Certain basic tenets and fundamental truths constitute the framework of true spiritual knowledge. The missionary should, therefore, equip himself with thorough knowledge and clear understanding of the core and content of the written and unwritten teachings, principles and ideals for which the Mission stands. He must strive to have an in-depth study and educate himself with the spiritual logic and averments for his efficient contribution as a preacher. Only then, with seasoned understanding, he can be an efficient and impressive exponent of Truth, capable of interpreting and explaining the concepts lucidly and with mature mind and sound reasoning, removing misgivings, if any, with confidence and conviction, answering and satisfying the inquisitive mind and thus earning a gratifying response. Remember, anything that comes from the mouth of the missionary, will be taken and understood to represent the Master and his Mission.

THEORY AND PRACTICE

It may be reiterated that mere theoretical learning does not serve the objective. No doubt, theory is a necessary basic beginning to explicate practice, at the same time, practice if not more, is equally important to bear testimony and corroborate the theory. As such, the missionary has to assimilate and imbibe the theoretical knowledge and, above all, implement it in his day-to-day living. He has to translate his literal understanding into practical wisdom. There ought not to be any gap between his word and deed. If his conduct belies him, his utterances will be scornfully taken with a grain of salt. His sermons, howsoever intelligently and emphatically delivered, will be devoid of practical utility and shall remain ineffective and infructuous. If his preachings are not supported by his own truthful living, he will present a sorry picture of self-contradiction. His flourishing of words will be tantamount to a farcical display of spirituality. Instead of inducting faith, he will be doing great disservice by spoiling and lowering the image of the Mission. The purposes will thus not only stand defeated, but also reversed.

CONDITION PRECEDENT

For any spiritual gain, it is a condition precedent that the missionary does not feel proud of his own learning and intelligence. Only in that case, he will be in a position to submit and surrender himself to be a true and worthy devotee. He should not nurse the notion that he is well-read or claim himself to be wiser. On the contrary, his intellectual assets should make him all the more humble, as Baba Gurbachan Singh said:

"A saint always says that he knows nothing."

The missionary should erase and efface all preconceived impressions and notions, taboos and inhibitions, so that the present edifying experience is not in any manner tainted or conditioned by the feeling of sailing in two boats, lending a tinge of duplicity and double-mindedness. He has, therefore, to align and identify himself completely with the Divine Knowledge that he has come to acquire and possess.

RIGHT CONCEPT, RIGHT WORSHIP

The highest truth is the divine truth and the highest reality is God Himself. Knowledge of God is, therefore, the foundation of true education and true service. Before anything else, it is this knowledge which can make one God-like in nature and character. It is the real safeguard against mundane temptations. This is the knowledge needed for the spiritual upliftment, selfless service and adherence to human and spiritual values. God-knowledge is, therefore, the essential prerequisite for a virtuous and spiritual life. Thus, the most important subject is the understanding of God Himself: this is the real thing the missionary should know and own. Unfortunately, there are many who first think about their own theories and then frame an idea of God that fits in their format. Having created their image, the theologians find no difficulty in ascribing to Him various attributes of their own making. This results in divergent views concerning the universe, man, soul, salvation, etc. Unless we first begin with the right concept of God, who is the first and last of everything, there is bound to be chaos and confusion. Hence, it is mandatory that the missionary, who has identified Almighty rightly, understands and realizes his attributes correctly, worship Him alone and none else and has the irretractable belief in the eternal gospel of indivisible unity and oneness of God. It, automatically, implies that duality and diversity of worship is neither permissible nor admissible. Idolatry or worship of elements, images and the like is apparently undesirable. The missionary has to remain ever vigilant and ensure that he does not succumb to such forms in any form. It is but proper to add here that pure religion is one, and all men are equal. God-knowledge is an imperative prerequisite and is the top secret of a missionary’s Mission. God madness (indeed, it is a kind of madness) is the most charming madness. To love God, one has to think of Him; to remember God, one has to recall His sweet Name, sing His glories and keep the company of the saintly and the godly. Let us see God in everything and everyone, and nothing be prized higher than God. Nothing values equally with God. So, live in God and all shall be well; make others live in God and all shall be one; believe in God and the world will be happier.

