Sikh Missionary Society U.K. (Regd)
10, Featherstone Road.
Southall, Middx, U.K. UB2 5AA
Tel: +44 020 8574
1902
Fax: +44 020 8574
1912
Reg Charity No: 262404
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Sikh Theology, its Originality
Without an iota of doubt, the Sikh faith is original in its every
aspect. It becomes clear if we pay a little attention, and study it a bit
more deeply, rather than (like Tyonby etc.) believing some who merely follow
the hearsay without searching the truth.
The statements that the Sikh Gurus picked up things mainly from Hinduism and Islam, and intertwined them into the new Sikh faith, have no base. Such a claim may directly project the expression that the Sikh Gurus were not God-sent Prophets, and the Sikh faith was only a maneuvered byproduct of other faiths. Anything may get imagined and distorted by those having nefarious intentions and vested interests.
Has anyone in other religions, ever professed such derogatory claims for his or her faith? Perhaps, only the Sikhs assert their �vague� liberal-mindedness, feel proud of their misdirected modernity, and make such ill-founded assertions! Very innocently, they insult their Prophets, and feel dignified and distinguished with their confused ideas. The so-called scholars and searchers, should make sincere efforts to find out the truth before making their minds public, and when advancing their opinions.
Such unfounded ideas evaporate when we even cursorily study what the Gurus say in Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh Holy Book -
jYsI mY AwvY Ksm kI bwxI qYsVw krI igAwnu vy lwlo ]
jYsI mY AwvY Ksm kI bwxI qYsVw krI igAwnu vy lwlo ]
Jaae-see maae aavaae khasam kee baan.ee
t.aaesr.aa karee geaanu vae Lalo
O Lalo, I say what God reveals to me!
1-722-Line 16
siqgur kI bwxI siq siq kir jwxhu gurisKhu
hir krqw Awip muhhu kFwie ]
siqgur kI bwxI siq siq kir jwxhu gurisKhu
hir krqw Awip muhhu kFwE ]
Sat.t.egur kee ban.ee sat.t.e sa.t.t.e kar-e jaan.hu gur-sikh-hu
Har-e Kart.aa aape muhu kadhaae
O faithful ones, have faith in the Guru�s Hymns,
The Lord Himself makes him utter these.
4-308-5
qU Awip scw qyrI bwxI scI Awpy AlKu AQwhw hy ]
qU Awp sçcw qyrI bwxI sçcI Awpy AlKu AQwhw hy ]
Toon� aaep sachaa t .aeree baan.ee sachee
aapae alakhu athaahaa hae
O Lord, You are a truth, Your Hymns are true (revealed to the Guru), You are unfathomable and unlimited!
3-1057-8
Dur kI bwxI AweI ]
iqin sglI icMq imtweI ]
Dur kI bwxI Aweé ]
iqin sglI icMq imtweé ]
Dhur kee baan.ee aa-ee
t.in-e saglee chint. mitaa-ee
What I say is the revealed one (received directly from God),
and it alleviates all anxieties.
5-628-2
inq aiT gwvhu pRB kI bwxI ]Guru Nanak, the First Sikh Prophet would himself say something like, �O Mardana, take out Rabab (string instrument played with a striker), revelation is coming.� What the Gurus sang was God-sent.
inq auiT gwvhu pRB kI bwxI ]
Nit.t. outh:.e gaavhu Prabh kee baan.ee
Get up and sing the God given Hymns (His praise).
5-1340-7
mY Apnw suq qoih invwjw ] pMQu pRcur krby kh swjw ]
jwih qhW qYN Drmu clwie ] kbuiD krn qy lok htwie ]
mY Apnw suq qoih invwjw ] pMQu pRcur krby kh swjw ]
jwih qhW qYN Drmu clwe ] kbuiD krn qy lok htwe ]
Maaen�. apnaa sut.t. tohe nivaajaa
Panthu pr;achur karbae ko saajaa
Jaahe t.ahaan� taae dh:armu chalaa-e
Kabudh:e karan t.ae lok hataa-e
I have designated you my son
And am sending you to set up the path of righteousness.
In the world, you should establish Dharma (right path),
And take the people away from evils.
10th Guru-Dassam Granth.
ieh kwrin pRB moih pTwXo ] qb mY jgiq jnmu Dir AwXo ]How clearly the Guru tells that God prepared and then sent him to the world to start a new Dharma. Clearly, he came to the world prepared to start a new faith and had no need to borrow things from others. The Tenth Master declares -
Eh kwrin pRB moih pTwXo ] qb mY jgiq jnmu Dir AwXo ]
Eh kaarane Pr;abh mohe pathaa-eyo
Tabb maaen. jagat. janamu d:har-e aa-eyo
God made me for this reason (to start a right path),
And sent me to the world.
