There is no Second

The The Gurmat (Wisdom, Giaan, Upadesh, Sikhiaa, or Way of the  Sri Guru Granth Sahib, SGGS) asserts there is only one All-Pervading, Universal Energy.

The (SGGS) tells us that – on account of diversified activities or Virtues of the Dynamic Factor or Creator (Hukam: System-Rule-Law of Nature) – people call it by many names (Mool, Reality, Source, Jot, Hari, Prabh, Gobind, Thaakur, Sajjan, Swaami, Preetam, Gopaal, Naraain, etc.).

• ਕਿਰਤਮ ਨਾਮ ਕਥੇ ਤੇਰੇ ਜਿਹਬਾ ॥ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਤੇਰਾ ਪਰਾ ਪੂਰਬਲਾ ॥: (O Creator!) All names uttered by the tongue are all Your descriptive names (which your children have created or made-up describing Your diversified activities or Virtues in Kudrat). Your first or primary Virtue is ‘Sat-ਸਤਿ’ — permanently in existence. (sggs 1083).
• ਤਿਸ ਕੀ ਧਰ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕਾ ਮਨਿ ਜੋਰੁ ॥ ਏਕ ਬਿਨਾ ਦੂਜਾ ਨਹੀ ਹੋਰੁ ॥: The mind (of Bhagat) is filled with the Support or Power of the Prabh. (For them) Without (This) one, there is no other at all (sggs 1151).
• ਨਾਨਕ ਏਕੋ ਪਸਰਿਆ ਦੂਜਾ ਕਹ ਦ੍ਰਿਸਟਾਰ ॥੧॥: O Nanak!  One (Universal Energy) is wide-spreaded (ਫੈਲਿਆ ਹੋਇਆ), where can there be another seen? (sggs 292).

Thus, the Gurmat Wisdom of the SGGS embodies the central theme of Giaan or Wisdom of the Oneness of existence — seeing nothing as apart from one’s own self.

• ਅਨਿਕ ਭਾਂਤਿ ਹੋਇ ਪਸਰਿਆ ਨਾਨਕ ਏਕੰਕਾਰੁ ॥: Nanak, the One ‘Ekankaar’ (God) has manifested in the creation in the so many ways. (sggs 296).
• ਥਾਲ ਵਿਚਿ ਤਿੰਨਿ ਵਸਤੂ ਪਈਓ ਸਤੁ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਵੀਚਾਰੋ ॥ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਨਾਮੁ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਕਾ ਪਇਓ ਜਿਸ ਕਾ ਸਭਸੁ ਅਧਾਰੋ ॥ ਜੇ ਕੋ ਖਾਵੈ ਜੇ ਕੋ ਭੁੰਚੈ ਤਿਸ ਕਾ ਹੋਇ ਉਧਾਰੋ ॥ ਏਹ ਵਸਤੁ ਤਜੀ ਨਹ ਜਾਈ ਨਿਤ ਨਿਤ ਰਖੁ ਉਰਿ ਧਾਰੋ ॥ ਤਮ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ਚਰਨ ਲਗਿ ਤਰੀਐ ਸਭੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਪਸਾਰੋ ॥੧॥ : In the human (Conscience), three things remain —  the truth, Contentment and thoughtful Reflection or Insight (into spiritual Life); in which has manifested the Amrit Naam (Giaan-Wisdom, Virtues…), the support of all. The benefit (Laahaa) is to he who consumes (‘ਖਾਵੈ-Khaavia), and he who digests it (‘ਭੁੰਚੈ Bhunchai‘). Always keep it in your mind that this food can’t be forsaken. O Nanak, cross the ocean of worldly temptations by contemplating on God who pervades the Cosmos. ॥1॥ (sggs 1429).

The purpose of all world religions should be to Establish the Reality or Truth of This One Universal Energy.

However, to the contrary, all organized and institutionalized religions (yes, all religions!) are ever eager to pamper non-essentials (the second – external objects), or after death stuff, but not the bare Truth of the One Jot or Light.

• ਇਕਤੁ ਸੂਤਿ ਪਰੋਇ ਜੋਤਿ ਸੰਜਾਰੀਐ ॥: All are strung on One thread (of One Hukam: System-Rule-Law of Nature); One Jot is infused amongst all. (sggs 518).

Abiding in Mool is life’s only purpose

In fact, the Gurbani time and again reminds us that the only purpose of human life is abiding in our Mool (the state free from the crazy mind: crazy thoughts-stuff, Haumai or false ego-sense, ਫੁਰਨੇ…) here and now – not after death.

