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This should no doubt be tempered with the understanding that everything is in reality Nirguna Brahman. Everything is One and for one who can understand this, Gurbani is everything. According to the same authors there are those who maintain that Gurbani is not Nam. Such people, they argue, are either misguided or deceitful. The Gurus explicitly state that Gurbani is everything. Gurbani is therefore Nam, Guru, Nirankar (which is to say, God, the Formless One), Nad and Ved note 36.. Any endeavor which leads one closer to God, be that reading with devotion and attention, meditation on any Sabad of Gurbani (Text of Scripture), kirtan of Gurbani (singing of the Sacred Utterances), any endeavor which aims at elevating one spiritually or more specifically, that invokes the presence of God into ones consciousness, is classified as nam japna or meditation on the Name. Meditation on the Name is the only way to realization and final release (SR 260,261).
The Sikh way to God therefore is simple and effective. It is due to avidya (ignorance) that one identifies with anything other than Nam ('Shabd'). Through spiritual practices such as those discussed above one's consciousness is purified and one is gradually elevated to the point of reintegration with the Divine Nam -- Who is God, Who is Saguna Brahman, Who is Nirguna Brahman, Who is Ek Devata, Who is One. Through spiritual practice (sadhan) one is freed from illusion and the sense of I-am-ness (haumai) and the 'screen of ego' is cast down. With this the five vices of lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego (which is the worst) are destroyed and one realizes identity/unity with God. The wheel of samsara (transmigration) is stopped and such a blessed soul never again enters into this saguna world of delusion and pain.
Nam is the 'elixir of life' without which life would have no meaning or goal. Therefore without Nam there is no happiness, no joy. When Christians recite the rosary or pray to God, that is Nam. When Muslims kneel towards Mecca, that is Nam. When Hindus chant Gayatri note 37. or pray to the Trimurti note 38., that is Nam. Without Nam there is nothing. "The tongue that repeateth not His Name, better it be cut out bit by bit" (Funhe Mohalla, quoted in SR 266).
Some Nam is higher than other Nam however. The Gurus were clear that the worship of gods, goddesses, stones, murtis, places of pilgrimage, Samadhis note 39., indeed, the worship of anything within the Creation as a means to salvation is strictly forbidden by Gurmat. Only God, the Formless Creator, Sustainer and Destroyer of all is to be glorified (GiS 35). Nonetheless, Sikhs do not insist that this be done within the auspices of their sangats note 40.. They honor all who sincerely seek to worship the One God, regardless of the means employed.
While it is only natural that Sikhs prefer their own methods and religious systems, of all the religions I have examined, and there have been a lot of them, none are so open to other religions and philosophical ideas as the Sikhs. As Pramjit Singh explained to me, Sikhs are not concerned with formalities or organizational membership. "God is Great and man is diverse." The Holy One has given everyone a means whereby salvation can be achieved. No one, including the Sikhs, have the right to criticize the sincere efforts of others. This is a pivotal Sikh belief and dates back to the earliest periods of Indian understanding:
EKAM SAT: VIPRA BAHUDHA VADANTE: "Truth is one; sages call it by various names."
Pramjit further acknowledged that many of the traditional aspects of Sikhism, some of which will be discussed below, are purely the product of Punjabi culture and have nothing to do with self-realization. These cultural elements, as important as they are to any given society -- and they are vital to Sikhism -- must always be kept within their proper perspectives. It is God that is important not cultural traditions.
Regardless of the religious systems employed, there are certain basics upon which all agree. As long as ones mind is impure, for instance, one can not know God. Sikhism adds that as the mind is purified the soul (atman) gradually merges with the Supreme Soul (Paramatman). This is accomplished by praise and prayer to God with devotion (bhakti). This devotion must be strong enough to transform the egocentric aspects of ones life and cause one to surrender fully, step by step, to God. Remembrance of God, with bhakti or devotion, is therefore the essence of the Path of the Masters (S 23).
If God is Impersonal, the question naturally arises, "How can one develop bhakti towards an Impersonal Cause-Ground?" This difficulty has plagued monism throughout its history, both east and west. As Eliade has explained, "This tendency of monistic thinking to favor unity and oneness at the expense of the particular has confined monism to a minority position in philosophy and religious outlook, both Asian and Western. Even in India, ordinarily regarded as uniformly monistic... the monistic system of Shankara... is but one of several competing interpretations of the Hindu scriptures" (ER 57).
