By Harbans Singh Kandola | Opinion |
I believe the objective of any religious practice or spiritual activity is to realize the meaning and purpose of life, and to find our true selves and true nature. It is about changing our thought, behaviour and beliefs, and becoming spiritually awakened. It is about rising above thoughts, gaining freedom from mind dominance, and achieving a conscious transformation so that we can enjoy peace and happiness. It is about connecting with the SOURCE. Meditation is a practice where an individual uses a technique- such as mindfulness, yoga or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought or activity -to train our attention and awareness to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally stable state. Below, I will discuss in some detail the meaning of meditation according to the spiritual philosophy of Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS), Sikh Scriptures.
I understand there are literally hundreds of meditation techniques from different traditions, cultures, and religions. These may include: different postures and controlled breathing exercises; being aware of where we are and observing our emotions and thoughts but letting them pass without judgement; chanting a mantra or word; visualization of images; and evoking centres of energy and spiritual power in our body. The primary goal is to build or increase self awareness, to promote mental clarity, emotional calmness, and mental stillness. Common benefits of meditation include reduced stress, controlled anxiety, greater self awareness, better motional health, improved sleep, and control over pain.
Nanak says
ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕਾ ਸਿਮਰਨੁ ਸਭ ਤੇ ਊਚਾ ॥ Prabh Ka Simran Sabh Te Oocha (SGGS, page 263)
meaning meditation on SHABAD and universal reality is the best practice for achieving spiritual awakening, inner peace and happiness.
Nanak further says
ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕਉ ਸਿਮਰਹਿ ਤਿਨ ਆਤਮੁ ਜੀਤਾ ॥ Prabh Kau Simrai Tin Atam Jeeta (SGGS, 263)
meaning through meditation on SHABAD (DIVINE WISDOM), we rise above collective mind patterns that have kept humans in ego bondage for ages, destroy that which is false within us, realize our enlightened state of consciousness and achieve lasting peace and happiness. Meditation according to the spiritual philosophy of Guru Nanak is about freeing yourself from enslavement to the mind (EGO).
(FROM THE SAME AUTHOR: 7-part series on ‘MISINTERPRETATION OF GURBANI’. Click for Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 and Part 7. Click here for all articles by the same author)
I do not know if traditional meditation techniques achieve an enlightened state of consciousness. The spiritual philosophy of SGGS (Sikh Scripture) does not subscribe to traditional methods of meditation. Most Sikhs, though, meditate using the traditional methods. They get up early in the morning, take a cold bath, wear loose clothing, find a quiet place in the house, dim the light, and repeatedly chant WAHEGURU, meaning wondrous God. The goal is to reach a state of complete silence (SAMADHI). It is commonly believed by Sikhs that one in a million achieve this state of samadhi. Other Sikhs in a daily routine recite a collection of hymns from Sikh Scriptures. This is called NIT NEM, performed early morning and evening. For many people, this can involve a mechanical reading without understanding meaning. In these circumstances, it is hard to understand the benefits of such religious practice other than to memorise the hymns.
I can speak from my personal knowledge and observations that there is little change in their behavior, thoughts and beliefs after years of such practice. I witness patterns of anger, greed, jealousy, hatred, stress and depression. The reason is that the focus is not on change but rather on mechanical repetition.
Nanak says
Path Pario Aur Bed Vichario Niwal Bhuangam Sadai.
Panch Jana Sio Sang Nah Chhootkio Aadhik Ahambudh Badhai (SGGS, 641)
ਪਾਠੁ ਪੜਿਓ ਅਰੁ ਬੇਦੁ ਬੀਚਾਰਿਓ ਨਿਵਲਿ ਭੁਅੰਗਮ ਸਾਧੇ ॥
ਪੰਚ ਜਨਾ ਸਿਉ ਸੰਗੁ ਨ ਛੁਟਕਿਓ ਅਧਿਕ ਅਹੰਬੁਧਿ ਬਾਧੇ ॥੧॥
meaning one can perform all kinds of religious practices and rituals with the hope of purifying thoughts, changing behaviour, and achieving conscious transformation, but by mechanically doing these actions one will not be able to destroy ego, anger, greed and craving. In fact, Guru Nanak says the ego grows bigger because one keeps boasting about his or her religious devotion.
Here, I am taking one hymn from SGGS to explain the meditation technique according to spiritual philosophy of Nanak. Saint Kabir illustrates beautifully the meaning of meditation. He says
ਮਨ ਕਾ ਸੁਭਾਉ ਮਨਹਿ ਬਿਆਪੀ ॥ Mann Ka Subhao Mannaih Biapee (SGGS, 328)
meaning our mind is the collection of thoughts, ideas and emotions (SANSKARS) in our head. Thoughts and ideas in our head control our world. Our thought process is the basis of our daily living and life functions. Thousands of thoughts run through our mind every day.
