SUFFERING
ਜਗਿ ਹਉਮੈ ਮੈਲੁ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਮਲੁ ਲਾਗੀ ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਇ ॥:Jagi haumai mailu dukhu paaiaa malu laagee doojai bhaai:
On account of the filth of Haume (egotism), the world suffers in pain.
Because of the (love of Maya), the filth of duality sticks to the world (sggs 39).
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Suffering (Dukha) is born of Vasanas (pronounced as Vaasnaas) — the undigested desires, psychological conditionings, latent memories, innate tendencies, inherent inclinations, etc. Vaasnaas produce thoughts, and thoughts produce actions. Whatever we do at the present becomes the memory of the past the very next moment! Hence all Vaasnaas are of the mind. On the other hand, our Mool within (Source, Origin, Jot...), is simply Being. He is free of suffering as there is no Vaasnaas in Him. Seen thusly, suffering is not eternal. However, trouble starts when the Mool is confounded with the limited body-frame, resulting in the expression of Vaasnaas through the body-mind-intellect personality. This is the birth of ego-sense. All subtle impressions then turn into mental concepts. As with all mental concepts, frustration and suffering is inevitable.
- ਦੁਖੁ ਸੁਖੁ ਦੀਆ ਜੇਹਾ ਕੀਆ ਸੋ ਨਿਬਹੈ ਜੀਅ ਨਾਲੇ ॥: Dukh sukh deeaa jehaa keeaa so nibahai jeea naale: God bestows pain and pleasure, according to the deeds done; the record of these actions stays with the Soul (sggs 581).
- ਸੂਰੇ ਏਹਿ ਨ ਆਖੀਅਹਿ ਅਹੰਕਾਰਿ ਮਰਹਿ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਵਹਿ ॥ ਅੰਧੇ ਆਪੁ ਨ ਪਛਾਣਨੀ ਦੂਜੈ ਪਚਿ ਜਾਵਹਿ ॥ ਅਤਿ ਕਰੋਧ ਸਿਉ ਲੂਝਦੇ ਅਗੈ ਪਿਛੈ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਵਹਿ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਜੀਉ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੁ ਨ ਭਾਵਈ ਵੇਦ ਕੂਕਿ ਸੁਣਾਵਹਿ ॥ ਅਹੰਕਾਰਿ ਮੁਏ ਸੇ ਵਿਗਤੀ ਗਏ ਮਰਿ ਜਨਮਹਿ ਫਿਰਿ ਆਵਹਿ ॥੯॥: Soore eh na aakheeahi ahankaar marahi dukh paavahi ...: They are not called heroes, who die of egotism, suffering in pain. The (egotist) blind ones do not realize their own selves (their True Nature, Joti-Svaroopa, etc.); in the love of duality, they rot. They struggle with (others in) great anger; here and hereafter, they suffer in pain. The Dear Lord is not pleased by egotism; the Vedas proclaim this clearly. Those who die of egotism, will not find salvation. They die and are reborn, repeatedly ||9|| (sggs 1089).
- ਗਣਤ ਗਣੀਐ ਸਹਸਾ ਦੁਖੁ ਜੀਐ ॥: Ganat ganeeai sahasaa dukh jeeai: By making calculations (of auspicious or inauspicious time, ਛੁਭ ਅਛੁਭ ਮੁਹੂਰਤਾਂ ਦੇ ਲੇਖੇ ਗਿਣਨੇ, etc.), doubt and suffering afflict the Jeeva - individual being (sggs 904).
- ਨਾਨਕ ਦੁਖੀਆ ਸਭੁ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ॥: Nanak dukheeaa sabhu sansaar: O Nanak, the whole world is suffering (sggs 954).
- ਜਗਿ ਹਉਮੈ ਮੈਲੁ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਮਲੁ ਲਾਗੀ ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਇ ॥: Jagi haumai mailu dukhu paaiaa malu laagee doojai bhaai: On account of the filth of Haume (egotism), the world suffers in pain. Because of the (love of Maya), the filth of duality sticks to the world (sggs 39).
Deluded mind is the creator of subject-object relationship, the cause of Doojaa Bhaav (duality). With duality comes the phenomenal world of names, forms, time and space; giving rise to the error that we (Joti-Svaroop) are limited, helpless, and miserable. The consequent of such wrong idea is suffering. To put it otherwise, ignorance of one's Mool or Joti-Svaroop — man's True Nature as Unconditioned Consciousness — is the cause of worldly sorrows. Even though the scriptures repeatedly remind us that everyone is the Divine, but we still live in body-consciousness. This is the greatest of all mysteries Gurmukh and the Gurbani talk about.
