Guru Nanak has encapsulated the Sikh philosophy in many of his Shabads (compositions). One of them says that the three pillars ofSikh faith are Simran (remembrance of the Creator and Hukam or His commands), Sach (truthfulness), and

Seva (service). This Shabad in Siri Raag is on pages 25-26 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib and uses the metaphor of obtaining light obtained from an oil lamp to describe how mind can be enlightened: In life humans are influenced by the environment which takes many forms. These include wondrous things happening around us, distractions provided by the sensory organs and attachment to wealth and family.Going after transitory pleasures like intoxicants and satisfaction of lust also represent Maya among others. Efforts are needed to keep the effects of Maya at bay. The Shabad provides guidelines for a practical spiritual life in this regard as follows.

ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ਘਰੁ ੫ ॥ ਅਛਲ ਛਲਾਈ ਨਹ ਛਲੈ ਨਹ ਘਾਉ ਕਟਾਰਾ ਕਰਿ ਸਕੈ ॥

(A devotee’s) faith is not deceived by the undeceivable Maya (no one can deceive it) nor is it wounded by any weapon;

ਜਿਉ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਰਾਖੈ ਤਿਉ ਰਹੈ ਇਸੁ ਲੋਭੀ ਕਾ ਜੀਉ ਟਲ ਪਲੈ ॥੧॥

He lives by Divine will (bhaana), but the self-oriented (greedy person) wavers;

Question:

ਬਿਨੁ ਤੇਲ ਦੀਵਾ ਕਿਉ ਜਲੈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

How can a lamp give light (remove ignorance) without oil (knowledge)?

Answer:

ਪੋਥੀ ਪੁਰਾਣ ਕਮਾਈਐ ॥ ਭਉ ਵਟੀ ਇਤੁ ਤਨਿ ਪਾਈਐ ॥ ਸਚੁ ਬੂਝਣੁ ਆਣਿ ਜਲਾਈਐ ॥੨॥

Live by scriptural teachings; let the wick of the lamp be compliance with commands and light it with the understanding of truth;

ਇਹੁ ਤੇਲੁ ਦੀਵਾ ਇਉ ਜਲੈ ॥ ਕਰਿ ਚਾਨਣੁ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਤਉ ਮਿਲੈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

This is the oil that sustains the lamp; with this enlightenment one meets the Master;

ਇਤੁ ਤਨਿ ਲਾਗੈ ਬਾਣੀਆ ॥ ਸੁਖੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਸੇਵ ਕਮਾਣੀਆ ॥ ਸਭ ਦੁਨੀਆ ਆਵਣ ਜਾਣੀਆ ॥੩॥

When the Word touches the mind one finds pleasure in service (doing one’s duties); remember everything in this world is perishable (so do not be distracted);

ਵਿਚਿ ਦੁਨੀਆ ਸੇਵ ਕਮਾਈਐ ॥ ਤਾ ਦਰਗਹ ਬੈਸਣੁ ਪਾਈਐ ॥ ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਬਾਹ ਲੁਡਾਈਐ ॥੪॥੩੩॥ ੧੨੫-੨੬

If we serve (go by Hukam) while in this world, we receive honor in the Lord’s presence; and wave our hands in joy (M: 1, SGGS, p 25-26).

Human life is the opportunity provided to the soul to merge back into God, its source. There is no mention of any dogmas, rituals or superstitions for achieving this purpose and there is no requirement to follow them. The Shabad brings out the following as translated above:

1. One who follows the Guru’s teachings escapes from the grip of Maya. The fifth Guru says:

ਕਹੁਨਾਨਕ ਜਿਨਿ ਧੂਰਿ ਸੰਤ ਪਾਈ ॥ ਤਾ ਕੈ ਨਿਕਟਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਮਾਈ ॥੫॥੫੧੮੨

Maya does not come near one who seeks the Guru’s sanctuary

i.e.follows Guru’s teachings (M: 5, SGGS, p 182).

