Sikhism

Sikhism

1. A Brief historical survey: from the times of Kabir and Nanak – around mid 15 CE to the annexation of Punjab to the British Empire in the 19 CE

The history of Sikhism

is closely associated with the history of Punjab and the socio-political situation in medieval India. Sikh distinction was further enhanced by the establishment of the Khalsa, by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. Sikhism was created by Guru Nanak, a religious leader and a social reformer during the fifteenth century in the Punjab region. The religious practice was formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. The latter baptised five persons from different social backgrounds to form Khalsa. The first five, Pure Ones, then baptized Gobind Singh into the Khalsa fold. This gives the Khalsa, as an organized grouping, a religious history of around 300 years.

The word Sikh come from the Sanskrit word ‘Sishya’ which means disciple. The Pali word ‘Sikkha’ also means the same. Sikh is the person who believed in the teachings of 10 gurus and Guru Granth Sahib (Scripture of Sikhs) traditionally people believe that Sikhism is blend of Islam and Hinduism, but we need to accept the fact that Sikhism is a separate religion based on the teachings of Guru Nanak. It evolved in 1469 CE in reaction to caste system in Hinduism, in human practices within Hinduism such as Untouchability, gender injustice and poverty. On the other hand Islam was preaching vehemently anti Hindu spirit in its cultural and religious, political outlook. The influence of Bhakti movement is also not to be negated. Ramanada accepted Muslims an out caste of North India within his order. Kabir was his disciple.

He attempted to bring together Islam and Hinduism by stating “I am the child of Ram and Allah”. Sufism on the other hand was more devotional than their other Muslim counter parts. Therefore the socio-religious and political context brought together the Muslims and Hindus of India. Though the Muslim invaders practiced forceful conversion or destruction of non-believers (non-Muslims) Hindus reacted to the persecution by the Muslim invaders. In this period Guru Nanak formed Sikhism as an answer to Hindu –Muslim tensions within India.

2. The cardinal gurus: From Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh and their contributions, martyrdom

The Sikh Gurus

Sikhism is not based on devotion to Guru Nanak or any of his successors; a Sikh(Punjabi for ‘disciple’) is one who is devoted to the spiritually liberating message that they preached. It is to be noted that the Sikh scriptures contain little biographical information about any of the Gurus. Before long, however, anyone who wishes to understand Sikhism must meet the Gurus, in particular the first, Nanak.

1. Guru Nanak (1469-1539)

Guru Nanak was born in a Punjab village called Talwandi Rai Bhoi, renamed in his honour Nankana Sahib. It is now in Pakistan. When it was time for him to be invested with the sacred thread worn by Hindu men of high caste, ten-year-old Nanak asked whether or not the thread was permanent. When he was told that it had to be renewed annually, he refused to accept it. Earl one morning, as was his custom, Nanak went to bathe in the nearby river. He did not return. After three days the young man reappeared but remained silent to his family’s questioning He spoke: ‘There is no Hindu and no Muslim, so whose path shall I follow? I will follow God’s path. God is neither Hindu nor Muslim.’On page 150 of the Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak says: I was once a worthless minstrel then the Divine Being gave me work. Guru Nanak, was unlike many gurus and presumably wanted his readers to recognize that he was no superman but someone very human whom his followers could emulate. Tradition affirms that Guru Nanak made five journeys throughout India and into distant lands including Tibet, Sri Lanka, And Arabia from about 1500 until about 1520. While Nanak traveled he came to the home of Sajjan whose intentional was to kill him. Yet Sajjan was eventually moved by the praises of Nanak in the night that he came to the place of worship. The significance of this story is to proclaim the power of the bani, the Divine Word. It has ability to reform evildoers and transform them into liberated beings. Sikhs tell many other stories about the importance of the gurbani, the Guru’s Word, not Guru Nanak’s but the Sat Guru’s, God’s.

Amrit vela, the period before dawn, is the time when Sikhs should rise, bath and mediate. Honest hard work should be one of the hallmarks of a Sikh. Sewa, voluntary service on behalf of humanity is a key Sikhh principle, perhaps the most important one.

