Roots or Fruits?

- Lahin Ivar

The human ego seems to be stuck in a bit of a paradox. Although it may appear to be high and mighty, it is in fact extremely weak, as it longs for recognition, attention and respect in order to remain alive! On the one hand it makes one appear to be superior, wereas actually on the other, it is rather insecure and low on self-esteem!

There are some individuals who may feel that because their parents are wealthy and well respected in society, they too deserve to be given equal respect. Or that because their grandparents, brothers or sisters are good human beings, great Devotees, then they too automatically become great humans. However, we all know that it does not work quite like that. It is not so simple. If our sister eats something, her actions do not satisfy our hunger, but only her own. If my brother does well academically it does not mean that I will get a well-paid job by mentioning that my brother holds a degree; only he will benefit. This applies to all of our actions in life. We will only be rewarded for, or benefit from, our own action and not by anyone else’s. After we leave this world, we will be remembered by what we were able to give to others and not by whose son, daughter, brother or sister we were:

"A tree is not known by its roots - but by its fruits."

We have been blessed with the beautiful company of Saints. We must not keep all the love, respect and good will which we receive only to ourselves, but share the same with the rest of humanity through our ‘karma’ (action – fruits).

Our Satguru and His congregation are continuously nourishing us, and helping us to grow. They do not discriminate against us on any grounds and do not take into accounts our backgrounds (roots). They wish to aid us in growing and sharing our good qualities (fruits) will others. We need to kill our ego, and be selfless in all that we do and pure at heart – devoid of any desires for rewards or name and fame. When we bring humility into our actions, it is then that we feel the greatest of bliss; the greatness of love; so much so that they become inexpressible in words.

Such selfless acts bring an inner contentment to our being, raising us to greater heights. The fragrance of a flower cannot be found in its roots, it simply is not there. Similarly, our biology, our physical appearance, is our roots; our consciousness is our flowering, our fragrance. Depending on the state of consciousness. Determines the quality of our blossoming.

We have all been instilled with different qualities, of varying degrees – we must use these blessings as constructively as possible by bringing comfort and happiness into others’ lives. A river does not drink its own water but serves others, i.e. source of life, quenches thirst, transportation, etc. Likewise a tree serves until the last ‘breath’ of its life, literally. It provides a shade in the summer, it is a source of life for many creatures, it provides flowers and fruits for others, when it is ultimately chopped down (and hence ‘killed’), it carries on providing a service in the form of paper, wood and fuel for fires! Likewise we must serve others as selflessly, thinking of their comforts and well being before our own wherever possible.

In remembrance of the actions and sacrifices of the past Satguru and Saints, we hold the ‘Manav Ekta’ (Human Unity) Samagam all over the world. It is a time to remember and contemplate, that we are all humans and must live together in unity, overcoming any obstacles together and not creating any further obstacles for others. Nirankar Almighty poses many challenges in our lives in order to test our strength of character and trust in Him. For example, the recent earthquake in India, which took over 30,000 lives, was a test for us all.

Firstly, it was a ‘test of faith’ for those who were directly affected, as well as their friends and families – how would they accept such a tragedy? Also, it was a test for the rest of the world, including ourselves, on how we would respond. Would we remember our new years resolutions about being more charitable in times of human welfare, or would we shrug off this event as another ‘one of those things’? there are many people who regard themselves to be very pious, God-loving and even ‘Saintly’. However, this tragedy was one of many challenges to see whether we are just all take or true to our word. Are we karma – yogi individuals who are willing to sacrifice our comforts for the benefit of others, when the need arises?

Today this mission is where it is because of the sacrifices and selfless actions of the past Saints and Satgurus of the mission. In the early years of the mission, the devotees and Gurus faced much opposition from other religious groups, and were even threatened with armed weapons by fundamentalists just over 20 years ago. Peaceful congregations were raided and innocent people were killed and jailed (even Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji was jailed for a day or so!) … yet their faith did not waiver but grew firmer, as the saints were united in their triumph for the Truth. They kept their Guru’s teachings in heart and did not retaliate with violence, but with their love. Their unshakeable faith in Nirankar and Satguru’s teachings of non – violence, love and forgiveness, enabled them to rise above such challenges successfully.

We too much learn from such great acts. That is why such Samagams are held; so that we may remember their ways of living and try to implement such greatness into our lives also. We need to inspire each other to be responsible for our own actions and hence the beauty of our ‘character tree’. Those saints have done their Karma, and today we are benefiting and enjoying from the sweetness of their fruits (noble actions). It is now our duty to plant healthy and fruitful trees for the generations to come, by improving ourselves (and not others!) and ensuring the fruits of love, tolerance, forgiveness, humility and compassion are always ripe and full of sweetness …

"Live a good, honourable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time,"

(Part of the Balai Lama’s Millennium message).