shaheediyan

I think it's a matter of interpretation, personally I interpret Khafir as aethiest, but most (not all) Muslims would understand it to mean non-Muslims. So would class Sikhs, Hindu's, even Jews/Christians in some cases as Khafir. It all stems on what the interpretation of Muslim is, one who submits to God, or one who submits to the Prophet Mohammed? Similar to most Sikhs interpreting Gurmukh to only refer to those highly spritual ones who follow the Sikh path, where as I interpret as any spiritual person who follows Gods path (irrelevent of faith). It also depends on whether a Allah exists for non-Muslims (which of course he does), but most Muslims will say that Allah can only be realised through accepting his prophet. As with many other faiths, people are trying to monopolise Akaal Purkh (which of course they can't).

It is really, really annoying.. Vaheguru

N3O Ji, Have you had a chance to look up the meat at Darbaar Sahib source? Thanks.

N3O Ji, You say Jhatka was served in Darbaar Sahib, could you provide a reference for this please (not doubting you, just interested). Also, if Jhatka was served, surely it would have been served outside the Gurdwara (as is done in Holla Mohalla I think). I always thought the point of having pure vegetarian food in the langar was to ensure there was no discrimination against anyone i.e. Brahmans, Budds, Jains etc... Also if Jhatka was served in the langer then we wold also be offending Muslims would we not? Langar is an institution for all, open to all, so would not have had food which would have discriminated. If Jhatka was served in Amritsar, I think it would have been in the Nihang camps outside of Darbaar Sahib? Also, could you enlighten us as to whether Maha Prasad was only served on special occasions or was it served generally (daily)? Vaheguru

Balbir Singh Ji, I would think that Guru Ji's wisdom is not restricted to a colour, as Parbrahm wisdom is beyond our meager intellect, so recognition of the "colours" of Guru Ji's wisdom are beyond our senses. Those imbued with naam would experience Guru Ji's wisdom, but would be unable to reiterate their experience, as experience of Parbrahm is beyond description in our limited language... Better to focus on Gursikh jeevan than on rhetorical questions.

Balbir Singh Ji, What is the color of Guru's wisdom?

Sangat Jeeo, The offering placed when placing your head in front of Maharaj is given to help the running of the Gurdwara. The Gurdwara has to pay utilities, pay gyani, pay for langar, pay for hopefully a number of projects, pay for education (kirtan, Gurmukhi, santhia etc, teaching or material costs)... Don't forget our Guru Sahibaan has representatives to collect offerings in place (although the mahant did eventually become corrupt and were replaced by teh panth/sangat). In many of Guru Gobind singh Ji's hukumnama's Guru Ji asks for his Sikhs to bring Shaster as offering instead of money as this was a time when war was ont the horizon, proving offerings were normal place. You pay taxes (or will pay them one day if young), this is not because your Government are beggers, it's to ensure that you contribute to the smooth running of a modern society and all the facilities and resources it has to offer. The same goes for the sikh Panth, you simply make a dontaion, it can be food for the langer, money for Gurdwara running costs, or any sort of donation, for the continuation of the Gurdwara and the service it provides. If you cannot afford to make a contribution then you are not obliged to, Guru's ghar is open to all people. You are not bowing to the money, you are bowing to Guru Ji's saroop/jagdi jyot, and that is where your mind and focus should be, to ask Guru Ji to take your manmat and replace it with gurmat, it is us who are the beggers at Guru ji's door. The offering is surmount to dasvandh, which all Sikhs are obliged to give.

