Monday, November 07, 2005
Bike Ride
This earlier this year Bhai Bhupinder Singh came over from the UK for 3 weeks. On July 6th Jagjeet Singh, Bhupinder Singh and I went for a little outing. We rented bikes from a shop near Stanley Park and did the entire sea wall and then around and in through downtown in about 2 hours. This was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had.
Sunday, November 06, 2005
Saturday, November 05, 2005
Water filter
About 9 years ago there was a company, Amway, it was huge, a lot of people I know were Amway members back then. It was a pyramid scheme where the people at the very top ranks made the most money.
We too got sucked into the Amway craze. The one Amway product we use the most in a given day is the E-84 Water Treatment System. Dealing with Amway was well worth it just because of this one thing. It cost about $400 and is one of the most reliable pieces of machinery we own.
There's a mini faucet that attaches to your sink-top by the main faucet. The filter attachment is concealed beneath the sink and water is drawn from the same pipe that supplies water to your regular faucet. The regular water tap functions as normal.
It has a one way carbon filter that cleans the water when it comes in under pressure from the mains and channels through purified on exit. We usually have to replace it ever 12-16 months. The cost is about $80 Canadian.
We too got sucked into the Amway craze. The one Amway product we use the most in a given day is the E-84 Water Treatment System. Dealing with Amway was well worth it just because of this one thing. It cost about $400 and is one of the most reliable pieces of machinery we own.
There's a mini faucet that attaches to your sink-top by the main faucet. The filter attachment is concealed beneath the sink and water is drawn from the same pipe that supplies water to your regular faucet. The regular water tap functions as normal.
It has a one way carbon filter that cleans the water when it comes in under pressure from the mains and channels through purified on exit. We usually have to replace it ever 12-16 months. The cost is about $80 Canadian.
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
ਅਸੂਲ # ੨
In 1990 sitting in a portable (classroom) at Dashmeh Punajbi School Abbotsford Nirmal Singh, our Punjabi teacher went over a story from Amardeep Punajbi Paath-mala(Punajbi text) After 15 years I still remember everything like it happened yesterday. This teacher is one of the leading advocates of Punjabi in BC, and is still active today; he writes articles for Punajbi papers sometimes.
-------------------------------------
The story takes place in a primary school in Punjab. One day the teacher told the class that his daughter would be getting married soon and each of the students should bring a gift for the occasion. The only stipulation was: no one else should know what you are taking and to where you are taking it to, meaning they had to steal whatever they were bringing.
In the next few days most of the kids did bring the teacher a gift. Some brought sweets, some brought tea, pots-pans, books and other random household items. Soon there was this one student who failed to bring anything.
A week had passed, and still the kid didn’t bring anything. The teacher began to feel impatient and one day he asked the kid to stand up and tell the class why he kept forgetting. He told the student that the task was simple all he had to do was hide an item when no one was there and bring it to school the next day when no one was looking. The Student promised him that he would try to do exactly that.
The next day came and the kid was trembling with concern. Seeing the look on the student’s face the teacher in a ‘thunderous voice’ told the kid that he was going to give him the beating of his life. The kid began to feel uneasy. The teacher cooled down and asked the student why he couldn’t do such a simple task when the whole class was able to bring him something.
The student reminded him that one of the conditions of the deal was: you had to take something while no one was looking. He told the class that ‘I tried really hard to find a place where there were no eyes looking. But everywhere I went my own eyes were there following my every move and I couldn’t steal anything because my own eyes would see me stealing and the deal would be off.’ The class was stunned when they heard this. ‘So Teacher, if you really want me to bring you something give me the power to poke my eyes out. That way there won’t be anyone following me around and it will be possible to bring you something without anyone’s knowledge.’
The teacher was overjoyed. In the book it said the teacher ‘tightly hugged’ the student and gave him a pat on the back. Then told the class he didn’t need any gifts for his daughters wedding and he was quite wealthy. The only reason he asked the class to steal something from home was to test how honest they really were. The Teacher told the class he was glad that one person was able to learn and apply what he had been teaching them for the whole year.
-------------------------------------
We tend to think, act and do things differently when others are watching compared to when we’re alone. Gurbani tells us there are chitter and gupt, two beings who record our each and every move. When a person dies they’re judged on what’s presented by chitter and gupt to dharamraaj.
