Building A World Without Walls – Spreading the message of Jagat Guru Baba

S. Ralph Singh

[Eighth Annual Conference On Sri Guru Granth Sahib (2019)]

Abstract:

Building A World Without Walls – Spreading the message of Jagat Guru Baba

The best way to preserve the Sikh identity is to spread the universal message of SGGS

In today’s fractured world where everyone is defined by their boundaries, how do we as Sikhs maintain our identity while glorifying our boundless Guru. Where has our history brought us and where will following the mystical yet practical teachings enshrined in our Eternal Guru, Siri Guru Granth Sahib ji lead us.

How do we worship One who is amajbai? What does na ko hindu na mussalman mean to the dominant Sikh narrative? What if we were to think of Siri Guru Granth Sahib ji as not just the Sikh scripture, but the voice of Cosmos? We are its caretakers. We are the defenders of Truth, of justice, of the equality, and the pluralism it teaches: everyone is part of my community – I see no one as an “other”.

Our character, work ethic, and compassion can provide a model for today’s global citizens and  civilization’s needs – an ethos of love, born out of devotion to a shared Higher Power – a universal authority for Truth that transcends any worldly boundaries. It defies definition and despises artificial walls meant simply to solidify man’s power and deny the glory of the Eternal transcendent One from which all power, all life, and all matter springs.

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Building A World Without Walls – Spreading the message of Jagat Guru Baba: the best way to preserve the Sikh identity is to spread the universal message of Siri Guru Granth Sahib

Chardi Kalaa,

 Ralph Singh

9-7-19

Part I

Disruption and transformation

I deal with the transformative power of story to change the dominant narrative. Stories have the power to change the world. Moreover, the stories we choose to tell and how we choose to tell them determines the course of civilization. This is the story of Chardi Kalaa. Our Gurus infused in us an irrepressible spirit to overcome all adversity  

I’ll make the sparrows tear the hawks from the sky – 1 of you will equal 125,000 – or my name is not Gobind Singh

In those who had no hope by means of lineage, or caste to ever gain access to power or even basic needs, those we may call the dregs of society, our Gurus infused such power that they transformed the face of their world, from one of constant fear and conflict, to one of peace.

So let us not lament the lack of a leader. We have the greatest leader in the Cosmos – his name is Guru Gobind Singh ji (the 10^th Nanak) and he left us the Eternal Guru, Siri Guru Granth Sahib, saying that if we would only follow the teachings – internalize Nam – we would see the Guru Himself emerge standing before us! So the real question is whether we are worthy to be called his Sikhs. I, for one, know it is a constant journey, and I ask all who this reaches pray that I am able to stay at His Holy Feet. 

Identity Crisis –

We Sikhs are constantly confronted with a conundrum – are we distinct, universal or both. I sayboth.It’s only a conundrumif we accept the paradigm the material world has imposed on us as reality. I for one don’t accept reality. I don’t accept the poverty, injustice, racism and other forms of prejudice, the disrespect for women, the elderly, those w disabilities, I don’t accept environmental degradation. So I proudly proclaim that what we see in the world is virtual reality. It’s all man made. And we are the avtars born to change that reality. Except instead of avtars, our Gurus called us Sikhs!

So for a Sikh there are at least 3 parts to our life.

The first is to elevate and share the particular teachings of our Gurus both within the community and in the world at large.

Secondly, to try our best to embody the teachings in our own lives and build a society and world which reflects the values and character which our Guru’s spoke of – sachae urai subh ko uper sach achar

Third and most important is the inner life which not only adds meaning – it is THE MEANING – of life bhai parapet manukh deharia – gobind milan  ki eh teri baria – avar kaj tere kite na kam mil sadh sangat bhuj kewal nam –

As a young student, this was my quest – where in the world could I find anyone who could connect me to God – koi an milavai mera pritam pyara ho tis pai ap vechai.

My story – Let me take you back to the summer of 1970 –

So how does a young American middle-class Jewish student end up in village India after my parents and grandparents had given me the best private school and college education money could buy? Because although I had acquired more knowledge of how the world has failed and what solutions have been enshrined in the scriptures, philosophies, and economic and political theories of the world, I had not found the Power – the Authority for that Truth and I had not found faith in myself to raise that flag for truth and justice. Spirituality was not part of curriculum.