Vaheguru ji ka Khalsa Vaheguru ji ki Fateh, Sangat Jeeo, May Vaheguru give you all his utmost kirpa and bless you with the Eternal Father - Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji's; amrit, rehit and personality. I am posting the revered Bhai Nand Lal Ji's "Ganjnama" as a befitting tribute to commemorate the day that Akaal Purkh blessed the world with perfection personified. Translated by Wg Cdr Jasbir Singh (Retd). SALTNAT DAHAM - TENTH KINGDOM 104.I. SALTNAT-E DEHMASH DAST PEECH-E DEEWAAN-E DAUR-GEE V ZEEB-O AARA-YISH-E JAAWIDAANI SARIR *SALTNAT-kingdom, monarchy *DEH-ten *DEHAM-tenth *DEHMASH- his tenth *DAST-hand *PEECH- twist, turn, bend *DEEWAAN- government, court *DAUR- time, epoch * GEER-used as suffix meaning a holder *DAUR-GEER- who control the time (gods) *V- and, also, too *ZEEB-ornament, beauty *AARA-YISH-decoration, dressing up *JAAWDAAN-everlasting, eternal, perpetual *SARIR-throne The world from their stranglehold; he decorates the eternal and beautiful throne. 104.II. JALWEH AARAA-E AAN NOH MASH-ALE HAQ FROG V ZULMAT ZADAA-E SHAB-E KAZB-O DROG *JALWEH- manifestation, appearance *AARAA-E- decorator *AAN- that *NOH- nine *MASH-AL-torch, flare *HAQ-truth, God *FROG- brightness, luminosity *ZULMAT- darkness, gloomy, obscurity *ZADAA-E- cleaner, remover *SHAB-night * KAZB- lie *DAROG-falsehood, untruth His kingdom makes the manifestation of the nine torches (nine Gurus before him) brighter and removes the darkness and falsehood from this world. 104.III. SULTAAN AL-AWWAL V AL- AAKHAR V BAASAR AL-BAATIN V AL- ZAAHARഊ*SULTAAN-king, sultaan * AWWAL- first, prime *V- and, also, too *AAKHAR- end, last *BAASAR- seeing, sight *BAATIN- interior, heart, mind *ZAAHAR-visible He is the king of the beginning and the end; he can reach into the inner most depths of our hearts. 104.IV. MUSHT HAR SAAZ-E KUDS EI-JAAZ V AZ HAR TAA-AT-O KHIDMAT BE-NI-AAZ *MUSHT-punch, blow with a fist ( open, show ) *HAR- each , every, any *SAAZ- equipped, tuned, *KUDSI-sacred, angel *EI-JAAZ- miracle, wonder, supernaturality *AZ-from *TAA-AT- worship, prayer, devotion *KHIDMAT- service *NI-AAZ- requirement, need, necessity *BE-NI-AAZ- is not needed, is not required He reveals the sacred miracles; he does not need any service to himself or to be worshipped. 104.V. SHER-AAN-E AFWAAJ-E MANSOOR-EH-ASH YAK-EH TAAZ V LIWAA-E AALAM KUSHAA-ASH NUSRAT TARAAZ *SHER-AAN- plural of SHER (lion) *AFWAAJ- plural of FAUJ (army) *MANSOOR- victorious, triumphant *MANSOOR-EH- ASH- its victories *YAK-one *TAAZ-attack, rush *LIWAA-E- banner, flag *AALAM- world, universe *NUSRAT- victory, triumph *TARAAZ- level, position There is no one like the lions of his victorious armies; the flag of his victories are flying from the highest peaks in the world. 104.VI. KAAF-E FAARSI AZ NAAM-E HAQ IKH-TITAAM-SH GETI SITAAN V WAAV-E BAADI WAASITAA-E QE-YAAM-E ZAMEEN-O ZAMAAN *KAAF- the letter “K” (here “G” or GAAF) *FAARSI- Persian language *AZ- from *NAAM-name *HAQ- truth God *IKH-TITAAM- final, conclusion *IKH-TITAAM-ASH-its end, its conclusion *GETI- world, universe *SITAAN-place, land *WAAV- the letter “ O” or “VA” in Persian *BAADI-beginning *WAASITEH-sake, cause, broker, agency *QE-YAAM- rising, movement, revolt *ZAMEEN-earth *ZAMAAN- time, period, epochഊThe letter “G” or “Gaaf” of Persian (the first letter of the name of Guru Gobind Singh) reflects the ultimate truth of the world; the letter “O” or VA (of Persian) correlates the movement of earth and the heavens. 104.VII. BAA-E ABAD BAQAA-YASH BAKHSHINDEH-E PANAAHIND-GAAN V SHAMIM-E NOON-E HAMAA-YOON-E PRASTAND-GAAN *BAA-E- the letter “B” or “BE” in Persian *ABAD- eternity, without end *BAQAA-ESH- duration, permanence, eternity *BAKHSHINDEH- merciful, forgiving *PANAAHINDEH- refugee *GAAN- suffix to indicate plural *SHAMIM-sweet odour *NOON- the letter “N” in Persian *HAMA-YOON- imperial, royal, fortunate, auspicious *PRASTANDEH- worshipper, adorer *GAAN-suffix to indicate plural “B” or “BE” (in Persian) of his name reflects his mercy for the poor and provides shelter to them till eternity; the “N” or “NOON” (in Persian) of his name sends fragrance of his imperial highness to the beloved ones. 104.VIII. V SEENE SARAAPA WAALA TAMKEEN-ASH SAR-MA-YEH HAR SAAZ-E BARG *DAAL- the letter “D” in Persian *SIRA-PA- from head to feet (total) *AZM- resolution, intention, resolve *AZMAT- your resolution / intention / resolve *IJLAAL- glory, dignity, honour *IJLAALASH- his glory / dignity, honour *DAAM- net, trap *GUSLEH- fault, break, tear *MARG- demise, passing away *SEEN- the letter “S” in Persian*SARAA-PA-from head to feet *TAMKEEN- obedience, compliance, submission *WAALA- exalted, lofty *TAMKEEN-ASH- his obedience/ compliance/submission *SAR-MA-YEH- capital *HAR- all, every *SAAZ-outfit, equipped *BARG- leaf, sheet With our complete trust in him, the “ D “ or “ DAAL” (in Persian) of his name releases us from the death trap; the letter “ S “ or “ SEEN” (in Persian) in his name reflects that he occupies an exalted position and our submission to him gets us all the gifts of the world. 104.IX. BOO-E NOON-E DAA-EM-A NADEEM-E SUBHAANI V SAANI KAAF-E AJMI-YASH JAAN-GUZAA-E BAADI-EH PEI-MAAN-YAN-E BE-FURMAANI *BOO-E- smell, fragrance *NOON- the letter “N” or “NOON” in Persian *DAA-EM-permanent *NADEEM- companion, intimate friend *SUBHAANI- divine *SAANI- secondly, in second place *KAAF- the letter “K” or “KAAF” in Persian (here “G” or “ GAAF”) *AJMI- dumb, barbarian *BAADI-EH-desert, jungle *PEI-MAA-YAAN- (from “ PEI-MOODAN) –to measure *BE-FURMAAN- disobedience The “N” or “NOON” (in Persian) of his name is perpetually spreading fragrance all around and that he remains in the company of the Lord; the second “G” or “GAAF” (in Persian) of his name sends the ignorant people who disobey his command to (measure) the jungles to be doomed. 104.X. HAA-E AAKHREEN BAADI HAADI AL-KONEIN-E BARHAQ V KOS-E HADAYAT-O IRSHAAD-ASH BAR NOH TABAQ *HAA-E- the letter “H” or HEH (in Persian) *AAKHREEN- the last one, final *BAADI- beginning *HAADI- leader, guide *KONEIN- the two worlds *BARHAQ- just, fair, true *KOS- drum *HADAAYAT- guidance, leading *IRSHAAD- guidance, leading *IRSHAADASH- his guidance *BAR- in, at *NOH-nine *TABAQ- layer, stratum, stage The last letter “H” or “HEH” (in Persian) of his name leads us justly in this world and beyond and the drum of his leadership and guidance can be heard in the nine worlds. 104.XI. SAD HAZAARAAN SULS-O SUDS KHIDMAT GUZEEN V SAD HAZAARAAN RUBEH-O TISYA KHAAK NASHIN *SaD- hundred * HAZAARAAN- thousands *SULS- one third (the trio of three gods) *SUDS- one sixth (six Shastras) *KHIDMAT- service *GUZEEN- chooser, selecting *RUBEH- one fourth (here four Vedas) *TISYA- nine (here nine Aakaash / heavens) *KHAAK- dust *NASHEEN- sitter, dweller Lacs of gods and shastras have chosen to serve him; lacs of Vedas and heavens are under his command. 104.XII. SAD HAZAARAAN ASHR-O SULS-O SULSOON SITA-INDEH-E BARGAAHASH SAD HAZAARAAN EESHAR-O BRAHMAA V ARSH-O KURSI KHAHIND-EH-E PANAAHASH *SeD HAZAARAAN- lacs *ASHAR-ten * ASHR- tenth (here ten senses) *SULS- one third (here trio of gods) *SULSOON- thirty (here thirty angels) *SITA- INDEH- from SIT-YESH- to praise, worship *BARGAAH- royal court, palace *BARGAAHASH- his royal court / palace *EESHAR- Shiv *ARSH-throne *KURSI- seat, place *KHAHINDEH- wishing, desirous *PANAAH- protection, asylum *PANAAHASH- his protection / asylum Lacs of gods and angels praise the splendor of his palace; lacs of gods like Shiv and Brahama are wishing to be near his throne for protection. 104.XIII. V SAD HAZAARAAN AASMAAN-O ZAMEEN-O HALKEH BAGOSH AAN AST V SAD HAZAARAAN AAFTAAB-O MAAH KHIL-AT POSH-E AAN *SeD HAZAARAAN- lacs *AASMAAN- skies *ZAMEEN- earth *HALKEH BAGOSH- slave *AAN-that, that one *AST- is *AAFTAAB- sun *MAAH- moon *KHIL-AT- robe of honour *POSH- cover, wear *AAN- that one Lacs of skies and lands are his slaves; lacs of suns and moons get theirs robes from him to cover themselves (when they set). 104.XIV. SAD HAZAARAAN ARSH-O KURSI DAAG-DAAR-O GULAAM-E NAAMASH V SAD HAZAARAAN RAAM-O RAAJA V KAAHN-O KISHAN KHAAK BOS-E IQDAAM-ASH *ARSH- throne *KURSI- seat, chair *DAAGDAAR- the one who is branded *GULAAM- slave *NAAMASH- his name *RAM- Hindu god Ram *RAJA- king *KAHN-O KISHAN- Hindu god Krishna *KHAAK- dust *BOS-E-( from BOSEEDAN )- to kiss *IQDAAM- feet, steps (plural of QADAM) *IQDAAMASH- his feet Lacs of thrones carry the stamp of his name; lacs of kings and gods like Ram and Krishna kiss the dust of his feet. 104.XV. SAD HAZAARAAN MUQBAL-O KHAAS-E HAMDEE-YAT STAAYISH-GAR-SH V SAD HAZAARAAN NADEEM BAARGAH-E AHDEE-YAT CHAAKAR-E FARMA-BARASH *MUQBAL- fortunate, lucky *KHAAS- special, exclusive *HAMDEE-YAT- from HAMAD-to praise, glorification, eulogy *STAA-YISH- praise, worship *STAA-YISH-GAR- eulogist, worshipper *NADEEM- intimate friend *BAARGAH- royal court, palace *ADEE-YAT- unity, oneness, one God *CHAAKAR- servant *FARMAAN-BARDAAR- obedient, submissive *FARMAANBAR-ASH- obedient / submissive to him Lacs of honoured and fortunate ones are glorifying him; and lacs of honoured ones in the court of God are his obedient servants. 104.XVI. V SAD HAZAARAAN INDR-O MAAR-E HAZAAR ZUBAAN TAUSEEF GO-YASH V SAD HAZAARAAN EESHAR-O BRAHMA AKEEDAT PA-YOH-ASH *INDR-Hindu god Indr *MAR-snake *ZUBAAN-language, tongue *TAUSEEF- description, portrayal, depiction *GO-YASH- say about him (from GUFTAN- to speak) *EESHAR- Hindu god Shiv *BRAHMA-Hindu god Brahma *AKEEDAT- belief, faith (from AKEEDEH) *PA-YOH-ASH- search, probe Lacs of Indr gods and lacs of shesh nag with thousand tongues are engaged in describing him; lacs of gods like Shiv and Brahama are searching ways to reach him. 104.XVII. V SAD HAZAARAAN UM-E KUDSI DAR KHIDMAT-ASH V SAD HAZAARAAN QADR-O QUDRAT PAZEERASH-GAR-E TAA-ATASH *UM- mother, source *QUDSI- holy, celestial, angel *DAR- in, at *KHIDMAT- service *KHIDMATSH- his service *QADAR- divine decree, destiny *QUDRAT- power, strength, force *GAR- suffix denotes a maker of things *TAA-AT- worship, prayer *TAA-ATSH- his worship Lacs of goddesses are engaged in his service; lacs of divine powers have accepted him and worship him. WAHEGURU JEE-O SATYA 105 NASAR-O MANSOOR GURU GOBIND SINGH EEZAD-I MANZOOR GURU GOBING SINGH *NAASAR-assister, helper *MANSOOR-victorious, triumphant *EEZAD- God, *MANZOOR- approved Guru Gobind Singh is victorious and assists us to succeed in life; he is accepted by God as His own. 106 HAQ RA GANJOOR GURU GOBIND SINGH JUMLA FAIZ-O NOOR GURU GOBIND SINGH *HAQ- truth, God *RA- article *GANJOOR-treasurer *JUMLA- the whole, all *FAIZ-bounty, blessing *NOOR-light, radiance Guru Gobind Singh is the custodian of God’s treasure; he is the bestower of all the gifts. 107 HAQ HAQ AAGAAH GURU GOBIND SINGH SHAHE SHAHAN SHAH GURU GOBIND SINGH *HAK-God *AAGAAH-aware, knowing *SHAHE SHAHAN SHAH- emperor of emperors Guru Gobind Singh knows the ways of God; he is the emperor of emperors. 