ਚਿਤ੍ਰਗੁਪਤੁਸਭਲਿਖਤੇਲੇਖਾ॥ ਭਗਤਜਨਾਕਉਦ੍ਰਿਸਟਿਨਪੇਖਾ॥੪॥
ਦੇਇਕਿਵਾੜਅਨਿਕਪੜਦੇਮਹਿਪਰਦਾਰਾਸੰਗਿਫਾਕੈ॥
ਚਿਤ੍ਰਗੁਪਤੁਜਬਲੇਖਾਮਾਗਹਿਤਬਕਉਣੁਪੜਦਾਤੇਰਾਢਾਕੈ॥੩॥
ਜਾਂਚੈਘਰਿਕੁਲਾਲੁਬ੍ਰਹਮਾਚਤੁਰਮੁਖੁਡਾਂਵੜਾਜਿਨਿਬਿਸ੍ਵਸੰਸਾਰੁਰਾਚੀਲੇ॥
ਜਾਂਕੈਘਰਿਈਸਰੁਬਾਵਲਾਜਗਤਗੁਰੂਤਤਸਾਰਖਾਗਿਆਨੁਭਾਖੀਲੇ॥
ਪਾਪੁਪੁੰਨੁਜਾਂਚੈਡਾਂਗੀਆਦੁਆਰੈਚਿਤ੍ਰਗੁਪਤੁਲੇਖੀਆ॥
ਧਰਮਰਾਇਪਰੁਲੀਪ੍ਰਤਿਹਾਰੁ॥
ਸੁਐਸਾਰਾਜਾਸ੍ਰੀਗੋਪਾਲੁ॥੨॥
It’s better to be our own chittar and gupt like the kid who wouldn’t steal in the presence of his own eyes than to hang our heads in shame in the court of Dharamraaj. Because there is no such thing as a secret. Everything is revealed: sooner or later-especially today.
-------------------------------------
The story takes place in a primary school in Punjab. One day the teacher told the class that his daughter would be getting married soon and each of the students should bring a gift for the occasion. The only stipulation was: no one else should know what you are taking and to where you are taking it to, meaning they had to steal whatever they were bringing.
In the next few days most of the kids did bring the teacher a gift. Some brought sweets, some brought tea, pots-pans, books and other random household items. Soon there was this one student who failed to bring anything.
A week had passed, and still the kid didn’t bring anything. The teacher began to feel impatient and one day he asked the kid to stand up and tell the class why he kept forgetting. He told the student that the task was simple all he had to do was hide an item when no one was there and bring it to school the next day when no one was looking. The Student promised him that he would try to do exactly that.
The next day came and the kid was trembling with concern. Seeing the look on the student’s face the teacher in a ‘thunderous voice’ told the kid that he was going to give him the beating of his life. The kid began to feel uneasy. The teacher cooled down and asked the student why he couldn’t do such a simple task when the whole class was able to bring him something.
The student reminded him that one of the conditions of the deal was: you had to take something while no one was looking. He told the class that ‘I tried really hard to find a place where there were no eyes looking. But everywhere I went my own eyes were there following my every move and I couldn’t steal anything because my own eyes would see me stealing and the deal would be off.’ The class was stunned when they heard this. ‘So Teacher, if you really want me to bring you something give me the power to poke my eyes out. That way there won’t be anyone following me around and it will be possible to bring you something without anyone’s knowledge.’
The teacher was overjoyed. In the book it said the teacher ‘tightly hugged’ the student and gave him a pat on the back. Then told the class he didn’t need any gifts for his daughters wedding and he was quite wealthy. The only reason he asked the class to steal something from home was to test how honest they really were. The Teacher told the class he was glad that one person was able to learn and apply what he had been teaching them for the whole year.
-------------------------------------
We tend to think, act and do things differently when others are watching compared to when we’re alone. Gurbani tells us there are chitter and gupt, two beings who record our each and every move. When a person dies they’re judged on what’s presented by chitter and gupt to dharamraaj.
