
emotions
wishes
longing
joy
yearning
enthusiasm
relish
intelligence
schemes
maxims
actions
habits
life
fortune
of our intellect, reason and the sub-conscious.
For this reason when the graft of divine hue envelops our mind, then our mind harmonises with the ‘flow of the Divine ‘Command’ and we live our life according to …..
13.1 As You make me walk, so do I walk, O my Lord … 919 M3 L1
13.2 As You inspire him to speak, O Lord, so does servant Nanak speak. 292 M5 L5
13.3 Whatever You cause us to do, we do. Nanak 627 M5 L2
13.4 Wherever You seat me, there I sit, O my Lord and Master; wherever You send me, there I go. 993 M3 L12
13.5 …….as You keep me, I remain; as You protect me, I survive. 1395 L14
14.1 Nanak, it is written that you shall obey the Hukam of His Command, and walk in the Way of His Will. 1 M1 L8
14.1 That which was upside-down has been set upright; the deadly enemies and adversaries have become friends. In the darkness, the jewel shines forth, and the impure understanding has become pure. 1 When the Lord of the Universe became merciful, I found peace, wealth and the fruit of the Lord’s Name; I have met the True Guru. 1 Pause No one knew me, the miserable miser, but now, I have become famous all over the world. Before, no one would even sit with me, but now, all worship my feet. 2 I used to wander in search of pennies, but now, all the desires of my mind are satisfied. I could not bear even one criticism, but now, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I am cooled and soothed. 3 What Glorious Virtues of the Inaccessible, Unfathomable, Profound Lord can one mere tongue describe? Please, make me the slave of the slave of Your slaves; servant Nanak seeks the Lord’s Sanctuary.
402 M5 L5
14.2 He alone is a Sikh, a friend, a relative and a sibling, who walks in the Way of the Guru’s Will. One who walks according to his own will, O Siblings of Destiny, suffers separation from the Lord, and shall be punished. 601 M3L18
14.3 Renounce your petty arguments, and realize the Word of the Guru’s Shabad.
646 M3 L13
14.4 Fareed, answer evil with goodness; do not fill your mind with anger. Your body shall not suffer from any disease, and you shall obtain everything. 1382BhFRL11
Just as the weak light of a candle lamp pales before the powerful light of the sun and disappears, in the same way, in the pitch darkness of worldliness, when the manifestation of the Naam takes place within our inner being through the grace of the guru , then our mind is so ‘overwhelmed’ by the power of the wondrous manifestation that in that wondrous state, spontaneously, the following line escape our lips -
14.6 : Excellent, excellent, excellent, excellent, excellent is Your Name. 1137m5L17
These divine flashes have such an supernatural awesome effect on our intellect and reason, that man inevitably bursts our and says-
14.7 Behold, a wondrous miracle has happened! That Lord and Master, whose wisdom is said to be unfathomable, has been enshrined within my heart, by the Guru.
612 M5 L11
14.8 On seeing Satguru face to face I lost awareness of all awareness, lost all discrimination of the discriminating mind and lost all wisdom of the intellect kabit B.G
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15.1 Consciousness did not remain in the conscience, attention lost its concentration,
knowledge lost its knowledge and salvation lost its liberation .
Patience lost its serenity, pride lost its egotism;
love lost its love, and honour remained not in honour.
He is the wonder of the wondrous, rapture of the rapturous,
awe of the awesome, unlimited and limitless Kabit.BG 25
Man for the first time realised through divine manifestation, that the arrogance or pride of egotism, which he over numerous births has pandered to, brought into being and nurtured into bloom was absolute falsehood. Based on such doubt ridden fallacy or ignorance, all the thoughts, desires, imagination and me-mine assertions he has been making, all of them were defiled, false and (having their roots in) the love of worldliness. It is for this reason that man has simply wasted away his precious life.
15.2 Entangled and enmeshed in the love of false occupations, the whole world is perishing. 133 M5 L17
15.3 The false ones love falsehood, and forget their Creator. 468 M1 L6
Thus, for as long as realisation does not dawn upon man, about his doubt ridden fallacy of egotism or the worldly love, until then, sincere humility, gentleness, meekness, ‘desire to serve’ can never surface within our inner being.
What ever we do for the sake of public opinion, social etiquette or humility, all this is outer show, socially expected etiquette, falsehood an hypocrisy. Gurbani has this to say about humility that is tied up with social etiquette -
15.4 Everyone bows down to himself; no one bows down to another.
When something is placed on the balancing scale and weighed, the side which descends is heavier.
The sinner, like the deer hunter, bows down twice as much.
But what can be achieved by bowing the head, when the heart is impure? 470 M1 L12
15.5 In ego he becomes true or false. In ego he reflects on virtues or vice. 466 M1 L9
On the other side gurbani has this to say about sincere humility and modesty -
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16.1 I am not good; no one is bad. Prays Nanak, He alone saves us! 728 M1 L19
16.2 Kabeer, I am the worst of all. Everyone else is good. Whoever understands this is a friend of mine. 1364 B.Kabir L15
16.3 Those who become the dust of (people’s) feet and lie at their feet, in mind words or deeds they shed their doubts and fears.
In the company of the holy (satsang), they overcome (the temptations of) their five senses and venture outside with control over their mind.
These as the holy people and their words are precious. Var BG 23/21
16.4 In the heart of gurmukh people humility resides in their heart because they have given up their pride and egotism.
Because of the teachings of the Guru, their hearts are illuminated and the darkness of ignorance and doubt gets erased.
Becoming meek, the gurmukh falls to his feet and in so doing this person who has shed his pride receives honour in God’s Court.
Waheguru likes one who happily accepts His Will.
Everyone accepts that the Will of Waheguru has to be followed, but Waheguru’s Will Waheguru Himself brings it into being.
In the world one must regard oneself as a guest, let go of all claims and live without making any claims.
He should meet the company of the holy and cultivate the command (of Waheguru as revealed by the guru). Var BG 29/13
O yes!
16.5 O Nanak, one who understands His Command, does not speak in ego.
1 M1 L12