And while I had studied what I thought were all the world religions and their scriptures, I had never seen a Sikh in my life nor heard of Sikhism.

Next year marks the 50^th anniversary of the remarkable Vision that changed my life forever.

I had just graduated from the University of Rochester, but had spent my senior year at Columbia taking all graduate courses in East Asian studies. While I was accepted in grad school, I was not sure that was the path I was to follow. I was sitting with a friend in my apartment near Columbia’s back gates, having a cup of tea, when in the blink of an eye, the room vanished and this remarkable Being was standing in front of me. A diamond like light shone from his head and his eyes held the universe. He just held up his hand and said “Don’t be afraid” He drew me out through his eyes, toured me around the universe made me feel like he possessed all knowledge I could ever attain and as a role model was everything I could ever aspire to be. He brought me back – showed me something similar to an atom – said “Meditate on this,” and vanished. The room and my friend were back to normal but my life had changed forever.

I deferred my admission to grad school and leaving everything familiar behind, took off on a classic quest for Truth and God. Following the voice which led me, in Feb 1971, I came face to face with the one who had appeared to me in that vision, in a small village community outside of Delhi. That was how I was introduced to Baba Virsa Singh ji. He looked at me and said, “You’re a student, have you found God in your books yet?” We both laughed. “Why do think it should be so easy to find God when it takes 30 years to become a Dr., Lawyer, or Engineer – You should find God without any effort?” “This is God’s school and just like reading, writing, and arithmetic, are prerequisites to worldly learning, in God’s school, everything starts with meditation.”  When I asked further, Babaji said, that while he could share many things, he wanted me to experience them myself, as everything was within me.

“Take this prayer and recite it like you’re cramming for your final. God will come tomorrow and take your exam and you’re way behind in your studies. Ask God’s blessings that you have come in search of God.”

And then blessed me with Nam, Ek Onkar Satnam Siri WaheGuru.  

Now you may argue as I have, with leading Sikhs in India (from Bhai Randhir Singh’s jetha in Ludhiana to Nihangs) and around the world, that Nam for a Sikh is WaheGuru, but this is what began playing inside my head, in a language that I had never heard before. And though the meaning “There is One God, Whose Name is Truth, Praise the Ever Greater, Ever More Wondrous God,” made total sense, it was the Punjabi that was resounding and with the Guru’s blessings still is. It is part of my being – it is my being and I know its Power. Through it I see God’s Light everywhere. My walls were breaking down.

Part II – Breaking down the walls to peace –

So following in the footsteps of classic iconoclasts, we have some walls to break down –

The first wall we need to overcome is the wall of our ego that separates us from God and the Spiritual dimension. The quintessential question that Guru Nanak Devji states in our preamble – Japji Sahib – kiv sachiara hoyai – kiv kurai tutai par

By wrapping our egos in Hukam we realize we a part of a cosmic order. Nanak hukamai jai bhujai te haumai kahi na koi. Moreover, it is not simply a passive order – but dynamic – and as we are all subjects of the Orderer we can tap in and hear the orders Hukami hukam chalayo raho. And as we praise that Eternal One, we are enveloped in a love deeper than 1000 oceans.   

So often the question arises, “is Gurbani relevant today? how do we translate it so our children and others understand it. It’s always relevant – it’s alive and always will be. Relevant to everyone who seeks a course for life. It is a self-paced course, distance learning that we discover within ourselves. It speaks to our personal needs – gavai ko tan – and supports and reinforces everyone’s growth and all professions. It helps us acquire all knowledge.

It’s easy to link each line to every day parts of our lives.  

We all spend time keeping up with our Facebook friends and leveraging our relationships on linkedin. But we need to friend the One from whom all friendships flow – Jan ka meet Sajjan hai samian – tis jan ko kaho ka ki kumia

Light and the spiritual dimension are as close as our hands and feet as thin as a butterfly’s wing.

Amrit vela sach nao – vadyai vichar – We can send and receive signals from deep space – direct a satellite to Saturn Jupiter Pluto and beyond. But what frequency can control the human mind – our errant thoughts and passions. What frequency will open our 10^th door and literally transport us to the dimension where all knowledge is accessible and all power is attainable. And it’s all FREE!