THE MISSIONARY AND THE MASTER

Divine Knowledge of Gian removes the opacity of the ignorant and his vision widens out in regions that have so far remained hidden from perception. It is through the Master’s door and in his sanctuary that one is blessed with the inner eye. If one washes his ‘vessel’ with the Master’s wisdom, it sparkles clean. The nectar of blissful knowledge emanates and spontaneously flows from the consecrated word, the fount of divine light and wisdom, so graciously bestowed by the Master. The missionary is never to forget Master’s benevolence; he is to remain even grateful to him for his love, generosity and kindness:

"God was already with me, in and around me, but it was through the blessing of my Master that I realized Him and considered Him as my own."

-Saint Kabir

A true missionary derives his authenticity, reliability and strength from his unflinching faith in the enlightenment bestowed upon him by the Master and the imprint of his spirit. Any wavering and laxity in his faith is bound to deprive him of his veracity and eliminate him from the world of spirituality, Strict adherence to the teachings and compliance of the directives of the Master, is the keynote of his life. To selflessly serve one and all as a matter of duty, in obedience to the solemn call of the Master, is his watchword. He has simply been authorized and deputed by the Master to act on his behalf: he is only a medium through whom the Master is getting his mission fulfilled. He should, therefore, bear in mind that by himself, he is nothing and is not contributing anything in his personal capacity. He is not to claim any credit for the noble task entrusted to him or for the service rendered by him.

No one claim to be missionary as a matter of right. It is the Master’s condescension to oblige and patronize him. He, therefore, is not to gloat over his choice, be puffed up or assume an air of superiority. His continuing as a missionary is simply at the pleasure and will of the Master.

His assignment as a missionary does not entitle him to a special consideration. He should not entertain any illusion that as a missionary, he has come closer and nearer to the Master and, so he can claim or expect special attention or preferential treatment. The Master looks upon all the devotees alike and treats everybody with equal love.

Religion is not a mere ritual or a collection of dogmas, doctrines and intellectual thoughts, howsoever beautiful they may be. In its right perspective, it is co-extensive with life. It embraces in its domain the totality of life and encompasses the whole being of man. Its functioning generates and promotes values which are expected to be reflected in the life of those who affirm committed belief in and loyalty to God. It means values and ethos, which govern man’s day-to-day living. If truly held and emulated, it is bound to affect the social life of man of God for upright existence in this action-packed world. In essence, it is being, becoming and realizing.

To identify and realize the existence of the Divine and to palpably feel His presence in and around round-the-clock, is the honest aim of the true religion. It establishes relationship of man with God and helps to actively sustain it alive in head and heart. It lifts the veil of ignorance, clears the blurring mist and demolishes the barriers of false sense of separateness from the paramount Power.

The greatest security that religion provides, lies in more and more becoming conscious of God an in depending on His grace in all eventualities.

Religion is an essential factor of human progress. If rightly put into practice, it makes life sweet and noble. As a guide, we will find it a sincere friend, a joy in prosperity, comfort in adversity, peace to conscience and endless blessedness. The true religion makes one humble, do good to all, render service to all and gives illumination for good temper, behaviour, speech, justice and peace. With solemn committed affirmation in the supreme Divine and His worship alone, and by practising the virtues that the religion embodies, the self-conscious (Man-mukh) is transformed into a God-conscious person (Gur-mukh).

The basic essential truths of all the religions are the same. Linguistic differences have given them different denominations. Call God by any name, in any language, He is the same indivisible One, the creator of the universe who ever abideth everywhere and in every being. We all are His children, bound together by the common Divine thread, irrespective of caste, colour, culture, creed, region, race or nationality.

No religion preaches dishonesty, hatred, ill-will, bigotry, tyranny, confrontation, persecution and divides between man and man. The misguided have perverted the meaning and significance of religion with their admixtures. Vested interests have diluted and eroded the pious aim and object of religion and have adopted it as an instrument for furthering their selfish ends. Evil is perpetrated in the name of religion for ignominious ends, spreading suffering, misery all around.

All religions preach universal love and brotherhood. They unreservedly and emphatically advocate good-will and peace for all. In actual practice, there is, however, a broad repudiation of all the good that a true religion stands for:

"The quintessential of all religions are the same. In every religion there is the essential truth and the non-essential casket. To discern the ground of unity among religion, one must not look to the forms, symbols, mythologies, rituals but the sacred purpose which underlies them."

- Swami Vivekananda

"A religion of humanity means the growing realization that there is a secret spirit, a Divine Reality in which we all are one; that humanity is its highest present vehicle on earth; that human race and human beings are the means by which it will progressively reveal itself here."

