CONCEPT OF SPIRITUALITY IN SCIENCE AND RELIGION
Dr Sukhraj S Dhillon, PhD
Mountain House, CA 95391, USA
Email: drdln@dpcpress.com
ABSTRACT
Truth cannot contradict
itself. Truth from science and truth from Religion must eventually converge
into one grand whole, a unified knowledge of the laws that govern our Universe.
Those who fight for superiority of one over the other are blinded by ignorance
about both. In fact Science and Religion that blend truth and spirituality
constitute the true religion.
INTRODUCTION
This is the right time when
reconciliation between science, religion and spirituality can be seen, and can
be understood. The East has lived
religiously-- that is one pole-- and because it has lived religiously it has
not been able to produce good science.
The West has lived scientifically, and because of its science it has
lost track of religion and spirituality. Now for the first time in this space
age and internet, the East is no more East and the West is no more West. The
earth is becoming one global village. The modern generation is ready to look at
religion and spirituality scientifically.
CONCEPT OF SPIRITUALITY IN SCIENCE AND
RELIGION
These days’ people prefer to become spiritual, which
is their nature/genetics [5], rather than religious. They now want to explore the true human
spirit that can sustain the entire human population in an atmosphere of love
and peace.
Majority of the religions did not expose
spirituality in its pristine beauty with sufficient logic and rigor. On the
other hand, scientists were wrong that they hesitated to include spirituality
in their scope of study. Their exclusion of spirit and consciousness encouraged
the religions to flourish in the past. The hesitation of scientists to study
consciousness and the realm of the spiritual domain left a vacuum that led to
the birth of the present unscientifically expressed religions. Scientists
almost went into an arrogant phase when they were appreciating the art that
this creation is, but refused to even explore the artist/creator.
This is where inner sciences will play increasingly
more important role. We are entering into a beautiful exciting period. Who
would have imagined a few decades ago that more than 10 million Americans, grownup
in science-dominated society, will practice meditation everyday to find
happiness within? The ever increasing
human population is deriving benefit from inner sciences wherein one explores
his/her innermost core of individuality, the individual's spirit. Who would
have imagined that over 90% of Americans profess belief in God, while church
attendance is down [5]. Also while trusting god, they also trust
science to take medicine, to fix their heart and brain, drive cars, and use
electricity every day. Who would have
imagined that beef-eaters in the western world would become compassionate
enough and give up not only meat eating but stand for animal rights? The times
are changing rapidly. Every religion will now find its base shrinking and on
the other hand science will be widening its base.
The world
consists of both matter and spirit closely inter-linked. A human being is the
closest example. We should note that we are a composite of body and spirit. There is an
urgent need to create a fusion of science and spirituality, call it scientific
spirituality or spiritual sciences. We must study, explore and experience both
matter and spirit, call it a unified theory of both matter and spirit.
The scientific spirituality is a religion, which helps
many of us deal with ups and downs in life and keeps the mind tranquil. And it
is spirituality which helps us deal with life-crises [3].
There is no value anymore
in articles that gave titles such as “Is God Dead?” If he was, the likely culprit was science, whose
triumph was deemed so complete that "what cannot be known (by scientific
methods) seems uninteresting, unreal.”
Now we are using science to complement our spirituality.
The new generation of 21st century is not
looking for a solid theology and be orthodox to the core, but to experience God
in their own life? "Young people
got tired of hearing that once upon a time people experienced God
directly," says historian Martin E. Marty of the University of Chicago. "They want it to happen for themselves.
They don't want to hear that Joan of Arc had a vision. They want to have a
vision [6]." Rather than being
about a god who commands you, it's about finding a religion that empowers you
spiritually. The religion that empowers
you everyday in your life while enjoying worldly duties.
Sikh religion doesn’t require you to leave the family
life or to be a yogi living in a cave far away from the civilized world to be
spiritual to realize spiritual practices. Most of us have homes, mouths to
feed, bills to pay--we live in the temporal world. Here’s a temporal metaphor
to explain how the daily practices enhance our lives: "Our bodies are like
a car; they carry our soul around [4]; they're a vehicle for our consciousness.
And if you take good care of your spiritual-self, your ride becomes less bumpy,
your human experience becomes a little more enjoyable, and you avoid many of
those stresses that take away your enjoyment.”
Those who are able to achieve their spiritual goals,
can make this Earth a worthwhile place to live, make this society a worthwhile
society to belong to and exist in, make the world full of true love for each
other and end hatred and crime.
"The
language of the head is words.
The language
of the heart is love.
The language
of the soul is silence." [3]
Science
is not about knowing the mind of God; it is about understanding nature and the
reasons for the things. If we want to
recruit younger generation of scientists, we don’t draw a box around all our
scientific understanding to date and say, “Everything outside this box we can
explain only by invoking God’s will”.
Science can give us the
glimpse into things - such as genetic code, functioning of human body and mind,
space, energy etc - previously known only to God. Shouldn’t that be exciting to both religion
and science! Science may not teach us about moral values and
ethics. Science, however, can predict
how human activity may change the climate and whether it would be good or bad.
