What is the human condition? Where are we going/what is the goal? How do we get there?
“When I saw truly, I knew that all was primeval.
Nanak, the subtle [spirit] and the gross [material] are, in fact, identical.”
Sikhs live in pursuit of unity with God. They believe that through their own lives, complete unity with God is attainable by, basically, extreme discipline and devotion. Unity with god is a vague concept to people non-Sikhs. In truth, it appears to be a vague concept within Sikhism as well. There is no one right way to achieve unity, nor one definition of unity, which seems confusing. The quote above from the guru Granth Sahib shows that for one to achieve unity they must clearly understand the relationship between the physical and the spiritual worlds.
Wikipedia says that Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, emphasized the importance of “rigorous and disciplined devotion,” and thought of “outward observations such as rites, pilgrimages, or asceticism” as irrelevant, and not the path towards spiritual unity. According to this source, Sikhism is an entirely inward religion, where the majority of the struggle takes place within ones own spirit or soul.
According to another site, the “vision of Guru Nanak” is a world in which everybody is accepting of God and recognizes his presence within the world. These spiritual people would see the earth, universe, and all life as sacred and divine. They would be set to the task of the “spiritualization of all.” This is interesting because it does not talk about the inner struggle to achieve divinity, and it appears that this task of spiritualization could lead Sikhs to try and convert people of other religions. However, it does not say that everybody must be a Sikh, just that they should recognize all that is spiritual and sacred, which is part of many other religions as well.
Humans, according to the Sikhs, are caught in a state of samsara, or endless rebirth, until they achieve what is known as enlightenment in Hinduism. In Sikhism, individuals strive to unite the divine and the natural and understand the world for what it is in God’s eyes. To me, it seems that this Sikh concept implies we are struggling to reunite with God, and that we once were united with Him. This is interesting because in Christianity, God created us of the earth and then entered his own breath into us. The ‘life’ of humans is the essence of God, and everybody is inherently divine and holy, drawing somewhat of a parallel with Sikhism. On the other hand, in Christianity we are already united and one with God and the spiritual world, we just have to believe it so, whereas in Sikhism we have to strive to connect ourselves with Him.
Essentially, it appears that the human condition is one of spiritual blindness and ignorance. We do not see God’s hand in the world in full until we achieve unity with God and escape samsara. We achieve unity with God through many devices including discipline, rituals, worship, and internal searching.
1)Adi Granth: The Adi Granth is the religious text of Sikhism. It is the compiled teachings of the Sikh Gurus and many pieces of other religions including Hinduism and Islam. It is a guide on how to achieve unity with god and the spiritual world. The last living Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, chose the Adi Granth as his successor to guru-ship. This means that there will never be another living Guru, and the Adi Granth is now known as The Guru Granth Sahib.
This is interesting to someone analyzing the religion because it appears that they are personifying this book, however, Guru is anybody or anything that is very knowledgeable, and passes this knowledge on to others. The Guru Granth Sahib is basically a book of wisdom coming from the founders of many religions on how to attain spiritual connections with God. It explains moral principles and expounds on the natural order of things in Sikhism. There are many quotes to guide individuals on beliefs.
2)Nirguna: This is a concept borrow from Hinduism (something that happens frequently in Sikhism) that signifies that which is without physical form and divine. It is a representation of the Brahman, which in Hinduism is roughly translated to the soul or spirit. In Sikhism, however, it can be another name for God under the belief that God is one and formless, present in everything. Again, Sikhs attempt to attain spiritual connection with God, who is considered in a way to be everything. There is really no specific definition of this word, along with many others, in Sikhism because it pulls heavily from other religions, and sometimes interprets them just slightly differently. Essentially, connection with the Nirguna is what is sought in the Sikh religion.
3)Hukum: The Hukum literally means order, and is representative of God’s will or order in Sikhism. It is his commandment and his influence in the world. It is the reason for everything that has been, is, or will be including emotions like joy and sorrow, grief and adversity. It is not entirely understandable until unity is achieved. This is comparative to Gods will in many Western religions, but in Sikhism one can eventually come to understand and be part of this through unity with God. This concept is hard to explain in words, but it can be that which the Sikhs are trying to understand through meditation and the ultimate level of mukti.
