Sikhi A Religion?

[UKGupt Kaur]

I like reading vichar on gurbani.org and below is from that site

"Though the author was born in a Sikh family (parents: Tarlochan Singh and Karam Kaur) in Punjab (Doaba region), India, but judging himself, he certainly knows very little about the Sikhi. Therefore, it would be a travesty of truth him calling himself a Sikh or Khalsa (pronounced as Khaalsaa).

Because, according to the Gurbani, to be a True Sikh or Khalsa is not a question of heredity, family of birth, ancestry, religion, race, region, social status, caste, creed, education, titles or any peculiar external appearance of a person; it is a question Of Self-realization (Realization of one's Real Nature as "Joti-Svaroopa")!

In other words, these words "Sikh" and "Khalsa" do not represent one's physical state. But, to the contrary, they indicate a Higher Spiritual State for us to experience within us. In this context, consider the following verses:

• So guru so sikh hai bhaaee jin joti jot milaaee: He alone is the Guru and he alone is the Sikh who has become one with the Divine Light (sggs 602).
  
• Pooran jot jagai ghat main tab Khaalas taahi Nakhaalas jaano: One becomes Khaalsaa (pure within) only when he realizes his Complete Self within; otherwise know him to be an impure one (Guru Gobind Singh Jee).
  
• Aatam ras ji jaanahee so hai khaalas dev: He who has realized the Self within is alone the godly Khaalsaa - Pure Being (Guru Gobind Singh Jee).
  
• Kahu Kabeer jan bhaye Khaalse prem bhagti jih jaanee: Says Kabeer: Those persons become Khaalsaa (pure within) who have realized the Prema Bhagti within - Loving Devotion, Divine Name, Self, etc. (sggs 655).
  
• Jap tap satt santokh pikhi darsan gur sikhah: Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of Divine Darshan (Self-realization), the Gursikh is blessed with chanting and deep meditation, truth and contentment (sggs 1395)."
  

This pangktee also comes to mind :

Sikhee sikhiaa gur veechaari

Sikhi is learning by Contemplating the GurShabad (SGGSJ 465).

And GurShabad can only be found in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee.

[Mehtab Singh]

Bhai Gurdaas Ji in Vaars Bhai Gurdaas on Pannaa 28

gur isKI dw isKxw nwdu n vyd n AwiK vKwxY]

gur sikhee dhaa sikhanaa naadh n vaedh n aakh vakhaanai||

The discipline of the discipleship of the Guru is divine for the Vedas and all the melodies.

gur isKI dw ilKxw lK n icqR gupiq iliK jwxY]

gur sikhee dhaa likhanaa lakh n chithr gupath likh jaanai||

Even Chitragupt, the writer of the accounts of the actions of the people, does not know how to write about the spirit of Sikh life.

gur isKI dw ismrxoN syK AsMK n ryK is\wxY]

gur sikhee dhaa simarano saekh asa(n)kh n raekh sin(j)aanai||

The glory of Simran, remembrance of the name of the Lord, cannot be known by myriad Sesanags (thousand hooded mythical snake).

gur isKI dw vrqmwnu vIh iekIh aulµiG pCwxY]

gur sikhee dhaa varathamaan veeh eikeeh oula(n)gh pashhaanai||

The conduct of the Sikh spirit can be known only by going beyond the worldly phenomena.

gur isKI dw buJxw igAwn iDAwn AMdir ikv AwxY]

gur sikhee dhaa bujhanaa giaan dhhiaan a(n)dhar kiv aanai||

How can anybody understand the Sikh way of life of Gursikhi through learning and contemplation alone?

gur prswdI swDsMig sbd suriq hoie mwxu inmwxY]

gur parasaadhee saadhhasa(n)g sabadh surath hoe maan nimaanai||

By the grace of the Guru, in the Holy Congregation, the Gursikh concentrating his consciousness in the Word sheds pride and becomes humble.

