# Reinvigorate This Site



## sukhsingh (Mar 24, 2017)

This website is important at this time, it offers a alternative lense through which to explore sikhi.. 

As visitors and contributors we are invested.. 

Let's be belligerent, argue, disagree etc but we must keep the dialogue going 

How do we do this? What will facilitate it?


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## Pathfinder (Mar 25, 2017)

Could we start working out and sharing our understanding of the Bani's. Asa di Var first and slowly move on to the other gems.

Not the literal line by line translation but as to how the inherent message is meant to guide us, inspire us - as we perceive the same - in a practical way that that the blind could relate to. The sevadars with a deeper insight could immensely help the others like me who are simply floating on the surface - to dive deeper into the ocean of bliss.

There are so many in the Sangat here who are blessed with deep inspiration, insights and I am sure they would be glad to take up the sewa.

Like for example volunteers could step up and choose the Bani that they wish to do seva of.

That will last our lifetime at least, and on the positive side leading and guiding us blind manmukhs is the biggest seva that there is - feeding the hungry soul with the langar of Gyan.

When I step into the forum I feel like I am entering the langar hall. Most thread are a seva and akin to being served Gyan to quench 'true hunger'. If there were tabs on what I devour here I would be branded a glutton, lol. But it's the sevadars to blame.

It was a random spell of soul hunger that made me enter this langar hall (never thought of this as a forum in a sense) but what keeps me here is not random I realise, it is just hunger.

*bhukhi-aa   bhukh   naa   utree   jay   bannaa   puree-aa   bhaar,*
May we always be hungry for the langar to quench this soul hunger.


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## Original (Mar 26, 2017)

Pathfinder said:


> Could we start working out and sharing our understanding of the Bani's.


..noble task requires noble overseers ! great if the host was to encourage and promote such enterprises.


Pathfinder said:


> Asa di Var


..you have chosen wisely, look how Nanak proceeds:

ਸਲੋਕੁ ਮਃ ੧ ॥ *ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਗੁਰ ਆਪਣੇ ਦਿਉਹਾੜੀ ਸਦ ਵਾਰ ॥ ਜਿਨਿ ਮਾਣਸ ਤੇ ਦੇਵਤੇ ਕੀਏ ਕਰਤ ਨ ਲਾਗੀ ਵਾਰ* ॥੧॥ [462, SGGSJ]

Translation: I'm a sacrifice to thee O' Lord hundred times a day for thou art transformed mere humans into saintly beings in such short space of time ! WOW !!!

Pathfinder Ji, the more self evident a thing is to one's reason, the more certain it is that it's true - a Sikh is to believe unconditionally the word of Guru and do away with intellectual excursions. Are you that Sikh ?


Pathfinder said:


> how the inherent message is meant to guide us


..is the mind ready to lower it's guard and accept Nanak's teachings ? If affirmative says Nanak, then take heed, thus:

*ਜੇ ਸਉ ਚੰਦਾ ਉਗਵਹਿ ਸੂਰਜ ਚੜਹਿ ਹਜਾਰ ॥ ਏਤੇ ਚਾਨਣ ਹੋਦਿਆਂ ਗੁਰ ਬਿਨੁ ਘੋਰ ਅੰਧਾਰ* , 463, SGGSJ

Translation: there can be 100 moons, 1000 suns, amidst so much light there will remain darkness without a guru, meaning, go get a guru !

*ਕੁੰਭੇ ਬਧਾ ਜਲੁ ਰਹੈ ਜਲ ਬਿਨੁ ਕੁੰਭੁ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਗਿਆਨ ਕਾ ਬਧਾ ਮਨੁ ਰਹੈ ਗੁਰ ਬਿਨੁ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਨ ਹੋਇ*, 469, SGGSJ

Translation: here again Nanak reiterates the need of a guru !

Are you ready to surrender to a Guru Sir ?


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## Pathfinder (Mar 26, 2017)

> Are you ready to surrender to a Guru



Yes, if the compulsion, searing and yearning need is love - it's the most profound reason to do so. Sublime in a true sense.

But readiness must be in action and not mere lip service. I do not yet know how to exist in and yet not 'live' in - this world.

