Why Didn't "low-caste" People In India Become Sikh?

[Guest Jacfsing2]

It is possible to have ekta while keeping your tribal identity. Before genders were split up too, and now all genders have equal status in Sikhi. In the same way it is possible to keep your identity while becoming Sikh since Sikhi teaches that all castes are equal.

Even if what you said was true, the people in the video were be far more extreme than just being happy of their heritage, it was clearly discrimination. Also it clearly violates the very idea of being a Sikh, since it's about bringing humanity together.

[Guest Jacfsing2]

Can anyone explain to me how the people accepted this in the first place, (caste creation)? Also how'd some Sikhs just start believing in Caste after being Sikhs when Gurbani is clearly Manas Ki Jaat Sabh Ekai Pechanbo? (I'd assume it's before some RSS pakhand influencing lost Sikhs?) I also assume that people regardless of castes would be treated better at Harmandir Sahib then if they wanted to go Jaganath Puri, (where only Brahmans can go) or something?

[simran345]

Discrimination can happen through anything.. It is possible for any individual to be proud of anything and bully people. Using caste or any issue to hurt people's feelings is not a very Sikh thing to do indeed. It is of no use to blame this all on caste, or even hinduism because hate springs from the individual's ego, not from any object. I am sure you are understanding what I am trying to say.. Say there was no such thing as caste, there would still be problems as these because it has nothing to do with caste, only ego.

Actually it is possible to control gender and skin color. Caste is not the issue at all, it is ahankar which can be sprouted from anything.

The caste system is not against Sikhi, what is against Sikhi are people who discriminate and hurt people's feelings, Kaur ji.

Watch the video. What do you mean it is possible to change gender and skin colour. One is born the way they are, your idea of changing gender and skin colour is not even relevant to caste system. Hurting people's feelings has nothing to do with the topic of caste.

Caste only exists in society, by people who want to hold on to it, not in Sikhi. It has no relation to spirituality.

Guruji tells us:

ਜਾਣਹੁ ਜੋਤਿ ਨ ਪੂਛਹੁ ਜਾਤੀ ਆਗੈ ਜਾਤਿ ਨ ਹੇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

जाणहु जोति न पूछहु जाती आगै जाति न हे ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥

Jāṇhu joṯ na pūcẖẖahu jāṯī āgai jāṯ na he. ||1|| rahā▫o.

Recognise Lord's light within all and inquire not the caste, as there is no caste in the next world. Pause.

SGGS Ji Ang 349

?? Dhan Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

[simran345]

Guruji tells us castes, social classes exist, but not in Sikhi they don't. A persons caste is irrelevant, only the Lords Name, will carry us across.

ਜਿਹ ਕੁਲ ਸਾਧੁ ਬੈਸਨੌ ਹੋਇ ॥

जिह कुल साधु बैसनौ होइ ॥

Jih kul sāḏẖ baisnou ho▫e.

The family, in which the Lord's saint is born,

ਬਰਨ ਅਬਰਨ ਰੰਕੁ ਨਹੀ ਈਸੁਰੁ ਬਿਮਲ ਬਾਸੁ ਜਾਨੀਐ ਜਗਿ ਸੋਇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

बरन अबरन रंकु नही ईसुरु बिमल बासु जानीऐ जगि सोइ ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥

Baran abran rank nahī īsur bimal bās jānī▫ai jag so▫e. ||1|| rahā▫o.

whether it be of high or low caste, poor or rich, shall have its umblemished fragrance and fame is blazoned through the world. Pause.

ਬ੍ਰਹਮਨ ਬੈਸ ਸੂਦ ਅਰੁ ਖ੍ਯ੍ਯਤ੍ਰੀ ਡੋਮ ਚੰਡਾਰ ਮਲੇਛ ਮਨ ਸੋਇ ॥

ब्रहमन बैस सूद अरु ख्यत्री डोम चंडार मलेछ मन सोइ ॥

Barahman bais sūḏ ar kẖa▫yṯarī dom cẖandār malecẖẖ man so▫e.

Whether he be a Brahman a cultivator, menial, a warrior, a bard, a pariah and a low-mind person,

ਹੋਇ ਪੁਨੀਤ ਭਗਵੰਤ ਭਜਨ ਤੇ ਆਪੁ ਤਾਰਿ ਤਾਰੇ ਕੁਲ ਦੋਇ ॥੧॥

होइ पुनीत भगवंत भजन ते आपु तारि तारे कुल दोइ ॥१॥

Ho▫e punīṯ bẖagvanṯ bẖajan ṯe āp ṯār ṯāre kul ḏo▫e. ||1||

he becomes pure by the Lord's meditation and saves himself and saves the families of both his parents.

SGGS Ji Ang 858

?? Dhan Bhagat Ravidas Ji

[simran345]

The Gurbani Sahib ji presented states that caste hierarchy(ego) has no importance, but does that mean we have lost all ties to our tribes? Skin color and gender was only discussed because someone has specifically brought up the issue to me. Hurting people's feelings is the main point of why a lot of people are feeling negative about castes. If you are interested, you can read my replies to others which might help you see what I am trying to convey to everyone judging. Ego may be present in any vastu or status, the status or item which someone possesses may not be wrong, what is wrong is when someone uses their ego to hurt other people's feelings by making anyone feel inferior to themselves. This is where nimrata comes into play, which is a key factor in a Gurmukh. Nimrata can be present while keeping your identity.

If you are interested you can read Guruji's words in Gurbani, what they say about caste.

There are many pangtis, which you can clearly understand from what Guruji says.

[dallysingh101]

You know what, certain people are so obsessed and entwined with their caste identity, that they can't live without them. The truth is, for them, this identity is more important than their Sikh one.

Here is what they fail to accept though. That the identity itself is based on ego and supremacism. The idea that we are better than another jaat because of x,y,z is at the centre of the concept. That's the truth of it. The caste identity is just a vehicle to bolster ego in the ugliest way. And where haughty pride manifests in this way, it's only a matter of time before it translates into the behaviour of the people holding these views. Pretty soon these appalling attitudes and behaviours becomes deeply rooted everyday norms for the society.

That's what we see in the video.

Don't ever accept it or tolerate the bull5hit excuses of people who try and justify or play it down in any way. That is what they are counting on with their convoluted defences of the undefendable.

The time will come when we will tell them to sod off back to Hinduism where they belong.

[singhbj singh]

Stop excusing away horrendous attitudes and behaviour from within our own society.

Can you post this in simple English so I can understand what you mean.

[simran345]

Can you post this in simple English so I can understand what you mean.

People make excuses for caste in society, and for the way they behave. And that should be stopped.

Lokh jaat-paat de leyi behane baut banaunde hunde, te is soch nu rokna chaida.

[singhbj singh]

There are good & bad people in all castes, class, religion, race, nationality, age groups.

Thing is to praise good & condemn bad irrespective of community.

Choice is ours whether to opt for peace or hate.

[dallysingh101]

There are good & bad people in all castes, class, religion, race, nationality, age groups.

Thing is to praise good & condemn bad irrespective of community.

Choice is ours whether to opt for peace or hate.

Don't turn a blind eye to cultural practices that are at the root of these problems in our society. Even if they stem from the sub-society you might identify with.