"Samadhi"

[Guest guest]

                                   Guru Nanak & Sikhism

 

Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, was born in 1469. His birthday will be

celebrated on Nov. 8 this year since that is the day of full moon in the Punjabi

month of Kartik, the traditional practice of pinning the event.

Traditionally, Sikhs and other believers celebrate the day with prayers and also

some pomp

and show.

 

Born to Hindu parents in a place called Talwandi, now known as Nankana Sahib

in Pakistan Punjab, Nanak developed a penchant for the search of truth very

early in his life. He was deeply distressed by the divide between religious

precepts and what the people practiced and could not see ritualism shorn of

deeper

commitment as being the path for salvation.

 

During his time (1469-1539), society was split strictly along the religious

lines. Nanak's wisdom helped to bring the polarized cultures together. His

first pronouncement after what is believed to be his enlightenment, were the

words: There is no Hindu and no Muslim - albeit, we are all children of one God.

He

spread this message of oneness and the need for love of each other throughout

his travels that took him to most of India, Tibet, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan,

Iran, Central Asia, and Iraq.

 

For Guru Nanak, God is the one and only essence that pervades the Universe

and the Cosmos. His home is everywhere, meaning - he created the world to be a

place of beauty where virtuous deeds and moral judgment must predominate to

overcome sin and suffering. Nanak sang praises of God through "Kirtan" in which

Mardana, his Muslim companion, played the instrument of Rebeck to promote these

very ideas of virtuosity and morality.

 

Nanak preached less and practiced what he said. Even though the supreme aim

of humans is to unite with God, Nanak knew this must be achieved while living

in a world that is real and full of perils. Therefore he guided his followers

to take a holistic view of life and try to understand human's place in the

divine scheme of things. By this he meant that each one of us has been blessed

with intellect and free will that give us the ability to discriminate and choose

a way of life that brings us closer to God.

 

The Guru did not propose denial, austerities, or animal sacrifices as a way

to salvation. His persuasion was for virtuous living, truthfulness and above

all breaking life's bondages with moderation and meditation. Finding Truth can

only be through living in Truth, Nanak said.

 

Nanak believed that a society can achieve greatness only if it is founded on

equality and justice for all. He opposed the then prevalent caste system and

the tyranny of the rulers against the weak and innocent. Despising war and the

terrible suffering it caused, the Guru even questioned God - "why do you bring

about wars if you feel their pain through thousands of innocent victims?"

 

The life and teachings of Nanak are quite unique in the sense that they are

very conducive to promoting inter-faith relations. Since Nanak was a good

practitioner and not a preacher extraordinaire or a prisoner of rituals - he

engaged leaders of many persuasions in his travel within India and abroad. The

"Sidh

Gost" section of Sikh Scriptures (Granth Sahib) has a detailed account of

questions and answers that Nanak addressed during hundreds of dialogues with the

"Sidhas," which is full of wisdom on both sides.

 

The Guru opened a Dharmshal at Kartarpur, Punjab, in 1521 that was open to

all. There he started the practice of morning and evening prayers and sang

Kirtan. By now his influence had grown and people in large numbers, came to

listen

to his message from far and near. Thus began a way of life of hours of

meditation that later included free food for all irrespective of whether they

attended the prayer sessions or not.

 

Nanak's Sikhism evolved with nine more Gurus who followed him. Collectively,

they preached and practiced the issues concerning right and wrong, good and

evil, virtue and vice to create a vision of a civil society that is rooted in

equality, justice, freedom and governed by principles of humility and strength

(Meree and Peree). [That vision closely resembles how America evolved and its

current system of values in my view!].

 

In closing, I will repeat the last words of the Sikh daily prayer (ARDAS)

that summarize Nanak's wisdom - TERE BHANE SARBAT DA BHALLA - I pray for the

well

being of everyone with your Grace (and not just me or the Sikhs alone).