We spend so much time slaves to external stimuli, addicted to the material world. This is MAYA – jag mohni – bin denta jug khaya – we’re so plugged into something that we constantly drown out the most beautiful sound in the Cosmos – that all of creation is singing – Gavai pavan pani vaisantar – gavai khanai charai – Endless praises of the Eternal One. Nam which vibrates within all existence – the material and immaterial – the animate and inanimate.

Without this Vision – without listening to the Voice of our Guru – how can we cross this sea –

We cannot see God everywhere – see His Light shining in everything.

Our goal is to raise our consciousness to move beyond human as we recite in Asa di wareach morning –Bal hari Gur apnai dio hari sadh var jin manas te devte kia kart na lagi var

Without first breaking down this first wall we can’t move on. It’s the old question – “how can I change the world without first changing myself?” In Sikhism, they are simultaneous. Living in the world is our tapasya.

2nd wall – Religious walls – What is true religious pluralism –

Ved Kiteb kaho mat jhutay – Nam doesn’t belong to anyone –

There is a clear conflict between Sikhs and our Guru and as much conflict within the Panth as with others around us. But take heart, all religions have suffered from the same fate. As the institutions grow, they try to control their adherents.

Sikh leaders came to Babaji in Amritsar on 400th anniversary of Guru Granth Sahib, complaining “Every religion has their own scripture that talks only of their Prophets why would our Gurus leave us a scripture that includes everyone.” Baba ji laughed – “They knew a katred class like you would arise and they wanted to make sure the barriers stayed down.”

Think about it. Some of the most common shabads you sing and teach your children, have all the names of God.

Gobind – sahas sahas simro Gobind

Allah – avar allah nur upaya kudrit kai subh bandai –

When we bow before Siri Guru Granth Sahib, we bow before the words uttered by a child and an octogenarian, one born into a poor Muslim or low caste Hindu home, as well as 6 of the Sikh Gurus, to show that God can choose anyone to speak through.

How many realize that the opening of our Panthic Ardas comes from Chandi di War – Guru Gobind Singh ji’s ode to Durga Mata.

Babaji sent me to the Millennium Peace Summit at the United Nations with a simple message – “Break down the walls between your religions if you ever expect to have peace in the world.” He called on them to celebrate each other’s holidays.

You can’t wall up the Light.

A Case in point – I was just leaving after a full day at a major academic conference in NY when a Tibetan monk, one of the chief guests, stopped and greeted me, “Sat Siri Akal Sardar ji.” His entourage was as surprised as I was wondering who this person was who commanded such respect from their teacher. He continued, “We Tibetans have great love for Guru Nanak. As a matter of fact, there is a famous shrine on the way to Ladakh where the Great Guru left his spiritual imprint in a rock. We would always stop to worship there, putting butter on the rock in reverence. After many years away,  I returned to Tibet was looking forward to paying respects at the shrine, but as we approached, I noticed the rock was now enclosed. My driver said, “the Sikhs have taken over, built a Temple and now we have to take off our shoes and cover our heads, so many people have stopped coming.” But I asked, “isn’t the Light still there?” The Monk smiled – “for those who can see it – it never goes away.” But I got the message – we and others spend our time walling up the Light, claiming it as ours, instead of spreading it and sharing it with the world. 

This does create a quandary. In order to “qualify” in the Western order – as a distinct religion – and gain the respect and attention of religious scholars –we need our “own” scripture? Don’t we need to build our own Gurdwaras, to represent “our” distinct identity? Especially if we need to defend ourselves against the pressures of modern acculturation. In many cases, we are a “persecuted” minority. But we can’t let that define our identity.

Let us not take the circle the wagons approach – Hum Hindu Nahi – to define ourselves.

No company defines itself by what it isn’t – NOT Google – Can you imagine MSoft or Apple’s new logo – “We’re NOT Google!” Let us proudly raise the flag of Jagat Gur Baba high and share the story of who we are.