2. Such a person lives by Divine will. He is firmly of the belief that whatever God wills happens. Human efforts are only excuses, in that humans are used as tools. Guru Nanak says:

ਜੋਤਿਸੁਭਾਵੈਸੰਮ੍ਰਥਸੋਥੀਐਹੀਲੜਾਏਹੁਸੰਸਾਰੋ॥੧੫੭੯

God alone is capable to do any thing;

human efforts are excuses (M: 1, SGGS, p 579).

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਤੇਰਾ ਭਾਣਾ ਭਾਵੈ ॥ ਸਹਜੇ ਹੀ ਸੁਖੁ ਸਚੁ ਕਮਾਵੈ ॥

ਭਾਣੇ ਨੋ ਲੋਚੈ ਬਹੁਤੇਰੀ ਆਪਣਾ ਭਾਣਾ ਆਪਿ ਮਨਾਇਦਾ ॥੨॥੩੧੦੬੩

One who goes by the Guru’s word accepts God’s will;

He easily receives comfort and reaches the eternal Master (M: 3, SGGS, p 1063).

3. Self oriented persons who ignore the teachings because of greed and other afflictions waver:

ਆਇਓਸੁਨਨਪੜਨਕਉਬਾਣੀ॥

ਨਾਮੁਵਿਸਾਰਿਲਗਹਿਅਨਲਾਲਚਿਬਿਰਥਾਜਨਮੁਪਰਾਣੀ॥੧॥ਰਹਾਉ॥੫੧੨੧੯

Humans are required to pay heed to the Divine Word (commands);

In greed one forgets the Lord and wastes human life (M: 5, SGGS p 1291).

ਮਨਮੁਖੁ ਕਰਮ ਕਰੇ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੀ ॥ ਜੂਐ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਭ ਬਾਜੀ ਹਾਰੀ ॥

ਅੰਤਰਿ ਲੋਭੁ ਮਹਾ ਗੁਬਾਰਾ ਫਿਰਿ ਫਿਰਿ ਆਵਣ ਜਾਵਣਿਆ ॥੭॥੪੧੩੦

The self oriented person acts in vanity; he treats life as a gamble and loses;

Greed and ignorance keep him in cycles of death and rebirth (M: 4, SGGS, p 130).

4. The way to get enlightenment is:
   • Live by scriptural teachings that spread the Divine word. A devotee treats them as life’s nectar:

ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਤੇਰੀ ਬਾਣੀਆ ॥ ਤੇਰਿਆ ਭਗਤਾ ਰਿਦੈ ਸਮਾਣੀਆ ॥

ਸੁਖ ਸੇਵਾ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਰਖਿਐ ਆਪਣੀ ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰਹਿ ਨਿਸਤਾਰਿ ਜੀਉ ॥੧੨॥੧੭੨

O Lord Your Word is nectar and abides in the minds of Your devotees;

There is solace in Your service and your grace takes us across the world ocean

(M: 1, SGGS, p 72).

• Obey preordained commands of God without any argument:

ਊਹਾ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਤੁਮਾਰਾ ਸੁਣੀਐ ॥ ਈਹਾ ਹਰਿ ਜਸੁ ਤੇਰਾ ਭਣੀਐ ॥

ਆਪੇ ਲੇਖ ਅਲੇਖੈ ਆਪੇ ਤੁਮ ਸਿਉ ਨਾਹੀ ਕਿਛੁ ਝਾੜਾ ॥੩॥੫੧੦੮੧

The soul heard Your commands before birth; it must remember your commands here;

You write our accounts but are Yourself not subject to any account;

There is no argument with You (M: 5, SGGS, p 1081)

• Make truth the guiding light.

ਆਪੇ ਸਚੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਤਿਸੁ ਸਚੁ ॥ ਅੰਧਾ ਕਚਾ ਕਚੁ ਨਿਕਚੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥੧੨੫

The Creator is Truth and likes truthfulness;

Those who remain ignorant of this never reach fruition: Pause: (M: 1, SGGS, p 25).