108 BAR DO ALAM SHAH GURU GOBIND SINGH KHASAM RA JAN KAH GURU GOBIND SINGH *BAR-at, on *DO-two *ALAM- world *SHAH-king* KHASAM-enemy *RA-particle *JAN- life *KAH-diminisher Guru Gobind Singh rules over both the worlds; he is the destroyer of the enemies. 109 FAA-EZ AL-ANWAAR GURU GOBIND SINGH KASHIF AL-ASRAAR GURU GOBIND SINGH *FAA-EZ-abundant, bountiful *ANWAAR- (plural of NOOR) lights, illuminations *KASHIF- discoverer, revealer *ASRAAR-secrets, mysteries Guru Gobind Singh illuminates our lives with abundance; he reveals secrets of God. 110 AALIM AL-ASTAAR GURU GOBIND SINGH ABR-E REHMAT BAAR GURU GOBIND SINGH *AALIM-learned, scholar *ASTAAR- secrets *ABR-clouds *REHMAT-mercy, pardon *BAAR-load, cargo Guru Gobind Singh is aware of the secrets of the world; he showers his unlimited mercies. 111 MUQBAL-O MAQBOOL GURU GOBIND SINGH WAASIL-O MAUSOOL GURU GOBIND SINGH *MUQBAL – fortunate *MAQBOOL- accepted *WAASIL- united, received *MAUSOOL-joined, connected Guru Gobind Singh is the favourite of Waheguru; he is with Him all the time 112 JAAN FIROZ-E DAHAR GURU GOBIND SINGH FAIZ-E HAQ RA BAHR GURU GOBIND SINGH *JAAN-life *FIROZ-illuminator *DAHAR- eternity, world *FAIZ-grace, blessing, bounty *HAQ- right, God *BAHR-sea Guru Gobind Singh bestows life in this world; he is the sea of Waheguru’s blessings 113 *HAQ-God *RA-particle * MEHBOOD-beloved *TALIB-seeker, desirous *MATLOOB-desired, sought Guru Gobind Singh is loved by God; he is the seeker as well as the sought. 114 TEG RA FATTAH GURU GOBIND SINGHഊJAN-O DIL RA RAH GURU GOBIND SINGH *TEG-sword *RA-particle *FATTAH- victorious, conqueror *JAN-life *DIL-heart *RAH-way, means, cause Guru Gobind Singh achieved victories with his sword; he knows the secret of every heart. 115 SAHIB-E IKLEEL GURU GOBIND SINGH ZILL-E HAQ TAZLEEL GURU GOBIND SINGH *SAHIB-owner, master, lord *IKLEEL-crown *ZILL-shadow, aegis *HAQ-God *TAZLEEL-shadow, darkness Guru Gobind Singh wears the crown of the world; he lives in the shadow of Waheguru. 116 KHAAZAN-E HAR GANJ GURU GOBIND SINGH MARHAM-E HAR RANJ GURU GOBIND SINGH *KHAAZAN-treasurer *HAR- each, every *GANJ- treasure *MARHAM-balm, ointment *RANJ-pain, suffering Guru Gobind Singh controls all the treasures of the world; he is the medicine of all ailments. 117 DAAWAR-E AAFAAQ GURU GOBIND SINGH DAR DO AALAM TAAQ GURU GOBIND SINGH *DAAWAR-judge, arbitrator *AAFAAQ- world, horizons *DAR-in, at *DO- two *AALAM- world *TAAQ-roofഊGuru Gobind Singh is the master of the world; both the worlds are under his shelter. 118 HAQ KHUD WASAAF GURU GOBIND SINGH BARTAREEN AUSAAF GURU GOBIND SINGH *HAQ-God *KHUD- self *WASAAF- praiser, explainer *BARTAREEN- superiority, preference *AUSAAF- (plural of wasaf) qualities Guru Gobind Singh is praised by God Himself; he is bestowed with highest qualities. 119 KHAASGAN DAR PAA-E GURU GOBIND SINGH QUDSI-AAN BAAR-AAE GURU GOBIND SINGH *KHAAS- special, exclusive *GAN- renders a word plural *DAR- in, at *PAA-feet *QUDSI-AAN – (plural of KUDSI) angels *BAAR-audience *AAE-come Great men are at the feet of Guru Gobind Singh; the angels visit him for audience. 120 MUQBAL-AAN MADDAH GURU GOBIND SINGH JAAN-O DIL RA RAH GURU GOBIND SINGH *MUQBALAAN- (plural of MUKBAL) fortunate * MADDAH-admirer *JAAN-life * DIL-heart *RA-particle *RAH-way, road The fortunate ones admire Guru Gobind Singh; he knows every thing in our hearts. 121 LAA-MAKAAN PAABOS GURU GOBIND SINGH BAR DO AALAM KOS GURU GOBIND SINGH *LAAMAKAAN- having no abode ( the poor ) *PA-feet *BOSEEDAN- to kiss *PABOS-kiss the feet *BAR-in , at *DO- two *AALAM-world *KOS-drum The poor kiss the feet of Guru Gobind Singh; the drum of his authority sounds in both the worlds. 122 SULS-HAM MAHKOOM GURU GOBIND SINGH RUBEH HAM MAKHTOOM GURU GOBIND SINGH *SULS- one third *HAM- also, too, suffix used as termination of the ordinal numbers, *MAHKOOM-condemned, convicted, sentenced *RUBEH-one fourth *MAKHTOOM-finished, settled, concluded Guru Gobind Singh rules over the three worlds; he has the stamp of his authority on the four Vedas. 123 SUDS HALQEH B-GOSH GURU GOBIND SINGH DUSHMAN AFGAN JOSH GURU GOBIND SINGH *SUDS- sixth *HALQEH B-GOSH- bonded, slave *DUSHMAN-enemy *AFGAN-JOSH-throw, slow down, defeat The six shastras are his slaves; he always defeats the enemy. 124 -O BE-KEENEH GURU GOBIND SINGH HAQ HAQ AINAA GURU GOBIND SINGH *KHALAS-pure, unalloyed *KEENEH- hatred, animosity *BE-KEENEH-without hatred *HAK- truth, God *AINAA- mirror Pure at heart, Guru Gobind Singh is free from ill will; he is the mirror through whom God reveals Himself. 125 HAQ HAQ ANDESH GURU GOBIND SINGH BADSHAH DARVESH GURU GOBIND SINGH *HAQ-God *ANDESH-think, meditate *BADSHAH-king *DARVESH-mystic, poor Guru Gobind Singh meditates on God; he is a mystic and a king at the same time. 126 MAKRAM AL-FAZAAL GURU GOBIND SINGH MUN-IM AL-MUT-AAL GURU GOBIND SINGH *MAKRAM- honoured, dignified, grand *FAZAAL –kind *MUN-IM-liberal, rich, beneficent *MUT-AAL-exalted, lofty Guru Gobind Singh is virtue personified; his gifts to mankind are unending. 127 KAARAM AL-KIRAM GURU GOBIND SINGH RAAHAM AL-RAHAAM GURU GOBIND SINGH *KAARAM- generosity, magnanimity *KARAAM- (plural of KARIM) generous *RAAHAM- one who forgives *RAHAAM-forgiving Guru Gobind Singh is most generous and forgiver. 128 NAA-EM AL-MUN-AAM GURU GOBIND SINGH FAHAM AL-FAHAAM GURU GOBIND SINGH *NAA-EM- rich *MUN-AAM-beneficent, affluent, rich *FAHAM-bestower *AL-FAHAAM-bestow Guru Gobind Singh blesses even the benevolent; he bestows gifts even to those who give. 129 DAA-IM-O PAA-INDA GURU GOBIND SINGH FARAKH-O FARKHUNDEH GURU GOBIND SINGH *DAA-IM-unmoving *PAA-INDA-lasting, perpetual *FARAKH-happy *FARKHANDEH-happy, auspicious Guru Gobind Singh is eternal; he is auspicious for all. 130 FAIZ-E SUB-HAAN ZAAT GURU GOBIND SINGH NOOR HAQ LAM-AAT GURU GOBIND SINGH *FAIZ-favour, blessing, bounty *SUB-HAAN- glory *ZAAT-essence, nature, self *NOOR-light, radiance *HAQ-God *LAM-AAT- (plural of LAM-AA) flashes, brightness, glance, a priori Guru Gobind Singh is essence of God’s blessings; God Himself radiates through him. 131 SAMIAAN-E NAAM GURU GOBIND SINGH HAQ BEEN Z IN-AAM GURU GOBIND SINGH *SAMIA-hearing, auditory *AAN-those (persons) *HAQ-God * BEEN (from DEEDAN)- to see *IN-AMM- reward, gift Those who have listened to the name of Guru Gobind Singh have received the gift of seeing God Himself. 132 WAASIF-AAN-E ZAAT GURU GOBIND SINGH WASIL AZ BARKAAT GURU GOBIND SINGH *WAASIF-AAN (plural of WAASIF) praiser, explainer * ZAAT-essence, self, individual *WASIL-united, connected, received, joined, linked *AZ-of, from *BARKAAT- (plural of BARKAT) blessings Those who sang the praises of Guru Gobind Singh were united with God. 133 RAAQMAANE WASF GURU GOBIND SINGH NAAMWAR AZ LUTF GURU GOBIND SINGH *RAQMAAN- writer *WASF-attribute, quality, description *NAAMWAR-famed, renowned, illustrious *AZ-of, from *LUTF-kindness, grace Those who wrote in praise of Guru Gobind Singh received fame the world over with his grace. 134 NAAZRAN-E ROO-E GURU GOBIND SINGH MAST HAQ DAR KOO-E GURU GOBIND SINGHഊ*NAAZRAN- (plural of NAZIR) seeing, watching, witness *ROO-E- face *MAST-intoxicated *HAQ- God *DAR- in, at *KOO-E- street, lane, quarter Those who had seen the face of Guru Gobind Singh moved in his lanes intoxicated with God’s Name. 135 KHAAK BOS-E PAA-E GURU GOBIND SINGH MUQBAL AZ AALAA-E GURU GOBIND SINGH *KHAAK- dust, soil *BOS-E (from BOSEEDAN) to kiss *PAA-feet *MUQBAL-fortunate *AZ-of, from *AALAA-E (from AALI)- elevated, grand, lofty Those who kissed the dust under the feet of Guru Gobind Singh were fortunate and were elevated in life. 136 QADIR-E HAR KAR GURU GOBIND SINGH BE-KASAAN RA YAAR GURU GOBIND SINGH *QADIR-able, efficient, competent *HAR- every, each *KAR- work, affair *BE-KASAAN- (plural of BE-KAS) forlorn, poor *RA-particle *YAAR-friend Guru Gobind Singh is the doer of all that is happening in this world, he is friend of the poor. 137 SAAJID-O MASJOOD GURU GOBIND SINGH JUMLEH FAIZ-O JOOD GURU GOBIND SINGH *SAAJID-prostrate (worshipper) *MASJOOD- the one who is worshipped *JUMLEH- the whole, all *FAIZ- bounty, blessings *JOOD- generosity Guru Gobind Singh worships (God); he is also worshipped (by the whole creation).He is generous with all the bounties he gives. 138 SARWRAAN RA TAJ GURU GOBIND SINGH BARTAREEN MI-ARAJ GURU GOBIND SINGH *SARWRAAN- (plural of SARWAR) master, lord, chief *RA- particle *TAJ- crown *BARTAREEN- superiority, preference *MI-ARAJ-ascension (to heaven) Guru Gobind Singh is the chief of all the kings; he occupies the loftiest position. 139 ASHAR QUDSI RAM GURU GOBIND SINGH WASIF-E IKRAM GURU GOBIND SINGH *ASHAR- ten *QUDSI- angel, celestial, *RAM- tame, domesticated *WASIF- praiser, explainer *IKRAM- honouring, revering The ten (Greek) gods are under the command of Guru Gobind Singh and they sing his praises in reverence. 140 UM QUDAS B-KAR GURU GOBIND SINGH GAASHIA BARDAAR GURU GOBIND SINGH *UM-mother, source *QUDAS- saintliness, sacredness *KAR- job, work *GAASHIA-saddle, cover, mantle *BARDAAR-to take, to remove *GAASHIA BARDAR- one who carries the saddle (servant) The sacred goddesses of the world are also working for Guru Gobind Singh and they are his servants. 141 QADR-O QUDRAT PEISH GURU GOBIND SINGH INKIYAAD ANDESH GURU GOBIND SINGH *QADR-divine decree, destiny *KUDRAT-power, might, authority, strength *PEISH-front, forward, ahead *INKIYAAD- submission, obedience *ANDESH-think Guru Gobind Singh controls our destinies; still he meditates on God in submission. 142 TISYA ULVI KHAAK GURU GOBIND SINGH CHAAKAR-E CHALAAK GURU GOBIND SINGH *TISYA- nine *ULVI- sublime, celestial, lofty *KHAAK-dust *CHAAKAR-servant *CHALLAK- quick, agile The nine gods are like dust of (the feet of) Guru Gobind Singh; they serve him well. 143 TAKHT-O BALA ZER GURU GOBIND SINGH LAA-MAKAAN-E SEIR GURU GOBIND SINGH *TAKHT-throne *BALA-top, height, stature *ZER-below *LAA-MAKAAN- omnipresent, God, heavens *SEIR-travelling, excursion Guru Gobind Singh is above the highest thrones; he moves in the heavens. 144 BARTAR AZ HAR QADR GURU GOBIND SINGH JAAWDANI SADR GURU GOBIND SINGHഊ*BARTAR-higher, superior, supreme *AZ-than *HAR-all *QADR- value, worth, magnitude *JAAWDAANI- eternal, immortal *SADR-top, uppermost Guru Gobind Singh is supreme in all virtues; he is eternal and above everyone else. 145 AALAM-E RAUSHAN Z GURU GOBIND SINGH JAAN-O DIL GULSHAN Z GURU GOBIND SINGH *AALAM- the world * RAUSHAN- bright *JAAN-life *DIL-heart *GULSHAN- flower garden Guru Gobind Singh gives light to the world; our hearts and souls blossom because of him. 146 ROZ AFZOON JAAH GURU GOBIND SINGH ZEB TAKHT-O GAAH GURU GOBIND SINGH *ROZ-day *AFZOON-more, exceeding * ROZ AFZOON- increases daily *JAAH- rank, dignity, position *ZEB-ornament, beauty *TAKHT- throne * GAAH- time, place, at Guru Gobind Singh’s stature is increasing every day; he is the beauty of all thrones. 147 MURSHID AL-DAAREEN GURU GOBIND SINGH BEENASH-E HAR EIN GURU GOBIND SINGH *MURSHID- spiritual guide, elder *DAAREEN-two houses, two worlds *BEENASH- insight *HAR-every *EIN-eye Guru Gobind Singh is our guide in both the worlds; he is the sight of every eye. 148 JUMLA DAR FURMAAN GURU