10th Guru-Dassam Granth.
pWie ghy jb qy qumry qb qy koaU AWK qry nhIN AwnÎo ]If we have faith in our Gurus, we will have to believe them word by word. The Gurus say the truth, because it is what God ordained them to do, they themselves do not say or do anything. They are in total surrender to God. Their every thingis said or done by Him, and they stay unbound by the Karma (actions and their reactions i.e. they stay above destiny).
rwm rhIm purwn kurwn Anyk khYN mq eyk n mwnÎo ]
isMimRiq swsqR byd sBY bhu Byd khYN hm eyk n jwnÎo ]
sRI Aispwn ik®pw qumrI kir mY n khÎo sB qoih bKwnÎo ]
pWie ghy jb qy qumry qb qy koaU AWK qry nhIN AwnÎo ]
rwm rhIm purwn kurwn Anyk khYN mq eyk n mwnÎo ]
isMimRiq swsqR byd sBY bhu Byd khYN hm eyk n jwnÎo ]
sRI Aispwn ik®pw qumrI kir mY n khÎo sB qoih bKwnÎo ]
Paan�ae gahae jabb t.e T.umrae t.abb t.ae kouoo aan�kh t.arae naheen� aanyo
Raam Raheem Puraan Kuraan anaek kahaen� mat.t. aek naa maanyo
Sin:mr;ite Sastr; Baed sabhaae bahu bhaed kahaaen� hamm aek naa jaanyo
Sr;ee Asipaan kr;ipaa T.umree Karre maae naa kahyo sabh T.ohe bakhaaneou
Since I have taken Your refuge, I never looked to anyone else.
Rama, Mohammad, Puranas, Qouran, tell a lot, but I have depended only on You, God!
All the books of the Hindu faith tell so many secrets, but I kept steady in my faith only on You.
God, my praising You is due to Your blessing. On my own, I cannot do anything, only You make me praise!
Svayaa-10-Dassam Granth
Every thing in the world is under His will, but the irony is that the worldly people do not absolutely surrender to the Lord; therefore, they say or do things themselves and incur their Karma (they themselves create their destinies).
Na Ko Hindu Na Musalman.Guru Nanak, came out of �Bae-een� rivulet after staying submerged in it for a couple of days, and declared, �None is Hindu nor a Muslim.� He meant that quite a number of them did not practice their faiths sincerely, and he had his independent path seeking no ideas from anyone else. He gave to his faith, the following original things -
AprMpr pwrbRhmu prmysr nwnk gur imilAw soeI jIa ]Guru Nanak got every thingfrom God, had no need to learn things from others in the world, and rather he taught things to the humanity.
AprMpr pwrbRhmu prmysru nwnk guu{ imilXw soe ijå ]
Apran:par Parbr;ahmu Parmesaru
Nanak Guru mil-eaa soo-ee jeeo
The Lord Himself, who is unfathomable,
and beyond reach, is the Guru of Nanak.
1-599-5
jvn kwl sB jgq bnwXo ] dyv dYq j`Cn aupjwXo ]
Awid AMiq eykY Avqwrw ] soeI gurU smiJXhu hmwrw ]9]
jvn kwl sB jgq bnwXo ] dyv dYq jçCn apjwXo ]
Awid AMq eykY Avqwrw ] soe guu{ smiJhu hmwrw ]9]
Javan kaal sabh jagat. banaayo
d.ae d.aaeq jachhan oupjaayo
Aad.e ant.t.e aekaae avt.aaraa
Soee Guroo samjhyhu hamaaraa ||9||
One who created the world,
gods, devils and semi-gods,
One who is the Prime-Being (Constant: Immortal),
know that He is my Guru!
10 - Chaupai - Hamree karo haath d.ae Rachhaa - Dassam Granth.
suxI pUkwir dwqwr pRBu guru nwnk jg mwih pTwieAw ]Guru Nanak came prepared to save the world and had no need to learn anything from anyone other than God.
..... kil qwrix guru nwnk AwieAw ]
suxI pUkwir dwqwr pRBu guu{ nwnk jg mwih pTweXw ]
..... kil qwrix guu{ nwnk AweXw ]
Sun.ee pukaare d.aat.aar Prabhu Gur Nanak jagg maahe pathaa-eaa| ................ Kalle t.aaran.e Guru Nanak aa-eaa|
The Lord, sanctioning the appeal of the (suffering) humanity,
sent Guru Nanak to the world............... Guru Nanak came to emancipate Kalljug (dark age - the people of the present time).
Bhai Gurdas-Vaar 1-Paaor.ee 23.
The beauty is that the Guru�s preachings: Hymns, are preserved in their originality as these were composed by them. No one else authored or compiled these after their departure from the world.
A Guru is beheld as his body, which is perishable, or in the form of his spirit which is immortal. The immortal spirit of the Gurus is what they said (composed) - their Hymns, and these are contained in Guru Granth Sahib - The Sikh Holy Book. This is the reason why the Sikhs revere their Holy Book i.e. the �originality,� as their �Living Guru.� Had their Hymns been with no originality, there was no need for the Gurus to compose, preserve and protect them in the form of Guru Granth Sahib. Many other holy books already existed. The Gurus had originality, they shared it with the world, and it (the world) followed them in millions not in vain. The people became aware of something different, and it was the originality which they followed.