4)Naam: Naam is closely related to Shabad/Bani. These three words have very similar, and interconnected meanings. Shabad and Bani translate to mean the word of God, whereas Naam means ‘the name.’ Naam has a very complicated meaning ad definition. One website says that “It is through the constant and sincere repetition and remembrance of the Name that God reveals Himself to the human being.” I am not sure if this means that literally repeating the word can bring spiritual connection with God, or if it implies that to find his name is to understand him and all the world subsequently. I looked further to find that a discussion on sikhphilosophy.org explained it as a word to describe the limitless and boundless, similar to the concept of infinity. The repetition and meditation on the naam brings the individual closer to God ad understanding of the universe.
5)Shabad/Bani: Shabad and Bani translate to mean the word of God. This has a meaning similar to naam in that one repeats naam to become closer to God, and one hears Shabad to become closer to God. One book explains that there is something deeper than a simple mechanical repetition of the task that frees the individual from their karma. The Adi Granth says that by listening to the Bani, one becomes equal to Shiva and Brahma. The individual can gain such wisdom from the action that it is truly incomprehensible, and indescribable, but can be sensed and felt during the observance. It is important to distinguish this from a ritual because it clearly brings more spiritual closeness and truth than a ritual, which is repeated simply for the purpose of being a ritual.
6)Guru: Sikhism dictates that a human with immense knowledge and spiritual connectedness is a Guru. Gurus are the gateway to God and escape from the samsara. A Guru shows and sheds light on the path to spiritualization and the connection between physical and spiritual. It is said that Gurus are able to light fires of great joy amongst his disciples and help them see life’s greatness. The first Guru, Nanak transformed Sikhism into a prominent faith. Guruship is traditionally passed along through lineage; however, a Guru can select anybody as their successor. This is what led to the Adi Granth being selected as the final Guru. The Adi Granth contains the teachings of many Gurus and religious leaders, making it universally wise, understandable, and compelling, the traits of a Guru.
7)Samsara: Samsara is a concept found in many Eastern religions. It appears in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and others including Sikhism. It is a cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth that is perpetuated throughout time until the organism achieves connectivity with God and spiritual mindfulness and self-realization. The goal of human life is to achieve a higher state of unity with God in the next life through ones actions in this life until eventually one attains a state of divinity. When a soul, human spark, or Brahman in Hinduism escapes from the cycle of samsara, it is known as mukti.
8)Karma: Karma is another concept that appears in many eastern religions. The basic belief is that an individual will always feel the consequences of their actions. It is parallel to a law of nature in that one can never escape that their actions will decide their future not only in this life, but also their “spiritual density” in the next. Karma is added and subtracted from the sum of total karma that an individual has built up, a tally determining ones state of unity in the next life, and eventually leading to an end in the perpetual cycle of samsara. This is different from the karma n Hinduism in that Hindus believe karma originates from Ishvara, the supreme personal God, and is distributed as to his will. It is not a simple cause and effect relationship of nature as in Hinduism, but is a type of spiritual justice system.
9)Langar: The Sikh faith bases many of it’s beliefs off of Hinduism, but one piece of Hinduism that it rejects is the caste system. In Hinduism, people are born into a certain spiritual caste based on their level of karma and their actions in past lives. Those whose past lives reflect divine belief and worship are born into a higher social place, whereas those who act ungodly and against the religious beliefs are placed in a lower social status. The Sikhs rejected the caste system and used Langar as an attempt to free society of the caste system that promoted social disparity. The Sikhs would give out free meals and encourage everyone eating to accept all others as their peers. They focused on the fact that everybody was created equal. This is also pertinent to one of the Three Pillars of Sikhism, which encourage followers to donate ten percent of their time and money to charity; and many Sikhs choose Langar.
10)Gurdwara: Gurdwara means “doorway to God,” and is the Sikh temple, and primary (physical) place of worship. The Gurdwara holds a Guru Granth Sahib, or multiple, and is basically a place for Sikhs to congregate and learn. There are a few rules, but relatively not many. The only rules are that everybody must take off their shoes and cover their head when entering the Gurdwara. This is out of respect for God. Visitors are always welcome, no matter what faith they belong to. Followers of Sikhism sit cross-legged on the floor of the grand hall with separated men and women. The larger temples also house the Langar hall, where the Langar meal is served. In Sikhism, unlike other religions, devotees do feel a need for a church or temple to worship and pray or meditate. They can and should always be meditating, and the temple is more of a place to gather. Some are great and beautiful, but others not. This has no importance for one can attain a state of unity with God anywhere, whether it be in the Golden Temple or in the home. Therefore, Sikhs do not place high importance on the physical building.