ਚਿਤ੍ਰਗੁਪਤੁਸਭਲਿਖਤੇਲੇਖਾ॥ ਭਗਤਜਨਾਕਉਦ੍ਰਿਸਟਿਨਪੇਖਾ॥੪॥
ਦੇਇਕਿਵਾੜਅਨਿਕਪੜਦੇਮਹਿਪਰਦਾਰਾਸੰਗਿਫਾਕੈ॥
ਚਿਤ੍ਰਗੁਪਤੁਜਬਲੇਖਾਮਾਗਹਿਤਬਕਉਣੁਪੜਦਾਤੇਰਾਢਾਕੈ॥੩॥
ਜਾਂਚੈਘਰਿਕੁਲਾਲੁਬ੍ਰਹਮਾਚਤੁਰਮੁਖੁਡਾਂਵੜਾਜਿਨਿਬਿਸ੍ਵਸੰਸਾਰੁਰਾਚੀਲੇ॥
ਜਾਂਕੈਘਰਿਈਸਰੁਬਾਵਲਾਜਗਤਗੁਰੂਤਤਸਾਰਖਾਗਿਆਨੁਭਾਖੀਲੇ॥
ਪਾਪੁਪੁੰਨੁਜਾਂਚੈਡਾਂਗੀਆਦੁਆਰੈਚਿਤ੍ਰਗੁਪਤੁਲੇਖੀਆ॥
ਧਰਮਰਾਇਪਰੁਲੀਪ੍ਰਤਿਹਾਰੁ॥
ਸੁਐਸਾਰਾਜਾਸ੍ਰੀਗੋਪਾਲੁ॥੨॥
It’s better to be our own chittar and gupt like the kid who wouldn’t steal in the presence of his own eyes than to hang our heads in shame in the court of Dharamraaj. Because there is no such thing as a secret. Everything is revealed: sooner or later-especially today.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Sadama & Krishan
The story of true friendship when Sudama met Krishan is truly inspirational. Not because it been mentioned numerous times in Gurbani and in Bhai Gurdass’ Vaars; but because what took place in the story is so rare and the chances it taking place today are unthinkable, yet possible. It’s a true story by the way, not fictionl.
------------------------------
ਬਿਪਸੁਦਾਮਾਦਾਲਦੀਬਾਲਸਖਾਈਮਿਤ੍ਰਸਦਾਏ॥
ਲਾਗੂਹੋਈਬਾਮ੍ਹਣੀਮਿਲਜਗਦੀਸਦਲਿਦ੍ਰਗਵਾਏ॥
ਚਲਿਆਗਿਣਦਾਗਟੀਆਂਕ੍ਯੋਂਕਰਜਾਈਏਕੌਣਮਿਲਾਏ॥
ਪਹੁਤਾਨਗਰਦੁਆਰਕਾਸਿੰਘਦੁਆਰਖਲੋਤਾਜਾਏ॥
ਦੂਰਹੁੰਦੇਖਡੰਡਉਤਕਰਛੱਡਸਿੰਘਾਸਣਹਰਿਜੀਆਏ॥
ਪਹਿਲੇਦੇਪਰਦਖਣਾਪੈਰੀਂਪੈਕੇਲੈਗਲਲਾਏ॥
ਚਰਣੋਦਕਲੈਪੈਰਧੋਇਸ਼ਿੰਘਾਸਣਉਪਰਬੈਠਾਏ॥
ਪੁਛੇਕੁਸਲਪਿਆਰਕਰਗੁਰਸੇਵਾਦੀਕਥਾਸੁਣਾਏ॥
ਲੈਕੇਤੰਦਲਚਬਿਓਨਵਿਦਾਕਰੇਅਗੇਪਹੁਚਾਏ॥
ਚਾਰਪਦਾਰਥਸਕੁਚਪਠਾਏ॥9॥
10ਵੀਂ ਵਾਰ ਭਾਈ ਗੁਰਦੳਸ ਜੀ, ਪਉੜੀ 9ਵੀਂ
Sudama was a very poor Brahaman. He was friends with Krishan while they studied together as children. Both of them moved on, Sadama got married and still lived on poverty. Yet after all these years he still kept talking about how great Krishan was a man and he was fortunate enough to still be his friend(even though he handn’t met him for a long time)
One day his wife got tired of him saying this and told him to actually go meet him so Krishan could get him out of poverty if Krishan was really as great as Sudama claimed. She told him a friend of a Great king like Krishan should not have to suffer the same fate as him.
