What is more important in life than knowing and being able to follow truth? Truth about the physical world, so that we may know and use physical laws to design medical wonder drugs, as well as technologies on which airplanes, computers and telephones are based. Truth about human health laws that allow us to eat good food, exercise our muscles, and reject crippling drugs, such as tobacco. Truth about our social interactions with others, so a caring society can exist. And most importantly, truth about our spirituality, so we can be in a state of bliss, or anand, under all conditions. In the absence of truth, we fumble and stumble. Con-artists and psuedo-holymen exploit us and burden our lives. Indeed, truth lightens our loads in this journey through life, while falsehood burdens us with heavy loads, making this journey miserable.

How is Truth revealed? How is the veil of falsehood ripped?

Even though human beings have been on this planet for several millions of years, the period of approximately 1400s to 1700s was a remarkable period in human history. Two great concepts were developed and implemented during this period. These concepts were the scientific method developed in Europe, and the Sikh method, gifted to humanity in India by the Sikh Gurus. The scientific method allows us to distinguish between truth and pseudo-truth in the physical world. This method allows us to design seemingly magical technologies and come up with medical breakthroughs. But these technologies are not based on magic...they are based on universal physical laws. The scientific method, so important to our lives, unfortunately does not provide any answers related to human values...love, caring, and nurturing others.

Indeed, the history of Europe in the twentieth century shows that many men who were highly trained in science and technology participated in unimaginable crimes against fellow humans. Nazism and Communism were products of highly advanced scientific societies, but incredibly barbaric crimes against fellow humans were committed under the patronage of these philosophies.

The Sikh method tells us not only how to find truth in the physical world, but also in the social and spiritual worlds. The Sikh method goes well beyond the scientific method in providing humanity with truth. It is a path unbounded by geography, nationality, race, creed, or time. It is a path that unburdens our lives and makes this life a blissful journey.

The scientific method is based upon the following articles of faith:

• The physical world is governed by scientific laws that are constant in time and space.
• The laws are revealed by careful observation of Nature.
• All intellectual discourses must submit to what is observed in Nature.

This last article of faith has been difficult for intellectuals of various times to accept. There have been times in history when pundits and other intellectual giants held great power. Elaborate intellectual thesis were woven by these powerful men and presented as the truth. Those who questioned these "legends" were tortured or eliminated. But, in the long run, truth has always prevailed. Indeed, how can truth be defeated by fantasy and how can it be subjugated to intellect which has no connections with reality? Understanding and using the knowledge gained by the scientific method has led to seemingly magical technologies. But an inevitable outcome of science has been that this has also exposed pseudo-scientists who claimed what amounted to virtual magical powers. Thus, despite the benefits of science, it does not provide us answers to questions regarding human values and choices.

The Sikh Method

The Sikh method provides us a lifestyle whereby the body, mind, and spirit are in coherence, since truth...not fear of men, superstitions and legends...are kept at the center. The Sikh method should not be accepted just because someone has said so, but because it stands the test of experience. Let us look at the building blocks of this method.

What The Search Is For: Anand (Bliss)

Who does not want to be happy? It may be argued that at some level, all of our actions are taken to provide happiness. The problem is that often, these actions end up bringing misery. Anand, the state of bliss...beyond the cycle of joy and sorrow...is what the seeker of truth is promised. In this state, the ups and downs of life do not create ecstasy and despair. How is one to reach this state?

The mool mantra...the core message of Sikhism...declares the Creator to be Satnam...Truth. Truth is beyond the grip of space and time. This Truth is manifested to us as hukams, or laws. The laws that the scientists have found are but one small part of this Truth. The scientific laws govern the physical universe. They are capable of producing wonderful technologies, but are not capable of generating the state of anand for humans. The hukams that the Sikh path reveals go well beyond the physical universe. In resonance with these hukams one enters into the state of anand.

The Big Obstacle to Anand: Haumai

Haumai, or "I-am-ness," or ego, is what prevents humans from being able to decipher Truth of the Creator. Our haumai interferes with our inter-action with the Creator's laws and misleads us into choosing burdensome paths.

The Great Haze: Maya

As we participate in the wondrous world the Creator has bestowed upon us, we perceive the world through the maze of maya. Unless the human being is enlightened, this web of illusion can lead him or her down what seems to be a blissful path, but which turns out to be a path filled with misery.

There are many people who make their living exploiting the web of maya to trap innocent victims. Elaborate illusions are stitched together to ensnare humans into this maya. The degree of entrapment in maya influences why some people view all obstacles with a cheerful view, while others view them as profound tragedies.

On a physical level, maya can cause us to do incredibly miserable things and, surprisingly often, we do so willingly. Men and women mutilate their bodies, believing this can lead to a joyful life. Tattoos, body piercings, and circumcisions are committed, destroying the beautiful natural body which the Creator has given us. People give up healthful foods, refuse to cleanse their body, smearing ashes and dirt on themselves. Others lead a gluttonous lifestyle, making the body bloated. Diseases follow.

On a social level, maya can cause us to participate in and design social customs and taboos to degrade others. These customs can generate hatred against others who are not of the same race or caste. People who do not look like us, or belong to our group are to be degraded. This does produce a short-lived feeling of euphoria...just as a hit of cocaine does. But, as in the case of cocaine, the end results are miserable to the person with hatred in his or her heart.

On an intellectual level, maya can cause us to believe in superstitions and falsehoods. Even in the face of evidence to the contrary, people cling to these superstitions and legends. Once again, while these superstitions give temporary comfort, in the long run, they load us with heavy burdens that we carry in our journey through life. On a spiritual level, maya causes us to stray from the path of truth and search spirituality in meaningless rituals, holy baths, and mindless chants. The essence of spirituality...becoming a Universal being...is lost among the prattle.

Navigating Through Maya: Guru

A Guru is needed to shine light so that the web of illusion is ripped and the true blissful path is revealed. The benefits of walking this path are felt right here in this life. The Sikh path is not one where misery is to be endured for some unprovable distant life in some far-away heaven. Siri Guru Granth Sahib (the sacred text for Sikhs) embodies the essence of the ten Sikh Gurus and is the timeless Guru enlightening humanity. This Guru does not collect a list of "dos" and "don'ts"...which foods to eat, in which rivers to cleanse our sins, which rituals to fulfill.

Rather it describes how our thoughts and actions are to be brought into resonance with Truth to reach anand. This path involves extending our ego to fill the entire Universe. From the duality of me and you, us and them, one is able to see that there is no duality and all creation is just the work of Waheguru...Wondrous Guru. The Sikh must also seek company of other enlightened people. Through the love and caring of such men and women...in sangat...one's own behaviors and lifestyle becomes more universal.

Source : AkalSangat.com