Rituals
Sikhism is one in which pure rituals are looked down upon as being spiritually empty and void of meaning. A ritual infers that the act is repeated consistently, and is repeated not necessarily because of the religious growth one attains from it, but simply because they always have and always will. Sikhs prefer to observe ceremonies that bring them closer to God and to understanding of unity in the world. Therefore the practices observed by the Sikhs are not as ritualistic in the true sense of a prescribed action that must be completed, but rather ones of voluntary practice, to aid the individual in his journey towards freedom from samsara, and cannot truly be called rituals. Some of the Sikh ceremonies and observances are less spiritual than others, and help to retain interest in the church by youths or others. Although the religion is very serious, there are times of fun and many times of joy in in temple and regular ceremonies, and all offer a chance to learn from peers and expand ones mind.
1) Worship: Worship is a very interesting topic in Sikhism. Sikhs worship their God very differently than many other religions. Sikhs worship God, and nothing else. They also worship Him in a completely abstract form, without trying to visualize or personify Him. They accept that they cannot truly see God but rather feel and sense His presence. It is this connectedness, mental clarity, and understanding coming from deep meditation that they seek in worship. The primary form of worship is through meditation and inner prayer. A Sikhism information site said that Sikhs view these times of worship as simply more focused devotion that usual, not ‘the time to worship.’ On the contrary they are continuously worshipping God; every god conscious breath and moment is as holy as the next.
The Gurdwara was established as a place for Sikhs to mingle, and share thoughts and affection for God and life. It was a learning place and a place for anybody, of any faith to learn about the Sikh perspective. Sikhs can pray any time and anywhere, but it is said that God praises this public form of worship as a social bonding experience, helping every devotee learn and progress through their journey. Any Sikh can lead the prayers, and read to those assembled since there is no real figure of authority, no priest. This is based on their view that everybody, of every race and gender are created equal. A Granthi organizes the readings and maintains the Gurdwara, frequently acting as the reader as well.
The Sikhs view and treat their Guru Granth Sahib as a living thing. It is a Guru that holds huge wisdom and helps guide them towards harmony between the divine and the physical. Some Sikhs, though not all, practice reciting specific daily prayers in the morning and throughout the day. There is a book of important daily prayers that some use to help them get in touch with God called the rahit nama. Many other Sikhs meditate at various times throughout the day, specifically on God’s name (his essence and being), called nam japna.
2) Festivals/Ceremonies: There are some festivals and ceremonies in Sikhism, though it seems like a small amount relative many Western faiths. Sikhs hold certain ceremonies throughout the year and during important events. They celebrate the naming of a child with Naam Karan, a ceremony that involves the Granti reading a random hymn from the scriptures. The first letter of the hymn is then used as the child’s name. The purpose of this could be to make it that every name originates God, and has a divine meaning. During births, deaths, and marriages there is a ceremony called Akhand Paath. This is the nonstop reading of the Guru Granth Sahib, something that takes great discipline to pay attention to. This could be considered a form of meditation, mental practice of focusing on God.
Sikhs also celebrate the birth or death of a guru on Gurpurb. This has a special meaning in Sikhism because the Gurus go on to be reborn, and there is a progression from life to death and back to life. Usually, only the most important Gurus are celebrated, although occasionally all 10 are. During these festivals, the Sikhs celebrate the great wisdom passed on by the Guru, and his contribution to the religion. These ceremonies relate to several in other faiths, such as the birth of Jesus in Christianity, and many others in both Judaism, and Hinduism.
There are a few other celebrations centered on the foundation of Sikhism, the memory of past martyrs, and military practice. These celebrations help add community to the religion that is far more personal than many others. Western faiths are commonly practiced together, or at least with somebody else, such as bible reading by a priest in church or saying prayers with your family before dinner. Sikhism is focused mainly on interpersonal relationships with God and spiritual journey. These celebrations along with the public worship in the temple are the essence of the Sikh community. They might be less about the actual event that occurred and more about activity, and bringing connection amongst the people. They also help to attract interest in the faith, especially from young people and children who might think it is all very serious and not very much fun.
