THE REAL PROFIT: "LAAHAA"

Those who have become the Gurmukhs (spiritual beings, follower of the Truth and the thurthful living, etc.)
reap their (spiritual) profits (of Naam) and leave, while the Mmanmukhs (self-willed, materialistics, deniers of the Truth
and the truthful living, etc.) lose their investment and depart (ਪਹਿਲੇ ਕੀਤੇ ਭਲੇ ਕੰਮਾਂ ਦੇ ਸੰਸਕਾਰ ਵੀ ਮੰਦ ਕਰਮਾਂ ਦੀ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਮਿਟਾ ਕੇ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ). ||19||
(O God) You are without color and mark. (Yet) You are seen to be manifest and present. Hearing of Your Glories again and
again, Your devotees meditate on You; they are attuned to You, O Lord, Treasure of Excellence. ||20|| (sggs 74).
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Literally, "Laha" (prounced Laahaa) means profit, benefit or gain. Human life in the world is of two types. The first which the majority lead is materialistic or selfish wherein only the pursuit of worldly comforts and sense-pleasure is the sole motive. While the other is a God-centered life wherein all actions are oriented to realizing the Self. Likewise, all types of "Laahaa" earned in this world can be grouped in two categories: Spiritual, and material.

The Gur-Shabad is saturated with the Love or Devotion of God. The devotion to the Almighty is such that the authors of the SGGS (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, SGGS) consider it a great privilege to serve Him. They ask God to make them render selfless service (Sevaa) to Him at all times with no trace of Haume - false ego.

The "Laahaa" Gurbani talks about is the Spiritual Wealth - attainment of the Spiritual Perfection, "here and now". Therefore, as repeatedly urged in the Gurbani, utilization of human body for earning this real "Profit" is the true "Laahaa" of one's life. On the contrary, consummation of one's life for the sake of accumulating mere material profits or benefits, and wasting time and energy in empty religious rituals (Dhaarmic Sode-Baajee) and useless worldly entanglements (Karamkaand) is said to be the false "Laahaa".

Our physical body is the foremost means to Spiritual evolution; for in it is the temple of Soul. It's the vehicle of life's journey. It's at once the result of one's past actions, and the field of his present action. We can either use it for making Spiritual Profit ("Laahaa") of experiencing the Higher Self by living a creative life of Spiritual values and dynamic Self-unfoldment; or we can misuse, disuse, abuse or condemn it in the pursuit of false profits. The choice is left to our discretion! The difference between one pursuing worldly success for its own sake and a spiritual seeker is that the latter enjoys the same without seeking it! So he is not attached to them and accepts everything he enjoys in life as God's Grace. His mind remains unperturbed without desires and fear; because he knows that the Spiritual Profit is never lost! A true devotee, therefore, works righteously (Dasaan Nohaan Dee Kirat Kamaaee) to fulfill his worldly duties, and to maintain his body and mind in good condition conducive for gaining Self-knowledge (Aatam-Giaan) and realization of the Self. Beyond that, he ruthlessly shuns all types of desires; for he knows that man's selfish desires originate from ignorance of the Self, which is of the nature of "Joti-Svaroopa". Actions performed in material bondage do not result in purifying the mind at all. As reiterated in the scriptures, the goal of human life is liberation (Mukti) from this bondage due to which the bonded Jeeva (individual being) undergoes repeated birth and death. Liberation from this bondage puts an end to this cycle of repeated pain and delusion. The depiction of material bondage and enumeration of the means to emancipation in the scriptures make it clear that man has to strive for attaining this end in this birth. As the human body is the most evolved and suitable for realizing this Goal, the scriptures time and again remind us that in this human life a Wise should practice virtues conducive to God-realization from his very childhood. This is called earning of real "Profit" or "Laahaa" in life, before returning back Home — the Source. It's a known fact that material wealth cannot be amassed without corruption. And, as indicated in the Divine Teachings, corruption and spirituality are of the opposing nature! The former is "filth" (Mall) whilst the latter is Purity. Since both are incompatible, they cannot coexist. Our worldly mind deeply rooted in desires (Vaasnaas) prompt all of us to act in this world. In other words, the pluralistic world of gross objects is activated by man's desires and related fear. These desires are classified by the scriptures under the four heading: Artha (wealth or economic development), Kaam (sense gratification), Dharma (faith or Dhaarmic activities), Mokh or Moksha (salvation). The first three — Artha, Kaam and Dharma — belong to the material realm, and are also referred to as Bhugti or Bhukti. The last one, Moksha, belongs to the Spiritual Realm, and is also called Mukti. This is the vehicle or system derived by the ancient sages to realize the goal of life.

Contrary to the popular notion that the pursuit of Spiritual Life involves eschewing worldly pursuits, the true scriptures present a holistic perspective of human life in which all the four ends — Dharma, Artha, Kaam, and Moksha — can be realized. In essence, what it means is that when the Spiritual aspirant turns to his True Dharma and orients his life towards the Spiritual Goal, he is blessed with the other ends of life as well.