The
"battle" between science and religion is not as polarized as it
seems? Unfortunately, the evidence of potential harmony is often overshadowed
by the high-decibel pronouncements of those who occupy the poles of the debate. One pole throws a bomb: Faith is the great
cop-out, the great excuse to evade the need to think and evaluate evidence. The
other pole: When science and the
scriptures such as Bible differ, science has obviously misinterpreted its data
or science knows nothing about human existence.
Such statements can come from any fanatic, irrespective of
religion. The fact
is: Science is the technology of knowing or understanding the essence of
the Universe, and religion is the actual experience of one’s own identity with
that essence.
We must fundamentally understand that true religion is
that experience. The religion is not
what we usually consider it to be, i.e., a set of beliefs or ideals, or even a
philosophy or manner of behavior, but it is, in fact, the moment to moment
experience of one’s origin, the source of one’s being, God. The experience of God can be called
spiritual.
Where can this experience be
found? The answer is: everywhere! For it is not really a
question of where at all, but one of how. Obviously if one is experiencing the living
presence of God, which is by nature infinite and inexpressible, the experience
can only be that, an experience. It cannot be written or told.
Spiritual experience is invisible comfort like
fragrance in a flower, taste in a fruit, cream in a milk, and fire in a wood. [3]
Our founding Guru Nanak expressed that experience in Japuji Sahib
whose philosophy is extended into our holy Aad Guru Granth Sahib. Japuji Sahib is
the ecstatic and transforming experience of Guru Nanak in which he understood
the essential nature of existence. After undergoing this experience, his first
impulse was to express in words what had happened to him. Japuji Sahib is creation of that
experience. The first part of the Japuji, known as the root or “Mool” mantar is the expression, in as
few words as possible, of Guru Nanak’s experience of reality.
That experience is realization of God within, the
spiritual experience. How one feels with
that experience of God within is experience of being without fear, without
enmity, immortal without the fear of death or birth, complete within itself--
timeless, ageless, and formless (Akaal Moorat). We know that only physical body ages, spirit
is not affected by time or age or birth or death. A few blessed ones realize that experience (Nirbhau, Nirvair, Akaal Moorat, Ajooni
Saebhang, Gur
Parsad.)
The
very first verse of Japuji,
the mool-mantar, begins with Ek Onkar. The
implication is that the Creator
(energy) and the Creation (matter) are ONE! This primal truth is expressed in
various ways in all the world’s religions. Such as Taoist symbol called the “Tai Chi”, which many people know as the
“yin-yang” symbol. It is interesting to
realize that the very first line of Japuji that begins with Ek Onkar expresses exactly the same concept
which is the foundation of all modern relativistic science: E=mc2.
According
to scientific law of thermodynamics, there is one Universal energy that we can
call God, Allah, Ram, Parmatma, Hari,
Lord of the Universe, Nature or any other name we
choose. That energy is constant; it can
neither be created nor destroyed.
However, this energy can convert into matter and matter can convert back
into energy. Therefore, everything is created
out of this energy and goes back into this energy. All matter is a form created from formless
Energy, and the creativity is infinite and method of self-creativity is a real
wonder when we look at the creation and growth of living organisms. A scientist
cannot deny the feeling of being startled at Nature's absolutely phenomenal and
the most intelligent work of self-creation into all the complicated life forms
including a human being through a greatly thoughtful and organized manner –
whether it is a sperm and an egg uniting into zygote that grows into
complicated human form or small seed growing into majestic tree. This reminds me Albert Einstein when he
said: "God does not play dice
with the world."
We
may rephrase the above revelation of one universal energy
and inter-conversion of energy and matter that "The Creator (energy) is in
the Creation (matter), and the Creation is in the Creator." That is the
ultimate truth. Gurbani says the same:
ਖਾਲਿਕੁ ਖਲਕ ਖਲਕ ਮਹਿ ਖਾਲਿਕੁ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਸ੍ਰਬ ਠਾਂਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Kẖālik kẖalak kẖalak mėh kẖālik pūr rahi▫o sarab ṯẖāʼn▫ī.
||1|| rahā▫o.
The Creation is in the Creator, and
the Creator is in the Creation, totally pervading and permeating all places.
AGGS, Kabir, p 1350.
ਜੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੰਡੇ ਸੋਈ ਪਿੰਡੇ ਜੋ ਖੋਜੈ ਸੋ ਪਾਵੈ ॥
Jo
barahmanḏe so▫ī
pinde jo
kẖojai so pāvai.
The
One who pervades the Universe also dwells in the body; whoever seeks Him, finds
Him there. AGGS,
Pipa, p 695.
In
order to explore the nature of creation itself, we must correlate the sciences
of biology, subatomic particle physics, chemistry, and mathematics because
sound vibration is the integrating phenomenon of life, the common denominator,
through which and by which everything in the Universe operates.
Most
people are aware that the “stuff” of reality (matter) is made up of molecules,
and that molecules are made up of atoms. Most are also aware that atoms are
made of so-called particles known as protons, neutrons, and electrons.
