Numeral 3- The Trinities

The numeral 3 represents a number of entities or qualities that occur in groups of three. Some of them are complementary within the same group while others coexist. The two well known trinities are those in Hinduism and Christianity. Eight groups of three are briefly discussed below.

1. The Christians consider their religion monotheistic, believing in one God but hold that three persons namely God the Father, Jesus the son and the Holy Ghost or Spirit constitute the one God. To that extent the religion that was to conform to the Ten Commandments and recognize no other God, has been made polytheistic. The Bible itself does not talk of the Trinity except that Jesus is said to have told his disciples to baptize people in the name of the Father, and of the son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:16). The Bible also says that the Holy Ghost was to come after Jesus had gone. Jesus said: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.(John 14:26). The Trinity is taught as a doctrine in Christianity.

2. There are three Semitic religions namely Judaism (Jews), Christianity and Islam. They all acknowledge their origin to Abraham and are also known as Abrahamic religions. Their common scripture is the Old Testament, with Christians and Muslims also having their later specific scripture of the New Testament and the Quran respectively. The New Testament refers to the Old Testament frequently while the Quran quotes its first five books called the Torah or the Books of Moses.

3. The Hindu Trinity is based on the mythological belief that God has three basic attributes, those of creation, preservation, and chastisement for which He has taken forms of three gods Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh respectively. Mahesh is also called Shankar and Mahadev. Loosely however Mahesh is also referred to as Shiva which term actually represents God. Vishnu incarnates into various forms from time to time.There are different temples bearing the names of the three. Similarly their followers are called Brahmins, Vaishnavs and Saivites respectively. According to Japu Ji this concept of trinity is based on Maya or illusion:

ਏਕਾ ਮਾਈ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਵਿਆਈ ਤਿਨਿ ਚੇਲੇ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥ ਇਕੁ ਸੰਸਾਰੀ ਇਕੁ ਭੰਡਾਰੀ ਇਕੁ ਲਾਏ ਦੀਬਾਣੁ ॥ ੧੭

The one mother, Maya, gave birth to three sons, one is the creator, one maintains and the one holds court (SGGS, p 7).

According to Gurmat these three are only attributes of God and represent execution of Divine directions:
ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਬਿਸਨੁ ਮਹੇਸੁ ਦੁਆਰੈ ॥ ਊਭੇ ਸੇਵਹਿ ਅਲਖ ਅਪਾਰੈ ॥ ੧ ੧੦੨੨

Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh stand at the door of the Unfathomable Lord and serve (SGGS, p 1022).

The Hindu Trinity as in Christianity really amounts to fragmenting God.

4. The Hindus believe in three Gunas or modes of human behavior namely Taamsic (representing inertia and darkness i.e. ignorance), Raajsic (representing passion, action and achievement) and Saatvic (representing goodness). These also find frequent reference in Gurbani only to warn that they really represent Maya and must be transcended with Turi Avastha or the fourth state. Turi also called Turiya in Hindu scriptures, is a state free of material influences and is one in which goodness comes naturally. This has also been called the state of equipoise or Sahj:

ਤ੍ਰਿਹੁ ਗੁਣਾ ਵਿਚਿ ਸਹਜੁ ਨ ਪਾਈਐ ਤ੍ਰੈ ਗੁਣ ਭਰਮਿ ਭੁਲਾਇ ॥ ਪੜੀਐ ਗੁਣੀਐ ਕਿਆ ਕਥੀਐ ਜਾ ਮੁੰਢਹੁ ਘੁਥਾ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਚਉਥੇ ਪਦ ਮਹਿ ਸਹਜੁ ਹੈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪਲੈ ਪਾਇ ॥੬॥ ੩ ੬

We cannot achieve Sahj in the three Gunas as they lead to delusion; when one strays from the basics no amount of reading and contemplation can help; Sahj is achieved in the fourth state and is achieved through the Guru’s teachings (SGGS, p 68).

