Sikhism pp 107 121

1
Sikhismpp 107 - 121

• 16 million worldwide most live in northwestern
  province in India Punjab
• 1 million outside of India
• most distinguished by turban w/ cut hair wound
  inside

2
Hinduism Islam mix

• Polytheistic (on surface) ? Hinduism
• Monotheistic ? Islam factor

3
Violent Religion?

• Conflict w/ Muslims and Hindus throughout history
• Vs. Muslims 1799
• Assassination of Indira Gandhi Sikh bodyguards
• Cenkner story

4
Sikhism Develops

• Guru Nanak (1469 1539)
• Gu darkness ru (en)light(enment)
• Sikh literally means learner
• Ten historical Gurus capitalized
• Adi Granth Sikh Scripture Adi Granth becomes
  a Guru itself ? Gods Truth and Will
• It is divine revelation ? no need for prophet

5
Life of Guru Nanak

• Born in Lahore (Pakistan), Hindu, Khshaitriya
• Transforming experience at river, ca. 30
• Leads to rejection of Hindu traditions, caste
• 20 years journey preaching, visiting holy sites
  supposedly Mecca and Baghdad

6
Guru Nanaks Insights

• Oneness of God
• Need to move closer to God
• Via meditation and singing hymns of praise
• There is no Hindu and no Muslim so whose path
  shall I follow? I shall follow Gods path. God is
  neither Hindu nor Muslim and the path which I
  follow is Gods.

7
Ten Historical Gurus

• Linked by sharing of the divine essence
• more spiritually adept than ordinary people
• BUT NOT divine incarnations of God
• Greatly revered

8
Panth Sikh Community

• SOS not looking to found new religion but at
  odds with origins
• Kartarpur city becomes first center
• Literally abode of the creator
• Gurdwara central structure of any Sikh
  community
• Houses copy of Adi Granth

9
Guru Nanak dies

• 1539 leads Sikh community for 20 years
• How to dispose of his body
• Hindus cremate
• Muslims bury
• Flowers on either side
• Even his death reconciles, blends the two

10
Guru Arjan 1581 - 1606

• 5th guru
• Compiled Adi Granth
• Golden Temple of Amritsar geographical center
  (with psychological benefit)
• 4 doors representing rejection of castes
• Greatly political ? military strength
• Imprisoned, tortured to death (by whom?)
• Two swords for son spirit/world power

11
Guru Gobind Singh 10th of 10

• 1698 1708
• greatest guru after Nanak coincidence?
• Contributed to Sikh militarism vs. Muslims
• Instituted the Khalsa redefining Panthi
• Installed Adi Granth as Guru changing Sikh
  leadership significantly HOW?
• IOW return to the sources?

12
Khalsa The Pure Ones

• who will die for me? 5 stepped forward
• Beloved ones, most faithful ones
• Today most Sikhs belong to Khalsa
• Men given additional name Singh lion
• Women given additional name Kaur princess

13
Guru Gobind Singhs Successor

• Successor ? Adi Granth the Scripture
• Becomes the authority of Sikh life
• Why significant???

14
The Adi Granth

• Sikhisms greatest attraction
• Literally the first book
• Guru Granth Sahib
• Reluctance to translate from Hindi and Punjabi
  original language
• Translations are usually incomplete

15
The Adi Granth

• Profound theology mixing Hinduism and Islam
• poetic and musical brillliance
• Hymns composed by 6 gurus
• Esp. Kabir, poet (not a guru) ca. 1440 - 1518

16
Religious Teachings

• GOD ? monotheistic and polytheistic
• Goal ? complete union with God I question
  texts understanding here
• The Being (God) is One the truth immanent in
  all things Sustainer of all things. Immanent in
  creation. Without fear and without hatred. Not
  subject to time, formless Beyond birth and
  death. Self-reveal- ing. Known by the Gurus
  grace.
• God referred to as he because there is no
  neuter pronoun in Punjabi-Hindi language
• Creator-Preserver-Destroyer Hindu threesome

17
The Human Condition

• Self-centered and bound to Samsara
• Humans especially near to God but need to be
  closer
• Haumai self-reliance, pride, egoism
• Distances humans from God via five vices that
  accompany haumai ? lust, anger, greed,
  attachment, pride

18
The Human Condition

• Distance from God compounded by ignorance (of
  misperception)
• I.e., we mistake (and attach ourselves to) Gods
  creation for the creator
• Very Platonic

19
Salvation Union (?) w/ God

• God perceivable in creation is hukam the divine
  order
• Nim the Divine Name meditate on it sing its
  praises, repeat
• Very unlike Islam (and Judaism)

20
The Religious Life

• Worship, ritual, Lifestyle
• Gurdwara doorway of the Guru temple
• Characterized by minarets, chalk white exterior,
  the four doors
• Adi Granth certainly present
• Temple service ends with sharing wheat/honey cake
  important shared meal

21
Shared Meals

• Community kitchen typically in each gurdwara
• Community preparation of meal and sharing to
  illustrate the oneness of the community
• De-emphasizing caste status
• Also providing food for needy
• Sikhs enjoined to tithe 10 of income to charity

22
Entering The Khalsa

• Initiate to be at least 14 years old
• Must possess the five Ks
• Uncut hair
• Comb
• Silver wrist guard (?)
• Sword or knife
• Pair of shorts (?)

23
Four Prohibitions of Khalsa

• Do not cut hair
• Do not eat improperly slaughtered meat
• Do not engage in extramarital relations
• Do not use tobacco

24
Who are the Khalsa?

• Ca. 70 of all Sikhs considered Khalsa by
  observing the 5 Ks certainly not cutting hair
• Very small actually go through ceremony

25
Work, Worship, Charity

• Sikh dedication to reconciling Hinduism and Islam
• Sikh dedication to religious freedom
• Sikh dedication to justice for oppressed people
• TURBAN most recognizable important to Sikhs
  do not regret that they stand out as consequence
  much misunderstanding