 

Dave Anand

For his latest eBook, please visit:

 

<A

HREF="http://www.peoplesuperhighway.com/">http://www.PeopleSuperHighway.com</A>

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

td -

 

thanks for posting this poem. it is a very impressive poem. as i

have read it a couple of times now, what he is writing is poetic and

experiential, i.e., from his experience rather than through dogma or

theology. what he is talking about isn't a loss of self or self

awareness but an expansion of self. very interesting and good to

read. i don't want to be at war with the ego or the self.

 

it is a very wonderful poem.

 

eric

 

 

, turtle dragon

<turtledragonscove> wrote:

> "Samadhi," by Paramhansa Yogananda (endeavoring to

> convey the glory of its cosmic state):

>

> Vanished the veils of light and shade,

> Lifted every vapor of sorrow,

> Sailed away all dawns of fleeting joy,

> Gone the dim sensory mirage.

> Love, hate, health, disease, life, death,

> Perished these false shadows on the screen of duality.

> Waves of laughter, scyllas of sarcasm, melancholic

> whirlpools,

> Melting in the vast sea of bliss.

> The storm of maya stilled

> By magic wand of intuition deep.

> The universe, forgotten dream, subconsciously lurks,

> Ready to invade my newly-wakened memory divine.

> I live without the cosmic shadow,

> But it is not, bereft of me;

> As the sea exists without the waves,

> But they breathe not without the sea.

> Dreams, wakings, states of deep turia sleep,

> Present, past, future, no more for me,

> But ever-present, all-flowing I, I, everywhere.

> Planets, stars, stardust, earth,

> Volcanic bursts of doomsday cataclysms,

> Creation's molding furnace,

> Glaciers of silent x-rays, burning electron floods,

> Thoughts of all men, past, present, to come,

> Every blade of grass, myself, mankind,

> Each particle of universal dust,

> Anger, greed, good, bad, salvation, lust,

> I swallowed, transmuted all

> Into a vast ocean of blood of my own one Being!

> Smoldering joy, oft-puffed by meditation

> Blinding my tearful eyes,

> Burst into immortal flames of bliss,

> Consumed my tears, my frame, my all.

> Thou art I, I am Thou,

> Knowing, Knower, Known, as One!

> Tranquilled, unbroken thrill, eternally living,

> ever-new peace!

> Enjoyable beyond imagination of expectancy, samadhi

> bliss!

> Not an unconscious state

> Or mental chloroform without wilful return,

> Samadhi but extends my conscious realm

> Beyond limits of the mortal frame

> To farthest boundary of eternity

> Where I, the Cosmic Sea,

> Watch the little ego floating in Me.

> The sparrow, each grain of sand, fall not without My

> sight.

> All space floats like an iceberg in My mental sea.

> Colossal Container, I, of all things made.

> By deeper, longer, thirsty, guru-given meditation

> Comes this celestial samadhi.

> Mobile murmurs of atoms are heard,

> The dark earth, mountains, vales, lo! molten liquid!

> Flowing seas change into vapors of nebulae!

> Aum blows upon vapors, opening wondrously their veils,

> Oceans stand revealed, shining electrons,

> Till, at last sound of the cosmic drum,

> Vanish the grosser lights into eternal rays

> Of all-pervading bliss.

> From joy I came, for joy I live, in sacred joy I melt.

> Ocean of mind, I drink all creation's waves.

> Four veils of solid, liquid, vapor, light,

> Lift aright.

> Myself, in everything, enters the Great Myself.

> Gone forever, fitful, flickering shadows of mortal

> memory.

> Spotless is my mental sky, below, ahead, and high

> above.

> Eternity and I, one united ray.

> A tiny bubble of laughter, I

> Am become the Sea of Mirth Itself.

>

>

>

>

>

> Exclusive Video Premiere - Britney Spears

> http://launch./promos/britneyspears/

[Guest guest]

I thought it was quite profound and so forwarded it for another list.

Glad you enjoyed it as much as I did.

