Sikhism

ARTICLE UNDER CONSTRUCTION
ARTICLE UNDER CONSTRUCTION

The word “Sikh” is derived from the Sanskrit “shishya” or (in the English translation) disciple. While most scholars see Sikhism as a blend of Hinduism and Islam, Sikhs consider their religion to be God’s own unique revelation to their primary prophet, Guru Nanak. At the same time, it is clear that Nanak saw Hindus and Muslims as equally faithful, and that his goal was to bring to humanity the message that devotion to God is the point; the means of expressing that devotion is secondary.

The Gurus

The first of ten Gurus, “the purest, the saintliest and the noblest of all,” Nanak (1469-1539) was a mystery to both his family and the larger community. For example:

• Raised a Hindu, Nanak studied those scriptures and also read the Quran at a young age.
• As a boy he preferred meditating to playing with other boys his age.
• He asked teachers about the mystic meaning of their lessons (generally getting no answer) and once asked a doctor whether it was possible to cure disease of the soul.

Born into a high-caste family in what was then the Indian state of Punjab, Nanak’s father was an accountant for the government. Nanak had one older sister, Bibi Nanki, who was his first disciple. Always far more interested in the spiritual life than in worldly pursuits, he was quite a trial to his business-minded father. Given the chance to try his hand at buying and selling goods for profit, he gave away all the money. Later, after his marriage, he did successfully and efficiently manage a granary for a time. He left that position to embark on his divine mission. Like other prophets, he apparently disappeared into the wilderness for several days (in his case, into a river, although some believe he bathed and then went into a forest), where he had a vision in which God informed him of his life’s work.

Sikh tradition states that Nanak was born a guru, since his first Divine message was given when he was only seven years old. He traveled widely as an adult, drawing large crowds eager to hear him speak. He seems to have had a reputation for calling people out on their hypocrisy, in a way that not only caused them to change their ways but often made them decide to become his disciple.

Nanak was followed by nine other Gurus. Each conferred the Guruship on a successor, and each successive Guru was believed to embody the Divine Light once the Guruship had been bestowed on them. The tenth, Guru Gobind Singh, conferred the Guruship on the Sikh scripture, the Adi Granth. It is known as "Guru Granth Sahib" and was declared to be the “Last Guru for ever.”

Sikh Tenets

Sikhism’s basic precepts include:

• The existence of God is a fact, not a hypothesis.
• Human life has a purpose and a goal: to merge with God.
• We are made up of body, mind, and soul. Our job during this life is to integrate and perfect these aspects of ourselves.
• Each of us is responsible for our own actions. We cannot avoid the consequences of our actions --- except through divine grace.
• We are to be committed to the welfare of all, because service to God is service to His creation.

Beyond these, there is advice echoing the Christian admonition to “pray without ceasing.” The fourth Guru, Ramdas, wrote that a Sikh should “… hold the Name in his heart all through … the day. The one who repeats the Name with his every breath is a most dear disciple of the Guru.” Presumably this would aid one in meeting other commandments: to discipline the mind, to “struggle against the five vices … [of] lust, anger, greed, attachment, and pride,” and to live ethically. The latter instruction includes “decent work which is neither immoral nor antisocial. [One must] be creative and productive … to labour and not be a parasite.” All of this is an effort to conquer our personal ego, which stands between us and God.

Sikhism incorporates many detailed instructions regarding daily life, some of which echo Christianity’s Ten Commandments:

Do not steal, nor exploit the poor.

Do not covet another’s wealth.

Do not commit adultery.

Do not kill.

The use of alcohol and other drugs is, of course, prohibited. Other instructions dictate daily Sikh religious practices and forbid practices from other religions.

A major emphasis in Sikhism, from Guru Nanak onward, is equality on all levels, including the equality of women. The caste system is considered abnormal and abhorrent, since “All hearts are illuminated by the Light of the Lord …” and “Whosoever contemplates on God, caste or no caste, he becomes a blessed devotee of God.”

And Who or What is God? The Adi Granth scripture (aka Guru Granth Sahib) defines God in its opening sentence:

“There is but one God

He is the Eternal Truth

The Creator, All-Pervading Divine Spirit

Unfearful, Without hate and enmity

Immortal Entity, Unborn, Self-Existent, and

He is realized by His Own Grace.

Meditate upon

Who was True before the Creation

Who was True in the beginning of the Creation

Who is True now, and

O Nanak, Who shall be True for Ever.”

The entire Adi Granth apparently is an expansion and explanation of the above definition, which definition will be somewhat familiar to readers of H.P. Blavatsky’s description of the Absolute in the Secret Doctrine. Sikhism, however, views God as both impersonal and personal: “Impersonal God is Formless and beyond the human reach. When He reveals Himself through His Creation He becomes related and personal. … The source is Formless, and the whole universe is His Personal form.”