3rd wall – Subhai sanjiwal sadhainda –tu kisai  na disai bahra jio “Everyone is part of my community – no one is an other/outsider”

Today’s news is dominated by walls to keep those we consider “others” out. Bullying in schools and online is rampant for anyone who doesn’t measure up or is branded as an “other”. Naturally, we Sikhs have suffered more than others from post-9-11 hate crimes as we are presumed the visible manifestation of the “enemy.” This becomes personal.

Real Stories – Power of SGGS to Triumph over Hatred-

On November 18^th 2001, 4 teens got drunk and torched Gobind Sadan, USA’s main house, thinking we were followers of bin Laden and they were doing their patriotic duty to burn us out.

2 miracles followed. In the midst of a 100 year-old farmhouse with flames shooting out of the roof from our Darbar Sahib room, not only did Guru Granth Sahib and Dasam Granth survive the fire, but not even a drop of water from the tons poured on to extinguish the flames reach a single word on the pages. Only a small area on the corners was dampened. The fire marshall said he’d never seen anything like it in his life. BBC called it a miracle and the story was carried around the world.

The second miracle was the power of forgiveness. We immediately offered a prayer of forgiveness that the hatred and ignorance that led to this senseless act be taken away. It allowed the entire community to heal – refusing to be cast as victims we were able to control the narrative in the media which rallied the broader community to rebuild a sense of love and understanding – and everyone in the region came together to help rebuild our Gurdwara.

Forgiveness also transformed the lives of the young arsonists. I had the privilege of crossing the bar at their sentencing and reading that inspired statement of forgiveness face to face. For those interested in this story –https://www.gobindsadan.org/the-story-behind-the-fire/

“Mom, God must really be present here.”

In a story carried by Beliefnet and quoted in other print outlets, a friend who was a Methodist Minister who often participated in our interfaith services brought her daughter with her when she heard of the arson. As she walked around the burned-out shell and described to her daughter how the Holy scripture had survived the fired – the girl looked up and said, “Mom that means that God is truly present here.”

How often do we allow ourselves to feel God’s presence – the Guru is the very embodiment and presence of God. How often do we allow others to feel that presence?

So I saw first-hand the power of Guru Granth Sahib to triumph over hatred.

I was invited to present the story  “Towards a Theology of Community,” at Harvard.

My main point was that how we define God and how we worship defines our sense of community. If we are taught that only people who look like us or worship together are part of our community – then it is easy to demonize everyone else as an outsider, a threat to the purity of our clan and our teachings. The same is true of most majority minority relations today.

Guru Nanak Dev ji taught that “Everyone is part of my community, I see no one as an “other” or outsider,” and so when faced with an attack by young people we embraced them as part of our community and recognized a teachable moment.

To this day, whenever people see me, they say, “You are the ones who forgave those kids.” They may not know the names of our Gurus, but they know this turban stands for peace and justice for all. 

Langar – nothing helps define our ethos and share it with the community around us than langar. More than even Gurdwara, langar is the original Sikh “institution.” Community meals are the single most visible representation of sharing with those in need and can work in any setting. We must move out of the Gurdwara and serve the people around us.   

Missing Link – correcting a myth

The missing link in the creation of Siri Guru Granth Sahib ji and the movement from Bedi to Sodhi occurred in one historic place in Goindwal Sahib. Only a short distance away from the 52 step baori sahib, 1 for each pauri of Japji Sahib, is a smaller Gurdwara, Chubara Sahib, the personal residence of Guru Amar Das ji. It was the birth place of Guru Arjan Devji – the place where Bhai Jetha was anointed Guru Ram Das – where Bibi Bhaniji asked for the boon that the Gur Gaddi stay with the Sodhi vans – and where Baba Mohun ji after Guru Amar Das presented him to serve Baba Siri Chand ji would sit in long periods of meditation – and where he was the custodian of the pothis of his father and those Guru Nanak Devji entrusted to him by Baba Siri Chand ji-

It is here that Guru Arjan Dev ji stood in the street below and called up to Baba Mohun ji (who also happened to be his beloved Mamaji – his mother’s brother) Mohun tere uchal mandal –

there is the nail to which Guru Amar Das ji tied his hair to stay awake in Samadhi- a box containing locks of his hair – and the palki sahib which carried the pothis to Amritsar-  each year the Taran Tarn sangat hold a jaloose reenacting the path from Goindwal to Harimandir Sahib that the pothis traveled. But amazingly enough, our so-called Sikh scholars sitting within a day’s ride, deny this as a myth. There are 2 ways to do research – study books and texts – or go the actual sites if available.