• ਭਈ ਪਰਾਪਤਿ ਮਾਨੁਖ ਦੇਹੁਰੀਆ ॥ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਮਿਲਣ ਕੀ ਇਹ ਤੇਰੀ ਬਰੀਆ ॥ ਅਵਰਿ ਕਾਜ ਤੇਰੈ ਕਿਤੈ ਨ ਕਾਮ ॥ ਮਿਲੁ ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਭਜੁ ਕੇਵਲ ਨਾਮ ॥੧॥: (O Human being!) You have been blessed with a human body. This is your only opportunity to unite with the Creator. Other worldly deeds (e.g. Karamkaand, rituals, formalities, concocted concepts etc.) are of no use to you in realizing God. Therefore join the holy congregation (i.e. Satsangee Jan, seekers) and lovingly remember the divine Naam (Virtues / Wisdom). ||1|| (sggs 12).
• ਕਾਲ ਕਲਪਨਾ ਕਦੇ ਨ ਖਾਇ ॥ ਆਦਿ ਪੁਰਖ ਮਹਿ ਰਹੈ ਸਮਾਇ ॥੨॥: The ‘Kaal’ of thought (ਫੁਰਨੇ…) never consumes (him) who remains absorbed in (his) Mool. ||2|| (sggs 343).

Mool is Here and Now!

We are repeatedly reminded by the Gurbani there is only one Mool and that we all have to return to this Mool.

Knowing that we all have to return to this one Mool, then why wander hither and thither and why not abide in Mool here and now! The Gurbani wants us to understand this simple and bare Truth of This ever-present, All-pervading Mool.

• ਮੂਲਹੁ ਭੁਲਾ ਜਨਮੁ ਗਵਾਏ ॥੨॥: (One who) has forgotten (his) Mool (Source, Jot…), (he) wastes away his life. ||2|| (sggs 664).
• ਚਿਟੇ ਜਿਨ ਕੇ ਕਪੜੇ ਮੈਲੇ ਚਿਤ ਕਠੋਰ ਜੀਉ ॥ ਤਿਨ ਮੁਖਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਊਪਜੈ ਦੂਜੈ ਵਿਆਪੇ ਚੋਰ ਜੀਉ ॥ ਮੂਲੁ ਨ ਬੂਝਹਿ ਆਪਣਾ ਸੇ ਪਸੂਆ ਸੇ ਢੋਰ ਜੀਉ ॥੩॥: Their clothes are white (beautiful religious robes) but their conscience is cruel and filthy (full of vices — they look holy or Mahaatamaa on the outside only). Their minds don’t acquire  Naam (Giaan-Wisdom, Virtues…); engrossed in duality they cheat people (i.e. their external appearance is only pretense-Pakhand to cheat people). They do not Understand their own Mool (Source, Jot Saroop…); that’s why they are fools with animal intelligence ||3|| (sggs 751).

The Gurbani’s wisdom breaks duality

But our deluded or doubt ridden mind is confused and identifies Mool with the body-frame and the gross objects of the world. This illusion is for the mind ridden with false ego-sense or Haumai (I-thought…), which sees the objects or duality (Doojaa-Bhaav).

• ਮੂਲੁ ਛੋਡਿ ਲਾਗੇ ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਈ ॥: Abandoning the Mool, (Mayaic Jeev) become attached to the love of duality. (sggs 232).
• ਅਬੇ ਤਬੇ ਕੀ ਚਾਕਰੀ ਕਿਉ ਦਰਗਹ ਪਾਵੈ ॥ ਪਥਰ ਕੀ ਬੇੜੀ ਜੇ ਚੜੈ ਭਰ ਨਾਲਿ ਬੁਡਾਵੈ ॥੪॥: (Excluding the Guru’s Wisdom), the presence of Universal Energy cannot be achieved by flattering others (i.e. by serving every ‘Dick and Tom’). It is such a foolish thing that if a person wants to cross the river in a stone boat, he will drown himself and his companions. (sggs 420).

When there is no negative impact of Haumai; there is no illusion of  Maya or plurality; there is no differentiation or fragmentation of the consciousness, etc.

In that Gurmukh state what remains over is the true Mool – subject and object merge in the Mool or the seer and seen become one. In other words, when Mool is Realized, the negative mind is nowhere!

• ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਨਿਹਚਲੁ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਵਸੀਅਲੇ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣਿ ਰਹੈ ॥: Internalization of the spiritual Message of the Shabad (the Gurmukh-Hood State of Mind) enables its Essence to be Rooted (Mool) within the mind permanently. (sggs 945).