5. There are three types of afflictions called Teen Taap in Gurbani. They are Aadhi (mental sickness), Biaadhi (physical sickness) and Upaadhi (obscuring the true state and perceiving something else in the mind, delusion). One who does not acknowledge the Almighty is subject to all types of affliction:

ਆਧਿ ਬਿਆਧਿ ਉਪਾਧਿ ਰਸ ਕਬਹੁ ਨ ਤੂਟੈ ਤਾਪ ॥ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਪੂਰਨ ਧਨੀ ਨਹ ਬੂਝੈ ਪਰਤਾਪ ॥ ੫ ੨੯੭

The mental, physical and delusionary afflictions love and never leave those who do not acknowledge the glory and power of the Almighty (SGGS, p 297).

Conversely those who accept the great powers of the Lord are not subjected to the three types of sicknesses:

ਬਿਰਾਜਿਤ ਰਾਮ ਕੋ ਪਰਤਾਪ ॥ ਆਧਿ ਬਿਆਧਿ ਉਪਾਧਿ ਸਭ ਨਾਸੀ ਬਿਨਸੇ ਤੀਨੈ ਤਾਪ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ੫ ੧੨੨੩

One for who acknowledges the Lord’s powers, aadhi, biaadhi and upaadhi all the three afflictions disappear;Pause: (SGGS, p 1223).

6. The universe consists of planets above and below one another. On any planet say the earth, there are planets above and below. According to Eastern belief there are three regions, Tribhavan or Teen Lok called Surg, Machh and Paeaal which correspond to the Eastern concept of the heavens above the earth, the earth itself and the nether region orPaataal below it respectively.The three together represent the whole universe. Guru Nanak says:

ਜਿਨਿ ਏਹੁ ਜਗਤੁ ਉਪਾਇਆ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣੁ ਕਰਿ ਆਕਾਰੁ ॥ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਚਾਨਣੁ ਜਾਣੀਐ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਮੁਗਧੁ ਗੁਬਾਰੁ ॥ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਨਿਰੰਤਰੀ ਬੂਝੈ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਸਾਰੁ ॥੪॥੧੨੦

The Creator created the universe in the shape of the three worlds; one can know Him through the teachings of the Guru but the self oriented remain ignorant; the Divine Light is essence of all creation and is understood through the Guru (SGGS, p 20)

7. According to the Yogis there are three pipes or naadis in the body through which breathing takes place.

All three are within the spinal cord. Ida and Pingala are on the left and right side respectively of the Sushmana or Sukhman. Breath generally flows through each for about two hours alternately. But when it flows through the Sushmana (Agni canal), the mind becomes steady.

8. Again there are three stages of breathing actions or Pranayam, Taking in breath called Poorak, holding it is called Kumbhak and releasing breath is called Rechak.The Yogis attach spiritual importance to all this but Gurmat says that these cannot help on the spiritual path. Guru Nanak says:

ਨਿਉਲੀ ਕਰਮ ਭੁਇਅੰਗਮ ਭਾਠੀ ॥ ਰੇਚਕ ਕੁੰਭਕ ਪੂਰਕ ਮਨ ਹਾਠੀ ॥ ਪਾਖੰਡ ਧਰਮੁ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਨਹੀ ਹਰਿ ਸਉ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦ ਮਹਾ ਰਸੁ ਪਾਇਆ ॥੧੪॥੧੧੦੪੩

The perceived Yogic procedure of Neoli (cleansing the stomach) and Bujangam (straightening the Kundlani Nadi) with resultant nectar oozing from the Dasam Duaar (spiritual height); the Hath Yog Prayanam involving breathing actions of inhaling, holding the breath and exhaling; all this is pretence and does not promote love of the Creator which possible through the Guru’s word (SGGS, p 1043).

Bhagat Kabir says:

ਆਸਨੁ ਪਵਨ ਦੂਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਬਵਰੇ ॥ ਛੋਡਿ ਕਪਟੁ ਨਿਤ ਹਰਿ ਭਜੁ ਬਵਰੇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ਕ੮੫੭

Give up the asanaas and Pranayam of Hath Yog; give up deception and remember the Creator; Pause: (SGGS, p 857).