Vaheguru ji ka Khalsa Vaheguru ji ki Fateh, The point of a Shaheedi gurpurb is the same as any other gurpurb, to reflect on a special personality or special event that brings us closer to Akaal Purkh, and from whom/which we can draw inspiration to become the best Gursikhs possible. There is no celebration as such, sangat attends the Gurdwara Divaan and will listen to a kathakaar who will commemorate the personailty/event giving relevant examples from Gurbani to show how the lives/actions of these people were pure and holy. Suitable shabad will also be sung by the whole sangat to draw the message home. Gurpurbs in essense are educational opportunities, which aim to inspire and bring the sangat together. Vaaran are the traditionally method of re-telling stories in the panth, and this seva is tradionally carried out by Dhadhi Jathaas, as instigated by the 6th Master, Sri Guru Hagobind Sahib. The stories are retold using the Sarangi, Dhad and quite energetic/aggressive styles of folk music.

Author: Harcharan Singh Date: 06-23-06 11:17 The point of this thread is not to show narrow minded ignorence, but to listen to Guru Gobind Singh Ji's hukum and learn about other faiths, so that our tolerance of the world increases and we are brought closer to our own path. This can be done through politeness, kindness and intelligence rather than Taliban style attacking and damnation of everything non-Sikh. Intellgent and positive comments would also appeal to those wanting to learn about Sikhi and Sikhs, and would give a good (correct) impression of the open minded and universal tolerance of our Guru's. Our Guru's have shown us what is right and wrong for us to lead correct lives, we need to live in this world peacefully whilst remaining distinct, but this does not mean shunning and disassociating with the rest of the world. Knowledge is power and is also a strong bridge between diseperate elements of humanity, so I would do a benti, please look at the positive attributes of this subject rather than "mine is better than yours" childish attitude. Vahe-Guru Satnaam Dhikr - Remembrance of Allah Ibn Juzayy al-Kalbi From: Kitab at-Tasheel li 'Uloom at-Tanzeel" - "The Sciences of Tafsir"1 Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab said, "Its meaning is 'Remember Me with obedience and I will remember you with reward'." It has been said that it means 'Remember Me with supplication and glorification and the like of that. The commentators, particularly the Sufis, have said a great deal in commentary on this subject using words with restricted and qualified meanings, and there is no proof of restriction. In general this ayah is an explanation of the nobility of dhikr, which the saying of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, made clear, as he narrated it from his Lord, "I am in My slave's opinion of Me, and I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me in himself, I remember him in My self. If he remembers Me in an assembly, I will remember him in an assembly better than them." There are three types of dhikr: the dhikr of the heart, dhikr with the tongue, with the two of them together. Know that dhikr is the best of actions in general, even if in some hadith there is related some superiority to some other action, such as the prayer, etc., for that is only because of what they contain of the meaning of dhikr and being present with Allah ta'ala. There are three aspects to the proof of the superiority of dhikr: First, the texts which have been narrated about its superiority over all other actions. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Shall I not tell you of the best of your actions, and the most pure of them with your King, and the most exalted of them in your ranks, [those which are] better for you than your meeting your enemy and striking their necks and they striking your necks?" They said, "Certainly, Messenger of Allah." He said, "Dhikr of Allah." The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked, "Which actions are the best?" He said, "Dhikr of Allah." Someone said, "Is dhikr better or jihad in the way of Allah?" He said, "Even if the mujahid were to strike at the kuffar until his sword broke and he was coloured with the blood, the person of dhikr would be better than him." Second , that Allah exalted is He, wherever He commands us to do dhikr or praises dhikr, He has stipulated a great deal of it, so He says, "Remember Allah with much remembrance" and "those who remember Allah a great deal" and He does not stipulate that for any other action. Third, that dhikr has something extra which belongs to it especially and does not belong to anything else, which is presence in the Highest Presence, and arrival to nearness which is indicated by that which is narrated in the hadith which mention 'sitting with' and 'withness', for Allah, exalted is He, says [in the hadith Qudsi], "I sit with the one who remembers Me", and He says, "I am in My slave's opinion of Me, and I am with him when he remembers Me." People have two stations with respect to their intentions in dhikr: the intention of the generality is to earn rewards, the intention of the elect is nearness and presence. How great a distance there is between the two stations, and how great it is between one who takes his reward and he is behind a veil, and one who draws near until he is one of the elect of the beloved ones. Know that dhikr has many types, of which there is "La ilaha illa'llah", and tasbeeh, takbir, praise, "La hawla wa law quwwata illa billah", "husbuna'llahu wa ni'ma'l-wakeel" and the dhikr of every name of Allah ta'ala, and sending blessings on the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and seeking forgiveness, etc. Each dhikr has its special quality and its fruit. As for "La ilaha illa'llah - There is no god but Allah", its fruit is tawhid , and I mean the tawhid of the elect because every believer obtains the tawhid of the ordinary people. As for takbir "Allahu Akbar - Allah is greater", its fruit is exaltation of the Possessor of Majesty. As for praise and the [Divine] Names whose meanings are good treatment and mercy such as ar-Rahman "The Universally Merciful" and ar-Raheem "The Specifically Compassionate" and al-Kareem "The Nobly Generous", and al-Ghaffar "The Oft Forgiving" and the like of them, their fruit is three stations, gratitude, strength of hope, and love, for the One Who Treats [us] Well is unavoidably beloved. As for "La hawla wa law quwwata illa billah - There is no power and no strength but by Allah" and "husbuna'llahu wa ni'ma'l-wakeel - Allah is enough for us and an excellent guardian" their fruit is dependence on Allah and surrendering [all affairs] to Him, and strong trust in Allah. As for the [Divine] Names whose meanings are showing and grasping, such as al-'Aleem "the All-Knowing" and as-Samee' "the All-Hearing" and al-Baseer "the All-Seeing" and al-Qareeb "the Near" and the like of them, their fruit is muraqabah "fearful watchfulness". As for sending blessings on the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, its fruit is strong love for him, and carefully guarding the following of his sunnah. As for istighfar "seeking forgiveness" its fruit is going straight in taqwa , and guarding the preconditions of turning in penitence [to Allah from one's wrongdoing] along with the hearts rejection of the causes which led to previous wrong actions. Then the fruit of the dhikr which unites the names and attributes is gathered together in the unique dhikr which is our saying, "Allah, Allah". This is the goal and the limit. Author: Harcharan Singh Date: 06-23-06 14:13 Dhikr (rememberance of God, and recitation of his name, externally and internally), is an Islamic tradition started in the time of the Prophet Mohammed. This aspect of Islam is not hugely common as far as I know amongst the main populace, but daas has noticed that highly religious/spiritual Muslim individuals do recite Allah and other holy Islamic names/descriptions for God 24/7, and many have prayer beads to induce the simran, in a similar way to some Sikhs, Hindus and Buddists. In history, many portraits/paintings of Fakirs, Pirs, Sufis are shown with them holding mala. It was traditional for Muslims to repeat Gods name together after communal prayers. The above short article simply shows the great importance and variety of simran Muslims have/use. They believe the recitation of different Koranic names, will bring different benefits i.e. The compassionate one, the Merciful one, the Generous one... It is highly psychological, and the spiritual benefit can be quite easily understood, if we repeat a holy name/characteristic, we may eventually obtain it... Similar to how we get rid of the me, my and I by repeating Vahe-Guru (tu), our life ceases to revolve around us and starts to revolve around Akaal Purkh (in terms of our narrow site - in the bigger picture Akaal Purkh is obviously master of his creation). When we do Jaap Sahib Ji Nitnem, the hope is that by praising all the attributes of our indescribable master, we will be scented by those characteristics to....