ਸਚਹੁ ਓਰੈ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਉਪਰਿ ਸਚੁ ਆਚਾਰੁ ॥੫॥੧੬੨

Truth is higher than every thing,

but higher still is truthful living (M: 1, SGGS, p 62).

Truth has to be practiced in thought, word and deed. All cobwebs of untruth i.e. influences of things transitory around the mind are then removed. The mind is then enlightened enabling it to have a vision of the Lord..

ਸੋ ਜਨੁ ਸਾਚਾ ਜਿ ਅੰਤਰੁ ਭਾਲੇ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਦਰਿ ਨਿਹਾਲੇ ॥

ਗਿਆਨ ਅੰਜਨੁ ਪਾਏ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦੀ ਨਦਰੀ ਨਦਰਿ ਮਿਲਾਇਦਾ ॥੪॥੩੧੦੬੫

A person who searches the mind gets to the Truth;

Through the guru’s word which removes ignorance, he receives

Divine grace leading to vision of God (M:3, SGGS, p 1065)

• If the teachings through the holy word are assimilated by the mind, one is motivated to serve and get solace. Service has two aspects, those of obedience of commands which is the other name for laws of nature, doing physical service and sharing resources. This last is called Vand Chhakna literally meaning sharing food. It is important that resources shared should have been earned by honest means. This combines truthfulness with service
• Remember everything in this world will perish. This is an exhortation to shed vanity and ego caused by so called high caste, physical strength, position of authority, beauty and wealth. These are all transitory. Some of them may be lost in life but all are lost on death because nothing goes with the soul except the consequences of its deeds. Not being swayed by these is not easy; one needs to kill the pride caused by them. Those who can do this are Mar Jeevray, the living dead because they kill their ego. They are also called Jeevan Mukt or emancipated in life. They remain happy in this word and are rewarded with salvation by way of being accepted by God.

ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਜੀਵਤ ਮਰੈ ਮਰਿ ਜੀਵੈ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਮਾਇ ॥

ਮੁਕਤਿ ਦੁਆਰਾ ਸੋਈ ਪਾਏ ਜਿ ਵਿਚਹੁ ਆਪੁ ਗਵਾਇ ॥੩॥ ੩੧੨੭੬

One who lives by Gur-shabad is helped by the Guru to shed ego;

Only one who sheds ego receives salvation (M: 3, SGGS, p 1276).

Such a person lives in Simran, Sach and Seva, the three cardinal principles of a Sikh’s life. They also are often expressed as Naam Japna (remembering God and His commands), Dharam di Kirt (making an honest truthful living) and Vand Chhakna (sharing with others). The difference between charity and Vand Chhakna is that in the latter one does not give but shares and that subdues ego. The practical demonstration of this is in the Guru Ka Langar, where everybody particularly those who may have contributed towards preparation of the food first serve the congregation and then eat themselves. This promotes humility.

These seem to be too idealistic to cater for the aspirations of those who want to achieve in this competitive era. A closer look would show that this really meet soch aspirations. Gurbani encourages people to work and achieve but also not become obsessed with wealth, physical strength, beauty, work or promotion and neglect other aspects like quality of life. These include responsibility to the family, society and the country. It is also necessary that while making the most of this life the hereafter is not forgotten because the stay in this world is transitory, just a step towards to what lies ahead in later life and after death.

What we do here is guided by how we look at life. Simple questions to ask are: What am I here for? Could I have decided in which country, family or faith I was to be born? What are my responsibilities in this regard? What should I do to be happy here as well as in the hereafter?

The answer to these questions lies in four words Dharam (dutifulness towards the Divine, family and the society), Arth (economic well being (working honestly to earn, contribute to development and share), Kaam (fulfillment of desires and ambitions) and Mokh or Mukti (release from the bondage of reincarnation through release from bondage to the means of work, pleasure and enjoyment; this the other name for service without a sense of greed or its rewards).