The One appears as many in all His manifested forms
ੴ (Ek Onkar): There is One Creator/Creation. This is the fundamental
discovery of modern science. That not only is all matter convertible into
energy, and vice versa, but that energy and matter are simply different
appearances of the very same thing. And those not only are energy and matter
the same thing, but that the constant interplay of this energy is the very play
of God itself. (saibhaN -Self-Existent)
The
religious experience is the experience that we and God and God and we are one and the same. It is only our minds,
our egos that make us feel that we are observing that we are separate from other forms of
consciousness and energy. But science is the process of observation, and
observation implies an observer. How wonderful it is to realize that there is
only One Observer... and that He is constantly observing Himself through
His/our eyes, and enjoying it immensely!
Both
science and religion are the attempt to share the experience of the infinite
and inexpressible with our fellow travelers on this beautiful spaceship we call
Earth. Science and religion are identical in purpose, but they are opposite in
method. In fact, one might almost say that science is religion without a heart, and
religion is science without a head; two opposite approaches to the
identical task: to express the inexpressible so that others may share it and
experience a spiritual life. The current
evolutionary state of human consciousness is that these two are finally
becoming one. Religion is giving its heart to science, and science has given
its head to religion. The logic we use in religion is the head.
The
age of blind faith is over. The age of belief without knowledge died with the
advent of instantaneous global information sharing. We have irrevocably entered
the age of conscious knowledge, experience, and responsibility. The union of
science and religion is now taking place. The people of planet Earth can no
longer march under a banner that reads: “I believe
- therefore I know.” But are joining together under a new banner which
proudly proclaims: “I know! Therefore I believe”.
This
is the age of the joining of all the religions. We are entering the age of the
spirit - an age of purified and subtle creative behavior and consciousness - an
age of the self-sensory human being.
The
religion of the future, which is evolving out of the union of science and
traditional religion, is the worship of God as Universal Truth.
So
here is the central question: In this modern era of cosmology, evolution,
test-tube babies, and the human genome, is there still the possibility of a richly
satisfying harmony between the scientific and spiritual worldviews? We can answer with a yes! There is no reason
for a conflict in being a rigorous scientist and a person who believes in God. Science's domain is to explore nature. God's
domain is in the spiritual world, a realm not possible to explore with the
tools and language of science. It must be examined with the heart, the mind,
and the soul -- and the mind must find a way to embrace both realms [4].
These
perspectives can coexist in a fashion that enriches and enlightens the human
experience. Science is the only reliable way to understand the natural world,
and its tools when properly utilized can generate profound insights into
material existence.
But
science is powerless to answer questions such as "Why did the Universe
come into being?" "What is the meaning of human existence?"
"What happens after we die [4]?" [Religion is equally helpless unless
it ends with a familiar word-- God’s will.] One of the strongest motivations of
humankind is to seek answers to profound questions, and we need to bring all
the power of both the scientific and spiritual perspectives to bear on
understanding what is both seen and unseen.
The
consideration of such weighty matters can be unsettling. Whether we call it by
name or not, all of us have arrived at a certain worldview. It helps us make
sense of the world around us, provides us with an ethical framework, and guides
our decisions about the future. Anyone who tinkers with that worldview should
not do it lightly. A view that proposes to challenge something so fundamental
may inspire more uneasiness than comfort. But we humans seem to possess a
deep-seated longing to find the TRUTH, even though that longing is easily
suppressed by the mundane details of daily life. That is what our founding Guru Nanak is
asking-- How to realize the truth!
In Jap, Guru Nanak
raised the same question:
|
ਕਿਵ ਸਚਿਆਰਾ ਹੋਈਐ ਕਿਵ ਕੂੜੈ ਤੁਟੈ ਪਾਲਿ ॥ Kiv sacẖi▫ārā
ho▫ī▫ai kiv
kūrhai ṯutai pāl. |
How to become truthful; and
how can the veil of illusion be torn away?).” [2]
AGGS, Jap1, p 1.
His answer is:
ਹੁਕਮਿ ਰਜਾਈ ਚਲਣਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਨਾਲਿ ॥੧॥
Hukam rajā▫ī cẖalṇā
Nānak likẖi▫ā
nāl. ||1||
That is walk in the way of
His Will.”
AGGS, Jap1, p 1.
Accepting the “Will of God”
was the basic philosophy of religious prophets. Nanak called "Hukm" to His will. Taoism called "non-interference",
Zen called "let-go", Christianity called "surrendering
to the will of God."
Understanding the ‘Divine’
(The knowledge of the “Divine Will”) means the destruction of the ego - whether
it is the racial ego, the religious ego, or the individual ego:
ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੈ ਜੇ ਬੁਝੈ ਤ ਹਉਮੈ ਕਹੈ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥੨॥
Nānak hukmai je bujẖai ṯa ha▫umai kahai na ko▫e.
||2||
O Nanak, one who understands
‘Divine Will,’ is freed from ego.
AGGS, Jap
2, p 1.
The racial and religious
ego, which is the root cause of religious wars, is far more dangerous than the
individual ego. When the ego becomes racial or religious - we don't think
we are claiming anything for our self. Indirectly we are claiming, "I
am great because I belong to a particular race or religion which is great.”
However, it’s the individual ego which is the building block for any kind of
ego. The iron curtain of individual ego separates us from each other and
from understanding God.
“An Enlightened person sees
not only himself in the world, but the whole world in himself.”
[3]
Absence of ego means that we
all are actually the one humanity regardless of our color, caste, creed,
national origin, gender.
