Central to scriptural teachings of various religions is the belief that all existence is a manifestation of God and that God exists in all beings as the innermost Self. The SGGS (Sri Guru Granth Sahib) also indicates that there is no difference between the Creator and the Creation, just as there is no difference between the ocean and its waves, sun and it's rays, gold and gold-bracelets, clay and clay-pots, and so on. Therefore, the index of spiritual progress rests in the ability to appreciate the splash of Divinity in each and every object that reflects God's Glory, Greatness, Essence Intellect or Awareness.
SGGS indicates God to be Niraguna (Transcendental aspect) and Saraguna (eminent aspect). Therefore, within everything — sentient or insentient — He is eminent (Saraguna Roopa). He is the very Self of all beings. The 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 is the Changeless in changing phenomena.
Apparently, as indicated in the SGGS, God is not only "there yonder". He is also "here and now". The author recently read this account between a reporter and a Self-realized Mahaatmaa in a newspaper. A reporter asks a point blank question to the Mahaatmaa, "Who is your God?". The Mahaatmaa, pointing at him and others around replies back with a point blank answer, "You! Her, him, everything!". Similarly, the SGGS indicates that One God Himself has become everything (sBu goibMdu hY sBu goibMdu hY). Since the man is considered the roof and crown of the Creation, in that sense he is the biggest God there is! In nutshell, all manifestations are all-pervading God's own expressions.
What all this suggest is that our eyes are God's eyes, our ears are His ears, our legs are His legs etc. Perhaps that's why God is mentioned to have thousands of eyes and forms, the nearest of the near, the farthest of the far, here and now, and so on. His Reflection is hidden in all objects just as the butter is hidden in the milk, and the fire is hidden in the wood. But, in reality, though God is inside our heart, our mind is not inside!
Not only everything we see is God's embodiment, there is but One God. In other words, 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, a different God of Hindus, a separate God of Christians, a different God of Muslims, and so on. The All permeating Parmaatamaa (Supreme Soul) is One without-a-second. To think otherwise is sheer ignorance, silliness, illogocality and untruthfulness. Therefore it's an utter fallacy and irrationality to make claims like "the only way to God is through my Prophet", "we are the only chosen people of God" or to label those who practice different religion as "Kaaffir" (infidel), and so on. These are the cynical views of Spirituality, God and matters related to Him! True religious persons are those who love and worship the whole Creation, seeing it as all-pervading Divine Principle.
Only the Giaan (also spelt Jnana) or Knowledge of the Ultimate Reality — that the true nature of the immortal Aatmaa (Soul or the Self) is part of the Eternal Lord — can dispel the darkness of ignorance that easily deludes. The awareness of the indwelling Divine Spirit in all objects of Creation — animate and inanimate — enables one to see the various embodied forms as essentially One and that differences that are perceived by the conditioned or lower mind (false ego-sense, Haume, negativity or Bikaars etc.) are merely external. Such a Higher frame of mind (pure mind devoid of false ego-sense) that sees God's Presence in all the infinite variety of His Creation is the basis of the Giaanee's Samadrishtee (equalmindedness).
In other words, the truth that God is within each one as the Aatmaa is to be seen as distinct from the body. The problem arises when we identify with the body (body-consciousness, I-ness, etc.), instead of the "Joti-Svaroopa" (Pure Consciousness or Self) within ourselves and others. The body is the field (Khet or Kshetra) and the Soul is the knower. The discrimination (Viveka) between the nature and constituents of the field including the gross and the subtle aspects and the identity of the knower is regarded as the highest kind of Wisdom, for such awareness removes delusion regarding the true nature of the world and the individual. The body is mentioned to be the field because a man sows seeds of action and reaps their fruits. The knower of the field is the Self who watches what takes place within this body including the mental and physical modifications. At the Universal level the Lord is the knower who is aware of the field in everybody. Realizing the ephemeral quality of the field, the body and the Universe, and the Immortal nature of the Soul leads to detachment (Bairaag) towards worldly objects. As indicated in the SGGS, without detachment, it's not possible to transcend Maya (illusion, duality or materiality).
The Divine Teaching urges us to serve the world seeing all as embodiments of God. In other words, if we truly love God, then we must see him in all beings and treat them as such. For instance, since God is "Pure Goodness", we must look for only Good in everyone (Saanjh Kareejai Gunah Keree... sggs 766). Thus, the best way to see God everywhere is to see Goodness everywhere. Otherwise saying or claiming "I am religious, spiritual, believer etc." has no meaning whatsoever. To put it otherwise, we can enjoy the Presence of God deep within the Heart when the mind is pure, doubt free, childlike innocent, or devoid of I-ness (false ego or Haume). Therefore, one does not have to undergo any academic training to love God or to be closer to Him; a sincere Heart is enough. Since the same One Supreme Being resides within (Antaryaameen) every being as Pure and innocent Love, to Love Him is to Love everyone by becoming aware of His Presence in everyone.
Now, if someone claims that his God told him to create war or kill innocent people, it becomes duty of the entire world-community — people of open mind, understanding, commonsense, rational thought; freethinkers, humanists, intelligentsia; and so on — to stand up and question the sanity of that person. Obviously, it cannot be God but one's own negativity (Bikaars, ignorance, anger, hatred, selfishness, lack of true understanding etc.) that coerce him to create terror, war, conflict and disharmony in the world. Thus, like a fresh air of breath, the wholesome Universal Teaching of the SGGS is indeed a break from watching insane people, doing what they do best: creating and then capitalizing on fear and hatred.
—
T. Singh
www.gurbani.org
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