Langar, the free meal which is served whenever the gurdwara is open, daily in India, perhaps only on Sundays and at fesivals in a country like Britain. Large Diaspora gurdwaras now serve langar daily. It is not a meal to opt into as some are in other faiths, it is something that only the caste-conscious might refuse to share. Any visitor to a gurdwara, regardless of faith, is advised to share in langar to demonstrate human solidarity.

The focus of the Sikhs was their Guru. In the evenings after work and probably at other times they could be envisaged gathering in his presence to hear his teaching and sing the bani. Shared lifestyle, shared food, shared work and shared worship with a shared loyal to the Guru must have welded the Kartarpur community into something vital and created an ideal up to which the Panth has not been completely able to live in later times. Guru showed the Panthwh should succeed him. He renamed the discipleAngad, which means limb, so close was the relationship. To prevent any uncertainty and dispute he then actually installed Angad as Guru and became his chela. Guru Nanak was born on 15 April 1469 and died on 22 September 1539. 28 Social issues were of considerable concern to the Guru. In this respect Sikhism might be described as a very wordlyreligion, that is one that takes the world seriously rather than dismissing it as irrelevant to the attainment of spiritual liberation.

2. Guru Angad (1504-1552)

When Guru Nanak asked someone to retrieve a water pot from a dirty ditch the man who obeyed him was Lehna that was named Angad by guru Nanak as something of a pun on the Punjabi word ang, meaning ‘limb’. 30 Guru Angad is commonly believed to have invented the script used to record the compositions of Guru Nanak, which later became the script of written Punjabi.

3. Guru Amar Das (born 1479, Guru 1552-1574)

Guru Amar Das appointed twenty-two manjis, women and men, whose primary function was to preach and teach the practice of Nam simran. In addition, some women, kwnon as peerahs, were appointed to preach among women, Muslims in particular. Importance in the bani of guru Amar Das is his opposition to the practice of sati, the custom of a widow immolating herself on her husband’s funeral pyre. In adopting this stance he was following the precepts of Guru Nanak who opposed the seclusion of women, dowries, and female infanticide, common practices in Punjab of his time.

4. Guru Ram Das (born 1534, Guru 1574-1581)

He was the son-in-law of Guru Amar Das. He was nominated by the third Guru and on his accession took the name Ram Das, slave of God. He established a number of towns, the most important one being Ramdaspur, later known as Amritsar(‘amrit’ meaning nectar, and ‘sar’ meaning pool).

5. Guru Arjan (born 1563, Guru 1581-1606)

Guru Arjan, second son of Guru Ram Das, is known for two things: first, his construction of the Ram Das Sarovr, the pool where bathers may remove all ills and impurities, and the building of the Harimandir Sahib, a physical focus for Sikh spirituality. Access to God should not be restricted. 35 Second, in 1604 the Guru’s other great work was completed: the compilation of the AdiGranth, the Sikh scripture. The account of the progress of Sikhism to becoming a religion of the Book will be considered later, but this must be seen as the greatest achievement of the fifth Guru’s life.

Three major events have affected the Sikh psyche, the first and most devastating of which was the martyrdom of the fifth Guru. The other two events were the martyrdom of his grandson, the ninth Guru, and assault upon the Darbar Sahib in 1984. Anyone who wishes to understand Sikhsm should be aware of the impact of these events.

6. Guru Hargobind (born 1595, Guru 1606-1644)

He wore two swords, one of miri, symbolizing the kind of authority associated with a temporal ruler, he second representing piri, spiritual authority. Miri-piri became part of the concept of guruship from that time. The word dharamsala was the original name given to a Sikh place of worship; now it is known as a grudwara.

7. Guru Har Rai (born 1644-1661):

Spent most of his life in devotional meditation and preaching the teaching of Guru Nanak. He was a man of peace but never disbanded the armed Sikh Warriors (saint Soldiers) earlier maintained by his grandfather Hargobind. He always boosted the military but never indulged directly in political and armed controversy with his contemporary Mughal Empire.

8. Guru Har Krishan ( born , Guru 1661 – 1664):

He died when he was still a boy. The youngest of the guru, installed guru at the age of 5 with a nicknamed Bala Pir (Child Prophet). To Sikh he proved to be the symbols of service, purity and truth.

