REL 130: Introduction to Comparative Religion - Sikhism

Origins and Geographic Context of Sikhism

• Sikhism was founded in the $1500$s in northwestern India.
• The specific region of origin is the Punjab, which is currently a territory divided between India and Pakistan.
• It is recognized as one of the newest world religions.
• While the Punjab remains the spiritual and historical homeland, Sikhs have established thriving communities worldwide, often preserving Punjabi language and customs.
• Population Statistics:
  • There are an estimated $25$ million practitioners.
  • It is currently the $5\text{th}$ largest world religion.
  • Due to its global spread and the vitality of its community, it is considered a major subject of study in comparative religion.

The Spiritual Experience of Guru Nanak (1499)

• In $1499$, Nanak had a pivotal spiritual experience while bathing in a river.
• He was brought into the presence of God and received a divine command to:
  • Rejoice in God's Name.
  • Remember and sing the names of God.
• Following this experience, Nanak traveled for $25$ years throughout India.
• Core Teachings of Nanak:
  • Everyone can approach God through love and devotion.
  • Meditation on the name of God allows disciples to move away from selfishness, ego, and ignorance to reach a state of knowing God.
  • Worship was characterized as ecstatic, called kirtan (singing and playing religious music).
  • He emphasized the total equality of all people, explicitly including women.
• Rejections of Existing Systems:
  • He rejected the Hindu caste system.
  • He rejected the elite priesthood of the Hindus (the Brahmin caste).
  • He rejected the traditional scriptures of both Muslims and Hindus.

Formalization and Emerging Values (1552)

• Guru Amar Das (Third Guru): Played a critical role in transitioning Sikhism from a religious revival movement into an established religion in $1552$.
• Key Contributions of Amar Das:
  • He began collecting Sikh scriptures, which eventually became the Adi Granth.
  • He established the langar, the communal kitchen attached to every gurdwara (temple), integrating hospitality into worship.
  • He appointed women as teachers and missionaries.
• The Concept of Seva:
  • Amar Das embodied seva (selfless service to others) and devotion to the Guru.
  • A famous narrative describes him drawing water from a distant river every night for the second Guru's bath. He reportedly walked backwards to the river so he would never turn his face away from the Guru.

Amritsar and the Golden Temple (1574–1606)

• Guru Ram Das (Fourth Guru): Founded the holy city of Amritsar in $1577$.
  • The name Amritsar means "City of Divine Nectar."
  • The "nectar" refers to sugar water stirred with a ceremonial sword, symbolizing being filled with God's sweetness. This nectar is used in Sikh baptism when entering the Khalsa.
• Harmandir Sahib (The Golden Temple):
  • Built by the fifth Guru, Arjan Dev, as the symbolic center of Sikh religious life.
  • It was designed with a low profile to remind practitioners of the necessity of humility.
  • It did not become the "Golden" Temple until Ranjit Singh added improvements in the early $1800$s.
• Transition to Persecution:
  • During the reign of Arjan Dev ($1581$-$1606$), the political climate shifted. The tolerant reign of the Mughal emperor Akbar ended.
  • Successors began opposing non-Islamic practices, targeting Sikhs for refusing to convert.
  • Arjan Dev became the first Sikh martyr, tortured and executed in $1606$.
  • Before his death, he commanded his son to sit fully armed on the throne, signaling a shift toward military preparedness.

Militarization and the Khalsa (1600s–1699)

• Guru Hargobind (Sixth Guru): Responded to Mughal oppression by militarizing the religion.
  • He wore two swords to symbolize his dual role: spiritual authority and military authority.
  • The symbol for this, known as the khanda, remains on the Sikh flag today.
  • This era saw the formation of Sikh militias to defend against Muslim aggression.
• Guru Tegh Bahadur (Ninth Guru): Executed by Muslims in $1675$, becoming the second Guru martyr.
• Guru Gobind Singh (Tenth Guru): Formed the Khalsa in $1699$.
  • The Khalsa is a militant society of Sikhs dedicated to defending the faith.
  • Members follow a strict moral code, including abstinence from intoxicants.
  • They maintain the Five K's:
    1. Uncut hair.
    2. A comb (usually worn in the hair).
    3. A ceremonial sword or dagger.
    4. A steel bracelet.
    5. Short pants of a soldier.
• In the modern era, this militarism has become largely symbolic and spiritualized, representing "warriors of the spirit" fighting for peace and justice.

The End of the Living Gurus and the Guru Granth Sahib

• Guru Gobind Singh ended the line of living human gurus.
• All four of his sons were killed by Muslims.
• Guru Granth Sahib:
  • Gobind Singh declared that the Adi Granth (the holy book) would be the final, everlasting guru.
  • It was given the title Guru Granth Sahib (Holy Teacher Book).

