SUPREME REALITY:
THE HOMOGENEOUS ONENESS

ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਦੀਸੈ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਸੁਣੀਐ ਏਕੁ ਏਕੁ ਵਖਾਣੀਐ ॥ ਆਤਮ ਪਸਾਰਾ ਕਰਣਹਾਰਾ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਬਿਨਾ ਨਹੀ ਜਾਣੀਐ ॥:
Brahmu deesai Brahmu suneeai eku eku vakhaaneeai. Aatam pasaaraa
karanhaaraa prabh binaa nahee jaaneeai (sggs 846).
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The Gurbani declares there is but One Absolute Reality. This one Supreme Essence is the substratum (support or "Adhaar") of all. It is this Infinite Reality, the Homogeneous Oneness, the highest plane of Pure Consciousness, which runs in and through all. This is the Supreme Truth.

The Supreme Reality is Infinite; hence the expanse is also limitless. There is no plurality or duality in Him. He is One, Homogeneous Oneness. Although, the world of objects and forms is finite and ever changing, but the Infinite Reality, which is the Substratum of this world of names and forms, is All-pervading, Changeless and Eternal. Behind all multiplicity of this manifold universe, the One Unconditioned Substratum persists in all its splendor. That One Homogeneous whole is the Changeless in changing phenomena. All forms emerge out of this One Reality, remain sustained by this Reality, and ultimately merge back into this Reality.

The One Eternal Factor is Subtler than the subtle, smaller than the smallest and also the most vast. This Supreme Reality is the Ancient, Beauty, Amazing, Effulgent, ever Auspicious, Eternally Pure Existence-Knowledge-Bliss. He is the True Guru and Grace. In His Transcendental form, he is "Naam" (Shabad), "Anhad Dhuni", "Anhad Naad", "Anhad Bani", "Anhat Shabad", "Panch Shabad", "Gur Charan", "Gur Moorati", "Amrit Dhaaraa", "Sahaj", "Anand", "Brahm Giaan", "Gobind Gajjiyaa", and so on, which is beyond the reach of our bodily senses and the three modes of material nature.

No one knows This Supreme Factor, but He is the knower of all. This All-pervading Eternal Essence is Unmanifest (Niraguna Roopa), Timeless or Undying (Akaal Moorti), Unborn (Ajoonee), Changeless (Nihachall), Formless (Nirankaar), Inaccessible(Agmaa), Unreachable or Unapproachable (Agamm), Unrivaled or Incomparable (Apaaraa), Incomprehensible (Agochar), Invisible (Alakh ), Inscrutable (Abhevaa), Infinite (Beant), Unfathomable (Athaahaa or Agaadh or Agaah), Immaculate (Niranjan), and so on. He contains nothing other than Himself, hence Ever-Pure. He is the Dynamic Truth. No one knows His limits, but He is the knower of all.

This Eternal Essence expressing through matter is the manifested entity in each one of us. This Eternal Consciousness is the Self in all Jeeva (individual beings). All beings are in this Self, and the Self is in all beings. All forms emerge out of this Conscious Principle, sustain by this Conscious Principle, and ultimately merge back into this Conscious Principle.

Consider the following examples. Just as the ocean is one; however, it is the substratum for countless waves, wave-lets, foam, ripples and bubbles. These waves and wave-lets, ripples, foam and bubbles have no existence apart from the ocean. They all merge out of the ocean, exist in the ocean and ultimately sink themselves back into the ocean. So too is life. The matter ripples out of the Supreme Consciousness, and ultimately we all merge back into the Homogeneous Oneness.

Gold is the substratum for all ornaments made of the gold. As all ornaments are expression of the one gold, upon melting of all ornaments, the gold still remains as gold; nothing happens to it. Ornaments have no existence independent of the gold. Similarly, the endless forms of the One Eternal Subject are expression of the very same One Divine Cosmic Power, and they have no existence separate from Him. Clay or mud is the cause of all clay-pots. These clay-pots of countless shapes, colors, efficiencies, names, etc., are possible only when their support, the clay, exists. So too is the same Divine Consciousness; which is cause and support of individuality in all of us.

Beads or pearls of a rosary are fashioned in many shapes and sizes. However, they are strung on one thread common to all. Similarly, the One Supreme Essence is woven into His creation, by His multi-energies (Aadi Shakti).

He Himself is the sun and the rays emanating from it. He is concealed, and He is revealed. As the rays of the sun spread out everywhere, the One Divine Factor pervades each and every heart. The rays of One Divine Light spread out their brilliant radiance everywhere. In the night, one may see countless moons reflected in as many pitchers of water. However, the truth is there is only one moon reflecting through all of them. Similarly, the One Akaal Purukh, the One Timeless Principle, reflects through all.