Simran in Buddism Author: Harcharan Singh Date: 06-26-06 11:47 Great article if you have the dhiraj to read it. Buddism is based on and realised through meditation, with the ultimate goal to explore one's mind and achieve Nirvhana (mukti - escape from the cycle of birth and death). by Francis Story The mental exercise known as meditation is found in all religious systems. Prayer is a form of discursive meditation, and in Hinduism the reciting of slokas and mantras is employed to tranquilize the mind to a state of receptivity. In most of these systems the goal is identified with the particular psychic results that ensue, sometimes very quickly; and the visions that come in the semi-trance state, or the sounds that are heard, are considered to be the end-result of the exercise. This is not the case in the forms of meditation practiced in Buddhism. There is still comparatively little known about the mind, its functions and its powers, and it is difficult for most people to distinguish between self-hypnosis, the development of mediumistic states, and the real process of mental clarification and direct perception which is the object of Buddhist mental concentration. The fact that mystics of every religion have induced on themselves states wherein they see visions and hear voices that are in accordance with their own religious beliefs indicates that their meditation has resulted only in bringing to the surface of the mind and objectifying the concepts already embedded in the deepest strata of their subconscious minds. The Christian sees and converses with the saints of whom he already knows; the Hindu visualizes the gods of the Hindu pantheon, and so on. When Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, the Bengali mystic, began to turn his thoughts towards Christianity, he saw visions of Jesus in his meditations, in place of his former eidetic images of the Hindu Avatars. The practiced hypnotic subject becomes more and more readily able to surrender himself to the suggestions made to him by the hypnotiser, and anyone who has studied this subject is bound to see a connection between the mental state of compliance he has reached and the facility with which the mystic can induce whatever kind of experiences he wills himself to undergo. There is still another possibility latent in the practice of meditation; the development of mediumistic faculties by which the subject can actually see and hear beings on different planes of existence, the Devalokas and the realm of the unhappy ghosts, for example. These worlds being nearest to our own are the more readily accessible, and this is the true explanation of the psychic phenomena of Western Spiritualism. The object of Buddhist meditation, however, is none of these things. They arise as side-products, but not only are they not its goal, but they are hindrances which have to be overcome. The Christian who has seen Jesus, or the Hindu who has conversed with Bhagavan Krishna may be quite satisfied that he has fulfilled the purpose of his religious life, but the Buddhist who sees a vision of the Buddha knows by that very fact that he has only succeeded in objectifying a concept in his own mind, for the Buddha after his Parinibbana is, in his own words, no longer visible to gods or men. There is an essential difference, then, between Buddhist meditation and concentration and that practiced in other systems. The Buddhist embarking on a course of meditation does well to recognize this difference and to establish in his own conscious mind a clear idea of what it is he is trying to do. The root-cause of rebirth and suffering is avijja conjoined with and reacting upon tanha. These two causes form a vicious circle; on the one hand, concepts, the result of ignorance, and on the other hand, desire arising from concepts. The world of phenomena has no meaning beyond the meaning given to it by our own interpretation. When that interpretation is conditioned by avijja, we are subject to the state known as vipallasa, or hallucination. Sañña-vipallasa, hallucination of perception; citta-vipallasa, hallucination of consciousness, and ditthi-vipallasa, hallucination of views, cause us to regard that which is impermanent (anicca) as permanent, that which is painful (dukkha) as a source of pleasure, and that which is unreal (anatta), or literally without any self existence, as being a real, self-existing entity. Consequently, we place a false interpretation on all the sensory experiences we gain through the six channels of cognition, that is, the eye, ear, nose, tongue, sense of touch and mind cakkhu, sota, ghana, jivha, kaya and mano (ayatana). Physics, by showing that the realm of phenomena we know through these channels of cognition does not really correspond to the physical world known to science, has confirmed this Buddhist truth. We are deluded by our own senses. Pursuing what we imagine to be desirable, an object of pleasure, we are in reality only following a shadow, trying to grasp a mirage. It is anicca, dukkha, anatta -- impermanent, associated with suffering, an insubstantial. Being so, it can only be the cause of impermanence, suffering and insubstantiality, since like begets like; and we ourselves, who chase the illusion, are also impermanent, subject to suffering and without any persistent ego-principle. It is a case of a shadow pursuing a shadow. The purpose of Buddhist meditation, therefore, is to gain more than an intellectual understanding of this truth, to liberate ourselves from the delusion and thereby put an end to both ignorance and craving. If the meditation does not produce results tending to this consummation -- results which are observable in the character and the whole attitude to life -- it is clear that there is something wrong either with the system or with the method of employing it. It is not enough to see lights, to have visions or to experience ecstasy. These phenomena are too common to be impressive to the Buddhist who really understands the purpose of Buddhist meditation. There are actual dangers in them which are apparent to one who is also a student of psychopathology. In the Buddha's great discourse on the practice of mindfulness, the Maha-Satipatthana Sutta, both the object and the means of attaining it are clearly set forth. Attentiveness to the movements of the body, to the ever-changing states of the mind, is to be cultivated in order that their real nature should be known. Instead of identifying these physical and mental phenomena with the false concept of "self," we are to see them as they really are: movements of a physical body, an aggregate of the four elements, (mahabhutas) subject to physical laws of causality on the one hand, and on the other, a flux of successive phases of consciousness arising and passing away in response to external stimuli. They are to be viewed objectively, as though they were processes not associated with ourselves but belonging to another order of phenomena. From what can selfishness and egotism proceed if not from the concept of "self" (sakkayaditthi)? If the practice of any form of meditation leaves selfishness or egotism unabated, it has not been successful. A tree is judged by its fruits and a man by his actions; there is no other criterion. Particularly is this true in Buddhist psychology, because the man is his actions. In the truest sense they, or the continuity of kamma and vipaka which they represent, are the only claim he can make to any persistent identity, not only through the different phases of this life but also from one life to another. Attentiveness with regard to body and mind serves to break down the illusion of self; and not only that, it also cuts off craving and attachment to external objects, so that ultimately there is neither the "self" that craves nor any object of craving. It is a long and arduous discipline, and one that can only be undertaken in retirement from the world and its cares. Yet even a temporary retirement, a temporary course of this discipline, can bear good results in that it establishes an attitude of mind which can be applied to some degree in the ordinary situations of life. Detachment, objectivity, is an invaluable aid to clear thinking; it enables a man to sum up a given situation without bias, personal or otherwise, and to act in that situation with courage and discretion. Another gift it bestows is that of concentration -- the ability to focus the mind and keep it steadily fixed on a single point (ekaggata, or one-pointedness), and this is the great secret of success in any undertaking. The mind is hard to tame; it roams here and there restlessly as the wind, or like an untamed horse, but when it is fully under control, it is the most powerful instrument in the whole universe. He who has mastered his own mind is indeed master of the Three Worlds. In the first place he is without fear. Fear arises because we associate mind and body (nama-rupa) with "self"; consequently any harm to either is considered to be harm done to oneself. But he who has broken down this illusion by realizing that the five khandha process is merely the manifestation of cause and effect, does not fear death or misfortune. He remains equable alike in success and failure, unaffected by praise or blame. The only thing he fears is demeritorious action, because he knows that no thing or person in the world can harm him except himself, and as his detachment increases, he becomes less and less liable to demeritorious deeds. Unwholesome action comes of an unwholesome mind, and as the mind becomes purified, healed of its disorders, bad kamma ceases to accumulate. He comes to have a horror of wrong action and to take greater and greater delight in those deeds that are rooted in alobha, adosa, and amoha -- generosity, benevolence and wisdom. Anapana Sati One of the most universally-applicable methods of cultivating mental concentration is anapanasati, attentiveness on the in-going and out-going breath. This, unlike the Yogic systems, does not call for any interference with the normal breathing, the breath being merely used as a point on which to fix the attention, at the tip of the nostrils. The attention must not wander, even to follow the breath, but must be kept rigidly on the selected spot. In the initial stages it is advisable to mark the respiration by counting, but as soon as it is possible to keep the mind fixed without this artificial aid, it should be discontinued and only used when it is necessary to recall the attention. As the state of mental quiescence (samatha) is approached, the breath appears to become fainter and fainter, until it is hardly discernible. It is at this stage that certain psychic phenomena appear, which may at first be disconcerting. A stage is reached when the actual bodily dukkha, the sensation of arising and passing away of the physical elements in the body, is felt. This is experienced as a disturbance, but it must be remembered that it is an agitation that is always present in the body but we are unaware of it until the mind becomes stabilized. It is the first direct experience of the dukkha (suffering) which is inherent in all phenomena -- the realization within oneself of the first of the Four Noble Truths, Dukkha Ariya Sacca. When that is passed there follows the sensation of piti, rapturous joy associated with the physical body. The teacher of vipassana, however, is careful never to describe to his pupil beforehand what he is likely to experience, for if he does so, there is a strong possibility that the power of suggestion will produce a false reaction, particularly in those cases where the pupil is very suggestible and greatly under the influence of the teacher. Devices in Meditation In kammattana, it is permissible to use certain devices, such as the earth or colour kasina, as focal points for the attention. A candle flame, a hole in the wall, or some metal object can also be used, and the method of using them is found in the Pali texts and the Visuddhi-magga. In the texts themselves it is to be noted that the Buddha gave objects of meditation to disciples in accordance with their individual characteristics, and his unerring knowledge of the right technique for each came from his insight into their previous births. Similarly with recursive meditation, a subject would be given which was easily comprehensible to the pupil, or which served to counteract some strong, unwholesome tendency in his nature. Thus, to one attracted by sensual indulgence, the Buddha would recommend meditation on the impurity of the body, or the "cemetery meditation." Here the object is to counterbalance attraction by repulsion, but it is only a "skillful means" to reach the final state, in which attraction and repulsion both cease to exist. In the Arahant there is neither liking nor disliking: he regards all things with perfect equanimity, as did Thera Maha Moggallana when he accepted a handful of rice from a leper. Beads The use of the rosary in Buddhism is often misunderstood. If it is used for the mechanical repetition of a set formula, the repeating of so many phrases as an act of piety, as in other religions, its value is negligible. When it is used as means of holding the attention and purifying the mind, however, it can be a great help. One of the best ways of employing it, because it calls for undivided attention, is to repeat the Pali formula of the qualities of Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, beginning "Iti'pi so Bhagava -- " with the first bead, starting again with the second and continuing to the next quality: "Iti'pi so Bhagava, Arahan -- " and so on until with the last bead the entire formula is repeated from beginning to end. This cannot be carried out successfully unless the mind is entirely concentrated on what is being done. At the same time the recalling of the noble qualities of Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha lifts the mind to a lofty plane, since the words carry with them a meaning the impresses itself on the pattern of the thought-moments as they arise and pass away. The value of this in terms of Abhidhamma psychology lies in the wholesome nature of the cittakkhana, or "consciousness-moment" in its uppada (arising), thiti (static) and bhanga (disappearing) phases. Each of these wholesome cittakkhana contributes to the improvement of the sankhara; or aggregate of tendencies; in other words, it directs the subsequent thought-moments into a higher realm and tends to establish the character on that level. Samatha Bhavana Samatha bhavana, the development of mental tranquillity with concentration, is accompanied by three benefits; it gives happiness in the present life, a favorable rebirth, and the freedom from mental defilements which is a prerequisite for attainment of insight. In samatha the mind becomes like a still, clear pool completely free from disturbance and agitation, and ready to mirror on its surface the nature of things as they really are, the aspect of them which is hidden from ordinary knowledge by the restlessness of craving. It is the peace and fulfillment which is depicted on the features of the Buddha, investing his images with a significance that impresses even those who have no knowledge of what it means. Such an image of the Buddha can itself be a very suitable object of meditation, and is, in fact, the one that most Buddhists instinctively use. The very sight of the tranquil image can calm and pacify a mind distraught with worldly hopes and fears. It is the certain and visible assurance of Nibbana. Vipassana Bhavana Vipassana bhavana is realization of the three signs of being, anicca, dukkha, and anatta, by direct insight. These three characteristics, impermanence, suffering and non-self, can be grasped intellectually, as scientific and philosophical truth, but this is not in itself sufficient to rid the mind of egoism and craving. The final objective lies on a higher level of awareness, the direct "intuitional" plane, where it is actually experienced as psychological fact. Until this personal confirmation is obtained, the sphere of sense perception (ayatana) and sensory-responses remain stronger than the intellectual conviction; the two function side by side on different levels of consciousness, but it is usually the sphere dominated by avijja which continues to determine the course of life by volitional action. The philosopher who fails to live according to his philosophy is the most familiar example of this incompatibility between theory and practice. When the direct perception is obtained, however, what was at its highest intellectual level still merely a theory becomes actual knowledge, in precisely the same way that we "know" when we are hot or cold hungry or thirsty. The mind that has attained it is established in the Dhamma, and pañña, wisdom, has taken the place of delusion. Discursive meditation, such as that practiced in Christian devotion, is entirely on the mental level, and can be undertaken by anyone at any time. It calls for no special preparation or conditions. For the more advanced exercises of samatha and vipassana, however, the strictest observance of sila, the basic moral rules, becomes necessary. These techniques are best followed in seclusion, away from the impurities of worldly life and under the guidance of an accomplished master. Many people have done themselves psychic harm by embarking on them without due care in this respect. It is not advisable for anyone to experiment on his own; those who are unable to place themselves under a trustworthy teacher will do best to confine themselves to discursive meditation. It cannot take them to enlightenment but will benefit them morally and prepare them for the next stage. The Practice of Metta Bhavana Metta bhavana is the most universally beneficial form of discursive meditation, and can be practiced in any conditions. Thoughts of universal, undiscriminating benevolence, like radio waves reaching out in all directions, sublimate the creative energy of the mind. With steady perseverance in metta bhavana a point can be reached at which it becomes impossible even to harbor a thought of ill-will. True peace can only come to the world through minds that are at peace, If people everywhere in the world could be persuaded to devote half an hour daily to the practice of metta bhavana, we should see more real advance towards world peace and security than international agreements will ever bring us. It would be a good thing if, in this new era of the Buddha Sasana, people of all creeds could be invited to take part in a world-wide movement for the practice of metta bhavana and pledge themselves to live in accordance with the highest tenets of their own religion, whatever it may be. In so doing they would be paying homage to the Supreme Buddha and to their own particular religious teacher as well, for on this level all the great religions of the world unite. If there is a common denominator to be found among them, it is surely here, in the teaching of universal loving-kindness which transcends doctrinal differences and draws all being together by the power of a timeless and all-embracing truth. The classic formulation of metta as an attitude of mind to be developed by meditation is found in the Karaniya Metta Sutta (Sutta Nipata, Khuddaka-patha) [see appendix]. It is recommended that this sutta be recited before beginning meditation, and again at its close, a practice which is invariably followed in the Buddhist countries. The verses of the sutta embody the highest concept to which the thought of loving-kindness can reach, and it serves both as a means of self-protection against unwholesome mental states and as a subject of contemplation (kammatthana). It is taught in Buddhism that the cultivation of benevolence must begin with oneself. There is a profound psychological truth in this, for no one who hates or despises himself consciously or unconsciously can feel true loving-kindness for others. To each of us the self is the nearest object; if one's attitude towards oneself is not a wholesome one, the spring of love is poisoned at its source. This does not mean that we should build up an idealized picture of ourselves as an object of admiration, but that, while being fully aware of our faults and deficiencies, we should not condemn but resolve to improve ourselves and cherish confidence in our ability to do so. Metta bhavana, therefore, begins with the thought: "May I be free from enmity; may I be free from ill-will; may I be rid of suffering; may I be happy." This thought having been developed, the next stage is to apply it in exactly the same form and to the same degree, to someone for whom one has naturally a feeling of friendship. In so doing, two points must be observed: the object should be a living person, and should not be one of the opposite sex. The second prohibition is to guard against the feeling of metta turning into its "near enemy," sensuality. Those whose sensual leanings have a different orientation must vary the rule to suit their own needs. When the thought of metta has been developed towards a friend, the next object should be someone towards whom one has no marked feelings of like or dislike. Lastly, the though of metta is to be turned towards someone who is hostile. It is here that difficulties arise. They are to be expected, and the meditator must be prepared to meet and wrestle with them. To this end, several techniques are described in the Visuddhimagga and elsewhere. The first is to think of the hostile personality in terms of anatta -- impersonality. The meditator is advised to analyze the hostile personality into its impersonal components -- the body, the feelings, the perceptions, the volitional formations and the consciousness. The body, to begin with, consists of purely material items: hair of the head, hair of the body, skin, nails, teeth and so on. There can be no basis for enmity against these. The feelings, perceptions, volitional formations and consciousness are all transitory phenomena, interdependent, conditioned and bound up with suffering. They are anicca, dukkha and anatta, impermanent, fraught with suffering and void of selfhood. There is no more individual personality in them than there is in the physical body itself. So towards them, likewise, there can be no real ground for enmity. If this approach should prove to be not altogether effective, there are others in which emotionally counteractive states of mind are brought into play, as for example regarding the hostile person with compassion. The meditator should reflect: "As he (or she) is, so am I. As I am, so is he. We are both bound to the inexorable Wheel of Life by ignorance and craving. Both of us are subject to the law of cause and effect, and whatever evil we do, for that we must suffer. Why then should I blame or call anyone my enemy? Rather should I purify my mind and wish that he may do the same, so that both of us may be freed from suffering." If this thought is dwelt upon and fully comprehended, feelings of hostility will be cast out. When the thought of loving-kindness is exactly the same, in quality and degree, for all these four objects -- oneself, one's friend, the person toward whom one is neutral, and the enemy -- the meditation has been successful. The next stage is to widen and extend it. This process is a threefold one: suffusing metta without limitation, suffusing it with limitation, and suffusing it in all of the ten directions, east, west, north, south, the intermediate points, above and below. In suffusing metta without limitation (anodhiso-pharana), the meditator thinks of the objects of loving-kindness under five heads: all sentient beings; all things that have life; all beings that have come into existence; all that have personality; all that have assumed individual being. For each of these groups separately he formulates the thought: "May they be free from enmity; may they be free from enmity; may they be free from ill will; may they be rid of suffering; may they be happy. For each object he specifies the particular group which he is suffusing with metta: "May all sentient beings be free from enmity, etc... May all things that have life be free from enmity, etc." This meditation embraces all without particular reference to locality, and so is called "suffusing without limitation." In suffusing metta with limitation (odhiso-pharana), there are seven groups which form the objects of the meditation. They are: all females; all males; all Noble Ones (those who have attained any one of the states of Sainthood); all imperfect ones; all Devas; all human beings; all beings in states of woe. Each of the groups should be meditated upon as described above: "May all females be free from enmity, etc." This method is called "suffusing metta with limitation" because it defines the groups according to their nature and condition. Suffusing with metta all beings in the ten directions is carried out in the same way. Directing his mind towards the east, the meditator concentrates on the thought: "May all beings in the east be free from enmity; may they be free from ill will; may they be rid of suffering; may they be happy!" And so with the beings in the west, the north, the south, the north-east, south-west, north-west, south-east, above and below. Lastly, each of the twelve groups belonging to the unlimited and limited suffusions of metta can be dealt with separately for each of the ten directions, using the appropriate formulas. It is taught that each of these twenty-two modes of practicing metta bhavana is capable of being developed up to the stage of a appana-samadhi, that is, the concentration which leads to jhana, or mental absorption. For this reason it is described as the method for attaining release of the mind through metta (metta cetovimutti). It is the first of the Four Brahma Viharas, the sublime states of which the Karaniya Metta Sutta: "Brahmam etam viharam idhamahu" -- "Here is declared the Highest Life." Metta, karuna, mudita, upekkha: [see Nyanaponika Thera, The Four Sublime States, Wheel 6.] loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and detachment, these four states of mind represent the highest levels of mundane consciousness. One who has attained to them and dwells in them is impervious to the ills of life. Like a god he moves and acts in undisturbed serenity, armored against the blows of fate and the uncertainty of worldly conditions. And the first of them to be cultivated is metta, because it is through boundless love that the mind gains its first taste of liberation. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix Lovingkindness as a Contemplation Metta Sutta From the Sutta Nipata, verses 143-52 (Spoken by the Buddha) What should be done by one skillful in good So as to gain the State of Peace is this: Let him be able, and upright, and straight. Easy to speak to, gentle, and not proud, Contented, too, supported easily. With few tasks, and living very lightly, His faculties serene, prudent, and modest, Unswayed by the emotions of the clans; And let him never do the slightest thing That other wise men might hold blamable. (And let him think:) "In safety and in bliss May creatures all be of a blissful heart. Whatever breathing beings there may be, No matter whether they are frail or firm, With none excepted, be they long or big Or middle sized, or be they short or small Or thick, as well as those seen or unseen, Or whether they are dwelling far or near, Existing or yet seeking to exist, May creatures all be of a blissful heart. Let no one work another one's undoing Or even slight him at all anywhere; And never let them wish each other ill Through provocation or resentful thought." And just as might a mother with her life Protect the son that was her only child, So let him then for every living thing Maintain unbounded consciousness in being, And let him too with love for all the world Maintain unbounded consciousness in being Above, below, and all round in between, Untroubled, with no enemy or foe. And while he stands or walks or while he sits Or while he lies down, free from drowsiness, Let him resolve upon this mindfulness This is Divine Abiding here, they say. But when he has no trafficking with views, Is virtuous, and has perfected seeing, And purges greed for sensual desires. He surely comes no more to any womb.

