Sach Achaar or Truthful Living – The Ethical Message

of Sri Guru Granth SahibInder M. Singh

Primary Goal of Life

BeI prapit manuK w[hurIAa .This human body has been given to you.

g]ib;w imlN kI ieh t[rI brIAa .This is your chance to meet the Lord of the

Universe.

Truthful Living

Ethical lifestyle is essential for spiritual achievement

schu Xr{ sBu k] xupir scu Aacaru .5.Truth is higher than everything; but higher still is

truthful living. || 5 ||

Spirituality and Ethical Lifestyle

BrIA{ mit papa k{ s;ig .But when the intellect is stained and polluted by sin,

Xhu W]p{ nav{ k{ r;ig .it can only be cleansed by the Love of the Name.

…..

nis v;Vhu iklivKhu krta Gir AaieAa .Run away, O sins; the Creator has entered my home.

wUth whnu BieAa g]iv;wu pRgoaieAa .The demons within me have been burnt; the Lord of the

Universe has revealed Himself to me.

Gun / Avgun or Virtues and Vices

AvguN C]id guNa kxu Wavhu kir AvguN pCutahI jIxu .

Renounce evil, and seek virtue; committing sins, you shall only come to regret and repent.

Core values and guidelines, not a set of specific Do’s and Don’tsApply ethical principles to guide our actions in any situation

The Five Demons

Haumai gives rise to five demonsLust (kaam)Anger (krodh)Greed (lobh)Unhealthy attachment (moh)Pride (ahankaar)

iesu w[hI A;wir p;c c]r vsih kamu kR]Wu l]Bu m]hu Ah;kara .

Within this body dwell the five thieves: sexual desire, anger, greed, emotional attachment and egotism.

A;imRtu lUoih mnmuK nhI bUJih k]ie n suN{ pUkara .They plunder the Nectar, but the self-willed manmukh does not realize

it; no one hears his complaint.

Sexual Desire (kaam)

Essential for survival human race

Gurbani extols love between husband and wife

Wn ipru e[ih n AaKIAin bhin iekO[ h]ie .They are not said to be husband and wife, who merely

sit together.

e[k j]it wuie mUrtI Wn ipru khIA{ s]ie .3.They alone are called husband and wife, who have one

light in two bodies. || 3 ||

Metaphor for love between devotee and God

Sexual Desire

Unrestrained, can lead toInfidelity

Marital and social discord

Sexually transmitted diseases

Sexual exploitation and prostitution

Above all, mental and spiritual anguish

Keeps one separate from God and Divine Self

Sikhi is path of Sehaj – moderation and balance

Anger (krodh)

Hurts oneself more than the person at whom it is directed.

Bad for one’s health– Physical– Mental– Spiritual

Greed (Lobh)shs Ko[ lK kxu xuiO Wav{ .Earning a thousand, he runs after a hundred thousand.itRpit n Aav{ maieAa paC{ pav{ .Satisfaction is not obtained by chasing after Maya.Aink B]g ibiKAa k[ kr{ .He may enjoy all sorts of corrupt pleasures,nh itRptav{ Kip Kip mr{ .but he is still not satisfied; he indulges again and again, wearing himself out, until he dies.ibna s;t]K nhI k]xU raj{ .Without contentment, no one is satisfied.supn mn]rT ibRT[ sB kaj{ .Like the objects in a dream, all his efforts are in vain.

Naam alone satisfies one’s desires and provides real satisfaction and fulfillment

w[ih namu s;t]KIAa xutr{ mn kI BuK .Please bless me with Your Name, and make me content; may the hunger of my mind be

satisfied.

Emotional Attachment (Moh)

Unselfish love for family and others is a virtue, but

Excessive attachment to material things or loved ones can be major obstacle on spiritual path

Ahankaar (Pride)

Direct manifestation of haumai

Major obstacle on spiritual path

hxum{ nav{ nail ivr]Wu h{ wuie n vsih iek Oaie .Ego is the enemy of Naam; the two can not dwell in the same place.

hir jIxu Ah;karu n BaveI v[w kUik suNavih .The Dear Lord is not pleased by egotism; the religious scriptures

proclaim this clearly.

Ah;kair mue[ s[ ivgtI ge[ mir jnmih iPir Aavih .9.Those who are embroiled in egotism, shall not find salvation. They die,

and are reborn in reincarnation. || 9 ||

Unethical behaviors

The five demons give rise to many kinds of unethical behavior– Hypocrisy– Slander– Cruelty / oppression and exploitation of the

weak or poor– Jealousy– Indulgence– …

Virtues or GunsCentral to virtuous action is identifying with God and seeing His Light in all

stu s;t]Ku wieAa Wrmu sIgaru bnavxu .I am embellished with truth, contentment, compassion and Dharmic faith.sPl s]hagiN nanka Apun[ pRB Bavxu .4.15.45.My spiritual marriage is fruitful, O Nanak; I am pleasing to my God. || 4 || 15 ||

45 ||

stu s;t]Ku wieAa Wrmu suic s;tn t[ iehu m;tu leI .Truth, contentment, compassion, Dharmic faith and purity - I have received

these from the Teachings of the Saints.khu nank ijin mnhu pCainAa itn kxu sglI s]J peI .2.4.90.Says Nanak, one who realizes this in his mind, achieves total understanding. ||

2 || 4 || 90 ||

Truth or Sach

Truth is identified with Godgur kI pxuzI sac kI saca suKu h]eI .Truth is the ladder to the Guru; climbing up to the True Lord, peace

is obtained.

