Lobh
| Part of a series on Sikh Beliefs |
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| Sikhism |
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2. Three Pillars |
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3. Five Evils |
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4. Five Virtues |
Lobh is a Gurmukhi and Punjabi word which translates into English as greed, temptation or avarice. Sikhi tells us that it is one of five evils found within most human beings. The five evils or five thieves or panch doot (five demons) or panj vikar (five sins) as they are referred to in Sikh Scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, are according to Sikhi, the five major weaknesses of the human personality at variance with its spiritual essence.
The common evils found in mankind far exceed this number, but a group of five of them came to be identified because of the major obstruction they are believed to cause to man's pursuit of the moral and spiritual path. The other four evils in the group of five are:
What is greed or Lobh?
According to Sikhi, Lobh is an intense desire to possess material items like money, goods, gadgets, property, cars, etc or have physical attributes like long hair, big muscles, green eyes, etc. A Loby (a person subject to lobh) is the result of a foolish and feeble mind; is happy thinking about his or her wealth;
A desire to acquire possess in access to ones basis needs is called Lobh. A strong and insuppressible desire for worldly possessions and a constant or recurring focus on possessing material items, especially the urge to possess the things that rightfully belongs to others. It makes an individual selfish and self-centred. It takes a person away from peace; from his or her religious, moral and social duties. A person can become blind with greed if an effort to control the desire for unlimited worldly possessions is not suppressed.
An unstoppable desire to gain wealth, possessions, fame, or things; especially when there is no need for there items; the desire to own items purely because others own them; the desire to own material items that belong to others - are all examples of greed and Lobh. Sikhs do not believe that it is wrong to enjoy the good things in life, to be wealthy or to be admired by others. The Gurus taught that human beings should make the most of everything that God has given. However, if a person’s actions and thoughts are focused on possessing the material things in life he or she is no longer focused on God then they are moving further and further from liberation and Mukti.
Greed as defined on the net
- QUOTATION BY: Janwillem van de Wetering: Greed is a fat demon with a small mouth and whatever you feed it is never enough.
- Dictionary.com definition of Greed excessive or rapacious desire, esp. for wealth or possessions. [Origin: 1600–10; back formation from greedy] —Synonyms avarice, avidity, cupidity, covetousness; voracity, ravenousness, rapacity. Greed, greediness denote an excessive, extreme desire for something, often more than one's proper share. Greed means avid desire for gain or wealth (unless some other application is indicated) and is definitely uncomplimentary in implication: His greed drove him to exploit his workers. Greediness, when unqualified, suggests a craving for food; it may, however, be applied to all avid desires, and need not be always uncomplimentary: greediness for knowledge, fame, praise. —Antonyms generosity.
- Wikipedia's definition of Greed:, Greed is the selfish desire for or pursuit of money, wealth, power, food, or other possessions, especially when this denies the same goods to others. Greed denotes desire to acquire wealth or possessions beyond the needs of the individual, especially when this accumulation of possession denies others legitimate needs or access to those or other resources.
- Straight from the Barrel...What is "greed"? Most people will tell you that greed is a part of human nature - that it is present at least to some extent in every single human being on the planet. In fact, certain religious traditions hold that part of our spiritual purpose on earth is to overcome this aspect of human nature. These traditions usually hold that generosity is a part of our nature too, so our purpose is really to overcome just half of our nature - by learning to express the generous half while suppressing the greedy half.
But if greed is really a part of our most basic nature, if it is even half of the essence of humanity, then what hope do we have of overcoming it? This may sound controversial, but I actually don't believe that greed itself is a part of human nature at all. I think that greed is what happens when we take human nature - specifically, the SEEKING drive in human nature - and direct it toward certain goals.
- America's Disease is Greed August 20, 2004 by the Chicago Sun Times The most serious spiritual problem in the country today is reckless and untrammeled greed. Greed caused the disgraceful corporate scandals that fill our newspapers. Greed is responsible for crooked cops and crooked politicians. Greed causes the constant efforts to destroy unions that protect basic worker rights.
Greed is responsible for the obscene salaries of CEOs. In the '90s the ratio of CEO compensation to average workers' compensation was 250 to 1, meaning that the boss earned on his first day of work during a year as much as the worker did in a whole year.