Sacred Texts
Guru Nanak founded the Sikh faith when God spoke to him and told him that Nanak holds the power of His name. Guru Nanak traveled throughout the land and taught that religion is all one, an attempt to understand God. Guru Nanak sang hymns and gathered followers of his composite faith. These hymns and teachings were passed along by word of mouth until the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan, collected the works into a single book. The Adi Granth was needed because confusion was arising as to the authenticity of certain hymns. The Adi Granth also is a compilation of works from many other religions. Sikhism is a religion of acceptance. They believe that God is too great for the multiple divisions and small differences amongst religions to matter. To them, it is far more important to simply practice a religion than it is to worry about petty differences. The Adi Granth is compiled according to who wrote it (With Guru Nanak being Mahalla 1), a title, and the type of hymn or the musical scale. It was translated from Sanskrit, and could have some possible translational and interpretable issues just like every other faith, but the English version of the Adi Granth seems to be relatively explicit in the message it is sending.
When Guru Gobind Singh chose the Adi Granth as his successor, the Adi Granth became the last of the Gurus. It embodies all of the Gurus, and is treated as a living soul, a divine, spiritually active being just like all the other Gurus. It is now known as the Guru Granth Sahib, and is very important to the Sikh faith. This is actually somewhat incorrect, as the actual book is no more important to the Sikhs than any other worldly possession. It is only the meaning captured by the book that is truly important. Ritualistic reading from the Adi Granth is meaningless without the name of God or if it is conducted for ritualistic reasons, without spiritual backing. As Guru Nanak once stated: “The only temple that matters is inside one’s self.”
1) "Burnt be the mouth that asserts, the Lord takes birth. He is neither born nor dies; neither enters birth nor departs. All pervasive is Nanaks Lord." (Guru Arjan Dev, Raga Bhairon)
This text is written by Guru Arjan Dev. It is a comment on the beliefs of many other faiths. Many religions including western Abraham based religions believe God took human form in Jesus and personify him in their minds as a human-like being with exceptional powers. Sikhism rejects these claims that God is anything like humans. They believe God is incomprehensible, and so beyond our realm of thought that we cannot and should not try to imagine Him until we have achieved an understanding of complete unity in the world. God cannot take human form in Sikhism, he is the essence of spirituality and he is within and is everything. It is the goal of humans to find this connection, and see it for how it really is. This text could very well be a direct response to western religion and their view on Jesus. Although it seems that in general, Sikhs are a very accepting people and eager to learn about the contributions other religions offer, this is one quote that seems almost hostile to me, out of place in the Adi Granth. It is odd to me that this quote appears, especially from a Guru, which leads me to believe that maybe it there was an issue in translation, or I am interpreting it wrong.
2)"I shall merge in the Lord like the water in the sea and the wave in the stream. The soul will merge in God and like air I shall look upon all alike. Then why shall I come again? The coming and going is under the Will of the Lord and Realising This Will, I shall merge in the Lord" (Bhagat Kabir, Maru)
This is a text by Bhagat Kabir, an Indian weaver and poet that harmonized Hinduism and Islam in the late 1400’s. He accepted many pieces of both faiths and dismissed what he felt unnecessary or unworthy. His work was collected in the original formation of the Adi Granth, and he had a large influence on Sikhism. He and his followers contemplated over and the articulated hymns such as this one as a path towards spiritual awakening. This hymn talks about the unity sought in Sikhism. It talks about merging with the Lord, a concept that Sikhs adopt and base their faith off of. The ultimate conceptualization of God is to become one with Him. Upon the discovery of this connection and the true and full understanding, one is said to have achieved mukti.
3) "Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is meat and what is plant? Who knows where the sin lies, being a vegetarian or a non vegetarian?" (Guru Nanak, Var Malar)
This is another commentary on the popular subject of rituals by Guru Nanak. He is stating that the simple act of practicing blind rituals is not productive to attaining spiritual unity with God. He is also commenting on the strict laws of many other religions about eating meat. Guru Nanak postulates that nobody really knows the true meaning or will of God, and that no person is in any position to judge the will of God and the sin of another human. This argument seems very valid to me not only from his perspective but also from those of the religions of which he speaks. If they know so well what God’s will and intent is, why are they still stuck in samsara? How is it that any person can be so sure of God’s will unless they are Him?