Bwie Bgiq ivrlw rMgu mwxY ]3]

bhaae bhagath viralaa ra(n)g maanai ||3||

A rare one may enjoy the pleasure of loving Devotion.(3)

[TejiKaur]

Vaaheguroo Jee Kaa Khaalsaa Vaaheguroo Jee Kee Fateh :pray:

Thanks for you kind comments Phenjee (TejiKaur) :happy: but that isn't simply true, hence others have disproven my points made.

In my post I was trying to clarify that there simply isn't a sikh as we are all students of God. A christian can feel the same love for God as a Sikh feels for God - by saying they cannot - we are limiting what God can do - this is ultimately his universe. Understanding about sikhism is the best gift my soul has ever been blessed with but that is what christians must feel for christianity and hindus for hinduism.

I have always percieved the 'Naam' to be a sound current, to be the vibrations of the universe that are at particular frequency that awakens the soul into loving its creator. However, couldn't we percieve the naam to be obtained by all those? irrespective of their '"religion"? as they still feel the love for God as a sikh feels.

Also to respond to the comment received when I stated that what defines a sikh? Is it an amrithdhaari or an individual who although doesn't believe in God does good deeds etc. Although they may not be a 'Sikh of the Guroo' they are still a student of God's play, hukam - following his command and have a good heart.

I hope I haven't offended anymore or seem even more corrupt. :sleep:

Your Gora brother :lol:

Vaaheguroo Jee Kaa Khaalsaa Vaaheguroo Jee Kee Fateh

dont worry about that veera we r here too learn n everyone has different opinions

i personally agree with u 110 perrcent

n u r more so a Sikh than any one i knoe

n i wud trust u with my life more so than anyone

n anyone who knows u feels the same

u r a sikh u r a sikh

anyone who has done what u have done is the best sikh possible

we need to learn from u

if we had 5 sikhs like u khalsa raj wud flourish

[Mehtab Singh]

Bhai Gurdaas Ji in Vaars Bhai Gurdaas on Pannaa 28

DrqI pYrW hyiT hY DrqI hyiT vsMdw pwxI]

dhharathee pairaa(n) haet(h) hai dhharathee haet(h) vasa(n)dhaa paanee||

The earth is under our fee but under the earth is water.

pwxI clY nIvwx no inrmlu sIqlu suDu prwxI]

paanee chalai neevaan no niramal seethal sudhh paraanee||

Water flows downward and makes others cool and clean.

bhu rMgI iek rMgu hY sBnW AMdir ieko jwxI]

bahu ra(n)gee eik ra(n)g hai sabhanaa(n) a(n)dhar eiko jaanee||

Mixed with various colours it assumes those colours but in itself it is colourless common to all.

qqw hovY Dup ivic CwvY TMFw ivrqI hwxI]

thathaa hovai dhhup vich shhaavai t(h)a(n)dtaa virathee haanee||

It becomes hot in the sun and cool in the shade, that is it acts in agreement with its companions (sun and shade).

qpdw praupkwr no TMFy praupkwr ivhwxI]

thapadhaa paroupakaar no t(h)a(n)dtae paroupakaar vihaanee||

Whether hot or cold its purpose always is other’s good.

Agin buJwey qpiq ivic TMFw hovY iblmu n AwxI]

agan bujhaaeae thapath vich t(h)a(n)dtaa hovai bilam n aanee||

Though itself warm it extinguishes the fire and takes no time to get cold again.

guru isKI dI eyhu nIswxI ]13]

gur sikhee dhee eaehu neesaanee ||13||

These are the virtuous marks of the Sikh culture.(13)

[Bored]

definition of a sikh is clear but lets get more detailed with the "khalsa". is it not a religion?

[Nehmat]

Nice topic. :happy:

Tell you the truth...I don't get this religious stuff. It leaves me confused and with many wandering thoughts. The more religions people keep creating, the more confusion comes into existence.

Maharaj Ji's way is more of a 'spiritual' way. It tells us how to come in contact with your 'inside' or your 'soul'. It has nothing to do with the world or its confusions...

