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What’s it all about? The golden rules of Sikhi. Current State of Sikhi. Institutionalised castism/racism and sexism Ritualistic and meaningless practices, idol worship and rampant superstition
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Current State of Sikhi • Institutionalised castism/racism and sexism • Ritualistic and meaningless practices, idol worship and rampant superstition • Many of our gurdwaras and deras, particular in India, have become infiltrated by criminal elements • Endemic drug and alcohol abuse amongst many Sikhs. • Breakdown of family and community networks • Breakdown of the institution of marriage – rapid increase in divorce • Sikhs converting to other faiths with little evidence of any significant conversions to Sikhism.
Current State of Sikhi • The rapid disappearance of external Sikh identity • With a few exceptions, the steady decline of congregations attending Gurdwaras. • Gurdwaras being turned into community centres and places to entertain • The total alienation of Sikh intellectuals from mainstream Sikh institutions. • Reintroduction of Brahminical practices that the gurus rejected. • Alienation of ordinary intelligent young Sikh people from the gurdwara. • Egotism, amongst some baptised Sikhs like me.
What is a Golden Rule? • Rule • Law • Injunction • Moral Position • Tradition • Relative • Golden Rule • Absolute, • Something very precious • Absolute • Transcends time and space • True • Hukam ‘Sat-bachan’
How do we come to know the Golden Rules? • Guru Granth Sahib - Brahmgian • Sakhis - the life of the gurus - morals, values, inspiration • Bhai Gurdas Ji’s Var’s - exposition of Gurmat • Rehit Namas – purathan (traditional) rules/codes • The Sikh Rehit Maryada (1930’s Sikh code of conduct: Personal, Institutional and Panthik) • Reason + Simran + Sewa
Scope of the golden rules or Sikhi? • Theological • spiritual and religious • Physical • practical and scientific • Social • duties to humanity
Theological – Mool Mantal • <> - One Universal Creator God • siq nwmu - The Name Is Truth • krqw purKu - Creative Being • inrBau inrvYru - No Fear No Hatred • Akwl mUriq - Image Of The Undying • AjUnI - Beyond Birth • sYBM - Self-Existent. • gur pRswid By Guru's Grace ]
How to reach salvation – 6 Golden Rules AMg 1357 slok shsik®qI mhlw 1 Shalok Sehskritee, First Mehl: mMqRM rwm rwm nwmM D´wnµ srbqR pUrnh ] Through the Mantra of the Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam, one meditates on the All-pervading Lord. g´wnµ sm duK suKM jugiq inrml inrvYrxh ] Those who have the wisdom to look alike upon pleasure and pain, live the immaculate lifestyle, free of vengeance. dXwlµ srbqR jIAw pMc doK ibvrijqh ] They are kind to all beings; they have overpowered the five thieves.
Bojnµ gopwl kIrqnµ Alp mwXw jl kml rhqh ] They take the Kirtan of the Lord's Praise as their food; they remain untouched by Maya, like the lotus in the water. aupdysM sm imqR sqRh BgvMq Bgiq BwvnI ] They share the Teachings with friend and enemy alike; they love the devotional worship of God. pr inMdw nh sRoiq sRvxM Awpu iq´wig sgl ryxukh ] They do not listen to slander; renouncing self-conceit, they become the dust of all. Kt lK´x pUrnµ purKh nwnk nwm swD sÍjnh ]40] Whoever has these six qualities, O Nanak, is called a Holy friend. ||40||
Rejection of pilgrimage – Naam is everything qIriQ nwvw jy iqsu Bwvw ivxu Bwxy ik nwie krI ] If I am pleasing to Him, then that is my pilgrimage and cleansing bath. Without pleasing Him, what good are ritual cleansings? DnwsrI mhlw 1 CMq <> siqgur pRswid ] qIriQ nwvx jwau qIrQu nwmu hY ] Why should I bathe at sacred shrines of pilgrimage? The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the sacred shrine of pilgrimage. qIrQu sbd bIcwru AMqir igAwnu hY ] My sacred shrine of pilgrimage is spiritual wisdom within, and contemplation on the Word of the Shabad.
The soul can only be cleaned by naam BrIAY hQu pYru qnu dyh ] When the hands and the feet and the body are dirty, pwxI DoqY auqrsu Kyh ] water can wash away the dirt. mUq plIqI kpVu hoie ] When the clothes are soiled and stained by urine, dy swbUxu leIAY Ehu Doie ] soap can wash them clean. BrIAY miq pwpw kY sMig ] But when the intellect is polluted by sin, Ehu DopY nwvY kY rMig ] it can only be cleansed by the Love of the Name.
Practical/Material • The Universe was created by god for a purpose • Life is real, not an illusion. • There is no concept of heaven in Sikhi. • We are either ego centred (detached) Manmukh or god centred (attached) Gurmukh. • Sikhi is based on rational principles • world affirming – acceptance of hukam (law of nature) • Rejection of superstition • Things have causal relationships (karam)
Like the lotus plant we must be attached and detached. sUhI mhlw 1 Gru 7<> siqgur pRswid ] jogu n iKMQw jogu n fMfY jogu n Bsm cVweIAY ] Yoga is not the patched coat, Yoga is not the walking stick. Yoga is not smearing the body with ashes. jogu n muMdI mUMif mufwieAY jogu n isM|I vweIAY ] Yoga is not the ear-rings, and not the shaven head. Yoga is not the blowing of the horn. AMjn mwih inrMjin rhIAY jog jugiq iev pweIAY ]1] Remaining unblemished in the midst of the filth of the world - this is the way to attain Yoga. ||1|| glI jogu n hoeI ] By mere words, Yoga is not attained. eyk idRsit kir smsir jwxY jogI khIAY soeI ]1] rhwau ] One who looks upon all with a single eye, and knows them to be one and the same - he alone is known as a Yogi. ||1||Pause||
Gift of Human Form Question What is the difference between human beings and all other animals?
rwmklI mhlw 5 ] 913 iesu pwnI qy ijin qU GirAw ] He created you out of this water. mwtI kw ly dyhurw kirAw ] From clay, He fashioned your body. aukiq joiq lY suriq prIiKAw ]… He blessed you with the light of reason and clear consciousness… ApivqR pivqRü ijin qU kirAw ] He transformed you from impure to pure; sgl join mih qU isir DirAw ] He installed you above the heads of all creatures; Ab qU sIJu BwvY nhI sIJY ] now, you may fulfill your destiny or not;
Rejection of Ritualism – Praise of ‘Intellect’ soriT mhlw 5 Gru 2 AstpdIAw - <> siqgur pRswid ] pwTu piVE Aru bydu bIcwirE invil BuAMgm swDy ] They read scriptures, and contemplate the Vedas; they practice the inner cleansing techniques of Yoga, and control of the breath. pMc jnw isau sMgu n CutikE AiDk AhMbuiD bwDy ]1] But they cannot escape from the company of the five passions; they are increasingly bound to egotism. ||1|| ipAwry ien ibiD imlxu n jweI mY kIey krm Anykw ] O Beloved, this is not the way to meet the Lord; I have performed these rituals so many times. hwir pirE suAwmI kY duAwrY dIjY buiD ibbykw ] rhwau ] I have collapsed, exhausted, at the Door of my Lord Master; I pray that He may grant me a discerning intellect. ||Pause||
Conclusion • sikhi is for the whole of humanity • live a god-centred life i.e. non-ego-centred • strive become a perfect human being, • develop a pure/healthy mind, body and soul. • develop love for waheguru and • Live in awe and balance with gods creation