The Sikh Gurus had no need to beg the truth or goodness from other religions, they had it as the others had, and they were sent with it by God. They gave it to the world in its own original form and decorated with simplicity, free from superstitions, and, free from discriminations including caste system etc., filled with equality, a life free from drugs, and with controlled or right and restrained use of sex (no lust). It was based on the honest earnings and sharing with the needy. This is for the Sikhs to follow and practice. If they fail -
kbIr swcw siqgur ikAw krY ja isKw mih cUk ]Bani (compositions) of Kabir or any other saint, when accepted by the Guru and entered in the Holy Book, became �Gurbani� - expressing the views of the Gurus. The preceding quote of saint Kabir, equally projects the mind of the Guru.
kbIr swcw sqguu{ ikAw krY jå isKw mih cUk ]
Kabeer sachaa Sat.t.e-guru keaa akraae
jou Sikhaa mahe chook
Kabeer, what can a Guru do if his disciple fails to follow!
Kabeer-1372-18
The First Guru Nanak was a born Guru, and was different from the other faiths right from his beginning. As a child, he refused Janju (Jan-eoo), the Hindu Sacred-Thread Ceremony (putting their holy thread across the trunk). Later, he did not accept the Hindu rites for his marriage. He devised his own unique ways.
The Hindu and Sikh religions are mostly apart in certain regions and in their total philosophy. But they both are one socially as well mostly in their spiritual thinking. It is impossible to easily separate them. Perhaps, due to this closeness the Gurus heavily drew episodes from the Hindu mythology to elaborate and illustrate their own views. This, extremely close relationship may sometimes create an illusion that the Sikh faith which is so recent, depended heavily on Hinduism and Islam etc. The Sikhi (Sikh faith) established its own independent, individual and distinct path uninfluenced by any other religion.
BY kwhU kau dyq nih nih BY mwnq Awn ]The Gurus taught fearlessness and courage to adopt and practice the faith, and to fight tyranny, inequality, and discrimination. They preached to safeguard their rights, freedom, and dignity. They prepared the masses to fight evil -
BY kwhU kau dyq nih nih BY mwnq Awn ]
Bhaae kahoo ko daet. nahe
naah bhaae maanat. aan
Fear none, and frighten none.
9-1427-9
ggn dmwmw bwijE pirE nIswnY Gwau ]
Kyqu ju mWifAo sUrmw Ab jUJn ko dwau ]1]
sUrw so pihcwnIAYy ju lrY dIn ky hyq ]
purjw purjw kit mrY kbhU n CwfY Kyqu ]
ggn dmwmw bwijAo pirau inswny Gwå ]
Kyqu ju mWifE sUrmw Ab jUJn ko dwå ]1]
sUrw so pihcwinE ju lrY dIn ky hyq ]
purjw purjw kit mrY kbhU n CwfY Kyqu ]
Gagan d.amamaa bajeo pareou nisaa-naae ghaao
Khaet.u ju maan.deou soormaa abb joojhan ko d.aao
Sooraa so pahe-chaani-aae jo laraae d.een kae haet.
Purjaa purjaa katte maraae kab-hoo naa chhadaae khaet.u
Answering the battle drum, aim is taken
and wound is inflicted.
The warriors enter the battlefield for combat.
He is the real warrior who fights for the faith.
He gets cut to pieces, but never turns his back to the battlefield.
Kabir-1105-4.
The Gurus developed the spirit, and instilled high morale into the people to live a God-oriented ethical life, to protect the needy - the weak, and downtrodden. They encouraged them to have an able body, stable mind, tough will, and developed in them ability essential for all this - an edict to bear arms, as illustrated by the lives of the 6th Guru Hargobind, and the 10th Guru Gobind Singh.
The Guru benevolently enabled the Sikhs to protect their faith and selves
without waiting for any outside aid - created Sant-Sipaahee: saintly persons
who could defend themselves without looking to others.
It was never the Guru�s idea to create an army to win the lands and
treasures, and to sit on a throne to become a worldly king. The Gurus prepared
the people to stand for the human values, liberty, and dignity.
Had Kings Jahangir and Aurangzeb not beheld danger of opposition in the originality of the new faith, they had no need to put Guru Arjun Dev, Guru Tegh Bahadur, Guru Gobind Singh and his four sons, and a great number of the Sikhs to inhuman torture and elimination. For this very reason, Sri Harimandir Sahib (Golden Temple), Amritsar, had been repeatedly destroyed by the anti Sikh forces.
The power of originality did not let the faith die. It took roots and sprouted in the Tenth Master Guru Gobind Singh. The Tenth Master put this originality into the Sikh Panth - the world of Sikhs.
We have ourselves to become ethical and to improve ourselves rather than criticizing the Prophets and the faith. We are not wiser than the Gurus and need to ponder on our own selves.
The right choice is to try to find goodness in everything, and to eradicate our own deficiencies. On achieving this, our ill-based concepts will clear up and we will not say that the Sikh faith was processed from the other faiths. If we say that the Sikh faith has good things as in Hinduism, Islam and other faiths, then it is an absolutely different story, and quite understandable. All faiths are basically good and original.
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