Premise:
What is the point of religion? Why does faith exist? Why profess belief in an all-powerful Being able to achieve that which is manifestly unachievable for us mere mortals? A majority of the answers to these questions will naturally be Utopian. They will be rooted in the fundamental belief that life is often plagued by anxiety and pain. More crucially, belief in a higher Being presupposes that this anxiety and pain, this ਦੁੱਖ, is an anomaly and is either utilized as a penalty and/or is an introduced element which is only temporary. The existence of this presupposition can be evinced through religious soteriology. The so-called Abrahamic faiths contend that Lucifer acted as the catalyst through which Adam and Eve were corrupted thus introducing pain into Creation. The Dharmic faiths treat pain as a retribution for transgressing against dogma. All in all, pain is much vilified.
The Sikh Treatment:
In the Sikh purview, ਦੁੱਖ is divided into five comprehensive forms. There is no overarching, grandiose theory provided in the Guru Granth as to why ਦੁੱਖ exists. Rather, its existence is accepted as being natural on the grounds that it is one of many abstract elements which incentivizes our growth as humans. That said, it must be remembered that in Gurmat ਦੁੱਖ is consequential. It is how we react to it which decides its potential affect on us.
Five Comprehensions of ਦੁੱਖ :
(a) ਦੁੱਖ arising from ignorance:
The most basic form of ਦੁੱਖ , in our ignorance we run helter-skelter trying to avoid what we believe to be pain. However, we ignore the fact that it exists for a purpose. It orients us towards pursuing the path of perfection. The state of an ignorant individual attempting to flee ਦੁੱਖ is described by Gurbani as being akin to,
ਦੇਂਦੇ ਥਾਵਹੁ ਦਿਤਾ ਚੰਗਾ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਐਸਾ ਜਾਣੀਐ ॥
“That fool who forgets the giver but hankers solely after the gift…”
-Guru Granth, 138.
The inability to realize that our interactions with others (giver) gives rise to the results of those interactions (gift) is problematic on the grounds that we allow the ends to justify the means. Unable to comprehend our own role and the role of others in what we undergo in life disallows us from treating pain as a positive upswing in our circumstances. Essentially, why focus alone on pain and not on the circumstances which led to us experiencing that pain? Were those circumstances natural, irregular and how best to deal with them in the future?
(b) Natural ਦੁੱਖ :
The difference between this ਦੁੱਖ and ਦੁੱਖ emanating from ignorance is the level of comprehension present in the mind of the individual undergoing pain. When the veil of ignorance is torn asunder by conforming to the truth, one realizes the naturalness of pain and accepts its inevitability.
ਸੁਖੈ ਕਉ ਦੁਖੁ ਅਗਲਾ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਬੂਝ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥
“After ease comes pain, this is the natural order of things but the ignorant individual denies this.”
-Guru Granth, 57.
This is not to say that one must constantly seek pain as some sole purpose in life. Rather, when it arrives, pain should be accepted as an eventuality and mentally prepared for. When it eventuates, there should be no expression of despair on the afflicted individual’s part.
(c) The detoxifying ਦੁੱਖ :
At this level of intelligence, the individual is intuitively attuned to reality. They realize that even though pain entails suffering, it is something which strengthens them mentally as well as physically. They glance beyond their suffering to derive some greater inspiration from their ਦੁੱਖ and seek purpose in it to stimulate their own psychological growth.
ਦੁਖੁ ਦਾਰੂ ਸੁਖੁ ਰੋਗੁ ਭਇਆ ਜਾ ਸੁਖੁ ਤਾਮਿ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥
“Pain is that panacea which disallows us to wallow in lethargy arising from ease.”
-Guru Granth, 469.
At this stage of mental progression, ਦੁੱਖ is accepted as the great detoxifier; ridding one of apathy.
(d) Immoral ਦੁੱਖ :
This is impersonal ਦੁੱਖ . It is born out of immorality and is the casus belli for conflict. It arises out of discord with reality and is often spearheaded by Manmat or total adherence to hubris.
ਕਾਦੀ ਕੂੜੁ ਬੋਲਿ ਮਲੁ ਖਾਇ ॥
ਕਾਦੀ ਕੂੜੁ ਬੋਲਿ ਮਲੁ ਖਾਇ ॥
ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਜੀਆ ਘਾਇ ॥
ਜੋਗੀ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਨ ਜਾਣੈ ਅੰਧੁ ॥
ਤੀਨੇ ਓਜਾੜੇ ਕਾ ਬੰਧੁ ॥੨॥
“The Qazi (reformer) is blind and consumes only filth; the Brahmin (intellectual) inflicts pain by misleading the masses; the Yogi (spiritualist) is himself a blind fool leading the equally blind masses. This is the way of tyranny and destruction. All three annihilate themselves and their followers.”