However, in this age of Spiritual ignorance (Kali Yuga), the man is diseased by the tendencies toward sense pleasures. Consequently, as mentioned again and again in the Gurbani (SGGS), the two wheels of the vehicle, namely faith (Dharma) and salvation (Moksha), have disappeared from our life. Apparently, in truth, the majority of us have no sincere interest in Transcendental Knowledge, Dharma or salvation. It is because of our selfishness and attachment to the sense-world that we maintain some religious rituals or observance as long as such activities contribute to our material wealth or worldly possessions. In turn, we use this economic development or material success for our sense gratification. This is like pouring more fuel on already blazing fire! However, the Gurbani suggests to the contrary: On account of doubts and delusion, all day long the kicks of our mental imaginations, worry over worldly profit and loss, and fear of death leave our Spirit neither purity, gentleness or splendor, nor any way to travel to Spiritual heights. The majority of us (over 99.9 percent!) are truly asleep in an unenlightened existence in the world; for we have put hope in every imagination (Phurne) that passes through our ego-mind and converse with it. With such conditioned mind we perform religious rituals, read scriptures or Nitnem without understanding their Sublime Divine Essence, wear religious robes, do all sorts of Karamkaandee Paath Poojaa, undertake pilgrimage (Teerath Yaatraa), bathe in waters of shrines, and so on. According to the Gurbani, this is all false Laahaa. The Divine Substance is Pure Love. Which is also man's inward Nature. But the man conditions his love by emotionally associating it with worldly relations, and, in consequence, wastes his life. That's the reason man's relatives are also called "glorified thieves"; for they steal his wealth and possessions all their lives! When he is left with no money, they all desert him! In this age, the majority of us, thus, seem to be interested only in sense gratification. In the illusion to satisfy senses (which is impossible), we make plans for developing wealth or material success. Participation in organized religious activities and rituals is also motivated by the hope for further sense gratification here as well as after death, in some far-off heaven, etc. All such deeds are compared in the Gurbani with planting of seed in "Kallar" (salty soil). Apparently, in the life of an average worldly person it can be seen that his worldly achievements (material possessions, material education, material titles, etc.) are responsible for distancing him from God. Material wealth, position and power, for instance, make a person very proud and licentious as he is able to command what he wants. Likewise, learning can make one arrogant as well if it is not tempered with humility.

The Spiritual Beings (Gurmukhs) do not concede the joys of the world as true happiness and refer to worldly life as sorrowful. On the other hand, a person who has not tasted the Bliss of Self-realization is happy with the fleeting worldly joys he enjoys due to his ignorance. As a consequence of this, all his activities are aimed at pleasing his senses; because he does not understand the evanescence of the worldly pleasures. More the material profit, more the false ego. The moment one loses possessions, then he cries and bewails.

