ManSinha

I happen to have frequent debates with people from the abrahamic faiths - and have had discussions with the missionaries who show up outside my door. Most of them leave after taking one look at me. But others like to tell me how they can "save" me - in contrast we live by - "Soch kar-ae dinas ar raat, mun ki ma-ael na tan tay jaat" - so I agree with you - it is about looking inward and to the self and getting it in tune with the lord as much as possible "Nanak leen bhai-yo gobind siyo jio paani sang paani"

I got that - but the way I understand it - Guru Sahib teaches that there is no hell or heaven - only coming back as different life forms or merging into the One (moksh or mukti). I believe there is in Bhai Gurdas Varan - "Manas janam amol hai - hoi amol saadh sang paay-io" so the life especially of the human "is dehi ko simra-ee dev; so dehi bhaj har kee sev; bhajo gobind bhool mat jao, manas janam ka ehi laah-o" is the ideal one to remember Waheguru and associate with other Gurmukhs

It is an interesting religion to say for sure - right after the death of Muhammed - they started fighting over how to run their faith and have continued to this day - the Ahemadiyyas are one sect - the dominant ones as you all well know are shia and sunni and they have no love lost for each other They also have an issue with the mysticism of the Sufi's - the Qu'ran itself has a somewhat peaceful first portion (called a Meccan one) and a somewhat harsher second portion (called the Medina part) - This is what I find most curious - according to them Muhammed had the revelation from Allah - the muslims admit that Muhammed was illiterate - okay - So why did: a. Allah not make him literate with a snap of his godly fingers (assuming a form of Allah has fingers) b. Why was a literate person not given the revelation? They have no answers to these simple questions Contrast that to the authenticity of the Kartarpur Bir that has two different styles of handwriting with minor corrections and the word "sudh" in the margins - proof that it was dictated and proof read by Guru Arjan Dev himself.

WJKK WJKF I have been doing some comparative reading across some of the major religions - and other than Hindu Yogic schools (get to that in a moment) - Sikhi alone stands unique in its tolerance and acceptance and indeed protection for any and all to have religious freedom. While historically there is the example of Guru Tegh Bahadur - ji, the modern example is that of the Sikh Coalition fighting alongside jews and others that are being oppressed. The Gurbani from "Koi bol-ay ram ram" to "Jineh toh-ay dhiya-yo tineh" also backs this up with no two ways about it. But somehow those who choose not to believe in the Divine at all - are criticized somewhat harshly. "Jo sir saa-ee na niv-ae so sir kup utaar" In the Hindu Samkhya school of thought - there is emphasis on praman shaabad and anu-maan - there is a lot of appealing to reason and inference and the premise of Devta or even Ishta Devta is not given a lot of importance. In fact some of those from outside that have studied it - say that it gets as close to an atheist belief as one can. I was just wondering if any one from the saadh sangat had insight.

That is a great explanation Guru Piyario - Aap Ji Uthay Waheguru Ji dan aaseesan hovan

Actually the more I read - I doubt if you can "classify" Sikhism in any one group or bucket. It has elements across such groupings - the true hallmark of a belief system that transcends the understanding of humans - I am constantly amazed at the outpouring of description in the Jaap - one of the best forms I have seen - by one of the greatest poets the world has seen...

You are making a leap of faith - you have quotes as to the importance of mool mantra - but what is the mool mantra?

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa! Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! Pyaari saadh sangat ji - The Ragi singh at our Gurdwara always has a theme every week - last week it was "Lord as Protector" There were two shabads of Kabir sahib "Ganga Kinare Meri Tooti Zanjeer - Mrigshala par baithay Kabir" and "Prabh Khamb te Niksay Kai Bisthaar, Harnakash chediyo nakh beedaar" and the couplet from Salok Mehalla 9 "Bal Shutkiyo Bandhaan Paray - Kachoo Na hoth upaay Kaho Nanak ab oat har - gaj tio hoh saha-ae" On the way home my 12 year old son asked - "But then Papa - what happened with Guru Arjan, Guru Tegh Bahadur and Banda Bahadur? - why were they not given the same protection" One answer of course is that they wanted to demonstrate "Mitha laaga-e tera bhaana" but wondering if there was another perspective out there for the sewak......