9. Guru Tegh Bahadur, born 1621, Guru 1664-1675

Guru TeghBahadur’s sacrifice and martyrdom is seen to be an act of great heroism in the cause of inter-religious harmony. He did not die for Sikhs but for Hindus and, through them, for all persecuted minorities. The anniversary of his death is celebrated with multifaithgatherrings and nagarkirtan processions.

10. Guru Gobind Singh (born 1666, Guru 1675-1708)

Sikh homes normally have a picture of Guru Nanak in their main room. Sould they have a second it will be of Guru Gobind Singh. The first Guru is depicted as a kindly, white-bearded elderly person, the last is a warrior, youthful, armed, with a plumed turban. In 1699, at the festival of Baisakhi, he summoned his Sikhs to come to him armed at Anandpur. There, he performed a remarkable, symbolic act. Sword I had, he asked whether there was a Sikh present who would give his life for his Guru. The five underwent a rite of initiation, he himself became the sixth member. Members of the Sikh Khalsa promised obedience to the Guru alone. Much of the Guru’s reign was taken up in fighting against local rulers and the Mughals. The creation of the Khalsa as a loyal and quasi-regular fighting force may be another reason. The original five initiates, the Beloved Five, or PanjPiare took the name Singh, the name of Rajput warriors, meaning lion. Female members of Khalsa families would take the name Kaur.

In 1708 the Guru was assassinated at Nander but before dying of his wounds was able to instruct his followers that, in stead of another human Guru becoming his successor, guruship should pass to the scripture. Thus the AdiGranth became known as the Guru Granth Sahib. As a result of this decision, the Guru Granth Sahib became the focus of corporate and individual Sikh life.

3. Guru Granth Sahib: its compilation and use in worship and in ordinary living

The Sikh scripture contains the compositions of the six Gurus through whom God’s message was revealed. It is variously described as the AdiGranthh and the Guru Granth Sahib. ‘I speak only as I am given to speak [by God]’, Guru Nanak once said (AG 722). This sentence may be said to encapsulate the complete theology of the Guru Granth Sahib. He distinguished between himself as a preacher and the message. This may be why he and his successors provide so little biographical information in the Guru Granth Sahib. The Guru Granth Sahib is, however, a corpus of spiritual compositions given its final form by the tenth Guru, who included none of his own works, and containing the writings of the first five Gurus, the ninth, those of some Sikh bards, and the bhagatbani, material by such non-Sikhs as Kabir, Baba Farid, and Ravidas. Tradition favours Guru Angad as the inventor of the gurmukhi script, but scholars are not in agreement as to whom should be given the credit. It certainly seems likely that Guru Nanak would have been involved in the preservation of what he regarded as sacred scripture. From 1603 to 1604 Guru Arjan prepared the book which eventually received the title AdiGranth. His sources were the memories of the long-lived disciple of Guru Nanak, Bhai Buddha.

In 1708, just before he died, the Guru declared that there would be no further human Gurus, his successor would be the scriptures, known henceforward as the Guru Granth Sahib. The structure of the AdiGranthh was imposed by Guru Arjan and followed by Guru Gobind Singh. Among the 1430 page numbers of present-day printed versions, the first thirteen, contains the hymns that Skihs use every day in their personal devotions. Pages 14 to 1352 are divided into thirty-one sections, each named after the musical setting or raga to which they should be sung. Within each raga, compositions are arranged in a regular order, first those of Guru Nanak, then those of the second, third, fourth, fifth and ninth Gurus; the compositions by Kabir, Farid, Namdev, Ravidas and the other non-Sikh bhagats.