A universal mind or one mind
or Ek Onkar or one
God of which we are part of is one Universal Energy, because “the universe
is all energy and the energy is whole Universe [3].”
We're like the spokes on a
wheel, all radiating out from the same center. If we define ourselves
according to our position on the rim, we seem separate and distinct from one
another. But if we define ourselves according to the center of the wheel,
we're a shared identity with the same mind. Just as a sunbeam can't
separate itself from its source-the sun, and a wave can't separate itself from
the ocean, we can't separate one mind from another. Our grades,
credentials, jobs, cars, and homes are like a spoke at the rim, a sunbeam, and
a wave-- all with characteristics of their own but a part of the same source--
the wheel, the sun and the ocean. We are all part of one indivisible
divine mind or the universal mind or one universal energy or God. Our
individual mind or soul (atma) is divine image
of supreme (or Parmatma), but we have to
recognize it:
ਮਨ ਤੂੰ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੁ ਹੈ ਆਪਣਾ ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣੁ ॥
Man
ṯūʼn joṯ
sarūp hai āpṇā mūl pacẖẖāṇ.
O’my soul you’re the image of
Divine light; so know your source.
AGGS, M 3, p 441.
And the same mind or one
mind or One Energy is the same as One God (Ek
Onkar).
Once we recognize our
Universal nature then: we have no one to fear from (nirbhau) and no feelings of enmity (nirvair)
towards others (nirbhau, nirvair.. AGGS, Mool Mantar, p1). The
fear and enmity are the products of others. The word other separates us
from universal mind or universal love. (Guru Arjan says:
Bisar ga▫ī sabẖ ṯāṯ parā▫ī.
ਜਬ ਤੇ ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਮੋਹਿ ਪਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Jab
ṯe sāḏẖsangaṯ
mohi pā▫ī.
||1|| rahā▫o.
AGGS, M 5,
p 1299.
Since I have found universal
love, there are no more enemies and strangers.
And Guru Ram Das says:
ਮੈ ਊਪਰਿ ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰੀ ਪਿਰਿ ਸਾਚੈ ਮੈ ਛੋਡਿਅੜਾ ਮੇਰਾ ਤੇਰਾ ॥
Mai
ūpar naḏar karī pir
sācẖai mai cẖẖodi▫aṛā merā
ṯerā.
AGGS, M 4,
p 561.
I tender my gratitude to the
Eternal Wisdom that granted me the gift of inner understanding towards
abandoning every distinction between mine and others.
In everyday living, seeing
ourselves as separate, we create chaos and disorder between things, “out there”
and ourselves. We war with other people and destroy the environment. Being
separate from other people, things, and events, we want to force them to be
what we want. In harmony there is no violence. Instead of futilely trying
to control the uncontrollable, a person in unity learns acceptance, not because
he has to but because there actually is peace and orderliness in himself and
his extended body.
If we see ourselves in
others-
Then whom can we hurt?
What harm can we do?
The Buddha
The possibility of
experiencing unity has tremendous implications in life, because when there is
harmonious interaction between us and our extended body, we feel joyful,
healthy, and youthful. "Fear is born of separation."
The transformation from separation to unity, from conflict to peace, is the
goal of all spiritual traditions. "Don't we live in the same
objective world?" a disciple once asked his guru. "Yes,"
his master replied, "but you see yourself in the world; I see the world
in myself. This minor perceptual shift makes all the difference between
freedom and bondage."
We have to raise ourselves
to new reality about science, religion and spirituality, which is needed to
transform this Earth into a paradise.
Guru Nanak has done it. He
has given us the universal philosophy that we the Sikhs have in Gurbani. It was the message of
Guru Nanak that could survive in a country dominated by Hinduism and
Islam. He was Guru and Pir for
Hindus and Muslims, respectively, but now be father for Christians. At a
seminar conducted at Simla, by the Panjab Historical Society Lahore in early 1900, the
lieutenant governor of Punjab, who was presiding over the seminar said, “According
to what had been told by the speaker, Guru Nanak was a great Christian."
If he was born in the west, Sikhism would have been the world religion in this
age of Science and Technology.
In theory, Sikhism is the
only universal religion with none of the problems between science and religion
like creation vs evolution, or immaculate conception, or resurrection, or the
only son of God or last prophet, or worshipping stones or priestly class.
In fact, Gurbani explains that there is no such thing as immaculate
conception:
ਜੈਸੇ ਮਾਤ ਪਿਤਾ ਬਿਨੁ ਬਾਲੁ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥
Jaise māṯ
piṯā bin bāl na ho▫ī.
Without a mother and father
there is no child).
AGGS, Kabir,
p 872.
Or resurrection:
ਕਬੀਰ ਮਾਨਸ ਜਨਮੁ ਦੁਲੰਭੁ ਹੈ ਹੋਇ ਨ ਬਾਰੈ ਬਾਰ ॥
Kabīr mānas
janam ḏulambẖ hai ho▫e na bārai bār.
Kabir, precious human existence, does
not just come over and over again).
AGGS, Kabir,
p 1366
In contrast to only son of
God or last prophet, Guru Nanak on the other hand regarded himself as the dust
underneath the feet of the servants of God as stated by him in his Bani as
recorded in the Aad Guru Granth Sahib.