Simran in Christianity Author: Harcharan Singh Date: 06-26-06 11:52 Vahe-Guru, draw the comparisons... http://www.allaboutgod.com/ Christian Meditation: Is it Christian to Meditate? Christian meditation is rooted in the Bible. In fact, the Bible commands us to meditate. In Joshua 1:8, God says to meditate on His word day and night so we will obey it. The psalmist says "his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night" (Psalm 1:2). Actually, the Bible mentions meditate or meditation 20 times. In the Old Testament there are two primary Hebrew words for meditation: Haga, which means to utter, groan, meditate, or ponder; and Sihach, which means to muse, rehearse in one's mind, or contemplate. These words can also be translated as dwell, diligently consider, and heed. Christian Meditation: A History One form of Christian meditation that has been used by believers since at least the fourth century AD is the lectio divina. It has been traditionally used in monastic religious orders and is enjoying a resurgence today. Lectio divina means "sacred reading" and has four stages: lectio (reading), meditatio (discursive meditation), oratio (affective prayer), and contemplatio (contemplation). In the lectio (reading) stage, one finds a passage and reads it deliberately. The next stage, meditatio (discursive meditation), is where one ponders the text. In the oratio (affective prayer) stage, one talks to God about the reading, asking Him to reveal the truth. In the final, contemplatio (contemplation) stage, one simply rests in the Lord's presence. Today, meditation is generally seen as a practice of the New Age movement. This comes primarily from its association with Transcendental Meditation. Transcendental Meditation was developed by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi of the Hindu religion and is steeped in Hindu philosophy. The "yogi" in the TM founder's name indicates his status in Hinduism. Courts in the US have ruled that TM is not a secular discipline; it is Hindu religion (US District Court, Newark, NJ, on October 29, 1977 and the US Court of Appeals, Philadelphia, PA February 2, 1979). Christian Meditation: What do Christian Leaders Say? One important thing the Bible tells us to do is to think about God's Word. Our thoughts determine our behavior and so what we think about is very important. That is why God wants us to think about His Word, or meditate on it. Jim Downing in Meditation (NavPress) says God considers meditation a "vital exercise of the minds of His children." Rick Warren, in The Purpose Driven Life (Zondervan), describes meditation this way: "Meditation is focused thinking. It takes serious effort. You select a verse and reflect on it over and over in your mind...if you know how to worry, you already know how to meditate" (190). Warren goes on to say, "No other habit can do more to transform your life and make you more like Jesus than daily reflection on Scripture…If you look up all the times God speaks about meditation in the Bible, you will amazed at the benefits He has promised to those who take the time to reflect on His Word throughout the day" (190). In Satisfy Your Soul (NavPress), Dr. Bruce Demarest writes, "A quieted heart is our best preparation for all this work of God … Meditation refocuses us from ourselves and from the world so that we reflect on God's Word, His nature, His abilities, and His works … So we prayerfully ponder, muse, and 'chew' the words of Scripture. …The goal is simply to permit the Holy Spirit to activate the life-giving Word of God" (133). Christian Meditation: How do we do it? There are three times during the day we can actively turn our minds over to God's Word in Christian Meditation. Just before we fall asleep, we can have God's Word be the last thing that occupies our mind. Upon awaking, we can have God's Word be the first thing to fill our minds to start the day. Finally, we need a specific time each day to be in God's Word so it can speak to us throughout out day. What should we focus on in Christian meditation? "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things" (Philippians 4:8, NASB).