Finally, the Sikhs do not teach asceticism or austerity. “The householder’s life was accepted as the ideal state for holy living. Meditation and commitment to social welfare and especially amelioration of the lot of women were the main concerns.”

The Khalsa

During the time of the fifth Guru, Arjan Dev (Guruship 1581-1606), political machinations began to affect the Sikh community. The story is long and complex, but the crux of the matter appears to have been that the Guru refused to let his daughter marry into a powerful political family. Arjan Dev was imprisoned and died from his ill-treatment. This began many decades of political persecution of the Sikhs. Eventually, Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and last (Guruship 1675-1708), created the Khalsa, an order of initiated warriors.

During the following years of continued political and religious persecution, the Khalsa warriors established a reputation as the fiercest of fighters. While they were supposed to fight only in self-defense and never initiate combat, the Sikhs, inspired by their faith in the Guru, never backed down.

While “Khalsa” is sometimes used these days to describe all Sikhs, more devout members believe “The khalsa distinguishes someone who has formally committed to the values of the faith by accepting initiation”. The rite of baptism lays down a responsibility to observe the five kakars or articles of faith:

1. Kesha or uncut hair, which represents being in harmony with the will of God.
2. The kanga or comb, meant to keep the hair neat and clean.
3. The kachha, a pair of short cotton pants that represent both agility and chastity.
4. The kirpan is a steel dagger, a badge of self-defense and courage.
5. The kara, an iron or steel wrist band that symbolizes being bonded and devoted to the Guru.

These items are meant not as an outward show of their religion, but to remind them of their obligation to maintain the discipline required of a true Sikh. “Sikhs cherish their articles of faith primarily because they see them as a gift from their beloved Guru. Trying to understand these articles on the basis of their function is missing the point.”

Sikhism Today

In the 21st century, there are about 25 million Sikhs worldwide. Known as “Sikhi” in the Punjabi language, “it is a distinct religious tradition with its own distinctive features, including founders, scripture, worship, ceremonies and traditions.” It is estimated that around 500,000 Sikhs live in the United States.

The Sikh symbol is the Khanda, named for the double-edged sword in the center that represents “Divine Knowledge, its sharp edges cleaving Truth from Falsehood.” The circle surrounding this, the Chakar, denotes the eternal perfection of God. Finally, the two curved swords on the outside of the emblem denote Meeri and Peeri – authority both temporal and spiritual. This reminds Sikhs that their duties to society are just as important as their spiritual aspirations.

The Khanda

Some younger Sikhs are less inclined to fully commit to the requirements of the Khalsa. Sikh men usually wear a turban or dastar over their uncut hair. Women traditionally wore a scarf called a chunni; more recently some younger Sikh women choose to wear a turban instead. And a few young Sikhs are cutting their hair, which of course causes some consternation among older and more conservative members. But one Sikh website notes that “All initiated Sikhs are required to maintain uncut/untrimmed hair. But, as in every religion, there are people at different levels of observance and commitment to their faith. Everyone is on their own personal journey. Some Sikhs may cut their hair, but that does not exclude them from the Sikh community.”

Annie Besant once said that “Theosophy asks no one to give up their religion. It asks that you live your religion.” In this sense (as with all religions), and regardless of whether one has been formally initiated, Sikhs who practice the discipline and the teachings in their daily lives are in harmony with theosophical teachings.

Sikhism and the Theosophical Movement

Early leaders of the Theosophical Society, including Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Henry Steel Olcott, and A. P. Sinnett, were well acquainted with Sikhs. Some practitioners of Sikhism may have been admitted as members of the TS, but their names are not known. However, Sikh Salig Ram became a subscriber of The Theosophist as early as 1882. He was mentioned in Mahatma Letter No. 31,dated around November, 1881. Master Morya called Salig Ram "a truly good man" with tendencies toward mediumship and "misdirected mysticism."

In 1926, a Sikh Fellow of the Theosophical Society, Hukm Chand Kumar published a book, Guru Nanak as an Occultist through the Blavatsky Press in Hyderabad. He had been vice principal of the Sindh National College that was associated with the Theosophical Educational Trust. He dedicated the volume to Dr. Annie Besant.

Additional resources

Articles

• Sikhism in Theosophy World.
• Nesbitt, Eleanor. "Helena Blavatsky, Dorothy Field and Annie Besant: Theosophy’s role in introducing Sikhism to the West" Sikh Formations: Religion, Culture, Theory 16 no. 3 (2020): 227-243. Published online December 13,2019. Abstract at TandFonline.

Books

• Kumar, Hukm Chand. Guru Nanak as an Occultist, or The Philosophy of the Japji. Hyderabad: BLaatsky Press, 1926. 62 pages.