Overcoming Mourning

Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji – How to overcome mourning

A Sikh once came into the darbar of Satguru Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj asked this question, "O True Emperor, holy men have risen above worldly attachment. By what thought are they aided? Attachment is a very chronic ailment of mankind. By what method have they risen above this? Please, be kind and explain it to us."

"I will tell you the way the saints have conquered attachment to the world. They regard the material possessions as a dream. Just as what you see in a dream, does not exist when you wake up, in the same way saints have woken up to the real knowledge (gyan). All objects of the world appear to be transient to them," explained Maharaj.

Satguru Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji then began to tell a story, "There was a saint, who had attained a high spiritual stage. Living in the midst of the world, he remained above its pleasures and sorrows. Someone came and informed him that his son had died. The saint did not express any grief at the news. The people talked about the son thus, 'Sant ji, your son was very handsome and young. He was also very learned. At his death all others expressed their shock. But you have not mourned his death. What considerations have influenced your mind?'

"During the night I saw a dream in which I was a king. I married and got a son. But when I woke up, there was neither kingdom, nor wife and son. On waking from this dream, I heard the news that my son of the world of consciousness had died. Then I went to my Gurdev and told him of my miserable plight. 'Swami ji,' I said, 'not only has my dream world disappeared, but my real son also is no more. What should I do now? I am overwhelmed with grief.'

"Give up mourning over both, for the whole universe is an illusion, the dream world and the conscious world. What is an illusion does not deserve mourning over. Illusion means that in fact nothing was created, or exists. Uncreated objects enter our vision, in dreams or in the conscious world. Therefore, stop mourning over both,' explained my Gurdev to me, and the reality clearly dawned in my mind. For this reason, I am not affected by sorrows or pleasures of the world.' This is the way saints have risen above worldly attachments," concluded the Satguru Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj, the king of kings and the saint of saints.

The way to the ultimate state of mind is to read Gurbani and follow the teachings and ask for Guru Ji’s grace.

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Da Khalsa is Distinct

“Jab lag khalsa rahe naira, tab lag tej dioon mein sara jab eh gaye bipran ki reet,mein na karoon in ki parteet” - Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji (Sarbloh Granth)

“As long as the Khalsa remains distinct I will give them my full support and glory, but if they follow empty rituals I will not aid them”

You are probably wondering what “bipran ki reet” is and what it has to do with Sikhi. Well, the answer is very simple. Bipran ki reet is a phase which refers to the principles of Brahmins (Hinduism) the phrase itself is derived from two words: “bipar” meaning Brahmins and “reet” meaning principle. Combined these two terms make bipran ki reet which is used as a reference to a distancing from Sikh principles and following of some sort of mindless rituals. So in other words following Bipran ki reet is going away from Sikhi.

Some Brahmin rituals we follow:

Rakri, Lorhi, Fasting, superstitions.

Baba Buddha Ji

Baba Buddha was the great Sikh saint who had the pleasure of serving under the first six Gurus. A venerated primal figure of early Sikhism.

When he was a young boy, ha was grazing cattle outside his village when Guru Nanak Dev Ji passed by. According to Bhai Mani Singh in Sikhism di Bhagat Mala, Bura went up to the Guru Ji presented him with a bowl of milk as his offering. He said to Guru Ji: 'O sustainer of the poor! Iam fortunate to have had a sight of you today. Absolve me now from the cycle of birth and death.'The Guru replied, 'You are only a child, yet you speak so wisely.' Some soldiers set up camp by our village,'replied Bura, 'and they mowed down all our crops-ripe as well as unripe. Then it occurred to me that, when no one could check these indiscriminating soldiers, who would restrain Death from laying his hand upon us, young or old.' At this Guru Nanak Dev Ji replied: 'You are not a child; you possess the wisdom of an old man.' From that day, Bura, came to be known as BHAI BUDDHA. Buddha in Punjabi meaning is an old man. And later, when advanced in years, he became known as BABA BUDDHA.

He devoted himself passionately to tasks such as the digging of the baoli at Goindval under the instructions of Guru Amar Das Ji and the excavation of the sarover at Amritsar under Guru Ram Das Ji and Guru Arjan Dev Ji. The ber tree under which he used to sit supervising the excavation of the Amritsar pool still stands in the grounds of the Golden Temple. . Since Guru Angad Dev Ji period and until Guru Har Gobind Sahib, Baba Buddha was responsible for tilak during the gur gadhi ceremonies.

Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji had no offspring by Mata Ganga Ji. The Guru told Mata Ganga Ji to go and see Baba Buddha. She did as the Guru asked and went to Baba Buddha Ji. Baba Ji broke an onion and predicted that she will have a son who will break the heads of the enemies like this, and destroy the cruel oppressors. This blessing proved to be true as later Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji was born to her and who lived up to the above expectations. 'Dal Bhanjan Gur Sooma'.

Guru Hargobind Ji was placed under Baba Buddha ji’s instructions and training. When the Adi Granth (Guru Granth Sahib Ji) was installed in the Harimandar Sahib on 16 August 1604, Baba Buddha Ji was appointed as the first ever granthi by Guru Arjan Dev Ji. He became the first high priest of the sacred shine, now known as the Golden Temple. Following the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji on 30 May 1606, Guru Hargobind Ji raised opposite the Harimandar an eleven feet high platform and called it Akal Takht, the Timeless Throne or the Throne of the Timeless.

Baba Buddha passed his last days in meditation at Jhanda Ramdas, or simply called Ramdas, a village founded by his son, Bhai Bhana. As the end came, on 16 November 1631, Guru Hargobind Ji was at his bedside. The Guru, as saying the Gurbilas Chhevin Patshahi, gave his shoulder to Baba Ji and performed the last rites. Two shrines stand in Ramdas commemorating Baba Buddha, Gudwara Tap Asthan Baba Buddha Ji, where the family lived on the southern edge of the village, and Gudwara Samadhan, where he was cremated.

Baba Bhuddha adopted the Sikh faith and lived an excellent GurSikh living. As a result he came to be respectfully known as 'Baba Buddha' and honorably earned some of the highest Gurughar honors. He had the privilege to serve, enjoy the company, and receive blessings of first six Gurus.

Always remember death sakhi

If you Remember death you will not Sin

Kabeer, we are puppets of clay, but we take the name of mankind. We are guests here for only a few days, but we take up so much space. SGGSJ

There once was a young student who went everyday to visit a wise and spiritually blessed old man. Each day after school the boy would visit and listen to the old man narrate the Gurus teachings and in turn he would help the old man with chores. The old man would always be very happy to see the boy. However one day the boy came to the old man's home as he did everyday.

Upon entering the old man summoned him to his side at once. The old man had a grave look on his face. After sitting the boy down he started

"Dear boy tomorrow you will die and visit me no longer, you will not see the sun rise, not hug your parents and siblings, not eat a morsel of food as this is your final day on earth."

The boy began to weep loudly.
"Why are you crying?" the old man said, "I told you, that you have the rest of the day to live, why don't I start our daily lesson?"

"Baba Ji, leave me be" cried the boy. "Let me say my final farewell to my family and friends, please."

"Very well" said the old man, "but remember you have little time left."

The boy raced home and told his family and friends the wise mans prophecy. Everyone wept and embraced him. After he could shed no more tears, he went to his bed room and began to watch the clock. "Only 6 hrs left to die," he thought to him self. Then only 3 hours left, then 5 minutes left and the old man came inside his room.

"Let us talk," said the old man.

"You want to waste time talking"? said the boy "I am going to die soon!"

"God can make anything can happen in a second and you have 5 minutes left so lets talk," said the old man.

"Ohh Baba leave me alone and let me die in peace. I am in so much regret of my past deeds!" cried the boy.

"Very well, but answer one question and then I’ll leave you alone," said the old man. The boy agreed.

"In this day did you slander anyone's name, speak unpleasantly to anyone, harm someone, lie, or commit any sin?" said the old man.

"No all I thought about was dying" said the boy.
"How can I do anything else?"

"That is the lesson I was trying to teach you" said the old man. The way you have not done anything wrong in the last 24 hours is the same way i have done nothing wrong in the last 46 years!"

Moral: the human body is a time bomb waiting to go off, we should jaap Naam as much as we can and not waste our golden chance of human birth in sins and maya!