In isolation and raw nature I am at peace, I feel Waheguru - but out here in the concrete jungle I am so desperately concentrating on the various obstacles on the road (Maya) that I do not even realise or see the warning flash - that I am dangereously running low of fuel (my faith).

I envy the pride you display in/for the human clan. To me, there is no other species that wishes to and has disconnected so cunningly - from its source as we have. My soul is corrupted and so all I see is a ungrateful species. At times I feel like an animal that woke up in a human body and cannot relate to this 'blessed clan', lol - or then - maybe /perhaps, the world is rotating too fast - is the reason I am struggling to hold on..


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## Original (Mar 27, 2017)

Pathfinder said:


> I do not yet know how to exist in and yet not 'live' in - this world.



...as human species we exist, as mortals we live. When your daughter *calls* you "daddy" know that to be "live" communication, but when she ascribes to you a fatherly function know that to be a mere existence. So it is with God n Guru. God exists and Guru lives, hence, the unending recitation of Gurbani throughout the world 24/7.

Gur Ghar has called it the audible sound current [anhad shabd, 124 SGGSJ].


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## Original (Mar 29, 2017)

Sikhilove said:


> We have the Guru, Bani is Guru and Guru is bani. The surrender is in the application of the Gyan.


*....beautifully put, but alas, wherefore gyan and who the dispenser ? *

Let's revisit the above shabd* "ਕੁੰਭੇ ਬਧਾ ਜਲੁ ਰਹੈ ਜਲ ਬਿਨੁ ਕੁੰਭੁ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਗਿਆਨ ਕਾ ਬਧਾ ਮਨੁ ਰਹੈ ਗੁਰ ਬਿਨੁ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਨ ਹੋਇ" *[469, SGGSJ] - here, Guru Nanak metaphorically elobrates on the need of a Guru, meaning, *teacher* [master of a particular discipline, e.g. history, geography, botany, literature, music, etc].

*Translation*: just as water is held still in the pot [*ਕੁੰਭੇ= *pot made of clay] so is the mind held still by wisdom, but just as the clay pot cannot be made without water so too cannot wisdom be acquired without a qualified teacher [*guru*].

The operative word is Guru.

Sikhilove Ji, I fully concur with the second limb of your sentence [surrender], but before *application* comes *understanding* and before understanding comes *knowledge* and before knowledge comes two mediums of transportation, that is, *sense data* and *rationality*. And, how that is perceived and conceived is down to three factors, namely, genetics, environment and culture. Would you agree ?

Goodnight from down under !


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## Sikhilove (Apr 3, 2017)

Original said:


> *....beautifully put, but alas, wherefore gyan and who the dispenser ? *
> 
> Let's revisit the above shabd* "ਕੁੰਭੇ ਬਧਾ ਜਲੁ ਰਹੈ ਜਲ ਬਿਨੁ ਕੁੰਭੁ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਗਿਆਨ ਕਾ ਬਧਾ ਮਨੁ ਰਹੈ ਗੁਰ ਬਿਨੁ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਨ ਹੋਇ" *[469, SGGSJ] - here, Guru Nanak metaphorically elobrates on the need of a Guru, meaning, *teacher* [master of a particular discipline, e.g. history, geography, botany, literature, music, etc].
> 
> ...




Admin I'm not sure why my entire previous post was deleted. I know you didn't like the link I posted though it's an awesome website, but the rest of my message was fine.

Guru Granth Sahib is the Guru, all the teachings are in there. Bani is Guru and Guru is bani. The fact is that anyone who speaks the a truth teaches us.

The reason truth was accepted by the masses initially by Baba NanakJi was that his words resonated with the Gyan that's in people's hearts already.

I've been taught Truth by criminals, alcoholics, women beaters, mentally ill people who have moments of glory of Puran Sat.

We have all the answers, the Guru and Gurbani within us.


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## Original (Apr 3, 2017)

Sikhilove said:


> Guru Granth Sahib is the Guru, all the teachings are in there. Bani is Guru and Guru is bani. The fact is that anyone who speaks the a truth teaches us.


....thank you probation officer ji !

The moon in the heavenly belt above and it's multiple reflections in waters on planet earth below both claim to be the "moon" for true ? can they both be speaking the truth or is one a reality and the other a mere reflection ? And if affirmative, can truth be "objective" ?