A distinctive feature of the Guru Granth Sahib is the fact that 938 out of 5894 shabads were composed by non-Sikhs. They include Brahmins, Ramanand and Jaidev, and low-caste men such as Ravidas, a cobbler, Sena, barber, and Sadhna, a butcher. There was also the Muslim, Shekh Farid and Kabir. The significance of the bhagatbani is two-fold, hence the attention given to it here. First, it provides evidence of a universalist strain in Sikh teaching. Second, it is a clear way of affirming the doctrine that the gurshabad was not the exclusive property of Sikhs. Whether or not Guru Nanak collected the whole of the bhagatbani cannot yet be decided. Much of the bhagatbaniis in one of the Mohan Pothis but not all of it. All that can be said with certainty is that the idea came from Guru Nanak. The reason for including the bhagatbani in a Sikh anthology may well have been to give practical affirmation to the basic Sikh belief that God’s word is not confined to any particular religion or spiritual movement. The fact that no material from brahmanical Hindu scriptures or the Qu’ran is included is easily explained. Either it could result in the charge that the Gurus were merely plagiarists or to the assertion that they did accept the authority of these scriptures. What they certainly were in eclectic in their view of scripture, refusing to claim that God spoke only through the revelation which was given to them.

Dasam Granth means Collection of the tenth Guru’. In modern printed versions it is 1428 pages long. The DasamGranth may be read in gurdwaras and some of its hymns are used in the initiation ceremony and on other occasions, but its authority is not equal to that of the Guru Granth Sahib for several reasons.

Few religions show the importance of their scripture in practice more than Sikhism does.

4. Main teachings: God, human being, liberation through the grace of the guru and life in repeating the name of God i.e. Satnam

1. About God: Guru Nanak taught monotheism. He rejected incarnation. He preached god as a personal god who is also a creator. God is seen as ‘Sat’ (truth) formless but can be called in different names. He normally called god as ‘Satnan’ (true name).

2. About Man: According to Nanak, human beings evolved as a consequence of God’s plan. The birth and death caused by desire can be stopped by devotion to god. Ignorance is the root cause of desire. The human birth is the first step to liberation depends on god and obedience to god is essential for salvation.

3. Grace (Nadar): It is the way in which god’s attention is focused on a person.

4. World (maya): Sikhs believed that world is real and was created by god. Maya is an attachment to the temporal world. Attachment to the temporal world results in five evils namely, lust, covetousness, attachment, wrath and pride. Maya can be abandoned by our company with good people and Namsimran.

5. Namsimran: Nam is name of god or god’s manifestation (active) in this world. It is transformation of personality through practice.

6. Guru: Guru is an important factor in Sikh religion. He is a guide and enlightened person, messenger of God and servant of god. Salvation is achieved through a guru. Guru needs to be respected and worshipped. Guru is a mediator between god and human beings.

7. Caste System: Sikhism discourages caste system.

8. Life: Sikhism does not encourage Ascetism to achieve enlightenment. A person involving in civil life is capable of achieving salvation.

9. Way to salvation: Bhakthi is the way of salvation. It is expressed through the repetition of name and becoming oneself aware to the treasures available within. Guru Nanak used the Sahaj Marga (mystical) to unlock the jewel box.

10. Salvation: The end of cycle of birth and union with god. Salvation is provided by god and this ultimate bliss and to the ultimate bliss.

Religious practices

Regarding a Sikh’s personal discipline for spiritual progress, he/she should rise early in the morning, bathe and remember God. A Sikh should remember the Lord’s name and read the Japuji and Jap Sahib in the morning. At sunset, he should read the Sodar Rahiras. At night, he should read the Sohila and recite the Sikh prayer called the Ardas.

A Sikh should also join the corporate singing of hymns. This form of worship is called the Kirtan. The main centre of Sikh corporate worship is the Gurudwara. The main pattern of worship is singing and listening to the passages of the Guru Granth Sahib. More singing of Ardas…

Attached to every Gurudwara is a common kitchen cum dining room where food is served free to every people of all castes, races and creed, the only condition is that they should sit and eat together.

Religious rites

Birth ceremony: There is no formal ceremony associated with a child’s birth, though parents will often give boxes of sweets or other confectionery to friends and relatives, especially if the child is a boy.

Naming: All close family members will take part in these practices the family offer karahparshad, made at home. The Guru Granth Sahib is opened after certain rites and then the child is named after the first letter of the verse on the upper left hand corner of the left page. The parents then name the child with the letter.

