Tuesday, December 4, 2012

SACHA SAUDA- TRUE BARGAIN



SACHA SAUDA—TRUE BARGIN OR TRANSACTION OF TRUTH OR RIGHTEOUSNESS
PREFACE---What is Sacha Sauda? Or the True Bargain. The two words are a mystical parable. They define the deepest intimacy of interaction and relationship between the life of Man and God.  All terrestrial and extra-terrestrial life is a gift of God. Humans, at the top creative excellence of God out of 8.4 million species, are capable of understanding this phenomenon.  As a gratitude to His Divine munificence, humans need to respond in a manner that this gift is returned to Him, otherwise indebtedness arises. This debit balance has to be squared failing which both pain and pleasure continue interminably in the cycle of transmigration. Jesus said that all of us born in “sin”. How can a new born have sinned? He refers to the inequity that is created by the act of Life and the use of material comforts of Nature that help us survive. Bargain ends when the Self merges back with the Divine in a state of Oneness.
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GURU NANAK’S SACHA SAUDA – at the age of 18 years, father of Guru Nanak wanted his son to get involved in business. He gave Nanak a few rupees to start the business. Instead he spent the money in serving the poor and the needy. Nanak saw the light of the Lord in all and he gave whatever he possessed, through the grace of the Lord, to those who were deprived of some of the basic necessities of life. On return He mentioned to His father that he struck the “sacha sauda” by helping the poor. Apparently it may appear to be an act of charity but allegorically it means that I give Thee what YOU have given to me.
DEBT TO GOD IS SETTLED BY “SACHA SAUDA” – WE MAY be rich and famous but mega debtors we are. It is not a financial or a monetary liability but a very subtle debt that is debited the moment we are born. The arrears need to be settled during this lifetime through Dharma or Sacha Sauda, the principle of righteousness.
Hindus scriptures mention four types of debts (karza or rinn in Hindi) that a man must settle in life----

1)          Pitri rinn (debt to parents): As small children we are weaklings — need attention and support all time. We are reared by our parents/elders with love and affection. As we grow up and turn out to be stronger, parents age and become physically weak. We are therefore obliged to attend to their welfare in old age. Even if a person gives charities of millions of dollars, but neglects old parents/elders — Pitri debt is not paid off.

2)          Dev rinn (debt to gods): The gods mean the five elements of Nature; the life sustaining forces — water, air, fire, earth, ether (intelligence) and all that is edible. They are the energies of life in this world and it becomes obligatory upon all men that they contribute to the welfare of this material plane, including one's family and society, by moral integrity and sense of discrimination. All the positive contribution that is made in this world by all of us means mitigation of debit of Dev rinn.

3)         Guru rinn (debt to master): Spiritual mentor who leads us to the path of spirituality or moksha. He describes the purpose of life, is an anchor and support. In this life riddled with maya and illusion, Master leads us from spiritual darkness to enlightenment. We have to pay off this debt by bhakti — meditation and living a life as instructed by him.  

4)         Brahm  Rinn (debt to Lord): there is not much difference between the Guru Rinn and Brahm rinn. When we merge back with the lord through the grace of the Guru, Brahm rinn is squared off.  Said Jesus, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me”.  
 Guru Nanak Sahib describes the essence of divine realisation or divine fusion in one word — ‘Gurprasad' — the one realised through grace (prasad) of Guru.
 Genesis: By living a balanced life of truth, service, devotion, and meditation as per the directions of the spiritual mentor one can strike the Real Bargain----the Sacha Sauda and fulfil the purpose of human life.

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