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Summary of Question:	Reincarnation? 3 Types Of Banee?
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Tuesday, 8/21/2001 9:12 AM MDT

WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA

WAHEGURU JI KE FATEH

I have just currently decided to keep my kesh and eventually become a gursikh. All of this has happened so fast that even i cant believe that this is actually happening to me. i have changed alot in such a short time. I recently was discussing with my grandfather about the topic of reincarnation, and he believes that there is no such thing and that everything that there is, is here in this world and that there is no next. I then asked him that gurbani states in countless place that recite gods name in this life and earn the fruits in the next, he then went to tell me that in the guru granth sahib there are 3 types of bani i cant remember all three but one being 'bheanak' or 'scaring' is this true?

thank you for your help.

WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KE FATEH

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REPLY
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Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
Dear One:

I congratulate you on your decision to remain keshdhari.

With all due respect to your grandfather, if Siri Guru Granth says that we go the rounds of births & deaths unless we remember the Naam, then this is true. I have never heard of 'three kinds of bani." Banee Guroo, Guroo hai banee" - Guru is in Banee and Banee is Guru. Our Guru is Shabd Guru. It has always been shabd guru, even in Guru Nanak's time. Shabd Guru is not a person, it is the Word, the Truth. Shabd Guru is infallible, even our 10 Gurus understood this.

Guru is not trying to 'scare' us into remembering the Naam by telling us we will reincarnate over and over. Guru is stating the obvious and teaching us that the pains of worldly existence can be ended by remembrance of the Naam. I don't know where your grandfather gets his information, but it is inaccurate. Probably you should not engage him in discussion on these matters, for it may confuse you and he may not, in his heart, support your decision to remain Gursikh.

Moreover, lots of folks all over this planet have trouble with the idea that our spirit/soul takes physical form over and over, that the body comes and goes, but the spirit/soul is immortal. Many people think that all what we see with our human eyes is ALL that there is. Our Gurus knew better than this, and if you read the stories of the 10 Gurus you will see that they understood there is so much more than meets the eye. Guru Nanak said this in Japji: Pauri that starts "Pataala Pataal lakh agaasa agaas, etc." talks about worlds upon/within worlds so many that we cannot know, this is how great God's universe is.

As for 'where next' - live the four pillars of Sikhi. Practice bani, chant the Naam daily, do seva, wear the form of a Gursikh. You will continue to change and grow in spirituality and others around you will feel it (and some may fight it, this is normal). Keep up and you will be kept up, take one step towards Guru and Guru will take 1000 steps towards you!

I hope this helps. Guru rakha,
-DKK