And for Khalsa...I see it as an army of Waheguru created to protect humanity.

I really don't have much else to say...

Maharaj Ji, however, says this:

karam Dharam pakhand jo deeseh tin jam jaagaatee lootai.

nirbaan keertan gaavhu kartay kaa nimakh simrat jit chhootai. ||1||

[Mehtab Singh]

I personally hate to call Sikhi a religion. First of all, it is Sikhi, not Sikhism. These isms are western terms. The real name is Sikhi. Secondly, a religion is a mere way of life. Sikhi is a way of life AND DEATH. Our Sants showed us how to live, our sipahis/shaheeds showed us how to die, so its a way or BOTH life and death, therefore its a lot more than just another religion. About Khalsa, Khalsa is the highest and purest form of not just a Sikh, but a human, which is why its called Khalsa (Khalis in Persian means pure). Dasmesh Pita Ji has described the character of the Khalsa in amazing details in Khalsa Mahima in Sarabloh Granth. Today we would rarely find such Singhs, but they are there.

So what is a Sikh?

S= shahadat/martyrdom for truth , a Sikh's aim

I= ibadat/worship of God, a Sikh's lifestyle

K= khidmat/service of humanity, a Sikh's duty

H= hifazat/protection of the oppressed, a Sikh's responsibility

[fatehe]

Guru Nanak Dev Jee told the Sikhs to take a bath and recite Jap Jee in morning. Do you do that bored?

How can Khalsa be a religion and Sikhi not? they are the SAME thing. The 10th Guru gave the authority to the Panj instead of charan pahul.

[UKGupt Kaur]

Guru Nanak Dev Jee told the Sikhs to take a bath and recite Jap Jee in morning. Do you do that bored?

How can Khalsa be a religion and Sikhi not? they are the SAME thing. The 10th Guru gave the authority to the Panj instead of charan pahul.

Isnt a Khalsa a Gurmukh? Isnt a GurSikhs aim is to be a Gurmukh? So how can a khalsa be a religion?

I think those who listening to and live Gurmat should be known as 'GurSikhs' not "Sikhs"

and we should all call this path 'GurSikhee' not "Sikhism".

Gur sikhee gur sikh sun andar siaanaa baahar bholaa

Listening to the teachings of the Guru, the Sikh becomes wise internally though apparently he looks a simpleton (Vaar Bhai Gurdaas Jee, 4).

And if a person uses the word "Sikh" it will mean that he/she is just starting the GurSikhee path (ie inquirying into and understanding 'Dharam Khand').

[alias]

sikhi is less of a relegion and more of a dharam. i.e. to be piky, it should be called sikhi-dharam cis sikhi isnt an 'izm'.

our guru granth sahib dont say sikhi is the best relegion bring ppl in.

no.

it says (on a wide ground basis) that go toward god.

it tells muzis how to be good muslimz. all other 'izms' say, believe us and such.

sikhi is the olny one that says skrew all the izm boundries and dam well go to god! >basikly.

guru tells yogis how to be the true yogie. id like to add, >> hey american sikhs! jog sabadang in sggs! innsted of doing yoga as part of sikhi, do naam! sahaskriti m1. <<

neway..

khalsa is the fauj of god y? cus through hukam of god khalsa (and amrit) got saajed.

khalsa has been used more and more as a 'separate' from the crowd. if thas wot u do, then u aint reely khalsa cus khalsa helps all and is pure.

putting khalsa at the ends of ppls name is i think ok, but it causes more probs (seggragation) than it solvs ( gobind rai >rai being the surname of guru gobind singh< to gobind singh.

singh was only given after amrit administeration. but we still keep surnames. singh as a mmiddle name. then surname.

so a further thing of replacing surname with khalsa..#

its k.

but its a 'holier than thou' approch.

khalsa is being used as more of a cult nowa days. (not alot! but its growing! wich is bad.)

sikhi is the tru law of god. not a relegion.

khalsa are the ppl that follow that godsent law.

sikhi was the hukam from god.

gurfateh