The Sikh response to this question is found in a conversation between Guru and Charpat, a Siddha Yogi. The Guru explained that a duck lives in the water. If its wings get wet it will drown. The duck knows this, therefore he never allows his wings to get wet. Likewise, a lotus flower lives in the water, yet always floats upon the surface, never going into the water. Both the duck and the lotus require water for their survival, yet they maintain the appropriate relationship with it. Likewise, physically embodied beings can not exist without maya (material nature), however the wise ones maintain a proper attitude and relationship with it by never forgetting God for a moment. Nam japa is constantly on their minds so they are not deluded by maya's illusions. This requires complete attention and dedication. In order to maintain this proper determination and relationship, Sikhs are very intentional in their life-styles. In Gurbani they find enough information to develop a loving relationship with the Unknowable in His saguna Attribute. Gurbani which is performed absentmindedly is useless. There must be an ever-present vigilance if one hopes to succeed. As their minds become one with Gurbani (Sabad etc.) they enter into communion with It. As this occurs, there is 'bliss and everlasting joy.' In this state the Sikh achieves the 'heavenly elixir' (hari ras) and merges with the Nam (SR 271). Thereby Nirguna Brahman is attained and one merges with the Infinite.
Furthermore, association with other seekers is vital. The Sat Sangat ('Holy Congregation') forms a vital link in the religious and social life of Sikhs because, "Sat Sangat is the treasury of Divine Name; there we meet God; through the Grace of Guru, one receives there Light and all darkness is dispelled " (Sarang ki Var, Mohalla, quoted in SR 280). Through the Sat Sangat ignorance and egotism is destroyed. It is absolutely necessary for salvation (SR 280,281; GiS 49).
Part 11: Sikh Rites and Practices
As mentioned above, there are many cultural aspects to Sikhism which are extraneous to the actual faith, however which are of extreme importance and significance to Sikhs as a distinct people. Kirpal Singh has written that all religious differences are man-man. There is only one universal truth which all religions seek to promote. Religious diversity is the result of culture, narrowness and bigotry. The message of all religions is the same, one universal brotherhood of man under the Fatherhood of God (S 20,21). As philosophically insightful as such statements are, cultural and religious diversity is vitally important as well. As Pramjit told me, those Sikhs who have taken refuge in the West often find it difficult to live in a society which is so diametrically opposed to life in the Punjab. The cultural aspects of Sikhism help maintain a continuity which is vital for their continued existence as a distinct people. These unite them into a brotherhood of believers and help them maintain loyalty to Guru and Sangat (fellow Sikhs). Chief among these cultural aspects is the Sangat itself of course.
As mentioned above, Guru Nanak condemned the caste system and artificial distinctions between people. Since last names in India were indicative of ones caste, it was not enough to personally oppose the system because one was still judged on that basis. Therefore Guru Nanak renamed his followers in a way which would acknowledge no caste distinctions. All male Sikhs adopted the surname Singh ('Lion' of God) and all female Sikhs embraced the surname Kaur (or Princess). This name disavowed any reference to the caste system and implied that one was a 'lion for God,' or fierce in determination to attain liberation (P) or a Princess.
As with any people, not all Sikhs are fully devoted to their religion of course. For those who wish to demonstrate their sincere devotion to God as a Singh or Kaur devout Sikhs pledge themselves to be sincere in their practice of religion and to live above social reproach. Such Sikhs embrace five cultural practices known as the five Ks (because Khalsa note 41.. Punjabi Sikh names all begin with that letter). These observances are as follows:
Kesh: uncut hair. From birth onward devout Sikhs never cut their hair, including their beards. This is indicative of their desire to transcend material nature and attain spiritual realization. The body is not important beyond its role as a vehicle for enlightenment.
Kangha: comb used to keep the hair clean. This comb is kept under one's turban. The practice of kesh should not be taken as neglect for the body, it is cared for as one might care for an automobile, hence the kangha.
Kara: metal bracelet or bangle worn on the right wrist. Since Sikhs reject all forms of asceticism they are actively engaged in life. Indeed, unless a Sikh cares the needs of his/her family one can't be considered a proper Singh or Kaur. When one reaches out the (right) hand to work, the bracelet reminds him of God. By this the Sikh is always careful to deal honestly with everyone.
Kaccha: knee-length drawstring underwear similar to boxer shorts. Sikhs are to be very modest and control their sexual urges, hence they wear these typically white, light-weight cotton undergarments.
