BOTH HAVES AND HAVE-NOTS ARE MISERABLE

The Gurbani (Sri Guru Granth Sahib ( SGGS) indicates that both haves and have-nots suffer anxiety in the world. These are the opposite extremes - the far ends of the scale of affluence and need. In between are the vast majority, neither rich nor poor, who do not seem to be happy in life either. In other words, both extreme conditions - having not enough and having too much - and in between make us suffer. The only difference seem to be that the affluent people (haves) suffer in their air-conditioned homes, behind electronic security gates. While the have-nots suffer in their huts. Those in between of the scale are also miserable, searching for more just as haves and have-nots.

• ਜਿਸੁ ਗ੍ਰਿਹਿ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਤਿਸੈ ਗ੍ਰਿਹਿ ਚਿੰਤਾ ॥ ਜਿਸੁ ਗ੍ਰਿਹਿ ਥੋਰੀ ਸੁ ਫਿਰੈ ਭ੍ਰਮੰਤਾ ॥ ਦੁਹੂ ਬਿਵਸਥਾ ਤੇ ਜੋ ਮੁਕਤਾ ਸੋਈ ਸੁਹੇਲਾ ਭਾਲੀਐ ॥: Jisu grihi bahutu tisai grihi chintaa. Jisu grihi thhoree su firai bhramantaa. Duhoo bivasataa te jo mukataa soee suhelaa bhaaleeai: That (person's) house in which there is plenty (of wealth) - there is anxiety (care, worry of losing, etc.) in that house. That (person's) house in which there is little, (he) wanders around (searching for Maya). He alone is found to be at Ease (ਸੁਖੀ, ਸੌਖਾ...), who is liberated from both states (conditions, stages, modes...). (sggs 1019).
• ਦੁਖੀ ਦੁਨੀ ਸਹੇੜੀਐ ਜਾਇ ਤ ਲਗਹਿ ਦੁਖ ॥: Dukhee dunee saherreeai jaai t lagahi dukh: Worldly possessions are obtained by pain and suffering; when they are gone, they leave pain and suffering (sggs 1287).
• ਮਾਇਆ ਬੰਧਨ ਟਿਕੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਖਿਨੁ ਖਿਨੁ ਦੁਖੁ ਸੰਤਾਏ ॥: Maya bandhan tikai naahee khin khin dukh santaaye: Bound by Maya, the mind is not stable. Each and every moment, it suffers in pain (sggs 247).
• ਮਨਮੁਖ ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹਿ ਵਿਆਪੇ ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਇ ਮਨੂਆ ਥਿਰੁ ਨਾਹਿ ॥: Manmukh Maya mohi viaape doojai bhaai manooaa thir naahi: The Manmukhs (ego-beings) are engrossed in emotional attachment to Maya; in the love of duality, their minds are unsteady (sggs 652).
• ਫਿਟੁ ਇਵੇਹਾ ਜੀਵਿਆ ਜਿਤੁ ਖਾਇ ਵਧਾਇਆ ਪੇਟੁ ॥: Fit ivayhaa jeeviaa jit khaai vadhaaiaa pett: Cursed is that life, in which one only eats to fill his belly (sggs 790).

Even though both haves and have-nots are unsatisfied in their life, still they wander around searching for more. That is to say, have-nots may not admire the people with overabundance (material stuff); but they certainly want to have what they have, and those who already have stuff in excess want even more. Thus, the majority of us battle for the anxiety-free life, hoping to find it in acquiring more and more stuff! After observing this condition of the people in this world, Baabaa Nanak declared:

• ਨਾਨਕ ਦੁਖੀਆ ਸਭੁ ਸੰਸਾਰ ॥: Nanak dukheeaa sabh sansaar: O Nanak, the whole world is suffering (sggs 954).
  

Obviously, materialism is not the solution. If it was, then we all should feel blessed, contended and happy; because this very age we live in is called Kali-Yuga - the age of materialism! But we all (haves, have-nots, and those in between) in the world are unhappy, burning in the fire of desires. If one desire is fulfilled, it gives rise to many more. Unfulfilled desires give rise to anger. This vicious cycle continues.

• ਤਿਸਨਾ ਅਗਨਿ ਜਲੈ ਸੰਸਾਰਾ ॥: Tisnaa agni jalai sansaaraa: The world is burning in the fire of desire (sggs 120).
• ਤ੍ਰਿਸਨਾ ਲਾਗੀ ਰਚਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਹਉਮੈ ਕੂਰਿ ॥: Trisanaa laagee rach rahiaa antar houmai koor: (Manmukhs) are engrossed in clinging desires; within their hearts there is ego and falsehood.(sggs 47).
• ਆਸਾ ਬੰਧੀ ਮੂਰਖ ਦੇਹ ॥: Aasaa bandhee moorakh deh: The fools - their bodies are bound down by desires (sggs 178).

