Sikh

[Sher Khalsa]

From Sau Suwal by Satbir Singh:

What is the Definition of a Sikh?:

One who is embarked upon the search for truth, is a sikh

Guru Arjan Dev Ji says: "I have established the temple of truth. I search and assemble therein God's devotees"

In this hymn (shabad) Guru Arjand Dev Ji has defined the term 'Sikh' as the seeker of truth. Those who consider the term 'Sikh' to be based on the Sanskrit term 'Shishya', meaning student or disciple, seem to have altogether missed the real point. To be a disciple one needs a teacher. Thus begins the race of every disciple to adopt a teacher or guru.

Only he/she is a Sikh who believes in and is committed to one Supreme Being (Akaal Purkh), 10 Divine Masters (Guru Nanak through Guru Gobind Singh Ji), Guru Granth Sahib Ji (the Shabad Guru) and their collective teachings and do not believe in any other religion or doctrine. A Gursikh is free from dovtion to any god/goddess.

According to Mahan Kosh (Bhai Kahan Singh) a Sikh is one who follows the path delineated by Guru Nanak; who accepts Guru Granth Sahib as his/her scripture and considers the 10 Guru's as 1. The third master Guru Amar Das says:

"Listen god's devotees! Only that seeker abides in the Masters presence, who discards his/her ego, leans on the preceptor and puts his/her trust in none else" ang919

Thus Sikh is not one who claims to have adopted someone as his/her Guru. Rather a Sikh is one who has accepted truth and truthful living as the foremost principle of life (As taught by our freat Gurus)*

*A person who believes in 10 Gurus and Guru Granth Sahib Ji has automatically dedicated himself to be the disciple of the 10 Gurus and vowed to learn at their feet (through their utterances given in Guru Granth Sahib Ji). Thus as a special case the origin of the word Sikh as the Sanskrit word "Shishya" becomes valid