AGGS recognizes a common
Creator as the only God: who sustains all people of all faiths and is addressed
by many names by devotees in various faiths. Sikh Gurus embraced the
revelation of Hindu and Muslim saints making it a scripture for people of all
religions. The secular nature of AGGS has a universal appeal for the
benefit of emerging global society of the twenty-first century. It offers
a hope for our collective survival by providing new realities about religion
and its positive relationship to entire humanity. Such is one of the basic requirements of a
true religion.
What Constitutes the True Religion?
So many forms of religion have been described in the
human history; the whole world is practicing them in some form. However, very
rare and fortunate ones practice them with intuitive wisdom, while the others
practice them with sense-blind mind.
ਪਾਚਹੁ ਮੁਸਿ ਮੁਸਲਾ ਬਿਛਾਵੈ ਤਬ ਤਉ ਦੀਨੁ ਪਛਾਨੈ ॥੩॥
Pācẖahu mus muslā bicẖẖāvai ṯab
ṯa▫o ḏīn
pacẖẖānai. ||3||
“Spread your prayer mat by conquering your five
desires, and you will recognize the true religion.” (AGGS, Kabir, p 480).
The Sabd or Naam is the Insignia of the One True God.
Pūre gur ṯe jāṇai
jāṇ. ||3||
Ėko ḏẖaram ḏariṛai
sacẖ ko▫ī.
Through the Perfect Guru, the All-Knowing God is
known. If someone grasps this thing, there is only one Religion of Truth.”
AGGS. M 1, p 1188.
The ultimate objective of any genuine religion is
attainment of Self-realization/spirituality/killing false ego. In other words,
the purpose of religion is to know the Supreme Truth and man's relationship
with Him.
(So baura jo aap
naa pachhaanai ; aap pachhaanay
taa aikay jaanai.. AGGS, Kabir,
p 855;
“He alone is insane,
who does not understand himself.
When he understands himself, then he
knows the One God, one creation, one origin, one humanity...”)
Therefore, a true religion is that which teaches
living entities as to what actions will bring them emancipation from material
bondage (suffering), and total perfection.
Thus, a religion is not a declaration of such noble objectives; it is an
action to fulfill these objectives. In other words, religion is meant to be
practical, not theoretical; for it is good to speak wisely, but the best of all
is to act wisely (practice). Any
religion devoid of this central intention cannot be called a religion. It may
be called a mundane business, but it certainly cannot be called an Eternal Dharma.
This brings us to the basic question:
What does constitute the true religion?
Does Gurbani
provide answer to this fundamental question?
If yes, are we aware of the Gurbani's position and teaching
in this context?
In the Divine Light of the Gurbani (AGGS), we will attempt to reflect on as what constitutes a
true religion.
First, let us find out as to what constitutes a
religious person. Gurbani declares
that a person cannot be a religious unless he possesses the Spiritual Wisdom or
Self-knowledge (Aatam Giyan). However, unfortunately, many of us try to become
religious before gaining the True Knowledge. It is like placing a cart before
the horse!
Jin
āṯam ṯaṯ
na cẖīnĥi▫ā.
Sabẖ fokat ḏẖaram abīni▫ā.
“Whoever does not gain the knowledge of the Self (realize
the essence of soul), all his religious acts are vain and blind.”
(AGGS, Baini, p 1351).
ਕਬੀਰਾ ਜਹਾ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਤਹ ਧਰਮੁ ਹੈ ਜਹਾ ਝੂਠੁ ਤਹ ਪਾਪੁ ॥
Kabīrā jahā gi▫ān ṯah ḏẖaram hai jahā jẖūṯẖ
ṯah pāp.
ਜਹਾ ਲੋਭੁ ਤਹ ਕਾਲੁ ਹੈ ਜਹਾ ਖਿਮਾ ਤਹ ਆਪਿ ॥੧੫੫॥
Jahā lobẖ ṯah kāl hai jahā kẖimā
ṯah āp.
||155||
Says Kabir:
“Where there is Knowledge, there is dharam,
and where there is falsehood, there is sin; where there is greed, there is
death and where there is forgiveness, there is God Himself.”
AGGS, Kabir, p 1372.
The above verses of Gurbani make it very clear that a person cannot be a truly
religious without knowledge of the Self and knowledge of God. Knowledge of the Self is believing in one's
own Self as Aatma only, and discarding the consciousness of the physical
body. After realizing one's own Self as Aatma, when one
becomes linked to Parmatama,
one is said to have attained the knowledge of God. That is realization of spirit/self
realization.
“Understanding
others is wisdom;
Understanding
yourself is divine (enlightenment).” [3]
ਆਤਮ ਮਹਿ ਰਾਮੁ ਰਾਮ ਮਹਿ ਆਤਮੁ ਚੀਨਸਿ ਗੁਰ ਬੀਚਾਰਾ ॥
Āṯam mėh rām rām mėh āṯam cẖīnas gur bīcẖārā.
The God is in the soul, and the soul is in the God.
This is realized through the Guru’s Teachings.
AGGS, M 1, p 1153.
We can go across a river by mere swimming. However, in order to cross an ocean, we need
the help of a ship. This material world is likened to a dreadful ocean of
desires and fear, and resulting actions.
