Being A Rich Sikh

[Akalifauj]

Being a GurSikh, I believe in an honest living and giving dasvand. I am starting to make relatively large amounts of money but stay grounded. I do naam Simran and am in the process of defeating my ego, even though it is a long process. Throughout reading gurbani, and hearing others, I am starting to believe being rich is a sin in sikhi. Waheguru gives us everything and I feel bad about the vast money I earn. My earning potential is only increasing but I am happy that I can support various social programs that can change the world. I am not attached to money as I had to detach myself in order to earn it. I don't want to psychologically hinder my progress as they say "Becareful what you wish for". Any thoughts?

Give it to me!!! :lol2: Open up scholarships and bursaries. There are a lot of students who want to attend college or university, but cannot because they don't have the financial support. If you choose too, make sure to advertise the bursaries or scholarships at the local high schools. Many of the students who need them don't get them because they don't even know they exist. You can dish out easy 1g to 20g's out in this manner. Invest in young children and the youth. Think about all the kids you went to school with and how some of them would have turned out, if their parents had just enough cash to send them to a university or college. And if you really have some serious coin lying around, help fund a music or language program in a school.

Long term plans. Open a Gurbani learning center for all ages. Set up classes, obtain learned teachers, material, etc. Get involved in the community and you will start seeing where your money can help build the community you live in a better place for the less fortunate.

Rich folks forget how rich they are when they start helping out the poor. The rich will run out of money, but the world will not run out of poor people.

[Singhshaster]

Being a GurSikh, I believe in an honest living and giving dasvand. I am starting to make relatively large amounts of money but stay grounded. I do naam Simran and am in the process of defeating my ego, even though it is a long process. Throughout reading gurbani, and hearing others, I am starting to believe being rich is a sin in sikhi. Waheguru gives us everything and I feel bad about the vast money I earn. My earning potential is only increasing but I am happy that I can support various social programs that can change the world. I am not attached to money as I had to detach myself in order to earn it. I don't want to psychologically hinder my progress as they say "Becareful what you wish for". Any thoughts?

Singh can you please contact me through private message.

[simran345]

Being a GurSikh, I believe in an honest living and giving dasvand. I am starting to make relatively large amounts of money but stay grounded. I do naam Simran and am in the process of defeating my ego, even though it is a long process. Throughout reading gurbani, and hearing others, I am starting to believe being rich is a sin in sikhi. Waheguru gives us everything and I feel bad about the vast money I earn. My earning potential is only increasing but I am happy that I can support various social programs that can change the world. I am not attached to money as I had to detach myself in order to earn it. I don't want to psychologically hinder my progress as they say "Becareful what you wish for". Any thoughts?

This is also Waheguru jis daat, just don't let Ahankar, and moh and lobh get in the way.

[Truth5]

Hi

Being rich isn't a sin

It really is all about detachment, not allowing the darkness of attachment to soil/darken your soul.

My extended family has been said to be very wealthy-but it is apparent that they've been corrupted by it. They have so much ego, do so much nindya of others and put others down.

Pretty much their whole family is like this- it's a collective egotistical psychology- they say mental illness spreads, and it can.

Give your thanks for your wealth but stay detached from it. Bhudda said in the midst of abundance, remain detached.

Maybe you'll be called on one day to provide something for a higher purpose- maybe learn the art of warfare- our Gurus taught us to Always be prepared.

Give a portion to the helpless- those in africa etc who are starving and may lack job prospects to help themselves-this is a great seva.

I'm sure u worked hard for your blessing of wealth, so well done. Just keep your head down, don't brag take the advice above and im sure you'll do well with this.

God bless you.

[traderA]

Are we allowed to buy nice vehicles, houses and luxuries? I have experienced losing everything before so I'm detached. You know what they say in the Business world "you're a true hustler if you can lose it all and make it back". I don't care much about money, it's all Waheguru given. My main question is whether we can buy and use items of luxuries?

[jpsingh2]

Buy lots of heras like ranjeet singh and give them out to kirtanee jathas

There is a Sant Kartar SIngh Bhindranwale Je teaching that he tells that:

The more wealth you get, more you should strive to be a better person; don't let pride come in you, with increased wealth. He (Vaheguru) who gives also takes it away; everything is in His hands.