Although the power of electricity is one, its fields of operation are many. The same electric power alone causes the computer to come alive, a fan to revolve, a cooler to cool its contents, the bulbs of various colors to glow, etc. Similarly, all beings are enlivened by the same One Consciousness.

Thus, this outer world of plurality, cognized by our limited material vehicle of body-mind-intellect, is all a play of names-and-forms upon the Infinite Consciousness, the One Unconditioned Substratum. That One Homogeneous Whole ("Saabat") is the Changeless in changing phenomena, like the one gold in ornaments, the one ocean in waves, the one clay in pots, the one thread in pearls, the one sun in rays, and the one moon in the pitchers.

One can never remain away from its Essential Nature. For example, the sun can not be made dark, the fire cold, etc. Thus, the effects can not remain away from their cause; for they are born of their cause, exist in their cause, and merge back to become one with their cause.

The life-giving Spirit is only One, and everything is filled with His glory. There is no difference such as a Sikh Soul, a Christian Soul, a Muslim Soul, a Hindu Soul, a young Soul, an old Soul, a rich Soul, a poor Soul, and so on. There is no such thing as a separate God of Sikhs sitting "up there" in Sach Khand, a different God of Hindus residing "there yonder" in Goloka, a separate God of Christians "up there" in some Kingdom, a different God of Muslims in Heaven "there yonder", and so on. The All permeating Supreme Lord is One without-a-second. His Reflection is hidden in all objects just as the butter is hidden in the milk, and the fire is hidden in the wood.

For the purpose of Bhagati or contemplation, the same One Eternal Truth (Satnaam) has been indicated by many terms. Although these terms have their own philosophical implications, however, once contemplated upon, all of them together point to the same Oneness. In the Light of the Gurbani, these terms will briefly be reflected upon.

Some of the Gurbani's aphorisms are: "Ik Oankaar" (there is but One God), "Kartaa Purukh" (He is the Creator), etc. Just as the substratum of waves is ocean, ornaments is gold, and pots is clay, similarly, the One Divine is the support of the universe. He is the original creating Personality - meaning that which existed even before the creation of the pluralistic world. This non-dual Reality is Self-luminous or Self-existent.

The All-pervading Reality perceives all objects. However, all objects can not perceive Him. Because He is not a manifested object. As this One Consciousness functions through all the objects, He is also indicated to be the One of endless forms or manifestations (Sarguna). The Mool transcends all modes of material nature. Therefore, He is unaffected by sorrows, pains, and sufferings. As such, He is indicated to be Ever-auspicious. He is beyond the source of all disturbances such as mind and intellect. Thus he is also indicated to be absolutely Peaceful. The death is mortality. However, the Absolute Reality not conditioned by time and space, neither takes birth nor faces death. Accordingly, such Changeless Infinite One is indicated to be Immortal. Being Immortal and Timeless, He has no beginning, middle, or an end. Only that which is limited by time and space can have beginning, middle and an end (i.e., past, present, and future). The One Eternal Reality is without-a-second. As such, He is indicated to be All-pervading Factor. Further, as he is All-pervading and Unconditioned by time and space, he is also indicated to be Formless. He is Immaculate, Pure Knowledge, Pure Consciousness, Pure Awareness or the Pure Bliss. In short, in terms of our limited intellect, he is simply Wonderful. The Formless Factor is not the object of our perception (body), emotion (mind), or thoughts (intellect). Accordingly, He is indicated to be Unthinkable, Inaccessible, Unapproachable, Unrivaled or Incomparable, Incomprehensible, Invisible, Inscrutable, Infinite, Unfathomable, etc. Thus, he is declared to be the Supreme. The One Dynamic Divine Power is to be understood as distinct from, and beyond the physical equipment constituted of the body, mind, and intellect. As rituals, beliefs, religious robes, etc., are the play of only body-mind-intellect apparatus i.e., Maya), God is beyond their reach or apprehension. The body can't comprehend the Infinite Reality because He is not the object of senses; the mind can't comprehend Him either because He is not the object of emotions; and the intellect can't comprehend Him as well because He is not the object of cognition.

The Gurbani urges that, if one is genuinely serious in his pursuit of the Supreme Truth then he needs to break the bonds of Maya — material entanglements. The Self-knowledge (Aatam-Giaan) of the Divine Substance kindles in the bosom of only those who remain subject to His Will (Hukam). The golden key to all of this is indicated to be abiding in the Divine Naam (Giaan, Divine Knowledge...).

— T. Singh
www.gurbani.org

Updated on Thursday, February 2, 2012 4:04 PM (PST)

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