Kirpan: dagger. Sikhs reject the doctrine of ahimsa (non-violence). They see it as a moral weakness and betrayal of religious requirements to refuse to use necessary means in defense of morality. If a Sikh sees a wrong being committed she or he is duty bound to stop it. Sometimes such righteous intervention requires force. The dagger is not therefore merely a religious symbol, it is a tool, even a weapon, for righteous intervention or self-defense. There is also of course the spiritual symbolism. The dagger cuts through maya or illusion. This application is secondary however. Pramjit told me that sometimes the dagger can cause a problem. As a Singh he can never be separated from his kirpan but n modern society one can not always wear a long sword on ones side. When Sikhs travel this is sometimes a problem. Airlines for instance will not allow Sikhs to carry full-sized kirpans on planes. Likewise they sometimes encounter difficulties in stores and other public places. To remedy this Sikhs have developed tiny kirpans, about the size of pocket knives. In this way they can observe their religious requirements and public laws as well.
These 5 ks are optional however it is very important that those who undertake these vows honor the commitment. If a Sikh violates any of these five principles for any reason the Pauhal (baptism) must be renewed. If for instance a Sikh goes in for surgery and the hair is cut for that reason the Sikh would want to be approach the Sat Sangat and be baptized anew. I asked Pramjit how serious it would be if he lost his status as a Singh due to such an eventuality. He replied that what matters is the consciousness not physical circumstances but it was obvious from his demeanor that such would be viewed as most unfortunate. On the other hand, I spoke with a thirty year old Sikh at the gurdwara who has never been baptized. He wears the turban and observes the five Ks and yet has never felt the need (or the inner purity as he put it) to accept baptism. His devotion to the five Ks is such however that even though he is an expert tennis player he refuses to remove his turban or kirpan to play.
The idea of Pauhal may seem alien to Indian philosophy at first glance. When we think of baptism we tend to think of Christianity or Judaism (the mikvah). Where did the Sikhs get the idea?
I asked Premjit Singh this and he explained that Nam is the source and the means to merge with the Unmanifest One. "The Guru is the doorway to Nam, and so by taking refuge of his Grace one achieves liberation. The way to the Guru is baptism [Pauhal or Amrit]. Without baptism a Sikh has no Guru, hence no Nam and therefore no liberation." This view seems a bit strict and should be understood as the reply of a truly devout Sikh. Sikhs stress their reliance on the Grace and Mercy of Sat Nam always and God bestows His Grace as He chooses.
The One God is attained through nam japna, or prayerful recitation of God's Name however without the Grace of Guru, such repetition is meaningless. And who is Guru? Sat Nam.
As the Gujri Mohalla explains:
All repeat God's Name, yet He is not attained but when through the Grace of the Guru God comes to reside in the mind. It is only then one's life becomes fruitful (quoted in SR 263). The Rag Mahalla adds that the world is a fearful ocean of maya (illusion) and only the ship of the Guru can give one safe passage to the other side, where abides God (SR264).
Guru Nanak started this ritual of initiation in typically Hindu style. From Guru Nanak until Guru Gobind Singh Sikh initiation consisted of two parts. First, the Guru's feet were washed. Due to the Guru's touch, this foot-water was considered amrit or nectar. It was then given to the disciple to drink (as Charanpauhal or Caritamrita). The second rite was the giving of Nam, the transcendental experience of the Holy Word.
Guru Gobind Singh instituted the baptism rite which is observed today. Although Guru Nanak rejected all visible forms of worship, temples, rituals and the like, Gobind Singh created the Khalsa or Guru Panth ("community of the pure ones") as the external form of Guru (GiS 68). Guru Gobind Singh empowered and reorganized the existing body of the faithful and completed the work of his ten predecessors. With this change those who would be initiated Sikhs had to join the Khalsa through the rite of baptism. Pauhal is conducted by five spiritually advanced initiated Sikhs in the presence of the Khalsa, "Let it, therefore, be very clear to every Sikh that in order to get into Guru's fold and seek Guru's grace, one will have to get baptized by the Five Beloved Ones. Only then will one's efforts toward spiritualism become fruitful" (SR 264). The rite consists of readings from the Guru Granth Sahib, sacred songs, prayers and the preparation of a special solution of water and sugar. The candidates are then sprinkled with this water on their heads and eyes. At this time they are instructed in the rules of Khalsa membership, loyalty, moral conduct and receive Nam.
To be a Sikh is to be a member of a family. It is to follow in the bold yet humbly devout footsteps of Guru Nanak and his successors. Sikhism is way of life. It is SANT MAT, the Path of the Masters.
The End
Notes for Part Five
Note 36: Nad is Nadam or Transcendental Sound Currents (the Shabd) and Vad is Veda or Wisdom, especially Scriptural truths. Return
Note 37: The Brahmanical prayers: Om Bhur Bhuvaha Svaha, Tat Savitur Varenyam... Return
Note 38: Lords Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, Creator, Sustainer and Destroyer/Transformer. Return
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