- Sri Aurobindo

"The names do not indicate individuality and the little man has tried in his humble way to describe mighty God by giving attributes. Living faith in God means equal respect for all religions. Religion is outraged when an outrage is perpetrated in the name of religion."

- Mahatma Gandhi

"Religion does not teach jealousy or hatred, rather it teaches love, compassion and fellow - felling"

- Baba Gurbachan Singh

"The basic reason behind the prevailing violence in the country is our narrow mindedness and short-sightedness. All this can be ended if we imbibe the true essence and meaning of religion in our day-to-day living. One must understand that the purpose of religion is to unite, not divide. None of the prophets and messengers had taught hatred and ill-will towards others. God is one and all human beings are His children, and, thus, we are a vast human brotherhood. It is only by imbibing such feelings in our practical life that we can get rid of disturbances and upheavals , which have bedeviled our daily life. No problem can be solved on narrow grounds. It is all the more true these days. A broad world-oriented approach alone will yield lasting solution, as it will enable all to shed their narrow viewpoints and sublimate their thanking in the context of universal ideals."

- Baba Hardev Singh

MISSION, NOT NEW RELIGION

The missionary should be very clear in his mind that the Mission has neither founded nor is trying to establish a new religion. Its undiluted, unequivocal and simple message - easy to understand and grasp - is just a revival and continuity of the original ancient Truth since Adam and Eve, which has now been overlaid with theoretical and theological ambiguities:

"He (Baba Gurbachan Singh) is quite emphatic about one thing that he is not trying to convert people to embrace new religion. People can realize (God) through him and return to their own scriptures and read them with a fresh vision."

- Najimal Husan, correspondent, The Hindustan Times, on his talk with Baba Gurbachan Singh, quoted in Understanding the Nirankari Mission by D.S. Shauq.

UNIVE RSAL PERCEPTION

The Mission is wedded to the universally recognized fundamental cause of all causes, God, undeniably acceptable to the whole world. It believes in the underlying unity and respect for the human spirit. Consequently, the Mission has a cosmic outlook and approach. It implies that here we have no divides of regions, races, nationalities and the like. We take the whole world as one family and the whole humanity as one race, having one and the same ancient religion that has come down to us since eternity - seeking and identifying God Formless. We firmly believe that we all are children of one and the same Supreme Patriarch; we all have the same divine origin:

"We are all one, no matter by what name we are designate, as children of the same God."

-Mahatama Gandhi

The missionary has, therefore, got to see beyond the horizon and should be ever ready to treat and serve one and all with good conscience. He should expand his scope, broaden his perception, enlarge the periphery of his vision to cover and care for the uplift of one and all. The ignorant man being the object of his operation and ignorance not being the heritage of a particular tribe, it is his foremost duty to help retrieve the victim of ignorance, whoever and wherever on. may be. It should be his honest and earnest effort to transcend all barriers, social or geographical, with higher awareness of universal approach for a universal cause with the spirit of service and duty. He belongs to the whole world, and the whole humanity falls within the ambit of his activity. In other words, the whole universe is the field of his operation. The missionary should, thus, give an effective demonstration of his conviction embodied in the precious maxim: "Fatherhood of God is the Brotherhood of Man". He should corroborate it with sincere attitude of love and service without discrimination, or else the valuable gospel would remain a mere myth.

NEITHER SECTARIAN, NOR COMMUNAL

Belonging to any religious sect is permissible, but to be sectarian is questionable. Every person does belong to one community or another, but communal outlook is undesirable. To think in terms of community is alright, but what is to be avoided is the communal and sectarian thinking, which means the welfare of one's own community only at the cost of others like the blind man who serves his own kith and kin, time and again. The welfare of all - Sarbat Da Bhala - is the ideal goal.

Beyond any doubt, is Mission is not at all sectarian, sectional or communal in any respect. Human integration, unity and solidarity constitute the hard core of its faith, despite the diversity and differences of belief, language, diet and dress. God has made man, not sect or community. It is man himself who has labeled men with different denominations. God is one, and untouchable is none. The missionary has to take care that his activity does not give any impression of narrow-mindedness or short-sighted thinking, confined to the interests of a limited number of a particular community or his camp followers. Narrow-mindedness and short-sightedness coupled with sectarianism, lead to bigotry, fanaticism and factionalism, resulting in antagonism, violence and reprisals, giving rise to a class of die-hards who believe in persecution and fly at each other's throat:

"No one is a stranger, and no one is our enemy. We live happily with everybody."