The Sikh Empire and British Rule (1801–1849)

• Following a period of rule by local kings, Ranjit Singh came to power.
• He was crowned Maharaja (supreme king) in $1801$, establishing an independent Sikh empire in the Punjab near Lahore.
• Ranjit Singh died in $1839$, just as British expansion reached the region.
• Anglo-Sikh Wars:
  • Two wars were fought between the Sikhs and the British in $1845$ and $1849$.
  • Despite their military expertise, the Sikhs were defeated, their empire was dismantled, and they were incorporated into British rule.

Modern Activism and the Conflict of 1984

• The desire for an independent Sikh homeland remains a significant part of modern activism and occasional separatist movements.
• The 1980s Crisis:
  • A movement led by Bhindranwale occupied and fortified the Golden Temple in late $1983$.
  • Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ordered a military takeover of the temple in June $1984$.
  • This massive operation involved tanks, helicopters, and artillery, resulting in many deaths and significant damage to the holy site.
  • This act remains deeply significant to Sikhs and an embarrassment for India.
  • In October $1984$ (four months later), Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards as an act of revenge.

Sikh Diaspora and Global Success

• During the diaspora, many Sikhs settled throughout the British Empire for education and employment.
• Sikhs are noted for being highly successful in business and education.
• Sikhs in America:
  • There was a small presence in the early $1900$s.
  • There has been a significant increase in the Sikh population in the U.S. since $1965$.

Social Vision and the Status of Women

• Sikhism is characterized as a humanitarian religion emphasizing community involvement and charity.
• Seva: "In serving humanity, one is serving the guru and serving God."
• Equality of Women:
  • Women have full participation in religious life, including conducting worship services and reading scriptures.
  • They work alongside men in the langar.
• Guru Nanak’s explicit praise of women:     — "Of a woman are we conceived; of a woman are we born / To a woman are we betrothed and married / It is a woman who is friend and partner of life / It is woman who keeps the race going… Why should we consider woman cursed and condemned / When from woman are born leaders and rulers / From woman alone is born a woman / Without woman there can be no human birth / Without woman, O Nanak, only the True One exists."

Two Dimensions of Religious Life: Shakti and Bhakti

• Shakti (Worldly Engagement/Power):
  • Focuses on striving, service, and moral virtue.
  • Militarism (the Khalsa) is now largely symbolic of courage, strength, and loyalty.
  • Includes the focus on achievement and the virtues of wisdom, justice, and self-control.
  • Manifests in the protection of the powerless, including the poor and oppressed.
• Bhakti (Devotion/Spiritual Side):
  • Meditative side focusing on love for God and the repetition of God’s name.
  • Kirtan: Praise music drawn from the poetry of the Guru Granth Sahib.
  • Repetition serves to move the worshipper into a trance-like state to lose the ego and worldly attachments.

Spiritual Development and the Five Vices

• There are five stages of spiritual development leading from ignorance to union with God.
• The Five Vices to Conquer:
  1. Lust
  2. Anger
  3. Greed
  4. Attachment to things
  5. Egotism
• Samsara: Remaining trapped in selfishness and ego is viewed as separation from God (the world of samsara).
• Escape from the self is achieved not through renunciation or asceticism, but by being filled with love and constant remembrance of God's name.

Comparative Analysis: Sikhism, Hinduism, and Islam

Sikhism and Hinduism

• Agreements:
  • Reincarnation: The cycle of death and rebirth.
  • Karma: Actions determine the quality of the next life.
  • Maya: The material world is illusory and can lure people away from salvation.
• Disagreements:
  • God: Sikhs are strict monotheists (rejecting polytheism and images).
  • Caste: Sikhs reject caste divisions in favor of spiritual equality.
  • Priests: Sikhism has no formal priestly caste.
  • Renunciation: Sikhs reject asceticism, favoring service in the world.

Sikhism and Islam

• Agreements:
  • Monotheism: Belief in one all-powerful Creator.
  • Idols: Rejection of images as idolatry.
  • Holy War: Justified in defense of the faith.
  • Charity: Obligation to help those in need.
• Disagreements:
  • Salvation: Sikhs believe people of all faiths can be saved (non-exclusivity); Muslims traditionally believe only followers of Islam are saved.
  • Women's Roles: Sikhs maintain equal participation for women.
  • Fasting: Sikhs do not practice religious fasting (like Ramadan).

Significance of the Turban

• While not one of the Five K's, the turban is a ubiquitous symbol of Sikh identity.
• Practical Purpose: Protects and keeps clean the long, uncut hair of Khalsa members.
• Symbolic Purpose:
  • Traditionally worn by royalty; for Sikhs, it symbolizes spiritual status and royal dignity.
  • Men take the name Singh (Lion) and women take the name Kaur (Princess) to reflect this status.
  • It demonstrates pride and a willingness to be identified as a Sikh.
  • It serves as a reminder of the discipline and moral virtue expected of the faithful.
• Legal Standing: In Britain, Sikhs are exempt from motorcycle helmet laws due to the turban.
• Social Context: In the U.S., most individuals wearing turbans are Sikhs.