Which Is A Better Job For A Spiritual Lifestyle?

[shastarSingh]

One of my friends who was working as a software developer in Canada recently left his job and started driving a truck. He made friends with a punjabi truck driver and went with him on one of his trips. He liked it so much that he left his software job. He says that trucking is a much better job as you can listen to Gurbani kirtan while driving and you can also see the countryside.

Is trucking a better job than software for a person wanting a spiritual lifestyle?????

[Guest]

My father has driven a truck and he listened to at least 15 hours of gurbani every single day. Even to this day he drives and he listens to gurbani and Kirtan on his trips. The job with the less hassle is the best for bhagti. In my opinion trucking is one of the jobs with not much hassle compared to software or doctor or lawyer etc. The mind has to be too focused on jobs like software, doctor, lawyer etc. As a trucker all you have to do is drive and listen to bani. A lot of time trucking makes more money than anything like software etc.

I vouch for trucking and I wouldn't mind if I become a trucker as well.

[MisterrSingh]

Eat healthily when trucking, and exercise when not trucking. Fast food bought from road-side vendors or cafes, etc, and sitting down for hours on end is not good for the waistline. All the Sikh truckers I've seen in Canada are approaching obesity or already there. Gotta be careful.

[canucksingh]

why not get an education and strive to be the best in whatever field you choose, for example if you become a doctor you will already fulfilled half your duties as a human being by curing people of their illnesses or if you choose to become a lawyer you can do pro-bono work and fight for justice on behalf of other individuals, etc.

[Akalifauj]

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[canucksingh]

Sikhs have watered down what kirt means. Its not kirt karo but DHARM di kirt karo. Nothing is higher than doing simran (reading, singing, listening, and contemplating over Gurbani).

Perhaps that is your interpretation but from my understanding, Kirta Karo is:

"Those who have meditated on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and departed after having worked by the sweat of their brows -O Nanak, their faces are radiant in the Court of the Lord, and many are saved along with them!"

Naam is an important part in anyones life, but nowhere in baani does it say make an illogical decisions.

If you can 'work by the sweat of your brow' in the service of others and have the aptitude to gain the education/qualifications required for that job, why wouldn't you?

[im not sure of original poster's age or occupation but I am assuming he is still young]

If he pursued a career as a doctor the average income in Canada is $225,000 a year, plus you set your own office hours and are your own boss. Not only have you financially secured your future and that of your family, but those few extra years of education affords you to use your time whatever way you want and if that is jaap naam then you can do it till your hearts desires. Furthermore, because you can run your own practice you can choose who you hire/who you surround yourself with and cancel out the bad elements out of your environment. On top of that your genuinely helping people in your profession which is a punn (blessing) in itself.

if you want to become a truck driver not only are you restricted to the schedule of the truck operators but financially all your labor is devalued as all blue collar jobs are in a capitalist society. The average salary for a truck driver is $40,000. Sure you might have a lot of time on the road to lead your spiritual life, but at what cost? devalued labor and distance from children/family.

Im not trashing anyone who has a blue collar job, most immigrant parents have gone through the hustle to make their childrens lives better. But as second-third-fourth generation kids in the west we should strive to become the best we can.

I emphasis my original remark, and get a job that's the best in whatever field you choose. Because realistically speaking, in today's world the only freedom you can get to do what you want depends on the size of your wallet.

[Akalifauj]

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[Guest]

Sikhs have watered down what kirt means. Its not kirt karo but DHARM di kirt karo. Nothing is higher than doing simran (reading, singing, listening, and contemplating over Gurbani).

This times ten!!! All the time a person spends on learning to become a doctor or lawyer they could use that time for doing bhagti. Only bhagti is gonna save you in this world and in the next. Work a simple job which doesn't have the pressure of the world such as if a person is a lawyer there mindset is on defending their client. While he is defending the client god does not come into mind cause the brain is doing something else. I'm not saying somebody can't do bhagti with a job like doctor or lawyer but it is 20 times harder than being a trucker. It also shows how much is a person content in life. There are people who work at a fast food restaurant and are content and then there are doctors who need the whole world and are content with nothing.

[singhbj singh]

Ang 882 Line 18 Raag Raamkali: Guru Arjan Dev

ਜੈਸਾ ਲਿਖਤੁ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਧੁਰਿ ਕਰਤੈ ਹਮ ਤੈਸੀ ਕਿਰਤਿ ਕਮਾਈ ॥੨॥

Jaisaa Likhath Likhiaa Dhhur Karathai Ham Thaisee Kirath Kamaaee ||2||

जैसा लिखतु लिखिआ धुरि करतै हम तैसी किरति कमाई ॥२॥

As is the destiny pre-ordained by the Creator, so are the deeds we do. ||2||

[Guest]

Let's see.

Earnings as a trucker after 10 years experience = $50,000 and a majority of beer drinking Sangat to aid his spiritual development

Earnings as a software engineer after 10years experience = $200,000

A trucker cannot live off of 50,000 a year. There is no point whatsoever. Probably a driver makes 50 grand but an owner operator with his own truck etc make over 150,000 a year. I speak from personal experience. Also the sangat is dependant on the person. If a person likes beer then he will have beer drinking sangat but if he is more bhagti oriented then that person does not talk much with the bad sangat. My father is a trucker and makes more than 200,000 a year and listens to 15 hours of gurbani a day. Which is better now a software engineer who has to dedicate his mind to his field or a trucker who is just listening to gurbani?

If someone can be a doctor and still merge in simran. All the power to them. The part i objected to in your pist was you saying half of the work is done.... hence i stressed its dharm di kirt karo.

If somebody can do bhagti while being a doctor that's great but there are a few only who could do that.