The Gurbani guides human beings on how they must regulate their lifestyles to live amidst worldly activities and also realize God eventually which alone lends meaning to human birth. However, the question scriptures urge us to ask ourselves is: are we working for maintaining a healthy body and sound mind so that we can realize the Self, or are we working like a donkey to cultivate ignorance for gratifying our senses? Simply put, an individual being (Jeeva) has two choices to his disposal — either he can use this life to yield the silent benefits of bosom rid of its Vaasnaas, or he can use it for undertaking those works which would injure his Spiritual sensitivity and dull his subtler perceptions. According to the Gurbani (SGGS), the Gurmukhs (Spiritual Beings) chose the former path and gain all, while the Manmukhs (material beings) chose the latter and lose all. Thus, the key to earning True "Laahaa" in this life is becoming a Gurmukh. Human life in the world is a mixed blessing because man has to undergo both periods of fortune and misfortune in his life. Unalloyed Bliss (Anand) can be enjoyed only in the state of Self-realization when one goes beyond both joys and sorrows. At this level the person understands the evanescence of worldly happiness. Such person is called Gurmukh in the Gurbani. In the following verses, the Gurbani tells us as to how a Gurmukh makes the best use of his life — he earns the Spiritual "Laahaa". As repeated again and again in the Gurbani, realization of the Naam is the real "Laahaa" in one's life. For realization of the Naam or Shabad is the realization of the Self (also called Satguru, Saadh, Sant, Sajjan, Sahib, Mahaan Purakh, Divine Essence, Supreme Truth, Dasam Duaar, etc.). And, without realizing the Naam (or the Self), one cannot link with the Infinite Consciousness, Waheguru. To realize the Naam (Shabad, Self, Unconditioned Consciousness, etc.) within, we are instructed by the Gurbani to become detached (Bairaag) from the sense-world. Instead, we are urged to cultivate Shabad Vichaar, Bhagti, Naam-Dhann, Naam Jap, Gur-Sevaa, Satsangat, acceptance of God's Hukam, and so on. In the end, these pursuits enable one realize Aatmaan and Parmaatmaan, and their relationship. The experience of the Divine Essence is proportional to detachment. Thus, detachment is essential for realizing God. Desire and attachment, which are extension of the ego, are the root cause of man's sorrows. It is human nature to act in haste and repent in leisure. The reasons for hasty action are manifold but they can all be traced to one's emotional attachment which prods him to do so. Like other failings and weaknesses, attachment to one's kith and kin also creates predicament in life when a person who is wedded to values forsakes them and then bemoans his lot when problems crop up. Therefore, a Spiritual seeker (Sikh) develops true detachment which is essential for further Spiritual Unfoldment. As a consequence he undertakes all work in the right spirit of unselfishness and detachment, which leads to exhaustion of his Vaasnaas (the deep-rooted desires). The true Shabad-Vichaar, Inner Inquiry, leads to Self-unfoldment. It is to constantly inquire, reflect, contemplate, investigate, or directly look into: "Who am I? How can I know where I have come from? Where did I originate, and where will I go and merge? How am I bound, and how do I obtain liberation? How do I merge with intuitive ease (Sahaj) into the Eternal? What is this world: the place of repeated birth and death? How I have come into being in this temporal and transient state? What is mind? Who is the sufferer? What is the Truth?", and so on. As the Shabad-Vichaar relates to Giaan, the pure Self-knowledge (Aatam-Giaan) arises with the aid and practice of such Inner Inquiry, followed by Sahaj-Avasthaa (natural state of Being), intuitive peace, true understanding, pure love and devotion, unselfishness, and ending of all material suffering. Hukam means God's Will, Divine Law or Bhaanaa. It's acceptance of one's life as it presents to himself. To put it otherwise, it is the acceptance of "likes" and "dislikes" such as sorrows and pleasures, insult and praise, up and downs of life, etc., with even vision, as Gur-Parsaad (God's Grace). Not easy at all! Bhagti or Devotion simply means acting Spiritually in accordance with God's Hukam (Divine Law). It's the science for Self-realization, which brings about the Union, in Love, between the individual consciousness (Aatmaan) and the Supreme Consciousness (Parmaatmaan). In other words, perfect Bhagti is the absolute Love for Waheguru. In such pure form, it is God realization—Immortality (Amrit). In the present age of Kali Yuga, the Bhagti is said to be the most simple, practical, sublime, direct, suitable, relatively easy, immediate, and effective process of linking with the Absolute Reality. As mentioned in the scriptures, without true Bhagti, there is no real joy to be found in the world. The earnest practice of Devotion simply leads one to develop concentration (mental purity), dispassion, humility and fearlessness by removing false ego. Such a man's whole joy is to take the life as it presents to himself. The Gurmukh ever remains aware that the real Self — the Satguru — trades only with the Wealth (Dhann) of the Divine Name. Therefore, he only undertakes those deeds which will bring him the Spiritual Benefit ("Laahaa") of this True Wealth. With this Naam-Dhann, he then serves the True Guru within. The performance of this Eternal Sevaa to the Self is considered as the ultimate good that a Spiritual aspirant can aspire for as the fruit of all his self-efforts. The Gurbani calls it "Oobhee" Sevaa — Internal, Transcendental or Formless Service, which is an end in itself! Here the devoted Soul in the Transcendental realm engage themselves in the service of the Divine Essence. This is meditation on God, with deep faith and one-pointed concentration. For Spiritual Unfoldment, company of the Sat (Truth) within and without is must. In the association of pious Beings, who's hearts are already penetrated with the Naam, it's relatively easy to concentrate. And with concentration comes the inner transformation and Self-unforldment. In nutshell: it's the Divine Grace which is man's enduring Wealth (Spiritual Knowledge, Self-realization, Aatam-Giaan, etc.). This Grace is not to be found outside; for It's ever present deep in the core of man's inner Being; It can be merited by becoming a true Spiritual Being. This Divine Grace is indicated by many terms such as "Sabadi-Samaaniaa", "Sabdai-Melaa", "Har-Paaiarraa", "Anand-Bhaiaa", "Naam-Samaavahu", "Nirvana", and so on. We have fallen into the whirlpool of repeated suffering. If we consider ourselves clever, then the demand of the scriptures is to strive for attaining True Wealth of the Divine Name while the human body is yet sound. God has endowed man with freedom and freewill to act. So how one makes the optimum use of the opportunity given is within one's control. This is the reason the scriptures emphasize cultivation of taste for Spiritual life right from young age. As one progresses Spiritually through the practice of Devotion the negative tendencies of the mind disappear. As the Gurbani reminds us, only those who earn the Spiritual Profit of the Divine Essence are the True Being. Thus, the perfect "Laahaa" earned in one's life is the attainment of Spiritual Perfection, "hear and now"!

— T. Singh
www.gurbani.org

Updated on Wednesday, August 17, 2011 1:25 PM (PST)

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