We unwittingly perpetuate the myth about Baba Siri Chand ji without realizing that he spread the teachings of his father and Guru far and wide. Sindis and Nanak panthis owe their love to Baba Siri Chand ji. And while even the Anandpur Sahib resolution called on the Panth to reunite the Udasis and the Nirmalas who spread the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev ji and Guru Granth Sahib, we mostly remain under the veil of ignorance, accepting a false narrative perpetuated by the British to undermine Sikh power and bring the poison of elections into our midst.

So what would a world without walls look like?  a place of love and reverence for all!

There are few places where Siri Guru Granth Sahib is given as much reverence. The daily life is punctuated by the ending of one Akhand Path at 2. a,m., only to be begun by another. On major holidays, up to 13 akhand paths, all done by devoted families, will continue throughout the celebration.

But what makes Gobind Sadan different, is that the teachings of religious pluralism enshrined in Guru Granth Sahib are actually visible. 50 years ago, what John Lennon could only “imagine,” the title of his anthem, “Imagine a world where we can live as one,” is a living reality. This is a practical demonstration of Guru Nanak Dev ji’s Vision, that Baba Virsa Singh ji built into Gobind Sadan, as we know it today – “God’s house without walls.”

To some, especially at this time of strong forces of acculturation in India and abroad, people can’t understand why there would be a scared fire (havan), a lifesize image of Jesus, a Mosque to offer a safe place for the area Muslims to pray, places where the Shma of the Jews is etched in stone, a meditation pavilion where the Buddha and Mahavir welcome you to sit in silence.

Holidays of all faiths are celebrated with great excitement to teach love and reverence to all who bring God’s message.

If we as Sikhs talk about the universal message, and being able to experience the sacred everywhere, then we should be proud of this divine model.

Where do we go from here?
That’s a question each one must answer – Sub Sikhan ko Hukam Hai – Guru Manio Granth – Guru Granth ji manyo pargat Gura ki deh

I have been speaking and writing on this recurring theme since the early 70’s, when I had the honor of preaching throughout Punjab. I remember being called back to India to speak at the 1978 All India Akali Conference in Ludhiana following the “Nirankari” affair where Sikhs were killed protesting the Nirankari leader. Chandar Shekar, then prime minister addressed the gathering of 1 million – along with the entire Sikh high command – (you can see the historic picture) among the cries that Sikhism is under threat and what must we and the gov’t do to protect it.

I rose and shared:  

“Wherever I went throughout Punjab I would hear the dhadis sing –

Jis da Sahib dada hoy kis nu mar na sakai koi – manu asadi datri asi us di soi –

Yet today we hear the cries that Sikhi is in danger – sikhi nu khatra hai

The one thing I’ve learned at Baba Virsa Singh ji’s feet – is that

Sikhi ek atul Sachai – and Sachai nu khatra kadi na paisakhda –

Lekhen Sikh nu katra pai sakda hai jai assi Guru di hukam nahi manda hai

Sikhi is Eternal Truth and Truth can never be threatened – But Sikhs can be in danger when they don’t follow their Guru’s Hukam

Nam na japai te sabh da muhtaj – If we forget Nam, we will be forever beholden to everyone.

Dharm is Eternal – aad sach jugaad sach and the Siri Gru Granth Sahib is the Eternal Guru the Voice of the Cosmos.”

So the Guru will always be relevant. But will there always be Sikhs willing to distinguish themselves with the proudest title – aspire to be a Sikh? I say “Yes.”

Do we want to be part of what I truly believe to be the greatest, most powerful social movement to restore peace and justice on the planet – to distinguish ourselves for our character and courage – so everyone wants to have at least 1 Sikh friend to stabilize their community, their work place, – their country – to serve others without converting them. To provide a face for pluralism.
Then we need only follow the Guru Granth Sahib ji and proudly display our “colors,” our turbans, with pride.

END

Ralph Singh

ralph@gobindsadan.org