ਮਨਹਿ ਮਾਰਿ ਕਵਨ ਸਿਧਿ ਥਾਪੀ ॥੧॥ Mannhe Maar Kawan Sidh Thapee
meaning if the goal of meditation is to silence the mind and lower frequency of thoughts, what do we gain by blocking those thoughts and trying to silence mind? How can we function without thinking? How does a certain posture and type of concentration achieve an enlightened state of consciousness? The problem is that we are slaves to the mind, where most of our thoughts are negative, not constructive, and rise from the falsehood that is within us.
ਕਵਨੁ ਸੁ ਮੁਨਿ ਜੋ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਰੈ ॥ Kawan So Munn Jo Mann Marai
Saint Kabir says tell me who has been successful in silencing the mind, reaching a state of no-mind or thoughtlessness, or uninterrupted succession of thoughts. Nanak says CHUPAI CHUP NA HOWAEE JE LAAI RAHA LIVTAR (SGGS page 1), meaning you can sit in silence for hours but cannot block the thinking process. Numerous thoughts run through the mind every minute. Guru Nanak here disagrees with the prevalent Indian belief that the mind can be silenced by sitting quietly.
ਮਨ ਕਉ ਮਾਰਿ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਿਸੁ ਤਾਰੈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ Mann Ko Maar Kaho Kichh Tarai (Rahao)
meaning if the goal of meditation, mindfulness and yoga is uniting with the SOURCE and achieving conscious transformation, we will not succeed. Certainly, this practice will bring body relaxation and better physical health and other such benefits. However, Kabir questions the usefulness of this practice in conscious transformation and building positive thought process.
ਮਨ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਬੋਲੈ ਸਭੁ ਕੋਈ ॥ Mann Untar Bolai Sabh Koee
meaning ideas and thoughts in our head control our actions and daily behaviour. Our actions reflect the quality of thoughts and ideas in our consciousness and, as a result, also reflect who we are.
ਮਨ ਮਾਰੇ ਬਿਨੁ ਭਗਤਿ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥੨॥ Mann Marai Bin Bhagat Na Hoee
Here is the fundamental difference between common meditation methods and meditation according to the teachings of SGGS. Saint Kabir is saying the focus of all meditation techniques is to achieve an enlightened state of consciousness and inner transformation, and uniting with THE SOURCE, which is the seed of enlightenment within us. It is about realising and killing the falsehood within us. It is about rejecting mind slavery. He says our focus should be to change the quality of our thoughts. Our good or bad actions in life are driven by the quality of our thoughts, and reflect who we are. Guru Nanak says MANN JITAI JAGJIT, meaning we need to rise above thoughts, and free ourselves from compulsive thinking. Kabir says meditating on divine wisdom and godly virtues brings about spiritual enlightenment and purer thoughts. Let the thoughts flow, but have thoughts of love not hatred, tolerance not discrimination, equality not division, peace not anger, harmony not violence. Without a conscious transformation, realizing our true nature, we cannot be at peace with ourselves.
Kaho Kabir Jo Janai Bheo Mann Maksudan Trebhawan Deo. (SGGS, 328)
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੋ ਜਾਨੈ ਭੇਉ ॥ ਮਨੁ ਮਧੁਸੂਦਨੁ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣ ਦੇਉ ॥੩॥੨੮॥
Kabir says those who understand this concept of meditation realize the purpose and meaning of life, and become spiritually enlightened. Without this change in our thoughts, behaviour and beliefs, achieving a conscious transformation and having real peace, joy and happiness is not possible.
In the above hymn, Saint Kabir explains that the purpose and focus of meditation should not be to achieve a thoughtless state of mind; rather, it should be to change the quality of thoughts, in order to facilitate a conscious transformation and spiritual awakening.
However, Kabir does not explain how to achieve this change. Guru Nanak gives us a simple and practical technique for conscious transformation.
Kaam Krodh Doai Karo Basolai Godo Dharti Bhaee.
Jio Godo Tio Tum Sukh Pawho Kirt Na Metia Jaee. (SGGS, 1171)
ਕਾਮੁ ਕ੍ਰੋਧੁ ਦੁਇ ਕਰਹੁ ਬਸੋਲੇ ਗੋਡਹੁ ਧਰਤੀ ਭਾਈ ॥
ਜਿਉ ਗੋਡਹੁ ਤਿਉ ਤੁਮੑ ਸੁਖ ਪਾਵਹੁ ਕਿਰਤੁ ਨ ਮੇਟਿਆ ਜਾਈ ॥੩॥
KAAM means creating love or deep desire for virtues, positive thoughts. KRODH means creating disliking for vices, evil thoughts, negativity. BASOLAI means garden hoes, tools. KIRT means contemplation.