[Truth5]

Yes you can buy nice things and luxuries, go on holidays etc, thats all a part of living. But remain detached from the ego and pride of wealth. Don't brag- I see so many wealthy people brag, I see people bragging about having wealthy friends, even though they claim to be humble.

Humilty isn't meant to be a show- ur not meant to Act humble- ur just meant to Be humble- whether others see it or not.

Give to those in countries where there are not job prospects for the poor and hungry to be able to feed themselves. Give clothes that u never or may rarely wear, do seva at the gurdwarra.

Jesus said its harder to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get to heaven so remember that life is a test and we come alone n empty handed and leave the same way. Just live and be good- live Gurbani.

[N30S1NGH]

You can buy and use items of luxuries- nice vehicles, houses, luxuries as long as you can be completely honest, sincere with yourself and look at them directly and come to deeper understanding within yourself - that these things are transient, temporary comfort - you control them, they don't control you.

You control them in a sense you(your thoughts)- you see your thoughts arising and subsiding them resolve in your temporary witness state not taking out of witness driving you crazy, your thoughts are giving them power as much it requires- right balance between simple and comfortable living-nothing overboard. If you are in deep connection with yourself- watching your thoughts, you will know when they start controlling you in conditioned pattern. Your point regarding loose it all and make it back denotes conditioned pattern-. Sikhi has no place for this kind of conditioning- mind conditioning . It's not competition or money game as they say in business world

I guess first and main step would be - deep root yourself in reality of these things, truth, come to conclusion or understanding deeply within- you are not your thought but witness of them and these things are illusion, transient since you can see them and they are always changing these simply cannot be you thoughts cannot be you..focus is on shabad which sees or seer who sees them. If you can be drawn or deep rooted towards that then you will notice you are slowly indentifying yourself with seer (sakhsi mentioned in gurbani), shabad gyan then you can take part in game- worldly luxuries as you see things as "they are" through very clear gyan perception.

If you are not deep rooted, you will go all over the place as orphan branch who is not deep rooted in its seed- eventually falls in ocean of maya.

[Guest Rich aswell]

It's ok - the 10th Guru used to dress well. There is a famous sakhi of him and a pandit who accuses the 10th Guru of not being religious for dressing like a King rather than in simple clothes like other holy men of that time. The 10th Guru replied that it is a new era and the holy people need to be integrated in society. So aslong as you are integrated and not carried away with it then that's fine. Personally I am a Sikh girl and in the top earners of the country. This also means I am on the highes tax rate where half my salary goes away as tax (sigh).

Now the other day I had the same thought as you, I spent £1000 at Westfield on one Prada item. I felt a bad afterwards and thought maybe I should have given it away to some poor person but all my colleagues who earn the same as me regularly do big spends, so it kinda cancels it self out. Also I figured I work so hard that I deserved it and we don't have to give all we earn away. We give 10% away which means that we are allowed to keep 90% and do whatever we want with it.

[Guest Sat]

It's ok - the 10th Guru used to dress well. There is a famous sakhi of him and a pandit who accuses the 10th Guru of not being religious for dressing like a King rather than in simple clothes like other holy men of that time. The 10th Guru replied that it is a new era and the holy people need to be integrated in society. So aslong as you are integrated and not carried away with it then that's fine. Personally I am a Sikh girl and in the top earners of the country. This also means I am on the highes tax rate where half my salary goes away as tax (sigh).

Now the other day I had the same thought as you, I spent £1000 at Westfield on one Prada item. I felt a bad afterwards and thought maybe I should have given it away to some poor person but all my colleagues who earn the same as me regularly do big spends, so it kinda cancels it self out. Also I figured I work so hard that I deserved it and we don't have to give all we earn away. We give 10% away which means that we are allowed to keep 90% and do whatever we want with it.

You're right. But there Will be a time where wealthy Sikhs will be called upon to help with a higher purpose. If I make what I probably need to, I've already vowed that I'm dedicating it to the purpose.