[naamnet] 3.2 - Good And Bad Actions

[Akaali]

KARAM - PART 2

Sant Ishar Singh ji said everyone plans for the future. You study hard because you want a good job when you get older. You put money away in a pension scheme so you have a good retirement. One step beyond that we need to plan for our next life. What happens to us depends on our actions now. Do good actions (karam) now and reap the fruits in the next life. (apeh beej apeh hee kao JapJi).

Their are many types of good deeds : give money in charity, help people etc but Guru Nanak ji says that these aren’t even worth a sesame seed when your accounts are read. (Tirath tap daya dat dan je ko bhavai til ka man - JapJi).

The real karam is listening and obeying the Gurus's teachings, loving SatGuru ji in your mind and bathing in the temple of the heart (Sunnia mannia man keeta bhao, antargat teerath mal nao - Japji).

KARAM - PART 3

Baba Maan Singh ji said the steps to earning good karam are :

SHARAM -> DHARAM -> KARAM.

First you need a sense of sharam (shame). If you can’t even tell what is wrong and what is right then you have no chance. A sex/nude scene comes on TV the youngsters sit and watch it, they dont get embarrased even though their parents are watching too. Worse still the parents don’t say anything either - no-one has a sense of shame. If you have a sense of Sharam then you need to follow Dharam (religion/righteous deeds) by following the Guru's path you earn Karam good actions like seva, simran, paat. These karams wipe away your negative karams and will cause you to go closer to God. Ultimately if you do enough good karam your negative karam is wiped out while you are alive and you merge with God while still alive (Jeevan Mukat),

Our actions decide what happens to us (karmee apo apanee ke neray ke door - JapJi) . Our actions are our own - some will be called close to God some will be pushed away.

KARAM - PART4

karam dharam paakhand jo deesai,

tin jam jagaatee looteh||

nirbaaN keertan gavau karteh kaa,

nimukh simrat jit schooteh||

All the hypocritical ‘karam’ religion I see,

are robbed by Death while they are awake!

Sing the immaculate praises (keertan) of the Creator,

you are saved by even a moment’s remembrance.

Does this mean that we shouldn't get into the plus/minus of paap/pun? or, that even if you have a big negative, simran will erase all of that?

Veer jee, I think you're right, I never worry about all the insects I've probably stepped on in the day........I dont want to end up like a Jain monk sweeping the floor infront of me and a mouth mask to stop me breathing them in. Guru jee is saying don’t get caught up in karam...better to be as pure as practical and do kirtan and naam and always ardas for forgiveness. Even if we lived the perfect life of generating no negative actions…never stepped on insects, never hurt anyone etc, we still wouldn’t reach the Supreme Waheguru Jee until we sung his praises and repeated his naam. Any religion that focuses on good and bad karam to the extent they have forgotten about praising Waheguru, is hypocrisy says Guru jee.

Here are some of the things Guru Granth Sahib Jee says about actions:

• You shall reap what you sow. This body is the result of your actions. (Guru V, Jaitsri Raag)

• I have been separated from You due to my own actions, why should I blame others?(Guru V, Majh Raag)

• Why blame other people? I have to blame my own actions; As I have acted so are the fruits. (Guru I, Asa Raag)

• On the soil of your mind sow the seed of good actions; Water this field with His Nam. (Guru I, Sri Raag)

• Ignoramus, why do you blaspheme God, when you will receive according to your actions? (Trilochanji, Dhanasri Raag)

• All people are under One Sovereign who holds them responsible for their actions. (Guru I, Basant Raag)

• Our acts, right and wrong, at Your Court shall come to judgement. Some will be seated near Your seat, Some will forever be kept away. The toils have ended for those that have worshipped You. Nanak says, their faces are lit with joyful radiance and they will set free many others. (Guru I, Japji)

• If you sing God's glory, all your undertakings will bear fruit.(Guru V, Kalyan Raag)