So Sudama left home to meet Krishan. He thought to himself: I’m wearing dirty old ripped cloths and look like a beggar, who will want to even talk to me? He reached Diwarka Nagri(city) and stood outside the kings palace in deep thought. Krishan knew what was going on without even seeing him.
When Sadama came into his view, Krishan got up from his throne in great hurry and did a daundoat(long low laying down forward) and was overjoyed to see his childhood friend. Krishan took him inside where the royal court was in session. In front of all the powerful men of the kingdom Kirshan did parkarma(walked around him: a sign if deep respect) and fell down upon his feet touched them. He then got up and gave him a long hug. Krishan went as far as placing Sadama on the royal throne and washed Sadama’s feet and drank the charnodak(water with which he washed his feet).
Krishan then asked him about life and how he was doing. For hours they talked about the good memories they had as kids. They talked about how they had studied together and served their teacher. How Sadama found cooked sholay at home and wanted to give some to Krishan. Instead when he was collecting firewood he ate them all himself without realizing it. Somehow he bumped into Krishan and when he asked him what he was eating he told him he was eating nothing. Krishan said to him that he was a Dilidri-no-good, petty lier. Even as a child Krishan had a high spiritual state and with those words from that moment on sadama became entrapped in poverty and remained that way for the rest of his life.
Sadama’s wife was very smart and had given him a handful of rice to offer to Krishan. While talking about all the good memories Sadama had forgotten to give him the rice. Krishan took them from the bag himself and started eating. Sadama was so glad to have met Krishan that he forgot to ask him for anything
But the good friend Krishan blessed him with ‘char padarath’(everything and anything he would ever need or want) From that day forth Sadama and his family lived a luxurious life full of contentment.
---------------------------------
Some lines from Gurbani:
ਜਪਿਓਨਾਮੁਸੁਕਜਨਕਗੁਰਬਚਨੀਹਰਿਹਰਿਸਰਣਿਪਰੇ॥ ਦਾਲਦੁਭੰਜਿਸੁਦਾਮੇਮਿਲਿਓਭਗਤੀਭਾਇਤਰੇ॥ ਭਗਤਿਵਛਲੁਹਰਿਨਾਮੁਕ੍ਰਿਤਾਰਥੁਗੁਰਮੁਖਿਕ੍ਰਿਪਾਕਰੇ॥ -(ਅੰਕ 995)
ਅੰਬਰੀਕਕਉਦੀਓਅਭੈਪਦੁਰਾਜੁਭਭੀਖਨਅਧਿਕਕਰਿਓ॥
ਨਉਨਿਧਿਠਾਕੁਰਿਦਈਸੁਦਾਮੈਧ੍ਰੂਅਅਟਲੁਅਜਹੂਨਟਰਿਓ॥ -(ਅੰਕ 1105)
ਬਿਪ੍ਰਸੁਦਾਮੇਦਾਲਦੁਭੰਜ॥ਰੇਮਨਤੂਭੀਭਜੁਗੋਬਿੰਦ॥ -(ਅੰਕ 1192)
------------------------------
ਬਿਪਸੁਦਾਮਾਦਾਲਦੀਬਾਲਸਖਾਈਮਿਤ੍ਰਸਦਾਏ॥
ਲਾਗੂਹੋਈਬਾਮ੍ਹਣੀਮਿਲਜਗਦੀਸਦਲਿਦ੍ਰਗਵਾਏ॥
ਚਲਿਆਗਿਣਦਾਗਟੀਆਂਕ੍ਯੋਂਕਰਜਾਈਏਕੌਣਮਿਲਾਏ॥
ਪਹੁਤਾਨਗਰਦੁਆਰਕਾਸਿੰਘਦੁਆਰਖਲੋਤਾਜਾਏ॥
ਦੂਰਹੁੰਦੇਖਡੰਡਉਤਕਰਛੱਡਸਿੰਘਾਸਣਹਰਿਜੀਆਏ॥
ਪਹਿਲੇਦੇਪਰਦਖਣਾਪੈਰੀਂਪੈਕੇਲੈਗਲਲਾਏ॥
ਚਰਣੋਦਕਲੈਪੈਰਧੋਇਸ਼ਿੰਘਾਸਣਉਪਰਬੈਠਾਏ॥
ਪੁਛੇਕੁਸਲਪਿਆਰਕਰਗੁਰਸੇਵਾਦੀਕਥਾਸੁਣਾਏ॥
ਲੈਕੇਤੰਦਲਚਬਿਓਨਵਿਦਾਕਰੇਅਗੇਪਹੁਚਾਏ॥
ਚਾਰਪਦਾਰਥਸਕੁਚਪਠਾਏ॥9॥
10ਵੀਂ ਵਾਰ ਭਾਈ ਗੁਰਦੳਸ ਜੀ, ਪਉੜੀ 9ਵੀਂ
Sudama was a very poor Brahaman. He was friends with Krishan while they studied together as children. Both of them moved on, Sadama got married and still lived on poverty. Yet after all these years he still kept talking about how great Krishan was a man and he was fortunate enough to still be his friend(even though he handn’t met him for a long time)
One day his wife got tired of him saying this and told him to actually go meet him so Krishan could get him out of poverty if Krishan was really as great as Sudama claimed. She told him a friend of a Great king like Krishan should not have to suffer the same fate as him.