The mind is nothing more than a bundle of thoughts comprised of Vaasnaas, habits, desires, frustrations, concepts, precepts, feelings, stress, and so on. All these thoughts constantly change. Consequently, anew mind is made every moment! Thus, the suffering is nothing but the rise of unwanted thoughts (ਫੁਰਨੇ). In other words, it is the deluded mind to whom happiness and suffering exist, not to the Mool within (Source, Origin, Jot...). For example, in deep sleep, we do not feel suffering or otherwise. However, upon waking up, we get the feeling of pain, joy, etc. Why is it so that in deep sleep we did not feel any suffering, but upon waking up we feel everything? The reason is that, in the state of deep sleep, the ego is dormant; however, with our waking up there also arises the false ego-sense. With the rise of this physical ego arises the pluralistic phenomena called duality — "likes" and "dislikes".
- ਮਨੁ ਮੈਲਾ ਹੈ ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਇ ॥: Mann mailaa hai doojai bhaai: The mind is polluted by the love of duality (sggs 121).
- ਇਕੁ ਤਿਲੁ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਵਿਸਰੈ ਦੁਖੁ ਲਾਗੈ ਸੁਖੁ ਜਾਇ ॥: Ik til piaaraa visrai dukh laagai sukh jaai: If I forget my Beloved, even for an instant, suffering overtakes me and peace departs (sggs 59).
With perverted understanding (egoity), man thinks of birth and worries about death. This is embodied existence. In such material outlook, he is tormented by the Cosmic Charmer called Maya in all sorts of ways. For example, Maya makes him suffer through the darkness of evil passions (lust, anger, greed, attachment, self conceit, mental stubbornness, and enviousness), and with the expression of pleasure and pain. It torments through repeated birth and death, intoxication with intellectual pride, love of the family, possessions, material comforts, household affairs, character, lifestyle, social status, madness of belief in caste (Jaat-Paat), and so on. More or less, all desires and fear afflict suffering. The nature, intensity, shape, and quality of desires depend on one's inner psyche which consists of Manna (mind), Budhi (intellect), Chit (memory or consciousness), and Ahankaar (ego). For example, if Taamas (ignorance and stupor) is predominant, mental perversions are the result, if Raajas (passions and greed) is predominant, passions arise, and if Saatav (goodness and wisdom) is predominant, the good and compassion are found. In reality, all these states are fetters. To illustrate, a gold chain (Saatav) can tie a man to a post just as securely as can a wire of silver (Raajas) or steel (Taamas). But the Supreme Truth is beyond all. This is the reason the scriptures urge us to transcend these three feelings.
- ਕਈ ਕੋਟਿ ਰਾਜਸ ਤਾਮਸ ਸਾਤਕ ॥: Kayee koti raajas taamas saatak: Many millions abide in heated activity (Raajas), slothful darkness (Taamas) and peaceful light (Saatak) (sggs 276).
- ਤ੍ਰੈ ਗੁਣ ਬਿਖਿਆ ਅੰਧ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹ ਗੁਬਾਰ ॥: Trai gun bikhia andh hai maya moh gubar: Man is blinded by the wickedness of three qualities of nature — Taamas, Raajas and Saatav — and darkness of attachment (sggs 30).
- ਖਿਨ ਮਹਿ ਕਉੜੇ ਹੋਇ ਗਏ ਜਿਤੜੇ ਮਾਇਆ ਭੋਗ ॥: Khin mahi kaiourre hoi gae jitarre maya bhog: In a moment, all pleasures of the material world (because of which the Lord was forgotten, even those) become bitter (sggs 135).
- ਮਿਠਾ ਕਰਿ ਕੈ ਕਉੜਾ ਖਾਇਆ ॥: Mithaa kar kai kaourraa khaaiaa: Deeming it sweet, they eat the bitter (sggs 1243).
- ਮੁਖਿ ਬੇਰਾਵੈ ਅੰਤਿ ਠਗਾਵੈ ॥: Mukh beraavai anti thagaavai: In the beginning Maya seems to please, but in the end, she deceives (sggs 892).
- ਸਭੇ ਵਸਤੂ ਕਉੜੀਆ ਸਚੇ ਨਾਉ ਮਿਠਾ ॥: Sabhai vasatoo kaorreeaa sache naaou mithaa: All material things are bitter; the True Name alone is sweet (sggs 321).
- ਤਤੁ ਨਿਰੰਜਨੁ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਬਾਈ ਸੋਹੰ ਭੇਦੁ ਨ ਕੋਈ ਜੀਉ ॥: Tat niranjan joti sabaaee soham bhed na koee jeeou: The essence, the immaculate Lord, the Light of all — I am He and He is me — there is no difference (sggs 599).
- ਮਨ ਕਾ ਸੂਤਕੁ ਦੂਜਾ ਭਾਉ ॥ ਭਰਮੇ ਭੂਲੇ ਆਵਉ ਜਾਉ ॥੧॥ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਸੂਤਕੁ ਕਬਹਿ ਨ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਜਿਚਰੁ ਸਬਦਿ ਨ ਭੀਜੈ ਹਰਿ ਕੈ ਨਾਇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥: Mann kaa sootak doojaa bhaau. Bharme bhoole aavaou jaaou ||1|| Manmukh sootak kabahi n jaai. Jichar sabad na bheejai har kai naai ||1||Rahaaou||: The pollution of the mind is the love of duality. Infatuated by doubts man comes and goes. ||1||This pollution of the self-willed Manmukhs will never go away, as long as they do not dwell on the Shabad, and the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause|| (sggs 229).