Simran in Judaism Author: Harcharan Singh Date: 06-26-06 11:56 All faiths derive similar physical benefits from simran, and argueably similar spiritual ones... One thing I am sure of, no matter what faith, simran would produce similar characteristics in people i.e. patience, listening ability, control over emotions etc.. Introduction to Jewish Meditation by Rabbi Goldie Milgram Questions & Answers Judaism has many important facets which work together synergistically for our wellness, happiness, and evolution: *Holy days to make us aware of our joys and foibles *Life Cycle events to surround us with community for the celebration of transitions *Torah study to focus our attention on how we treat one another *Prayer to enhance our sense of blessings and to find the prayer of our heart Jewish meditation offers a way to infuse each of these facets of Judaism with deeper meaning, greater connection to the Source of Life and more meaningful human interactions. It is not an end in itself...it is a beginning. Can meditation be an authentically Jewish experience? Yes. Jewish mystics of all generations have used meditation practices as spiritual tools for expanding awareness, happiness and holiness. The ancient kabbalist, Eleazar Azikri, distinguishes study as the practice for the intellect and describes a Jewish meditation practice known as "hitbodedut" as seven fold more helpful to the soul. In the Talmud our sages are described as meditating for an hour before and after services. In the Torah we are told of Jacob who went out into the field to meditate. Rabbi Akiva is described as spinning in circles and deflecting off the corners of his room while praying. (This meditation practice is reminiscent of the Sufi whirling dervishes.) Even yoga-like sensibilities are depicted in the Talmud, such as the recommendation that when bowing in prayer one should "hyper-extend the spine until one can read the words on a coin set in front of your feet on the ground." While the practices of mindfulness or movement-based meditations, like yoga, are delightful to do in a Jewish setting, these are not the ancient arts of Jewish meditation. Some of these ancient forms are described further on in this document. What is the purpose of Jewish meditation? Just as healthy foods nourish us through the blood stream, so Jewish meditation nourishes our "soul stream." Meditation can transform Judaism from the purely intellectual process most of us grew up with into a spiritual practice that links us to Judaism in the most profound way. Meditation gets under our intellectual defenses and helps us to feel at one with creation and to experience an expanded life rich in conscious awe and joy. Each holy day and cycle of life has its own rhythm, nuance, taste and character. Jewish meditation can help us shift into these holidays cycles, deepening our connection to them. Should meditation be done in a group or alone? Both. Recent bio-medical studies in the field of psycho-neuroimmunology indicate that group meditation enhances the benefits of solitary meditation. When a minyan of Jews meditates together, there is a reciprocity of caring, support and spiritual energy. Meditating alone has its advantages too. Solitary meditators can experience a wonderful closeness to God, the flow of what Kabbalists call "the river of light" (which may in fact correlate with what scientists have identified as the electro-magnetic fields of the body) can add energy and delight to your day. Are there different kinds of Jewish meditation? Yes! An exciting variety of approaches exist. Depending upon your emotional make-up, the circumstances and the effect you desire to create, one might suit you better than another. But whatever technique you choose, the benefits of a regular program of Jewish meditation will intensify with daily practice and delicious nuances of experience and awareness will emerge over time. Most types of Jewish meditation are simple to learn under the auspices of a good teacher. Some are more complex and require careful preparation and guidance. It is important to experiment and find the technique and teacher(s) that works best for you. Major methods of Jewish meditation include: (Explanatory learning pages are being added for each method, watch for hyperlinks) Chanting of verses from psalms, Torah and prayers. Focusing upon a Shviti - a special Jewish graphic which helps induct a mystical state of consciousness. [beautiful example can be found on last page of Art Scroll Tehillim.] Meditation on the names of God or on the letters of God's name. Guided visualizations. Walking, dancing and movement meditations. Focusing upon the levels of an external or inner flame. Working with the "Tree of Life"/Sephirot, (A model based on personality characteristic polarities, which correlate in some ways with the chakra/meridian system and are designed as a holographic paradigm.) Attaining a state of "Eyin", the "no-state" which is all. Often through attention to breath and silence. Guided sounding of vowels or letters. Study of ancient sacred Jewish texts, specially designed to induce mystical encounter. Becoming attuned to the power of special blessings in connecting us to what mystics experience as "the river of light." Can I try a sample meditation? Absolutely. Click here for a meditation you can try when lighting Friday night candles. Is Jewish meditation for everyone? No. For those with borderline personality and/or schizophrenia, meditation of any kind can be unsettling, even dangerous. Meditation may also be problematic for those with addictive tendencies. Further, some forms of meditation will not work for everyone. Research shows that perhaps as many as 10% of humans do not have the "hard wiring" to benefit from guided visualizations. Can Jewish meditation be practiced as a substitute for the rest of Judaism? No. In small, sweet doses Jewish meditation can deeply enhance one's experience of Judaism. However, I do not recommend an extensive pracice of meditation alone without Torah study, prayer, and the celebration of holy days and life cycle events. The goal of Judaism is to give us a variety of tools for living the fullest expression of life possible, including the grounding, inspiration and moral strength to work on making the world a better place. Meditation without the natural balances inherent in Judaism can lead us out of the joys of physical and communal life and decrease our ability to make the most of living in the here and now. How do I find a good teacher? Look for courses taught by the following Jewish master teachers of meditation: Mindy Ribner, and Rabbis David Cooper, Shefa Gold, Rami Shapiro, Jeff Roth, Nan Fink, Sheila Weinberg, Jonathan Omer-man, Shohama Wiener and Avram Davis. There are certainly others, as well, who are also very capable. However, not all those who call themselves teachers of Kabbalah and meditation are legitimate. I have attended sessions offered at major centers by so-called Jewish meditation teachers who seemed to be making it up as they went along.

Anhad The 2nd educational gurmat sangeet album by Raj Academy has 6 mind blowing shabads including the 1st ever recording of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji's 60th raag, Asa Asavari. You can listen to some samples here http://rajacademy.com/ The kirtan has been done strictly using Guru Ji's kirtan maryada and all 6 of Guru Ji's beautifully gifted instruments.. For those interested, the album can be purchased from most major outlets and on-line from the above website - £5, it is worth every penny. Enjoy.

Adutti Gurmat Sangeet Samagam Samarpit to 400 Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji Keertan will be done only in Gurmat Sangeet (Only in Raags from Sri Guru Granth Sahib) Please come and join us on this special event Singh Sahib Giani Charan Singh Ji (Granthi of Sri Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar) Singh Sahib Prof. Darshan Singh Ji (Sabka Jathedar of Sri Akal Takhat Sahib) Bhai Sajan Singh Ji from New York (Founder of Gurudawara Sant Sagar & Sabka Raagi Sri Harmandir Sahib) Bhai Sarabjit Singh Ji (Hazuri Raagi Sri Harmandir Sahib) Bhai Nirmal Singh Ji “Nagpur Wale†(Hazuri Raagi Sri Harmandir Sahib) Bhai Amarjit Singh Ji from North Carolina (Sabka Raagi Sri Harmandir Sahib) Bhai Randhir Singh Ji from California (Sabka Raagi Sri Harmandir Sahib) Bhai Gurmail Singh Ji from New York (Sabka Ragi Sri Harmindir Sahib) Bibi Amarjit Kaur from Virginia Bhai Karamjit Singh Ji from New Jersey Bhai Harjinder Singh Ji “Srinagar Wale†Quince Orchard High School 15800 Quince Orchard RD, Gaithersburg MD 20878 Friday July 21, 2006 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM SaturdayJuly 22, 2006 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM Sunday July 23, 2006 10:00 AM to 2:00PM Special Request: Please come on time and bring your friends, family members. Any kind of SEVA or Donation will be appreciated. More Information Contact: Bhai Sawinder Singh at 301.346. 8067 (Cell) Email- bhaisawindersingh@yahoo.com Harvinder Kaur Ji at 301.529.6805 (Cell) / 301.916.9694(Home) Tarlochan Singh Ji at 410.882.6566 / 443.253.2941

Unbreakable. Do you not repeat "jinaa Singha Singhnia ne dharam het sis ditai" when you do your ardaas?