So Sudama left home to meet Krishan. He thought to himself: I’m wearing dirty old ripped cloths and look like a beggar, who will want to even talk to me? He reached Diwarka Nagri(city) and stood outside the kings palace in deep thought. Krishan knew what was going on without even seeing him.
When Sadama came into his view, Krishan got up from his throne in great hurry and did a daundoat(long low laying down forward) and was overjoyed to see his childhood friend. Krishan took him inside where the royal court was in session. In front of all the powerful men of the kingdom Kirshan did parkarma(walked around him: a sign if deep respect) and fell down upon his feet touched them. He then got up and gave him a long hug. Krishan went as far as placing Sadama on the royal throne and washed Sadama’s feet and drank the charnodak(water with which he washed his feet).
Krishan then asked him about life and how he was doing. For hours they talked about the good memories they had as kids. They talked about how they had studied together and served their teacher. How Sadama found cooked sholay at home and wanted to give some to Krishan. Instead when he was collecting firewood he ate them all himself without realizing it. Somehow he bumped into Krishan and when he asked him what he was eating he told him he was eating nothing. Krishan said to him that he was a Dilidri-no-good, petty lier. Even as a child Krishan had a high spiritual state and with those words from that moment on sadama became entrapped in poverty and remained that way for the rest of his life.
Sadama’s wife was very smart and had given him a handful of rice to offer to Krishan. While talking about all the good memories Sadama had forgotten to give him the rice. Krishan took them from the bag himself and started eating. Sadama was so glad to have met Krishan that he forgot to ask him for anything
But the good friend Krishan blessed him with ‘char padarath’(everything and anything he would ever need or want) From that day forth Sadama and his family lived a luxurious life full of contentment.
---------------------------------
Some lines from Gurbani:
ਜਪਿਓਨਾਮੁਸੁਕਜਨਕਗੁਰਬਚਨੀਹਰਿਹਰਿਸਰਣਿਪਰੇ॥ ਦਾਲਦੁਭੰਜਿਸੁਦਾਮੇਮਿਲਿਓਭਗਤੀਭਾਇਤਰੇ॥ ਭਗਤਿਵਛਲੁਹਰਿਨਾਮੁਕ੍ਰਿਤਾਰਥੁਗੁਰਮੁਖਿਕ੍ਰਿਪਾਕਰੇ॥ -(ਅੰਕ 995)
ਅੰਬਰੀਕਕਉਦੀਓਅਭੈਪਦੁਰਾਜੁਭਭੀਖਨਅਧਿਕਕਰਿਓ॥
ਨਉਨਿਧਿਠਾਕੁਰਿਦਈਸੁਦਾਮੈਧ੍ਰੂਅਅਟਲੁਅਜਹੂਨਟਰਿਓ॥ -(ਅੰਕ 1105)
ਬਿਪ੍ਰਸੁਦਾਮੇਦਾਲਦੁਭੰਜ॥ਰੇਮਨਤੂਭੀਭਜੁਗੋਬਿੰਦ॥ -(ਅੰਕ 1192)
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