ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>LOBH</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="LOBH"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279LOBH, meaning greed, avarice, covetousness or cupidity arising out of the acquisitive instinct of man, has been denounced in almost every ethical system. Sikhism treats it as one of the Five Evils that hinder man's spiritual progress as well as his moral growth. Personifying <i>lobh</i> in one of his hymns, thus does Gur&#363 Arjan address him: "O <i>lobh</i>, you have lured the best of men who gambol about under your sway. Their minds waver and run in all directions. You have respect neither for friend nor for one worthy of adoration, neither for father, mother or kindred. You make one do what one must not do..." (GG, 1358). <i>Lobh</i> is indeed a variant of <i>k&#257m</i>. While the latter means desire in general or erotic desire in particular, the former implies inordinate desire to possess worldly goods, more often than not at others' cost. It may take one of the two forms. A <i>lobh&#299</i> or greedy person may either desire to grab and enjoy or he may grab and accumulate, becoming either a profligate or a miser. In both cases, as Gur&#363 Arjan says, "pelf becomes the breath of life for the greedy" (GG, 914). Greed leads to such vices as mendacity, exploitation and abuse of power. It destroys stability and tranquillity of the mind. To quote Gur&#363 N&#257nak, "The greedy mind is never still and wanders in all four directions" (GG, 876). "It stays not with the compassionate Lord" (GG, 359).</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Antidote to <i>lobh</i> is contentment (<i>sabr, santokh</i>) and not absolute renunciation. "Happiness lies in contentment," declares Gur&#363 Arjan. "Worthless are the dominions if they bring not fulfilment" (GG,745). The Gur&#363 recommends <i>grihastha</i> or normal life of a householder, and does not totally discard worldly possessions; what is disapproved is attachment to them and hankering after them. "What we eat and drink is sacred", says Gur&#363 N&#257nak, "for that is God's own gift" (GG, 472). But these "riches cannot be accumulated without sin, " and, what is more, "these accompany not man in death" (GG, 417) . Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s, N&#257nak III, warns: "Do not be led astray by <i>m&#257y&#257</i>...Know that your millions shall not keep you company," (GG, 1087). On the other hand, as says Gur&#363 N&#257nak, "Contentment is the quality of the angels."</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"><i>&#346abadarth Sr&#299 Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib</i>. Amritsar, 1964<BR> <li class="C1"> Sher Singh, <i>The Philosophy of Sikhism</i>. Lahore, 1944<BR> <li class="C1"> Avtar Singh, <i>The Ethics of the Sikhs</i>. Patiala, 1970<BR> <li class="C1"> Nripinder Singh, <i>The Sikh Moral Tradition</i>. Delhi, 1990<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">L. M. Joshi<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>