Four Types Of Sikh

[sher_panjabi]

A few weeks ago I went to my friend's Anand Kaaraj. Bhai Davinder Singh Panesar gave a short talk at the wedding. The things he said were short but sweet, so I thought I would share this with the sangat.

Bhai Sahib gave the explanation of the first laav, which starts as:

ਹਰਿ ਪਹਿਲੜੀ ਲਾਵ ਪਰਵਿਰਤੀ ਕਰਮ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਇਆ ਬਲਿ ਰਾਮ ਜੀਉ ॥

har pehilaRee laav, parvirtee karam driR-aa-i-aa bal raam jee-o.

In the first round of the marriage ceremony, Waheguru sets out His Instructions for performing the daily duties of married life.

In this first verse, the first vow, Guru Sahib gives us guidance of how we can EXPERIENCE the Divine, how we experience the Supreme Infinite Lord Waheguru. The next line shows us that we can have this EXPERIENCE through DHARAM.

ਬਾਣੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਵੇਦੁ ਧਰਮੁ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਹੁ ਪਾਪ ਤਜਾਇਆ ਬਲਿ ਰਾਮ ਜੀਉ ॥

baaNee brahmaa ved Dharam driRHu, paap tajaa-i-aa bal raam jee-o.

Instead of the hymns of the Vedas to Brahma, embrace Dharam (the righteous way of life), and renounce sinful actions...

What is DHARAM? Is it religion? Not quite. DHARAM is a WAY OF LIFE. Just as water being wet is insperable, Dharam is that way of life, which becomes insperable and a part of person. Guru Sahib's not interested in us being a "SUNDAY SIKH," who comes to the Gurdwara on Sunday, does Matha Tekh and eat Langar, and that's his "religious Sikh thing" done for the week. DHARAM is a WAY OF LIFE. If you wish to EXPERIENCE the Divine, and experience SUKH (peace) then one has to live a certain way of life, which is living in the remebrance, meditation and grace of Waheguru.

FOUR TYPES OF SIKHS

There are four types of Sikhs. To illustrate this point, let's use the example of a fire.

1/ The first type of person knows through his or her FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE that by putting one's hand in the fire, it will burn. So they experience the heat of the fire and learnt that it would do them harm. This is like the first type of Sikh - one whose Sikhi is based on EXPERIENCE of the Guru (Gurbani) and Simran.

2/ The second type of person knows that fire will burn their hand, because of another's experience. Therefore, person 2 BELIEVES in person 1, and on the basis of this BELIEF he or she keeps away from fire. This is like the second type of Sikh - one whose Sikhi is based on BELIEF in what they have been told about Guru Sahib and Sikhi.

3/ The third type of person does knows fire is dangerous and not to touch it because person 2 told them that person 1 had experienced the fire. Therefore, person 3 has BLIND FAITH in person 2, and basis his BELIEF on someone else's belief. This is like the third type of Sikh - one whose Sikhi is based on BLIND-FAITH and they plod along and follow Sikhi because so and so told so and so, and this got passed down.

4/ The fourth type of person does not go near fire, not knowing why and thinks its a tradition of the ancestors not to touch fire. Therefore, person 4 follows BLIND-RITUALISM. Not going near fire becomes a RITUAL with no meaning or understand. This is like the fourth type of Sikh - one whose Sikhi is based on BLIND-RITUALISM and they do things, e.g. Matha Tekh, read Paath, or go the Gurdwara NOT KNOWING "WHY" and carry out these acts because their ancestors andprevious generations did this.

What type of Sikhs are we today? Sadly, most of us fall into Sikh no. 4. Hence, Gurbani shows us HOW TO HAVE AN EXPERIENCE. We don't rely on experience of others, rather Gurbani shows us how we can experience Waheguru and Sukh also.

You can read Bhai Sahib's full summary of the Anand Kaaraj here

[Jo Kicch Hai So Tera Waheguru]

WJKK WJKF

Yep Blind Faith/Ritualism - describes me perfectly

[simer_169]

"""4/ The fourth type of person does not go near fire, not knowing why and thinks its a tradition of the ancestors not to touch fire. Therefore, person 4 follows BLIND-RITUALISM. Not going near fire becomes a RITUAL with no meaning or understand. This is like the fourth type of Sikh - one whose Sikhi is based on BLIND-RITUALISM and they do things, e.g. Matha Tekh, read Paath, or go the Gurdwara NOT KNOWING "WHY" and carry out these acts because their ancestors andprevious generations did this.""""

i think i am from this type