-Guru Granth, 662.
(e) The Warrior’s ਦੁੱਖ :
A Sikh who vanquishes their ignorance and advances to the level of accepting ਦੁੱਖ as a panacea sheds their fear of death as well as ਦੁੱਖ . Such a Sikh now becomes the ਸੂਰਾ envisioned by Gurmat:
ਜਾ ਕਉ ਹਰਿ ਰੰਗੁ ਲਾਗੋ ਇਸੁ ਜੁਗ ਮਹਿ ਸੋ ਕਹੀਅਤ ਹੈ ਸੂਰਾ ॥ ਆਤਮ ਜਿਣੈ ਸਗਲ ਵਸਿ ਤਾ ਕੈ ਜਾ ਕਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਪੂਰਾ ॥੧॥
“One who imbibes virtue within this world, that one is known as a warrior. Through the truth, they conquer their mind and inculcate nobility within their soul.”
-Guru Granth, 679.
At this stage of comprehension, the Sikh ਸੂਰਾ confronts immoral ਦੁੱਖ even at the expense of their own lives. Such a Sikh embodies the core values of Sikhi and is awarded the prestigious state of ਕਰਾਮਖੰਡ -the mental state of proactivity and valor- by Gurbani.
ਕਰਮ ਖੰਡ ਕੀ ਬਾਣੀ ਜੋਰੁ ॥
ਤਿਥੈ ਹੋਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਈ ਹੋਰੁ ॥
ਤਿਥੈ ਜੋਧ ਮਹਾਬਲ ਸੂਰ ॥
ਤਿਨ ਮਹਿ ਰਾਮੁ ਰਹਿਆ ਭਰਪੂਰ ॥
ਤਿਥੈ ਸੀਤੋ ਸੀਤਾ ਮਹਿਮਾ ਮਾਹਿ ॥
ਤਾ ਕੇ ਰੂਪ ਨ ਕਥਨੇ ਜਾਹਿ ॥
ਨਾ ਓਹਿ ਮਰਹਿ ਨ ਠਾਗੇ ਜਾਹਿ ॥
ਜਿਨ ਕੈ ਰਾਮੁ ਵਸੈ ਮਨ ਮਾਹਿ ॥
ਤਿਥੈ ਭਗਤ ਵਸਹਿ ਕੇ ਲੋਅ ॥
ਕਰਹਿ ਅਨੰਦੁ ਸਚਾ ਮਨਿ ਸੋਇ ॥
“In the (internal) state of ਕਰਾਮਖੰਡ , the power of force comes into play and nothing else remains. At this stage reside valorous warriors who embody the incalculable virtues of the all-pervasive Being. At this stage are countless women whose incalculable virtues cannot be described. These individuals can neither be killed nor robbed for within them is the mysticism of their Maker. They imbibe true devotion and within their minds is irremovable bliss.”
-Guru Granth, 8.
At this stage of comprehension, the Sikh accepts and rationalizes the usage of ਜੋਰੁ or force to achieve their goals but ethically and morally. ਦੁੱਖ becomes their resolute ally and through the acceptance of ਦੁੱਖ they empower themselves to triumph over their opponents. Though they might die physically and bereft of any significant achievement vis-a-vis their goals, their rebellion ensures they act as an inspiration from beyond the grave. At such a stage of immortality they can neither be killed nor robbed.
Summary:
In Sikhi ਦੁੱਖ is as natural as its counterpart, ਸੁਖ. A Sikh, as defined by Gurmat, is an individual who cognizes themselves with Gurbani and retains enough discipline to accept pain without surrendering to its corollaries of anxiety and despair. While such a Sikh does not necessarily seek to inflict pain upon themselves, they nonetheless accept it stoically when it manifests in their lives as is natural. At a more profound level of understanding, the Sikh lives to confront ਦੁੱਖ while in the service of Creation. In its most universal form, this latter course of action entails confrontation with both state and dogmatic faith. Parallel to this is ਦੁੱਖ eventuating from some disability which must be overcome through trial and error. On the former plane, disciplined warriors rigorously refuse to concede ground to tyranny. On the latter, scholars and scientists stick to their guns and refuse to submit to apathy and retrogression. For the Sikhs of Gurbani, pain is a beloved friend forever imparting new lessons to them.