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## Sikhilove (Apr 5, 2017)

Original said:


> ....thank you probation officer ji !
> 
> The moon in the heavenly belt above and it's multiple reflections in waters on planet earth below both claim to be the "moon" for true ? can they both be speaking the truth or is one a reality and the other a mere reflection ? And if affirmative, can truth be "objective" ?



I understand what you're saying, a Truth teacher who actually practices what they teach is divine- hence the reason God blessed us with Guru Granth Sahibji and the ten Masters.

But if you realise that God is within every heart, and resides everywhere, then you'll accept that the Truth is within the hearts of each and every soul in His creation. 

We have all the answers, we just don't accept or recognise them.


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## chazSingh (Apr 5, 2017)

Sikhilove said:


> I understand what you're saying, a Truth teacher who actually practices what they teach is divine- hence the reason God blessed us with Guru Granth Sahibji and the ten Masters.
> 
> But if you realise that God is within every heart, and resides everywhere, then you'll accept that the Truth is within the hearts of each and every soul in His creation.
> 
> We have all the answers, we just don't accept or recognise them.



I agree,

When my body (every cell, physical and beyond) comes alive during amrit vela, i know Waheguru is there...i am within him, and he within me...one...

When i meditate on his name daily...i feel still, relaxed, able to handle the day...5 thieves are quiet...or less intensive....

when i go days without meditating on his name...maya grabs hold so quick...

But when i return...that love is still there, so intense that sometimes i cannot handle it...i know though for sure, that as long as i don't lose track of where i must go, what i must do...Waheguru is always forgiving me for my bad actions...i feel it, it's just amazing and i hope i never lose sight of it (intenal and external)

It's there in me, its there alive in you...in my cat, in the tree outside...i am not special, nor are you....WE are special...WE just need to realize it, one by one...taking the dive within...


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## chazSingh (Apr 5, 2017)

Sikhilove said:


> I understand what you're saying, a Truth teacher who actually practices what they teach is divine- hence the reason God blessed us with Guru Granth Sahibji and the ten Masters.
> 
> But if you realise that God is within every heart, and resides everywhere, then you'll accept that the Truth is within the hearts of each and every soul in His creation.
> 
> We have all the answers, we just don't accept or recognise them.



I agree,

When my body (every cell, physical and beyond) comes alive during amrit vela, i know Waheguru is there...i am within him, and he within me...one...

When i meditate on his name daily...i feel still, relaxed, able to handle the day...5 thieves are quiet...or less intensive....

when i go days without meditating on his name...maya grabs hold so quick...

But when i return...that love is still there, so intense that sometimes i cannot handle it...i know though for sure, that as long as i don't lose track of where i must go, what i must do...Waheguru is always forgiving me for my bad actions...i feel it, it's just amazing and i hope i never lose sight of it (intenal and external)

It's there in me, its there alive in you...in my cat, in the tree outside...i am not special, nor are you....WE are special...WE just need to realize it, one by one...taking the dive within...


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## Sikhilove (Apr 5, 2017)

chazSingh said:


> I agree,
> 
> When my body (every cell, physical and beyond) comes alive during amrit vela, i know Waheguru is there...i am within him, and he within me...one...
> 
> ...



Nice post, Nirvair.

Take it further, be free and happy (i'm a free and happy weirdo)  live well, be balanced and honest, never not be honest, always maintain your integrity, and accept when you have wronged.

This is a better way to live.


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## Original (Apr 5, 2017)

Sikhilove said:


> This is a better way to live.


...*It is the only way to live for all else is asat [untrue]*

In the epic Mahabharata, warrior Arjun questions Krishna [depicted as God], thus:

"where will I find you O Lord?". 

"In truth" replies Krishna.....and continues,

"I am the way and the path; I am with you always when you walk on that path and if you were to move away from the path of *sat* to *asat* [untruthful] know that I am no longer with you and that you have derogated into oblivion".

Similarly, says Guru Arjun Dev Ji, "..sache marg chaldean ustat kare jahan" [those who walk the path of truth are praised by the world].

Good day !


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## sukhsingh (Apr 17, 2017)

Hi all have missed everyone.. Just got back from India. How do we create a framework to move beyond just having philosophical debates and use our passion, knowledge to engage with the realities around us? If we do not are we no better than renunciates ?


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