-td

 

, "Eric Otto" <mkultra@f...>

wrote:

> td -

>

> thanks for posting this poem. it is a very impressive poem. as i

> have read it a couple of times now, what he is writing is poetic

and

> experiential, i.e., from his experience rather than through dogma

or

> theology. what he is talking about isn't a loss of self or self

> awareness but an expansion of self. very interesting and good to

> read. i don't want to be at war with the ego or the self.

>

> it is a very wonderful poem.

>

> eric

>

>

> , turtle dragon

> <turtledragonscove> wrote:

> > "Samadhi," by Paramhansa Yogananda (endeavoring to

> > convey the glory of its cosmic state):

> >

> > Vanished the veils of light and shade,

> > Lifted every vapor of sorrow,

> > Sailed away all dawns of fleeting joy,

> > Gone the dim sensory mirage.

> > Love, hate, health, disease, life, death,

> > Perished these false shadows on the screen of duality.

> > Waves of laughter, scyllas of sarcasm, melancholic

> > whirlpools,

> > Melting in the vast sea of bliss.

> > The storm of maya stilled

> > By magic wand of intuition deep.

> > The universe, forgotten dream, subconsciously lurks,

> > Ready to invade my newly-wakened memory divine.

> > I live without the cosmic shadow,

> > But it is not, bereft of me;

> > As the sea exists without the waves,

> > But they breathe not without the sea.

> > Dreams, wakings, states of deep turia sleep,

> > Present, past, future, no more for me,

> > But ever-present, all-flowing I, I, everywhere.

> > Planets, stars, stardust, earth,

> > Volcanic bursts of doomsday cataclysms,

> > Creation's molding furnace,

> > Glaciers of silent x-rays, burning electron floods,

> > Thoughts of all men, past, present, to come,

> > Every blade of grass, myself, mankind,

> > Each particle of universal dust,

> > Anger, greed, good, bad, salvation, lust,

> > I swallowed, transmuted all

> > Into a vast ocean of blood of my own one Being!

> > Smoldering joy, oft-puffed by meditation

> > Blinding my tearful eyes,

> > Burst into immortal flames of bliss,

> > Consumed my tears, my frame, my all.

> > Thou art I, I am Thou,

> > Knowing, Knower, Known, as One!

> > Tranquilled, unbroken thrill, eternally living,

> > ever-new peace!

> > Enjoyable beyond imagination of expectancy, samadhi

> > bliss!

> > Not an unconscious state

> > Or mental chloroform without wilful return,

> > Samadhi but extends my conscious realm

> > Beyond limits of the mortal frame

> > To farthest boundary of eternity

> > Where I, the Cosmic Sea,

> > Watch the little ego floating in Me.

> > The sparrow, each grain of sand, fall not without My

> > sight.

> > All space floats like an iceberg in My mental sea.

> > Colossal Container, I, of all things made.

> > By deeper, longer, thirsty, guru-given meditation

> > Comes this celestial samadhi.

> > Mobile murmurs of atoms are heard,

> > The dark earth, mountains, vales, lo! molten liquid!

> > Flowing seas change into vapors of nebulae!

> > Aum blows upon vapors, opening wondrously their veils,

> > Oceans stand revealed, shining electrons,

> > Till, at last sound of the cosmic drum,

> > Vanish the grosser lights into eternal rays

> > Of all-pervading bliss.

> > From joy I came, for joy I live, in sacred joy I melt.

> > Ocean of mind, I drink all creation's waves.

> > Four veils of solid, liquid, vapor, light,

> > Lift aright.

> > Myself, in everything, enters the Great Myself.

> > Gone forever, fitful, flickering shadows of mortal

> > memory.

> > Spotless is my mental sky, below, ahead, and high

> > above.

> > Eternity and I, one united ray.

> > A tiny bubble of laughter, I

> > Am become the Sea of Mirth Itself.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Exclusive Video Premiere - Britney Spears

> > http://launch./promos/britneyspears/