rituals Why is there ritualism in Sikhism?

[N30S1NGH]

20 minutes ago, guruvah said:

Because we are not attached to NAAM.

Anything devoid of NAAM is Maya. Simple.

Yes there are cautions every where in gurbani to rise above from human conditioning, wrapping our head around reference points, dualistic notions. Sukhmani sahib and Akaal ustat compositions comes in mind, where it clearly says without devotion of naam -dharam and karam are useless, so cautions are everywhere in gurbani to seekers not to confine themselves in only form-sargun /maya but see substratum ultimate principle behind all of this, seeing source of it and always remember -Aad purkh (Primal all pervading aware being) in midst of everything.

[harsharan000]

1 hour ago, guruvah said:

Because we are not attached to NAAM.

Anything devoid of NAAM is Maya. Simple.

Congrats guruvah.

For there can not be a more perfect reply than the one given by you.

Stay blessed.

Sat Sree Akal.

[BhForce]

11 hours ago, CanadianSingh said:

Well, not going to lie, yeah, I do it as every other Sikh. I mean, we can bow down to anywhere we want in my opinion, I mean god is everywhere it's not in a certain direction, but everywhere. I mean when we bow down we gave humility or submission to god in a sense, but, yes I do bow down.

OK, thanks for the answer. Please also answer the question I gave above about if Guru Nanak Dev ji were to suddenly manifest in front of you (or you were to be transported to the 1500s) would you touch Guru Sahib's feet, matha tek, and wash Guru Sahib's feet?

[BhForce]

2 hours ago, guruvah said:

Quote

Why is there ritualism in Sikhism?

Because we are not attached to NAAM.

Anything devoid of NAAM is Maya. Simple.

Basically correct.

But it should be noted that Naam is granted by the Guru:

ਬਿਨੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਦਾਤਾ ਕੋ ਨਹੀ ਜੋ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਦੇਇ ਆਧਾਰੁ ॥

Bin Sathigur Dhaathaa Ko Nehee Jo Har Naam Dhaee Aadhhaar ||

Without the True Guru, there is no giver who can bestow the Support of the Lord's Name.

ਸਲੋਕ ਵਾਰਾਂ ਤੇ ਵਧੀਕ (ਮਃ ੩) (੩੫):੧ - ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ : ਅੰਗ ੧੪੧੭ ਪੰ. ੫ 
Salok Vaaraan and Vadheek Guru Amar Das

 

The very next line states that Naam is found via the grace of the Guru:

ਗੁਰ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਤੇ ਨਾਉ ਮਨਿ ਵਸੈ ਸਦਾ ਰਹੈ ਉਰਿ ਧਾਰਿ ॥

Gur Kirapaa Thae Naao Man Vasai Sadhaa Rehai Our Dhhaar ||

By Guru's Grace, the Name comes to dwell in the mind; keep it enshrined in your heart.

 

 

So how to get grace? Worship (puja) the Guru via loving devotion (bhagti).

So, some of the stuff the OP is talking about is not "ritualism", rather it is worship, which Gurbani says to do:

 

ਗੁਰੁ ਪਰਮੇਸੁਰੁ ਪੂਜੀਐ ਮਨਿ ਤਨਿ ਲਾਇ ਪਿਆਰੁ ॥

Gur Paramaesur Poojeeai Man Than Laae Piaar ||

Worship the Guru, the Transcendent Lord, with your mind and body attuned to love.

[CanadianSingh]

7 minutes ago, BhForce said:

OK, thanks for the answer. Please also answer the question I gave above about if Guru Nanak Dev ji were to suddenly manifest in front of you (or you were to be transported to the 1500s) would you touch Guru Sahib's feet, matha tek, and wash Guru Sahib's feet?

Well, I guess no.

[BhForce]

4 minutes ago, CanadianSingh said:

12 minutes ago, BhForce said:

OK, thanks for the answer. Please also answer the question I gave above about if Guru Nanak Dev ji were to suddenly manifest in front of you (or you were to be transported to the 1500s) would you touch Guru Sahib's feet, matha tek, and wash Guru Sahib's feet?

Well, I guess no.

OK, so what part of that do you object to? 

If you're OK with matha teking to Guru Granth Sahib, I presume you would be OK with matha teking to Guru Nanak Dev ji.

But you object to touching Guru Sahib's feet with your hands? Afraid of germs, are we?

You would also object to washing Guru Sahib's feet? And this is based, again, on your own personal preferences?

[CanadianSingh]

2 minutes ago, BhForce said:

OK, so what part of that do you object to? 

If you're OK with matha teking to Guru Granth Sahib, I presume you would be OK with matha teking to Guru Nanak Dev ji.

But you object to touching Guru Sahib's feet with your hands? Afraid of germs, are we?

You would also object to washing Guru Sahib's feet? And this is based, again, on your own personal preferences?

No, I am not saying that, but I am just saying we should pay attention and pray to god, that's it. 

[BhForce]

5 minutes ago, CanadianSingh said:

8 minutes ago, BhForce said:

OK, so what part of that do you object to? 

If you're OK with matha teking to Guru Granth Sahib, I presume you would be OK with matha teking to Guru Nanak Dev ji.

But you object to touching Guru Sahib's feet with your hands? Afraid of germs, are we?

You would also object to washing Guru Sahib's feet? And this is based, again, on your own personal preferences?

No, I am not saying that, but I am just saying we should pay attention and pray to god, that's it. 

Well of course we should pray to God.

But I'm trying to work out what you would do and not do. Just like you posted that you don't like bowing to pictures and I agreed with you. And you also posted you don't like that your father walks around Guru Granth Sahib. Posting what your position is allows us to have conversation.

So please just answer the questions, and tell us what you would do and what you wouldn't out of matha teking, touching feet, and washing feet.

[CanadianSingh]

3 hours ago, BhForce said:

Well of course we should pray to God.

But I'm trying to work out what you would do and not do. Just like you posted that you don't like bowing to pictures and I agreed with you. And you also posted you don't like that your father walks around Guru Granth Sahib. Posting what your position is allows us to have conversation.

So please just answer the questions, and tell us what you would do and what you wouldn't out of matha teking, touching feet, and washing feet.

I would only do Matha Tek to the Guru Granth Sahib, and thats it. I would only touch my elders feet as a sign of respect, I wouldn't touch any godmens or prophets who say they represent god. Infact god has no representatives, washing feet, I think its a sign of respect when you go into the Gurdwara.

[Guest]

I like my rituals so bug off