Jatherai is a pagan faith which stemmed from early aryan immigration from eastern Europe (around Albania etc). Many rural folk in Eastern Europe still keep jatherai. And it is a misconcept that they belong only to jat, all castes have jatherai, it is matter of whether your ancestors were from Eastern Europe rather than caste. The immigrants from Eastern Europe were not only farmers, they required blacksmiths, builders, tailors etc in order to be productive. The Jatt race theory is a myth, a race is not made up o farmers alone, it is made up of all skill sets needed in order for the community to be successful. Farmers make up the large % of population in Punjab historically, hence incorrectly, many common practices/traits of the people in Punjab have been incorrectly branded jat. Vahe-Guru

The point was you could have asked any Sikh (someone who has taken Amrit) and been born in a western country (irrelevant of ethnic background), what drove them to it. You could have visited many forums, posed the question and got hundreds of replies. If you wanted "White" Sikh thoughts, then Sikhnet is always best as it is run by "White" Sikhs. Personally, I feel the question is of culture rather than race, and most people irrelevant of race who live in the west have developed similar cultures. For UK "non-Punjabi Sikhs", in case you need the info in the future, best contact point is: http://www.karamkriya.co.uk/ky_what.htm Vahe-Guru

Everyone who is a Sikh is a convert. No body is born a Sikh, we only truely become Sikhs when we accept our 10 Guru Sahibaan and their teachings and instructions, and submit to Vahe-Guru's will, of our own free will. Although I was born into a "Punjabi" family, and was told I was a Sikh, I only ever considered my self a Sikh when I took my Guru's amrit. It is from this point that NIT became part of my life, and learning became an instruction/necessity rather than a past-time or option. It is the combination of acceptance, submission, learning and living in acordance with our Guru's words that defines a Sikh in my opinion. Only God knows how many Sikhs there are, no survey or statistic will ever be reflective, be it of counting Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims, Buddists, Christians or Jews. Wearing the uniform or flying the flag means nothing without being able to live according to Gods will as revealed in whichever way. Vahe-Guru

This article is being posted for increased awareness and tolerance in the spirit of Guru Sahibaan, not for narrow minded and ignorent attacks. Vahe-Guru Dhikr - Remembrance of Allah Ibn Juzayy al-Kalbi From: Kitab at-Tasheel li 'Uloom at-Tanzeel" - "The Sciences of Tafsir"1 Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab said, "Its meaning is 'Remember Me with obedience and I will remember you with reward'." It has been said that it means 'Remember Me with supplication and glorification and the like of that. The commentators, particularly the Sufis, have said a great deal in commentary on this subject using words with restricted and qualified meanings, and there is no proof of restriction. In general this ayah is an explanation of the nobility of dhikr, which the saying of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, made clear, as he narrated it from his Lord, "I am in My slave's opinion of Me, and I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me in himself, I remember him in My self. If he remembers Me in an assembly, I will remember him in an assembly better than them." There are three types of dhikr: the dhikr of the heart, dhikr with the tongue, with the two of them together. Know that dhikr is the best of actions in general, even if in some hadith there is related some superiority to some other action, such as the prayer, etc., for that is only because of what they contain of the meaning of dhikr and being present with Allah ta'ala. There are three aspects to the proof of the superiority of dhikr: First, the texts which have been narrated about its superiority over all other actions. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Shall I not tell you of the best of your actions, and the most pure of them with your King, and the most exalted of them in your ranks, [those which are] better for you than your meeting your enemy and striking their necks and they striking your necks?" They said, "Certainly, Messenger of Allah." He said, "Dhikr of Allah." The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked, "Which actions are the best?" He said, "Dhikr of Allah." Someone said, "Is dhikr better or jihad in the way of Allah?" He said, "Even if the mujahid were to strike at the kuffar until his sword broke and he was coloured with the blood, the person of dhikr would be better than him." Second , that Allah exalted is He, wherever He commands us to do dhikr or praises dhikr, He has stipulated a great deal of it, so He says, "Remember Allah with much remembrance" and "those who remember Allah a great deal" and He does not stipulate that for any other action. Third, that dhikr has something extra which belongs to it especially and does not belong to anything else, which is presence in the Highest Presence, and arrival to nearness which is indicated by that which is narrated in the hadith which mention 'sitting with' and 'withness', for Allah, exalted is He, says [in the hadith Qudsi], "I sit with the one who remembers Me", and He says, "I am in My slave's opinion of Me, and I am with him when he remembers Me." People have two stations with respect to their intentions in dhikr: the intention of the generality is to earn rewards, the intention of the elect is nearness and presence. How great a distance there is between the two stations, and how great it is between one who takes his reward and he is behind a veil, and one who draws near until he is one of the elect of the beloved ones. Know that dhikr has many types, of which there is "La ilaha illa'llah", and tasbeeh, takbir, praise, "La hawla wa law quwwata illa billah", "husbuna'llahu wa ni'ma'l-wakeel" and the dhikr of every name of Allah ta'ala, and sending blessings on the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and seeking forgiveness, etc. Each dhikr has its special quality and its fruit. As for "La ilaha illa'llah - There is no god but Allah", its fruit is tawhid , and I mean the tawhid of the elect because every believer obtains the tawhid of the ordinary people. As for takbir "Allahu Akbar - Allah is greater", its fruit is exaltation of the Possessor of Majesty. As for praise and the [Divine] Names whose meanings are good treatment and mercy such as ar-Rahman "The Universally Merciful" and ar-Raheem "The Specifically Compassionate" and al-Kareem "The Nobly Generous", and al-Ghaffar "The Oft Forgiving" and the like of them, their fruit is three stations, gratitude, strength of hope, and love, for the One Who Treats [us] Well is unavoidably beloved. As for "La hawla wa law quwwata illa billah - There is no power and no strength but by Allah" and "husbuna'llahu wa ni'ma'l-wakeel - Allah is enough for us and an excellent guardian" their fruit is dependence on Allah and surrendering [all affairs] to Him, and strong trust in Allah. As for the [Divine] Names whose meanings are showing and grasping, such as al-'Aleem "the All-Knowing" and as-Samee' "the All-Hearing" and al-Baseer "the All-Seeing" and al-Qareeb "the Near" and the like of them, their fruit is muraqabah "fearful watchfulness". As for sending blessings on the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, its fruit is strong love for him, and carefully guarding the following of his sunnah. As for istighfar "seeking forgiveness" its fruit is going straight in taqwa , and guarding the preconditions of turning in penitence [to Allah from one's wrongdoing] along with the hearts rejection of the causes which led to previous wrong actions. Then the fruit of the dhikr which unites the names and attributes is gathered together in the unique dhikr which is our saying, "Allah, Allah". This is the goal and the limit.

Beast ji, That is true. But that does not take away the fact that all biographies compiled later on in history will be 100% perfect, there is no such thing, never has been. Evevry single event in this world has more than one account, particulary faiths. All faiths have factioned due to different historical accounts of the faiths founders and founding. Sikhi is no different. There will always be differences. Again, with Guru's hunting, it is a personal choice whether you believe this sakhi or not. Different versions I have heard indicate that Guru's hunted to give those trapped souls mukti, which would not be above them to do so. Alternatively you can beleive they hunted to perfect their fighting skills. I personally admire Baba Gurbachan Singh Khalsa Ji, who although initiated by Buddal Daal, practiced his swords techniques using coconuts, which if you ask anyone who has tried, are very difficult to cut. This tradition has grown immensly, and Tarna daal particularly are fond of this method. Even Nihangs do not look down on non-meat eaters, they accept that it is a spiritual characterstic, and has been for many great Gursikhs including Baba Shaam Singh Ji Seva Panthi and Baba Ram Singh Namdhari (who was an ex-soldier). That is not to say I don't believe Sikhs hunted during the 1700's, as I have read accounts of Sikhs in the wild hunting boer, but at the same time I have read accounts of Sikhs who lived only daal and roti. I would not worry about minor details of history, and would focus on your own journey in Sikhi. Vahe-Guru.

Neo Ji, are you talking about Baba Isher Singh Ji's niece, who is in her 40's and also remains celebate? Bibi Ji has a following in the UK, London and Birmingham. My pua/phupher used to have Baba Isher Singh Ji's darshan regularly, Baba Ji used to stay with them during some visites to the UK. I think they are now in this Bibi Ji's sangat, I think she may be from Haryana, don't quote me though. I will find out Bibi Ji's name.

Rupz Ji, Page 392, Line 2 ਨਿਰਭਉ ਹੋਇਓ ਭਇਆ ਨਿਹੰਗਾ ॥ nirbha-o ho-i-o bha-i-aa nihangaa. Guru Arjan Dev According to Guru Ji, Nihang means reckless/without thought of consequence. In normal language use, words are utilised in the context of the day, today Nihang refers to Sikhs who have chosen to live by Budda/Tarni Daal maryada. Beast Ji, I wouldn't worry to much about that sakhi. I personally am not convinced by it. Sakhis are collections of heard stories put together by individuals after the Guru's lives. There will be some errors in them by way of statistics and human error. I would focus on the sakhis which can be cross referenced across different sources and which do not condradict Bani or our Guru's characters. It is no big mystery that our history does contain some inaccuracies! <<((;-)>>

No jathaa or sect is knowledgable or redeemed as an entity. Understanding Guru Maharaj and his message is a boon which is bestowed by Akaal Purkh on any individual of his choosing. True Sikhs can be found across the range (jathaa's divisionss) as individuals, and in more cases, that individual will not bear allegiance to or be patriotic towards his group, he will be emancipated and see truth and God in all, and wil las a result mix with all and hold all in high esteem. Nihangs as a group are no more Sikhs than AKJ, Nanaksari, Taksaa or any other demonination. Baba Isher Singh Ji (Rara Sahib), Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji (Bhindra) and Jassa Singh Aluvalia (Budda Daal), Baba Ram Singh (Namdhari), Baba Shaam Singh (Seva Panthi) were Sikhs with understanding of Akaal Purkhs word and offered their services to all Sikhs. Their grouping by other individuals bears no relevance to "who has a better understanding of Sikhi". This is a very narrow minded view by patriotic people. Bear allegiance to the the 10th Master, learn from all, nothing else is important. Vahe-Guru

Mloco Ji, Darfur is experiencing a huge genocide. Arab Militias are systematically murdering and raping indigenous black Africans. There are many aid organisations and world news groups that acknowledge this. But there is no oil in Darfur, so no reason for the world police to help. Please read the facts: http://www.darfurgenocide.org/