- ਘਰ ਹੀ ਮਹਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਭਰਪੂਰੁ ਹੈ ਮਨਮੁਖਾ ਸਾਦੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥ ਜਿਉ ਕਸਤੂਰੀ ਮਿਰਗੁ ਨ ਜਾਣੈ ਭ੍ਰਮਦਾ ਭਰਮਿ ਭੁਲਾਇਆ ॥: Ghar hee mahi amrit bharbhoor hai manmukhaa saad na paaiaa. Jiou kastooree mirg na janai bharamdaa bharm bhulaaiaa: As the body-house (the Soul, Heart, etc.) is brimful with the Amrit (Naam), still, because of the deluded mind, the self-willed Manmukh (perverse, one in material consciousness, etc.) does not recognize or experience it. (He is) like the deer, who does not recognize its own musk-scent (that is located within its own body); (but to find the musk-scent) it wanders around, deluded by doubt (sggs 644).
- ਭਾਈ ਰੇ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਸਾਚਿ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਸਾਚੋ ਸਾਚੁ ਕਮਾਵਣਾ ਸਾਚੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਮਿਲਾਉ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥: Bhaaee re gurmati saach rahaaou. Saache saach kamavaanaa saachai shabad kamaaou ||1||Rahaaou||: O brother, follow the Gurmat (Teaching of the Shabad-Guru) and dwell in Truth. Practice only truth (Naam-Simran, etc.), and remain merged in the Shabad ||1||Pause|| (sggs 30).
- ਸਚੁ ਕਰਣੀ ਸਬਦੁ ਹੈ ਸਾਰੁ ॥: Sach karnee Sabad hai Saar: The practice of Truth is the essence of the Shabad (sggs 114).
- ਤ੍ਰਿਸਨਾ ਬੁਝੈ ਹਰਿ ਕੈ ਨਾਮਿ ॥: Trishnaa bujhai Hari ke Naam: (Maya's) thirst (desire) is quenched with God's Name (sggs 682).
- ਦੂਖੁ ਸੰਤਾਪੁ ਨ ਲਗਈ ਜਿਸੁ ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਅਧਾਰੁ ॥: Dookh santaap na lagaee jis Hari kaa Naam adhaar: Suffering and sorrow do not touch those who have the Support of the Name of the Lord (sggs 44).
- ਦੁਖ ਸੁਖ ਹੀ ਤੇ ਭਏ ਨਿਰਾਲੇ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਸੀਲੁ ਸਨਾਹਾ ਹੇ ॥੮॥: Dukh sukh hee te bhaye niraale Gurmukh seel sanaahaa he ||8||: Those who become the Gurmukhs and wear the armor of humility, remain unaffected by pain and pleasure ||8|| (sggs 1032).
- ਬਿਨੁ ਬੈਰਾਗ ਨ ਛੂਟਸਿ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥: Bin bairaag n shootas maya ||1||: Without detachment, Maya cannot be gotten rid of (cannot be liberated from Maya, etc.) ||1|| (sggs 329).
- ਤਹ ਭਉ ਭਰਮਾ ਸੋਗੁ ਨ ਚਿੰਤਾ ॥ ਆਵਣੁ ਜਾਵਣੁ ਮਿਰਤੁ ਨ ਹੋਤਾ ॥ ਤਹ ਸਦਾ ਅਨੰਦ ਅਨਹਤ ਆਖਾਰੇ ॥: Tah bhaou bharmaa sog n chint ..: There is no fear, doubt, suffering or anxiety there; there is no coming or going, and no death there. There is eternal bliss, and the unstruck celestial music there (sggs 237).
- Hari jeeyu man vasia sabh dookh visaaran haar: God dwells in the mind, and all suffering departs (sggs 423).
- ਦੁਖੁ ਦਾਰੂ ਸੁਖੁ ਰੋਗੁ ਭਇਆ ਜਾ ਸੁਖੁ ਤਾਮਿ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥: Dukh daaroo sukh rog bhaiaa jaa sukh taami n hoee: Suffering is (or becomes) the medicine, and Sukh (or pleasure becomes cause of) the disease; but if (the Real - spiritual or ਆਤਮਕ) Sukh (is experienced or Realized), then (no Dukh remains) (sggs 469).
- ਸੁਖ ਦੁਖ ਸਮ ਕਰਿ ਜਾਣੀਅਹਿ ਸਬਦਿ ਭੇਦਿ ਸੁਖੁ ਹੋਇ ॥੫॥: Sukh dukh sam kar jaaneeahi Sabad bhed sukh hoi ||5||: Both pain and pleasure are to be known as one and the same; (real) Bliss is experienced when (the mind is) pierced through by the Shabad ||5|| (sggs 57).
— T. Singh
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