By using metaphors, Guru Nanak explains that our life is like a garden of beautiful, healthy flowers with no weeds. This is our real self and our true nature: no vices, hatred, animosity, stress, worries and anxiety. Our true self is all love, compassion, tolerance, and kindness. When the gardener stops caring for the garden, large weeds start growing and suck away energy from the plants. Flowers begin to wilt and thus many die. Guru Nanak says when we are ignorant of truth, when we are in an unconscious state, when we are identified with mind and ego, all kinds of vices, evil thoughts, greed, hatred, intolerance, jealousy and craving pollute our consciousness. We face spiritual death here and now. I believe this is the story of modern society, i.e. the wilted and polluted flowers in the garden.
Guru Nanak also shows us the way to fix this. Kaam Krodh Doai Karo Basolai Godo Dharti Bhaee ਕਾਮੁ ਕ੍ਰੋਧੁ ਦੁਇ ਕਰਹੁ ਬਸੋਲੇ ਗੋਡਹੁ ਧਰਤੀ ਭਾਈ, meaning through contemplation of divine wisdom and knowledge, we create desire and determination to be spiritually awakened, to become a person of godly virtues, compassion, kindness, tolerance, love and harmony. Through this process we create disliking towards vices, hatred, intolerance, discrimination, greed, jealousy, violence and craving. We have to weed out the vices, negativity from life one by one, in order to realize our true nature, positive thought process.
JIO GODO ਜਿਉ ਗੋਡਹੁ meaning when we internalize good virtues and weed out the vices, we can achieve a conscious transformation.
TUM SUKH PAWHO ਤੁਮੑ ਸੁਖ ਪਾਵਹੁ, life becomes joy, peace, happiness and bliss, free of stress, depression, worries, anxiety and pain.
KIRT NA METIA JAEE ਕਿਰਤੁ ਨ ਮੇਟਿਆ ਜਾਈ. Once you are on this journey your efforts certainly bear fruit and, finding the purpose and meaning of life, you can achieve pure ecstasy. You become one with the Divine and experience a true liberation from mind domination.
Even in this state of awakened consciousness, sometimes undesirable, negative thoughts arise; this happens with everybody. However, because we are spiritually awake, alert and not in reactive mode, we can drop these thoughts immediately without letting them affect our actions.
In the context of what I have discussed, the objective of meditation, whatever method we use, is to be a good human, to realize the purpose and meaning of life, and to live a life full of peace and happiness that is free of stress, depression, worries and anxiety. This can only be achieved through change of thoughts, behaviour and beliefs, and freedom from mind dominance and attachment to form. This conscious transformation happens through contemplation of divine wisdom, knowledge, godly virtues and learning to live in the present. This is the spiritual journey to self awakening. This means living a happy and healthy life, enjoying happy and healthy relationships, and creating pleasantness all around.
Unfortunately, what we witness is that millions do meditation every day but inner peace and happiness remains a distant dream. In fact, stress, depression and mental problems are increasing among society. This is because our goal of meditation is misplaced and misunderstood. The focus is on achieving a state of thoughtlessness, rather than on the quality of thoughts.
Many complain that they cannot concentrate. How can one concentrate when a million things are on the to do list? I have so many bills to pay, what will happen at work tomorrow, what about my investments, my kids are not listening, business is slow. When all this is happening, how is it realistic to stop thinking? This is the problem: our focus is misplaced.
Saint Kabir rejected the practice of sitting at quiet place in complete silence with the goal of conscious transformation. What Kabir is saying is that man is but a product of his thoughts (SANSKARS). The average human has 50 thoughts per minute. Most of these thoughts are negative and repetitive. This is the cause of human stress and depression. Kabir says we need to change the quality of our thoughts, one by one, bringing positivity in our thought process. It is only possible to achieve conscious transformation when the majority of our thoughts are positive. Even when a negative thought crops up, a spiritually awakened person is able to recognize it and drop it immediately.
Harbans Singh Kandola. Born in Ludhiana, Punjab, he read Ph.D. in Agriculture from Punjab Agriculture University in 1972. He moved to Canada in 1973 and retired as senior bank manager in 2005. He reads Gurbani passionately to understand its spiritual message and how it matters in his daily life. He read Prof Sahib Singh’s ‘Sri Guru Granth Sahib Darpan’ (SGGS translation) in five years, with complete notes. In the past two decades, Harbans has engaged in Gurbani discussion in radio and television programmes, as well as newspapers and the Sikh Bulletin. He believes that we now have literature with the true and real message of Gurbani which has to be presented to Sikhs and non-Sikhs. This article is from his unpublished book ‘Renaissance of Sikhi’.
RELATED STORY:
Misinterpretation of Gurbani – Introduction (Asia Samachar, 2 Sept 2022)
Lost in Translation (Asia Samachar, 8 May 2019)
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. When you leave a comment at the bottom of this article, it takes time to appear as it is moderated by human being. Unless it is offensive or libelous, it should appear. You can also find us at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: editor@asiasamachar.com. For obituary announcements, click here.