- Baba Gurbachan Singh

The missionary should be understanding and should rise above pettiness of life, be large-hearted, broad-minded and liberal without bounds and barricades. He is a man of God: he is above communal and sectarian outlook. His faith is a One God Formless - Nirankar - with whom he is bound by the unbreakable bond of spiritual unison.

NO DISCRIMINATION

The Mission does not discriminate between the high and the low, the rich and the poor, and is against the narrow distinctions of caste, colour and creed, which breed hatred, prejudice and bias. Discrimination swallows equality. The Master has shown the same Divine Light equally to all the recipients. Then, why discriminate between man and man on any ground or in any form whatsoever?

"Let us never think about anybody as inferior to us; we should hold everyone in esteem. These holy men of the Mission never entangle themselves nor do they enter into arguments about the caste, colour and creed. They consider the whole humanity as one family."

- Baba Gurbachan Singh

"To affirm that I an proud to be a member of human race, to recognize that, regardless of colour, caste, creed, man’s destiny is my destiny and as we learn to live together, we move forward together."

- Wilfred A. Peterson

The missionary is not expected to lay down new or compromise with, the existing yardsticks, based on worldly values of status, position, etc., relegating the spiritual consideration to the background.

NON RITUALISTIC

The Mission is totally non-ritualistic. The missionary should take care that he does not acquiesce, tacitly or otherwise, in rites, rituals and ceremonies which are of little consequence, rather are a source of confusion and illusion, impeding the process of enlightenment. It is his duty to awaken people to the spirit behind these, so that they should free themselves from the shackles of exasperating and extravagant ordeals, advocated and performed by the priesthood just to exploit the innocent and the simpleminded.

By his own example, the missionary has to illustrate that he has been emancipated from the clutches of rites and rituals, taboos and superstitions, inhibitions and social evils like dowry, caste considerations, untouchability and other such exploitations which have infested and plagued the society. People will surely follow him if he himself sets an example in this regard:

"I have no ritual to impose, no particular recitation to prescribe, no penance to subject my disciples to and no new religion to found."

- Baba Gurbachan Singh

REVERENCE FOR HOLY MEN AND SCRIPTURES

The Master has strictly enjoined upon the devotees to show highest respect and esteem to all prophets, messengers, Gurus, saints and seers and glorify their teachings and preaching as also to show due veneration to all religious books and holy scriptures alike.

"Names of the Prophets and scriptures of various faiths and religions should always be mentioned with proper respect and regard."

- Baba Gurbachan Singh

Let noble thoughts come from all sides. The spiritually instructive sayings be quoted most reverentially. Beyond the remotest doubt, no devotee of the Mission can ever think or even imagine to be disrespectful to the Great masters or belittle their contributions:

"Our salutations go to all the past Prophets whose teachings and lives we have inherited, whatever might be their race, clime, or creed. Our salutations go to those God-like men and women who are working to help humanity, whatever be their birth, colour or race! Our salutations to those who are coming in future - living gods - to work unselfishly for out descendants."

- Swami Vivekananda

TO REMAIN A HOUSEHOLDER

Certainly, the missionary has to stay in this world as a householder, discharging his obligations and responsibilities, domestic social and professional. He is not to become a recluse, but, at the same time, he is to avoid undue attachment and entanglement in worldly affairs. His life is not exclusively for himself, but also for others. He should firmly bear in mind that the duty entrusted to him by the Master is his foremost concern, and his household obligations should not put undue constraints or restraints on his duty to serve fellow-beings actively. In other words, there should be no clash between his personal interests and his socio-spiritual obligations. He has to so adjust himself as to be readily accessible and available for the holy task. This will necessarily require some sort of sacrifice, some sort of curtailment of self-interests, so that he does not neglect or become complacent to his spiritual activities. He has, therefore, got to be discreetly considerate and conscientious about his work as a missionary:

- Baba Avtar Singh

TO EARN FOR HIMSELF

Man must toil to earn his livelihood honestly. He is not to don saffron robes, hold a staff and a beggar’s bowl and go a begging. He should not become a parasite. Let him make it a religious point that he does not employ shady or unfair means or corrupt practices to make a living. Virtue (Dharma), Wealth (Artha), family and children (Kama) and salvation (Moksha) are considered the four-fold objective of human life. Wealth and relationship based on Dharma are not considered evil, rather they lead to perfection and salvation. But they may prove to be the greatest shackles if one considered material wealth and well-being as the very goal of life. Wealth earned through unrighteous means leads to bondage and misery, whereas wealth earned righteously and by honest means and above all, used in the service of the needy, leads to blessedness. Therefore, material wealth in itself is neither good nor bad, but it can be a blessing or a curse, depending upon the means through which the same is acquired or the way it is made use of. Every person acquires and utilizes wealth, but the awakened one while doing so, remains detached in mind. As such, it is imperative for the missionary to be unimpeachably fair and square in his doings and dealings, or else he will be guilty of dishonesty and hypocrisy, bringing a stigma on himself as also on the Mission:

- Baba Avtar Singh

ACTION AND FRUIT OF ACTION

Action, man cannot give up. What really he has to renounce is the desire or expectation of the fruit of his labour, which is beyond his reach. He, who has renounced the desire for fruit, has truly renounced. However, he has not to renounce the world in the traditional sense, that is, to withdraw from the world as that would be tantamount to a life of inaction and stagnation. Of course, while living in this world, one has to curb his desires and curtail his needs to be at the disposal of others for their social and spiritual emancipation. Man’s duty is to act and never to be concerned with the result thereof, which is in the hand of the Supreme Rewarder, who knows how best to reward:

"Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action."

- Benjaman Disraeli

- Gita

"If we do our duty also as an action dedicated to God Almighty, we will have no trouble in this world. This sense of dedication is the blessing of the Lord Master."

- Baba Gurbachan Singh

Said Baba Avtar Singh:

"We are all for good actions, good human behaviour. But, if you say such good actions bestow salvation, you are sadly mistaken. Such actions are like the labour of a labourer who works the whole day without directions from the master. Salvation is possible only by the grace of the True Master and acting on his teachings.

While doing our duty in a disciplined manner, we have also to keep ourselves in constant touch with God Almighty. Practical life of action in consonance with the teachings of the True Master, is the highest way of truthful living."

- Baba Gurbachan Singh

SALVATION

It will be a mere wishful thinking, rather a deception, that simply by attaining God-Knowledge or Gian, one attains salvation - freedom from bondage and the cycle of birth and rebirth. God-knowledge or Gian only lifts the veil of ignorance and introduces man to the Eternal Truth. It initiates and admits him to the holy order - a disciplined, truthful and virtuous living -, which a God-oriented person (Gian-van) has to develop and maintain in actual life in the context of spiritual experience gained by him. God-knowledge without honest and noble deeds in day-to-day living, will not lead one to achieve the real goal of life. A person who imagines that mere God-knowledge is the be-all of man’s spiritual endeavour and that nothing more is required of him to do, will be duping himself with self-conceit and consequent failure to comprehend the significance of the Enlightenment. This life, and not the after-life, is the only chance to know, that liberation shall depend upon and will be determined by true knowledge as well as his tidy faring and virtuous achievement in life:

"For a devotee of God, salvation means liberation from the snare of desires and temptations. He neither rejoices in coming into this world nor is grieved while quitting it. All the time, he is in a blissful mood."

- Baba Gurbachan Singh

"Salvation is possible only through realization of God, and god-realization is possible through devotion and self-surrender."

- Baba Gurbachan Singh

FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE

The Missionary has to uphold and establish by his daily doings and dealings that the Mission inalienably stands for freedom of thought, conscience and religious belief - liberty to pray and let others pray as they like -, believing in truth, peace, non-violence, communal harmony, tolerance, fellow-feeling, mutual good-will, mutual respect, mutual understanding and co-existence:

"Ours is the path of peace and we have to follow it. We have no other option."

- Baba Gurbachan Singh

FOREMOST PRINCIPLE

The Mission categorically avers: Body, mind and material belong to God and should be used with the clear-cut understanding that they are assets of God. This fundamental truth constitutes the solid core of Mission’s teachings. If a person truly and sincerely catches the sense and significance of the wisdom embodied therein, there will remain no doubt that God is the sole owner of all things, big and small, having created them for the beneficial use of man and that he is just a beneficiary and no more. This honest realization will give rise to a truthful feeling: ‘Nothing is mine; everything is Thine.’