A Gurmukh is characterized by honesty and integrity scu sBna h]ie warU pap kD{ W]ie .Truth is the medicine for all; it removes and washes

away our sins.

Contentment or SantokhitRpit n Aav{ maieAa paC{ pav{ .Satisfaction is not obtained by chasing after Maya.Aink B]g ibiKAa k[ kr{ .He may enjoy all sorts of corrupt pleasures,nh itRptav{ Kip Kip mr{ .but he is still not satisfied; he indulges again and again,

wearing himself out, until he dies.ibna s;t]K nhI k]xU raj{ .Without contentment, no one is satisfied.supn mn]rT ibRT[ sB kaj{ .Like the objects in a dream, all his efforts are in vain.nam r;ig srb suKu h]ie .Through the love of the Naam, all peace is obtained.bdBagI iks{ prapit h]ie .Only a few obtain this, by great good fortune.

Compassion or Daya

wieAa jaN{ jIA kI ikCu pu;nu wanu kr[ie .Showing mercy to other beings, he is

generous and charitable

AOsiO tIrT sgl pu;n jIA wieAa prvanu .Be kind to all beings-this is more meritorious

than bathing at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage and the giving of charity

Duty or Dharam

Engaged in real world while walking on spiritual path

Meeting ones obligations to family and society

Work hard and earn an honest living

Altruism or Parupkaar

bRhm igAanI prxupkar xumaha .The God-conscious being delights in doing

good to others.UnselfishnessSee Divine Light in allServe God by serving othersAt heart of ideal of SevaSarbat ka bhalaa

Forgiveness or Khima

PrIwa bur[ wa Bla kir gusa min n hDaie .Fareed, answer evil with goodness; do not fill your mind

with anger.

w[hI r]gu n lgeI pl{ sBu ikCu paie .78.Your body shall not suffer from any disease, and you shall

obtain everything. || 78 ||

Humility or NimrataAntithesis of hankaar or prideApproach God with utmost humility to receive His Grace

h]hu sBna kI r[Nuka txu Aaxu hmar{ pais .1.Become the dust of the feet of all, and then, you may come to me. || 1 ||

Aaps kxu j] jaN{ nIca .One who sees himself as lowly,s]xU gnIA{ sB t[ xUca .shall be accounted as the highest of all.ja ka mnu h]ie sgl kI rIna .One whose mind is the dust of all,hir hir namu itin Gio Gio cIna .recognizes the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, in each and every heart.

Humility or NimratakbIr sB t[ hm bur[ hm tij Bl] sBu k]ie .Kabeer, I am the worst of all. Everyone else is good.

is;ml ruKu sraiera Ait wIrG Ait mucu .The simmal tree is straight as an arrow; it is very tall, and very thick.Xie ij Aavih Aas kir jaih inras[ iktu .But those birds which visit it hopefully, depart disappointed.Pl iPk[ Pul bkbk[ k;im n Aavih pt .Its fruits are tasteless, its flowers are nauseating, and its leaves are

useless.imOtu nIvI nanka guN c;igAaeIAa ttu .Sweetness and humility, O Nanak, are the essence of virtue and

goodness.

Fearlessness or Nirbhaita

dda dr xupj[ dru jaeI .DADDA: When the Fear of God wells up, other

fears depart.ta dr mih dru rihAa smaeI .Other fears are absorbed into that Fear.jxu dr dr{ ta iPir dru lag{ .When one rejects the Fear of God, then other

fears cling to him.indr hUAa dru xur h]ie Bag{ .19.But if he becomes fearless, the fears of his heart

run away. || 19 ||

Fearlessness or Nirbhaita

namu jpt srb suKu paeIA{ .Chanting the Naam, all happiness is obtained.sBu Bxu ibns{ hir hir iWAaeIA{ .All fears are erased, meditating on the Name of the Lord,

Har, Har.

B{ kahU kxu w[t nih nih B{ mant Aan .One who does not threaten anyone, and who is not afraid

of anyone else khu nank suin r[ mna igAanI taih bKain .16.- says Nanak, listen, mind: call him spiritually wise. || 16 ||

EqualityjaNhu j]it n pUChu jatI Aag{ jait n h[ .1. rhaxu .Recognize the Lord's Light within all, and do not consider social class or status;

there are no classes or castes in the world hereafter. || 1 || Pause ||

Avil Alh nUru xupaieAa kuwrit k[ sB b;w[ .First, Allah created the Light; then, by His Creative Power, He made all mortal

beings.e[k nUr t[ sBu jgu xupijAa kxun Bl[ k] m;w[ .1.From the One Light, the entire universe welled up. So who is good, and who is

bad? || 1 ||….maoI e[k An[k Ba:it kir sajI sajnhar{ .The clay is the same, but the Fashioner has fashioned it in various ways.na kCu p]c maoI k[ Ba:d[ na kCu p]c ku;Bar{ .2.There is nothing wrong with the pot of clay - there is nothing wrong with the

Potter. || 2 ||sB mih sca e[k] s]eI its ka kIAa sBu kCu h]eI .The One True Lord abides in all; everything is created by Him

Detachment

j{s[ jl mih kmlu inralmu murgaeI n{ saN[ .The lotus flower floats untouched upon the

surface of the water, and the duck swims through the stream;

surit sbiw Bv sagru trIA{ nank namu vKaN[ .

with one's consciousness focused on the Word of the Shabad, one crosses over the terrifying world-ocean. O Nanak, chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord.

srb Wrm mih sR[so Wrmu .Of all religions, the best religion

hir k] namu jip inrml krmu .is to chant the Name of the Lord and

maintain pure conduct.