Reference: posted by: ruckerr on date: 5/26/00 to Kirpal Singh Satsang Club; Message number 157-159
Kirpal himself addresses the question of understanding the teachings of a Master in the book Naam or Word:
“We have need, great need, for knowledge on the intellectual level, and that we get from scriptures and discourses of Masters. We cannot practice spirituality unless we first know its theory: what it is, its technique, how it can be practiced, obstacles in the way and how to overcome them, etc. We cannot therefore ignore the theory aspect of Para Vidya, for theory always precedes practice in every branch of knowledge.” (288-9)
(All page numbers for the quotes come from Naam or Word by Kirpal Singh, 1994 edition published by Ruhani Satsang Books)
The book Naam or Word is one of the more challenging yet rewarding texts written by Kirpal Singh during his mission. It is a pivotal text for understanding the theory of Sant Mat in the greater framework of yogic and other religious traditions. But it is also much, much more than that, as I hope to see us share in this and subsequent posts.
The goal in writing this and discussing Naam or Word is to build some common understanding. Since I certainly have no lock on that, I hope others will share freely their perspectives on the book or what gets posted about the book so that together we end up a little further along in our knowledge of Sant Mat.
In particular, perhaps we can wring a little more understanding out of Naam or Word along the way.
As for this and a few subsequent posts, I’m not going to try to summarize the book — I can’t reduce it without loss. Neither will I try to interpret Kirpal’s words, because the text is self-evident, and needs no further interpretation to be understood.
I hope to simply reflect on the book and what it means to me, how it influences my thinking on the path.
A cursory reading might give the impression that it is simply an apologetic — some form of explanation or justification for Surat Shabd Yoga by extensive quotation. It certainly was one of the first texts to illuminate the common elements of all traditions including perhaps for the first time, Christianity. In my mind, it succeeds at this purpose. That is, from a scholarly point of view (and whether you are persuaded or not) the book makes a good case for a common source and foundation for all religions on the basis of Naam or Word.
For those of us who first were exposed to the book before the new age movement, we were treated to a logical and integrated framework for understanding spirituality — a good foundation if we chose it. In my opinion, Naam or Word is distinct from many, many other books by contemporary or subsequent authors on the foundation of religion, for at least two reasons.
Its first distinction lies in its uncompromising nature. Kirpal was not a compromiser, and spoke consistently, unwaveringly, eloquently and in detail about the essential requirements of Sant Mat. Like it or not, the path of love is extremely uncompromising in its requirements — and for many of us, the finality with which Kirpal and the Sants dispense with the transient world that holds us captive, and the firmness with which they state the Truth, is the hardest part of this path to accept:
“The scriptural studies, the religious debates are all Mayaic or illusory and shadowy nothings,
O Nanak! Except Naam, nothing is stable and all acts not centered on Naam are fruitless.” (13)
--Nanak, Sri Rag War M3“Excepting the True Naam, the rest is all trash. Four things alone are eternal and lasting: Naam or Sound Current; Sadhu or a disciplined soul well established in Word; Guru or Word-personified, with a divine commission to contact others with the Naam; and lastly, Gobind or the Lord God—the Eternal Formless One.” (20)
--Guru Teg Bahadur, Shalok M9Not much room for us to wiggle. In fact, there is no room to wiggle that I see. If we accept what the Sants say, we cannot turn around on this path but be faced with the stark reality that this world is not our own, and the way back is quite straight and narrow. In other words, Naam or Word does not create a ‘fruit smoothie’ of spirituality (a blending of the tasty bits, and only the tasty bits) common to many new age texts on spirituality.
However, Naam or Word helps us deal with the starkness of our Reality in a singularly beautiful way, by providing a powerful method of dealing with it. This is what I consider the second distinction of this book: no matter how stark the tension of Reality is, the release of Naam is closer.
We cannot turn around on this path but encounter the message about the Truth lying within us. And this book above all others abounds in quotes concerning the closeness of Naam. No matter how uncompromising the Sants’ message is about our condition in this world and the futility of clinging to it, Naam is more uncompromising in providing the means through it all.
As Wesley in these clubs is frequently heard to say, ‘God is within you.’ I am fond of the Sufi (Muslim?) saying ‘God is closer to you than your jugular vein.’
That is, closer to you than you….
Un homme se présenta devant la porte de sa Bien-Aimée et frappa.
Une voix demanda : "Qui est là ?".
Il répondit : "C'est Moi".
La voix dit : "Il n'y a pas de place pour Moi et Toi".
La porte se referma.
Après un an de solitude et de privation, il revint et frappa.
Une voix demande : "Qui est là ?"
L'homme dit : "C'est Toi."
La porte lui fut ouverte.A man came to his lover’s door and knocked
“Who is it?” a voice called.
”It is I,” the man replied,
The voice called back, “There isn’t room for You and I.”
The door closed.
After a year of solitude and privation he returned, and knocked.
“Who is it?” a voice called.
The man said, “It is You,”
And the door opened for him.
--Rumi (this is not a quote from Naam or Word)This closeness has another characteristic—because it is immanent, wherever we are, at whatever point in our life, it is there for us. Even if we subscribe to the cafeteria plan of spirituality and don’t practice it all, or consistently (no broccoli for me, please, not today), it is accessible to us at every moment, right at hand for us to pick up again.
To be able to turn around, and see it for the first time, again.
In this way, our progress can be renewed daily. I have to think this is what the concept of metanoia must be —
Perhaps, I submit, this dynamic is the practical reality of a satsangi’s life.
I think this renewal is also a source of intrinsic Joy, a release of that power when it is free to move through us again.
“To turn, to turn
‘Twill be our delight
‘Til by turning, turning,
We come ‘round right.”
--from a Shaker traditional song (also not a quote from Naam or Word)Some forty years has passed since the first printing of Naam or Word by Kirpal Singh. Still, there are few books that are able to illustrate this coincident nature, of the starkness of our condition, the closeness of the solution, and the joy in the making, as does Naam or Word.
(whew!)
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