In order to overcome such mighty ocean, we require the help of Spiritual
Wisdom, unflinching devotion, and trust in One God/Ek Onkar.
Due to lack of such spiritual awareness, a person
becomes victim of seductive objects that seduce his respective sense-organs.
One who has no knowledge of the Self as Aatma and who has grossly identified himself with his gross
body and its decoration in certain ways, and the false ego attached to it
becomes unfit for receiving Spiritual Wisdom. Such person cannot ascend the
Divine ladder.
Where such divine wisdom (Gyan or Self-knowledge) is to be
found?
It is hidden within! It is not perceived by reading
books, rolling beads, listening to sermons, attending meetings or seminars,
attaining degrees or titles, and then turning around giving lectures to others
or repeating what we have heard. This intuitive understanding is gained through
the true devotion (Naam-consciousness).
When we gain this understanding, the true wisdom (Budhee) manifests within our
consciousness; without which we will not be able to understand what true
religion is. With such pure understanding comes the storm of spiritual wisdom,
which totally blows away our doubts, bonds of Maya, double-mindedness,
emotional attachment, desires, fear, greed, self-conceit, enviousness,
evil-mindedness, bad habits, weaknesses, fanaticism, stubbornness,
unrighteousness, etc.
Ńańā ńi▫ān nahī mukẖ bāṯa▫o.
Anik jugaṯ sāsṯar kar bẖāṯa▫o.
Ńi▫ānī so▫e
jā kai
ḏariṛ so▫ū.
Spiritual wisdom is not obtained by mere words of
mouth. It is not obtained through the various debates of the shaastras and scriptures. They alone are spiritually wise,
whose minds are firmly fixed on the Lord. By just hearing and telling stories,
no one attains Yoga (union).”
AGGS, M 5, p 251.
ਗਿਆਨੁ ਧਿਆਨੁ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦੁ ਹੈ ਮੀਠਾ ॥
Gi▫ān ḏẖi▫ān gur
sabaḏ hai mīṯẖā.
“Spiritual
wisdom and meditation come to those unto whom the Sabd is sweet.”
AGGS, M 3, p 162.
A false pride of becoming a religious person becomes
veil to one's own oneness with the Universal Consciousness, thus a block to
one's own enlightenment. Due to spiritual ignorance, one falls
victim to entanglements of useless religious rituals, which bind him to Maya
(cosmic illusion). The Gurbani
emphasizes that the religion is not a matter of outer rituals or dogmatism. It
is a man's inner surrender to God's Sabd
or eternal teachings.
Banḏẖan karam ḏẖaram ha▫o kī▫ā.
A false pride of being
religionist will bind or entangle one to this material body.
AGGS, M 1, p 416.
ਕਰਮ ਧਰਮ ਸਭਿ ਬੰਧਨਾ ਪਾਪ ਪੁੰਨ ਸਨਬੰਧੁ ॥
Karam ḏẖaram sabẖ banḏẖnā pāp
punn san▫banḏẖ.
The religious rituals are all entanglements; the bad
and the good are all bound up with them.
AGGS, M 3, p 551.
Kāhū jugaṯ kiṯai na
pā▫ī▫ai ḏẖaram.
Naam cannot be obtained by any religious rituals.
AGGS, M 5, p 274.
So of all the religions, what is the true religion?
According to AGGS, the best religion is to chant the
Name of the God (Bhagti
or devotion) and maintain pure conduct (mental purity). Of all religious acts,
the most sublime act is to erase the filth of the dirty mind in the company of
the devoted souls. Of all religious efforts, the best effort is to chant the Name
of the GOD in the heart, forever. Of all religious speech, the most ambrosial
speech is to hear the God’s Praise and chant it with the tongue. Of all
religious places, the most sublime place is that heart in which the Name of the
God abides:
Sarab ḏẖaram mėh saresat ḏẖaram.
Har ko
nām jap nirmal karam.
Of all the religions, the best religion is to repeat
God's name and do pious deeds.
AGGS, M 5, p 266.
Of all the religions, what is the eternal religion?
The Gurbani asserts
that abandoning the mental delusion (duality) and reflecting on the God's Name
is the eternal religion. One may distinguish between good and evil actions, and
listen to the scriptures, but doubt still may persist in his mind. Skepticism
and ego may continually dwell in his heart.
Outwardly, one may bathe and wash with water at so called religious
places, but deep within, his heart still may be tarnished by all sorts of
vices. The method of purification of
such person compares to that of an elephant, who
covers himself with dust right after his bath! Then, how can we become pure?
The Gurbani asserts that one can
become purified by realizing the eternal religion; renouncing the doubts, and
meditating upon the God's Name:
ਬਲਿਓ ਚਰਾਗੁ ਅੰਧ੍ਯ੍ਯਾਰ ਮਹਿ ਸਭ ਕਲਿ ਉਧਰੀ ਇਕ ਨਾਮ ਧਰਮ ॥
Bali▫o cẖarāg anḏẖ▫yār
mėh sabẖ kal uḏẖrī ik nām ḏẖaram.
The Name's lamp is lit in the midst of spiritual
darkness; all are saved in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga through the One Name or Dharam of spiritual light.
AGGS, M 5, p 1387.
Ŧaj sabẖ bẖaram bẖaji▫o pārbarahm.
ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਅਟਲ ਇਹੁ ਧਰਮੁ ॥੪॥੮੦॥੧੪੯॥
Kaho Nānak atal ih ḏẖaram. ||4||80||149||
Renounce all your doubts, and ponder upon the Supreme
God.
Says Nanak: This is the eternal religion.
AGGS, M 5, p 196.
What is the essence of all religions? How one can
abide in this true essence of the Divinity? According to the Gurbani, the essence of all religions is
the Lord's Name. That is understanding yourself and
your relationship with the God as Ek Onkar. It abides in the heart of those true devotees
who surrender unto Him, the fortunate ones:
Sagal maṯāʼnṯ keval
har nām.
Gobinḏ bẖagaṯ kai man bisrām.
Sagal mataant keval hari Naam,
Gobind bhagat kai man bisraam.
The essence of all religions is the God's Name alone;
and it abides in the minds of devotees of God.”
AGGS, M 5, p 296.
The foregoing verses make it very clear that there is
only one religion in the Universe that is, becoming immersed in the Naam or Love
Divine by understanding yourself and your relationship with the God as Ek Onkar; which,
according to the Gurbani, has nothing
to do with any religious garbs or rituals. In fact, the nature of the Naam is said to
be totally opposite to such outer and superficial beliefs:
Kāhū jugaṯ kiṯai na
pā▫ī▫ai ḏẖaram.
Naam (or dharam) cannot be
obtained by any rituals.”
AGGS, M 5, p 274.
Bẖekẖ anek agan nahī
bujẖai.
Kot upāv ḏargėh nahī sijẖai.
Wearing various religious robes, the fire (of desire)
is not extinguished;
even making millions of efforts, one will not be accepted
in the Court of the God.
AGGS, M 5, p 266.
ਭੇਖੁ ਭਵਨੀ ਹਠੁ ਨ ਜਾਨਾ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸਚੁ ਗਹਿ ਰਹੇ ॥੧॥
Bẖekẖ bẖavnī
haṯẖ na jānā nānkā sacẖ gėh rahe. ||1||
I know of no religious bodily-dress or garbs,
pilgrimages, or stubborn fanaticism; O Nanak, I only holdfast to the Truth.
AGGS, M 1, p 844.
For the spiritual progress, peace and happiness, good
population in the society is very essential. Without the practice of proper
religious principles outlined in the true scriptures, there will be an increase
of unwanted population in the human society, causing hellish life for their
families and community. The Gurbani
declares such people to be unwanted burden on this Earth. When such people
become leaders in the community, their irresponsible activities bring chaos in
the society, and consequently people forget true religion and the aim of life.
ਵਿਸਰਿਆ ਜਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹ ਨਾਮੁ ਤੇ ਭੁਇ ਭਾਰੁ ਥੀਏ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
visri▫ā jinĥ
nām ṯe bẖu▫e bẖār
thī▫e. ||1|| rahā▫o.
Those who have forsaken the God's Name are burden on this
earth.
AGGS, Farid, p 488.
ਜਿਨੀ ਐਸਾ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਚੇਤਿਓ ਸੇ ਕਾਹੇ ਜਗਿ ਆਏ ਰਾਮ ਰਾਜੇ ॥
Jinī aisā har nām na cẖeṯi▫o
se kāhe jag ā▫e
rām rāje.
They, who did not contemplate on such a Name of God,
why did they come in this world?
AGGS, M 4, p 450.
Ek Onkar pervades in
everything and everywhere; including the body. The realization of this Ultimate
Truth is very simple; as simple as winking of an eye! It is so because the Truth
is very simple, and open to all. It simply loves the Self which is hidden
within! That's all. However, deluded
mind dominated by duality and confusion makes simple things complicated because
it will read complex and far-fetched meanings in simple things. People want
complexity because they are not contented with simplicity. This is why so many
religions have come into existence with their own complex adherents and
antagonists! Although these religions often start good but later turn bad when
they fall in the hands of those who want name and gain. Consequently, they end
up in worthless rituals, ceremonies, paths, and traditions; creating fake fear
of hell and death, and expectation of far-off heavens, etc.
The spirituality begins where the religious rituals
packed with fear end. Consequently, enlightenment is not the product of
customary religions; for only awakened and spiritually mature can grasp the
simple Truth in all its nakedness. The Gurmat is opposed to exclusive claims of any religion,
including the Sikhism itself. The Gurbani
proclaims that for anyone who is determined to practice the Truth there is only
one religion.
Ėko sabaḏ sacẖā nīsāṇ.
Pūre gur ṯe jāṇai
jāṇ. ||3||
Ėko ḏẖaram ḏariṛai
sacẖ ko▫ī.
The Sabd or Naam is the Insignia of the One True God. Through the
Perfect Guru, the All-Knowing God is known. If someone grasps this thing, there
is only one Religion of Truth.
AGGS, M 1, p 1188.
Thus, the religion Gurbani
talks about is not the formal or customary religion, but that eternal religion
which underlies all religions, which brings us face to face with the Divine
Light, because it is inherent in the soul itself.