Conditioned mind and the notion of ‘second’ or Maya are not separate

So long we identify with name-form-color (body, body-consciousness, I-am-ness, ‘ਰੂਪੁ’ ‘ਰੇਖ’ ‘ਰੰਗੁ’…), we will be affected by senses. In fact, Mool is as it is – beyond name-form-color.

• ਤੂ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਗੁਪਤੁ ਵਸਹਿ ਦਿਨੁ ਰਾਤੀ ਤੇਰਾ ਭਾਉ ਨ ਬੁਝਹਿ ਗਵਾਰੀ ॥: (O Lord!) You dwell, hidden, within the Heart day and night; but the fools do not understand how to Love You. (sggs 607).
• ਰੂਪੁ ਨ ਰੇਖ ਨ ਰੰਗੁ ਕਿਛੁ ਤ੍ਰਿਹੁ ਗੁਣ ਤੇ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਭਿੰਨ ॥: The Creator has no form, no shape, no color and is free from the three qualities of Maya (i.e. Rajo, Tamo, Sato). (sggs 283).

Simply put, if we look at our Mool as Haumai (false ego-sense), or as the mind, or as the body then we become that.

Mool stands beyond the conditioned mind

To put it otherwise, our Changeless Mool is only One and is always here and now, beyond the mind. As the Gurbani says, all we need to do is become the Gurmukh.

In short, a Gurmukh (Bhagat, Daas, Jan…) is a Wise person, brave person, good person, virtuous person, fearless, blissful (Anand), pious, Joyful, abides in Jot Saroop, etc. (ਵਿਦਵਾਨ, ਬਹਾਦੁਰ, ਭਲਾ, ਨੇਕ, ਗੁਣੀ, ਖੁਸ਼ ਇਨਸਾਨ…).

• ਤੂ ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਇਕੁ ਵਰਤਦਾ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪਰਗੜੀਐ ॥: (O Hari!) You are the One, permeating each and every heart; (but this truth is) revealed to those who become the Gurmukh (sggs 301).

The Gurbani gives us the necessary Giaan (Spiritual Wisdom – ‘ਚਾਨਣੁ’) for abiding in our Mool! This Giaan of the Gurbani helps us eradicate doubts (Bharam) and ignorance.

Everybody in this world has the birth-right to this Divine Knowledge (Brahm-Giaan). No person or a group has the monopoly or ownership of it! Anybody and everybody is entitled to read it, understand it, and live it.

• ਮੂਲਹੁ ਭੁਲੇ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦੁ ਨ ਪਛਾਣਹਿ ॥: (They) forget Mool, (who) do not recognize the Gur-Shabad (sggs 128).

We are given this Gurbani so that – by becoming its serious learners (i.e., Sikh – ਸਿਖਿਆਰਥੀ) – we can understand it, apply it, and then abide in our Mool through the Bibek-Budhi (Aatam-Giaan, Spiritual Wisdom…) of the Gur-Shabad, not through the circus of our Mayaic mind (self-willed concepts, Karamkaand (rituals, formalities), Bhekh or religious paraphernalia, etc., that have been rejected in the Gurbani).

According to the Gurbani, the true ‘Sikhi’ is a Way of life based on the Gurmat Wisdom of the SGGS (‘ਸਿਖੀ ਸਿਖਿਆ ਗੁਰ ਵੀਚਾਰਿ ॥: Sikhi sikhiaa gur veechaari’ sggs 465).

In nutshell, immensely profound yet simple, the Words of the Gurmat Wisdom of the SGGS are capable of jolting us into our Mool here and now.

The Words of the Gurbani cuts to the core without wasting effort on inessentials created by the Pujaaree-Vaad (who uses the Gurbani and Dharma as business – ‘ਰੋਟੀਆ ਕਾਰਣਿ’ ਧੰਧਾ).

• ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਗਿਆਨ ਖੜਗੁ ਹਥਿ ਦੀਨਾ ਜਮਕੰਕਰ ਮਾਰਿ ਬਿਦਾਰੇ ॥: The Satgur handed me a Sword of Spiritual Wisdom (i.e. Enlightenment) and with which I have ELIMINATED Jam Doot (i.e. Pain and Vices – ‘ਦੁਖ ਪਾਪ’). (sggs 574).

Thus, the Gurbani is not meant to be merely wrapped up in the designers wrapping and worship as an idol.

However, by doing just that, the Pujaaree groups apparently has watered down the profound Teaching of the Gurbani for Golak (Maya!), similar to watering down of the Teaching of the Vedas by their Pujaaree-groups!