Marriage: Arranged marriages are still the norm. The Gurus frowned upon the dowry system. For a Sikh marriage to be acceptable it is only necessary that it should take place in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib. Relatives and guests will bow towards the Book and then sit on the floor. The groom’s place is directly in front of the scripture. An appropriate scripture passage is read and the couple are reminded of their duties to one another as husband and wife. At the end of each verse the couple circle the scripture in a clockwise direction, the groom leading, while the musicians sing the stanza which has just been read.

Funerals: When someone is dying relatives and friends will gather at the bedside to recite the Sukhmani, the beautiful psalm of peace composed by Guru Arjan. Death should not be marked by grieving and loud wailing, after all, hopefully, the dead person is going to enjoy the fullness of union with God. At all times a Sikh should be chardhikala, literally, ‘in high spirits’, that is cheerful. In India the body would be cremated on the day of death so long as this can be done decorously before sundown. Sihks should gather at the bedside to console themselves and the departing soul by reading verses from the scriptures, especially Sukhmani. It gives the assurance that anyone who meditated sincerely upon God’s name will not suffer rebirth but live eternally with God. Funeral services should proclaim the hope and promise of eternal life. Sikhs tend to prepare the body themselves and dress it in the five Ks. The coffin will remain open so that last respects may be paid. After the funeral Sikhs may return to the gurduwara. The Khalsa Code of Discipline forbids ‘the erection of monuments over the remains of the dead.

Turban tying: Besides designating the head of a family, turban tying takes place when a young boy of about nine to twelve years of age is able to tie his own turban. To strike a Sikh on the head, knocking off his turban, is one of the greatest insults that one can commit!

Initiation: Strictly speaking, it is not birth that makes a Sikh, but illumination and consequently a way of life which BhaiGurdas defined thus: “Dead to the world, a Sikh lives in the spirit of the Guru. One does not become a Sikh by merely paying lip service. A Sikh dispels all doubts and fears and lives a life of deep patience and faith, being truly a living sacrifice, God’s loving slave. Doing what God wills Sikhs forget hunger and sleep in their love. Their hands are busy helping the needy and comforting the weary.”

The Five Ks: Nowadays, initiation may take place at any time of year, though Vaisakhi is a poplar season. Strictly speaking the initiates should be over fourteen years of age, but there is ample evidence of young children being initiated in Punjab. The person who asks to become a Khalsa Sikh must be in possession of the five Ks. The five Ks are so called because in Punjabi each begins with the letter K. They are:

1. Kesha: Uncut hair. This symbolizes the belief that a Sikh should not interfere with the natural God-given form. Circumcision, for example, is rejected. Sikh was very reluctant to have body hair shaved before an operation.

2. Kangha: This is a small comb worn in the hair to keep it tidy. It is a reminder of the stricture that cleanliness lies at the heart of the religion. Yogis and other devotees often had matted, unkempt hair. Sikhs should wash the hair regularly.

3. Kara: This steel wristlet is normally worn on the right hand. Perhaps it had a functional purpose at one time, to protect the sword arm. Now it affirms the oneness of God and the union of the wearer with God. It is sometimes described as God’s handcuff, keeping the wearer attached to Waheguru. Sikhs will say that it helps keep them from doing wrong. The kara will remind the wearer of his or her moral responsibilities as a follower of the Guru.

4. Kirpan: the sword that Sikhs were told to wear. It is worn in devotion to truth and should only be drawn as a last resort in a righteous cause. At the amrit ceremony and on other occasions full-length swords are worn, but usually it will be of about twelve to twenty centimetres long and may be worn hanging by a shoulder strap underneath the shirt so as not to alarm anyone.

5. Kaccha: These shorts tied with a drawstring should, like the other Ks, be worn both by men and women. Modesty, especially relating to sex, is an extremely important virtue and this is the meaning behind the fifth K. It will be noticed that the turban is not one of the five Ks. It is worn as a distinctive piece of Sikh apparel but not to keep the hair tidy. Repetition of the Mul Mantra five times by the panjpiare, echoed on each occasion by the initiates, begins the third part of the ceremony. The service ends with the Ardas, the reading of a randomly chosen passage from the AdiGranth.