Most of us look at Sikh religion from two points of
views. The sacrifices
of Guru Sahiban for humanity and the universal
scripture, AGGS, for entire humanity. Both are true. But the sacrifices are true from Sikh point
of view (not so for Muslims who tortured them), whereas later is true from
entire human aspect. Only at spiritual
level the entire humanity merges. That's why message of Gurbani in AGGS
is universal and for entire humanity. This has no conflict with science because
one Universal Energy and Ek Onkar
represent the same universal truth.
Therefore, in the Gurbani,
the word religion does not mean sectarianism. It not only transcends all
sectarian labels, but also gives them harmony and reality.
It bestows on the sincere disciple a spiritual insight
or illumination. Practice of anything less than this will bring nothing but
obstructions in the form of dogmatic fanaticism, bigotry, intolerance, practice
of outer and superficial rituals, fights, wars, etc., which will only take us
farther away from the source, the Supreme Lord.
ਹਰਿ ਕੀਰਤਿ ਰਹਰਾਸਿ ਹਮਾਰੀ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪੰਥੁ ਅਤੀਤੰ ॥੩॥
Har kīraṯ rahrās hamārī gurmukẖ panth aṯīṯaʼn. ||3||
The Praise of the God is my occupation; and to live as
Gurmukh is my pure religion.
AGGS, M 1, p 360.
Thus, the key to becoming a truly religious person is
in becoming a Gurmukh (spiritual
being) or living a truthful life. Many of us think that the wars that are
fought on the name of religion in the world are prompted by religion. If we
reflect on it, we will realize that they are really not prompted by religion.
Since most of us are not true spiritual beings, people
have the tendency to consider one's own religion superior and thereby insist
that others should join and follow it. This is the cause for most of the wars
fought on the name of religion.
"The real purpose of a religion is spirituality.
When religion is used to protect our insecurities,
then it becomes a
religious war!"[3]
A truly religious person refrains saying something bad
to another person that he wouldn't want someone else to say to him. Thus, those
who have understood the true religion will not attack beliefs of others because
they realize how much it would hurt if someone else did the same to them! They
would never rejoice in another person's suffering; for they always look to
their spiritual wisdom to find ways to help others overcome their problems.
They see God in All. Such persons become loving Gurmukh!
The essence of religion, hence, is realizing Oneness
of the Spirit, the vision of Truth. Then comes the noble moral and ethical
values founded based on the understanding of this essence of religion. These
aspects of religion will ever remain relevant to the mankind, thus unchanged.
Without this there can be no real love, compassion, peace, harmony, and
integration in the human society.
ਜਤੁ ਸਤੁ ਸੰਜਮੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੈ ਵਿਣੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥
Jaṯ saṯ sanjam nām hai viṇ nāvai
nirmal na
ho▫e.
Jat sat sanjam Naam hai
vin naavai nirmal na hoi.
“The Name of the God is abstinence, truthfulness,
and self-restraint. Without the Name, no one becomes pure.
AGGS, M 3, p 33.
Time denotes birth and death. Bound in the framework
of time and space, religions exist in the ever changing world. Since the world
is constantly changing, so are the religions. This change is inevitable because
people are changing, their environment and conditions are changing; also their
appreciation of things is changing. Therefore, only that religion will survive
in the future which, keeping the essence as well as noble values intact,
understands the ever changing nature of the material world and is able to
adjust at the empirical level. Combine
science with it to seek the truth; the truth that leads towards our true-self,
our spirituality. Those religions that
become very rigid, stubborn, fundamentalist, and oppose to change will
disappear with time.
CONCLUSIONS
·
"The very
first word of Ek Onkar in Mool- Mantra expresses exactly the same
concept which is the foundation of all modern relativistic science: E=mc2 . Ek
Onkar: The Creator (energy) and the
Creation (matter) are ONE!
·
Only at spiritual
level the entire humanity merges into one Ek Onkar, universal energy. That is the
message of true religion of TRUTH as conveyed in Gurbani of the Aad Guru Granth Sahib (AGGS) [1]. It is the TRUTH
that both religion and science recognize.
·
Age of blind faith
is over. We have begun to recognize now that science and religion are identical
in purpose, but are opposite in method.
“Science is religion without a heart (consciousness), and religion is
science without a head (logic).” The religion of the future, which is evolving
out of the union of science and traditional religion, is the worship of God as
Universal Truth.
REFERENCES
1. AGGS = Aad
Guru Granth Sahib. 1983 (reprint). Publishers: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee,
Amritsar. (M = Mahala, i.e., succession number of
Sikh Gurus to the House of Guru Nanak, M is replaced with the name of Bhagat or Bhatt, p = page number of the AGGS).
2. Dhillon, S.S. 2004. "Universality
of the Sikh Philosophy: An Analysis" The Sikh Review, Calcutta, Volume
52:5, Number 605, pages 15-20.
3. Dhillon,
S.S. 2007. "Science, Religion, and Spirituality."
Publish America, Baltimore, MD.
4. Dhillon,
S.S. 2011. "Soul and Reincarnation." NEP/CS Amazon,
MH, CA.
5. Hamer, Dean.
2004. "The God Gene." Random House/Doubleday, New
York.
6. Newsweek, New York, September 5, 2005. “Spirituality in America.”
"SCIENCE, RELIGION & SPIRITUALITY" by Dr. S.S.
Dhillon"
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