Clearly, as indicated in the SGGS, it's the unchecked desire that makes people suffer, not the absence or overabundance of stuff. Accordingly, we are reminded by the SGGS that no amount of achievements or possessions can give us real satisfaction. Nonetheless, we are looking for Peace, Bliss or Happiness in material stuff, external situations and places, which are incapable of delivering it to us.

Then what is the solution? Or, how can one transcend the dependency on material stuff and external conditions that, as indicated in the SGGS, are fleeting thereby undependable? As declared in the Gurbani, the real solution is in living the spiritual life (the Gurmukh lifestyle). For only spiritual life can set us free from all conditions and dependency. The SGGS states, "ਦੁਹੂ ਬਿਵਸਥਾ ਤੇ ਜੋ ਮੁਕਤਾ ਸੋਈ ਸੁਹੇਲਾ ਭਾਲੀਐ" (Duhoo bivasataa te jo mukataa soee suhelaa bhaaleeai: He alone is Happy and at Peace, who is liberated from both conditions", sggs 1019).

• ਅਧਿਆਤਮ ਕਰਮ ਕਰੇ ਤਾ ਸਾਚਾ ॥: Adhiaatam karam kare taa saachaa: Those who live a spiritual lifestyle - they alone are true (sggs 223).
• ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਨਿਬਹੈ ਸਪਰਵਾਰਿ ॥: Gurmukh nibahai saparavaar: By becoming the Gurmukh, (one) lives a spiritual life In the midst of (his) family (sggs 941).
• ਸਰਾ ਸਰੀਅਤਿ ਲੇ ਕੰਮਾਵਹੁ ॥: Saraa sareeat le kammaavahu: Practice (Naam-Simran) and (religious) conduct - make this your real spiritual life (sggs 1083).
  
• ਮਨੁ ਮਾਇਆ ਮਨੁ ਧਾਇਆ ਮਨੁ ਪੰਖੀ ਆਕਾਸਿ ॥: Manu Maya manu dhaaiaa manu pankhee aakaas: The mind is Maya, the mind is chaser; the mind is a wanderer like the bird flying across the sky (sggs 1330).
• ਨਾਨਕ ਬਿਨੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਸਭੁ ਦੁਖੁ ਸੁਖੁ ਵਿਸਾਰਿਆ ॥: Nanak bin naavai sabh dukh sukh visaariaa: O Nanak, without the Naam, everything is painful, and happiness is forgotten (sggs 86).
• ਖਾਤ ਪੀਤ ਖੇਲਤ ਹਸਤ ਬਿਸਥਾਰ ॥ ਕਵਨ ਅਰਥ ਮਿਰਤਕ ਸੀਗਾਰ ॥੨॥ ਜੋ ਨ ਸੁਨਹਿ ਜਸੁ ਪਰਮਾਨੰਦਾ ॥ ਪਸੁ ਪੰਖੀ ਤ੍ਰਿਗਦ ਜੋਨਿ ਤੇ ਮੰਦਾ ॥੩॥: Khaat peet khelat hasat bisathaar. Kavan arath miratak seegaar. ||2|| Jo n sunahi jasu paramaanandaa. Pasu pankhee trigad joni te mandaa ||3||: (People devoid of the Naam) make ostentaion of eating, drinking, playing, and laughing. (But it's as) useless as decorations on a dead body ||2|| Those who do not listen to the Praises (Divine Virtues, Divine Wisdom...) of the (Lord of the) Supreme Bliss, are worse off than beasts, birds, or creeping creatures (sggs 188).
• ਗੁਣ ਵਿਹੂਣ ਮਾਇਆ ਮਲੁ ਧਾਰੀ ॥ : Gun bihoon Maya mall dhaaree: Those without Virtue (Truth, etc.) are stained by the filth of Maya (sggs 367).
• ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਮਨੂਆ ਅਸਥਿਰੁ ਰਾਖਹੁ ਇਨ ਬਿਧਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਪੀਓਈਐ ॥: Gurmat manooaa asatir raakhahu in bidh amrit peeoeeai: Through the Gurmat, hold your mind steady and stable, and this is the way to drink Nectar (sggs 332).
• ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਨਿਹਚਲੁ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਵਸੀਅਲੇ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣਿ ਰਹੈ ॥: Ihu manu nihachal hiradai vaseeale gurmukh mool pashaan rahai: When the mind becomes steady and stable, it abides in the heart, and then the Gurmukh realizes the Rroot, the Source of all (sggs 945).

To truly live spiritually and attain true spiritual experience, the SGGS indicates that we must develop Divine Virtues or positive qualities such as truthfulness, selflessness, Sevaa, love, compassion, contentment, wisdom, patience, humility, and so on. Simply put, living a spiritual life essentially means leading a normal life with a spiritual attitude. Thus, spirituality is to bring about a shift in our perception by conditioning the mind to adapt to any circumstances and situations (ups and downs of life) and to find Happiness within, independent of external happenings around us.

— T. Singh
www.gurbani.org