Message of Gurbani
The following Shabads from Gurbani clarify this cardinal vice:
| ਸਬਦਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਸੋ ਮਿਲਿ ਰਹੈ ਜਿਸ ਨਉ ਆਪੇ ਲਝ ਮਿਲਾਇ ॥ |
| Sabaḝ milai so mil rahai jis nao ĝpė laė milĝė. |
| Their intellect and understanding are perverted; they just don't understand. They are filled with greed and corruption. |
| ਸਚੇ ਸੇਤੀ ਰਤਿਆ ਸਚੋ ਪਲੈ ਪਾਇ ॥੭॥ |
| Sacẖė sėṯī raṯiĝ sacẖo palai pĝė.॥7॥ |
| The world is deceived and plundered by riches, youth, greed and egotism (7). |
| ਕਾਮਿ ਕਰੋਧਿ ਮੋਹਿ ਵਸਿ ਕੀਆ ਕਿਰਪਨ ਲੋਭਿ ਪਿਆਰ ॥ ਚਾਰੇ ਕਿਲਵਿਖ ਉਨਿ ਅਘ ਕੀਝ ਹੋਆ ਅਸਰ ਸੰਘਾਰ ॥ ਪੋਥੀ ਗੀਤ ਕਵਿਤ ਕਿਛ ਕਦੇ ਨ ਕਰਨਿ ਧਰਿਆ ॥ ਚਿਤਿ ਆਵੈ ਓਸ ਪਾਰਬਰਹਮ ਤਾ ਨਿਮਖ ਸਿਮਰਤ ਤਰਿਆ ॥੪॥ |
| Kĝm karoḝẖ mohi vas kīĝ kirpan lobẖ piĝr. Cẖĝrė kilvikẖ un agẖ kīė hoĝ asur sangẖĝr. Pothī gīṯ kaviṯ kicẖẖ kaḝė na karan ḝẖariĝ. Cẖiṯ ĝvai os pĝrbarahm ṯĝ nimakẖ simraṯ ṯariĝ. ॥4॥ |
| When you are under the power of sexual desire, anger and worldly attachment, or a greedy miser in love with your wealth; if you have committed the four great sins and other mistakes; even if you are a murderous fiend |
More Gurbani
1.
| Within is the terrible darkness of greed, and so they come and go in reincarnation, over and over again. ((7)) |
2.
| Cruelty, material attachment, greed and anger are the four rivers of fire. Falling into them, one is burned, O Nanak! One is saved only by holding tight to good deeds. ((2)) |
3.
| You practice greed, avarice and great falsehood, and you carry such a heavy burden. O body, I have seen you blowing away like dust on the earth. ((1)) |
4.
| ਕਰਮ ਨ ਜਾਣਾ ਧਰਮ ਨ ਜਾਣਾ ਲੋਭੀ ਮਾਇਆਧਾਰੀ ॥ |
| Karam na jĝṇĝ ḝẖaram na jĝṇĝ lobẖī mĝiĝḝẖĝrī. |
| I do not know about karma and good deeds; I do not know about Dharma and righteous living. I am so greedy, chasing after Maya. |
5.
| With greed within them, their minds are filthy, and they spread filth around. They do filthy deeds, and suffer in pain. |
6.
| Kabeer, where there is spiritual wisdom, there is righteousness and Dharma. Where there is falsehood, there is sin. Where there is greed, there is death. Where there is forgiveness, there is God Himself. ((155)) |
7.
| ਲੋਭੀ ਕਾ ਵੇਸਾਹ ਨ ਕੀਜੈ ਜੇ ਕਾ ਪਾਰਿ ਵਸਾਇ ॥ |
| Lobẖī kĝ vėsĝhu na kījai jė kĝ pĝr vasĝė. |
| Do not trust greedy people, if you can avoid doing so. |
External links
- commondreams.org The most serious spiritual problem in the country today is reckless and untrammeled greed...
- mindunbound.com Most people will tell you that greed is a part of human nature ...
- wikipedia.org Greed is the selfish desire for or pursuit of money, wealth....
- google.co.uk What is greed?
| Five Evils |
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1.Kam (Lust) 2.Krodh (Rage) 3. Lobh (Greed) 4. Moh (Attachment) 5. Ahankar (Ego) |
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