Christianity One And Only One God

[Amarpal]

Bittu Ji,

There is only One God. This God I refer to as 'The Sat' i.e 'The Essence'.

I share with you what I understand from the I dea of One God.

You see and feel the emtity we call 'sapce' it is open and is endless infinite. Yet we make houses and room an consider each room as separate space. We know it is not true, only the wall have come which limit what we can see and thus consider the room as separate space; remove the walls and room disappears. Each of our body is like room. In the room there is finite volume, similarly in our body we have embodied Atman. Our considering this Atman to be separate from Parmatma (The Sat) is only our perception and not the truth. As room and space are one, similarly Atman and Parmatman are one. Parmatma is Intelligent Cosmic Energy which prevails every where.

This Intelligent Cosmic Energy is a Single entity which prevails every where. Energy, as you know can be transformed in to material and vice versa. This intelligent cosmic energy - a single entity - transform itself into material and then into living beings, which collectively, we call creation or nature.

This way you see God is one, Creator and its Creation are one, all are one.

This is my understanding behind the 'Ek' use at the begining of Siri Guru Granth Sahib.

This is why I say God is One

With love and respect for all.

Amarpal Singh

 

[vsgrewal48895]

See also a related article at http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/spiritual-articles/28830-re-one-and-only-one-god.html

[FONT=border=]ABSTRACT[/FONT]

<tt></tt>
<tt>God has been remembered by many names and Parmatm (</tt>ਪਰਮਾਤਮੁ)<tt> is one of them, which is an incomprehensable metaphysical creative force/energy, beyond human comprehension. The energy/force/</tt> ਆਤਮਾ/soul/conscience or what ever one’s understanding of it is a<tt> source of life in an individual, which is a part of the Primal Power/Will (</tt><tt>ਕਲਾ</tt><tt>)</tt>.<tt></tt>
<tt></tt>
<tt>ਜਿਨੀ ਆਤਮੁ ਚੀਨਿਆ ਪਰਮਾਤਮੁ ਸੋਈ </tt><tt>॥</tt><tt>ਏਕੋ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਬਿਰਖੁ ਹੈ ਫਲੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਹੋਈ </tt><tt>॥</tt><tt></tt>
<tt>Jinī ā</tt><tt>ṯ</tt><tt>am c</tt><tt>ẖ</tt><tt>īni*ā parmā</tt><tt>ṯ</tt><tt>am so*ī</tt> <tt>Ėko amri</tt><tt>ṯ</tt><tt> birak</tt><tt>ẖ</tt><tt> hai fal amri</tt><tt>ṯ</tt><tt> ho*ī</tt><tt>.</tt>
<tt></tt>

<tt></tt>​

<tt>Those who understand their own Higher Self are themselves the same Primal Force.</tt> <tt>The One Akal Purkh is the tree of ambrosial nectar, which bears the ambrosial fruit. </tt><tt>-----Guru Nanak, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 421-16</tt>

<tt></tt>​

Full Article;

<cite>www.sikhphilosophy.net/spiritual.../24495-parmatma-and-atma.html </cite>
<cite></cite>
<cite>Cordially,</cite>
<cite></cite>
<cite></cite>
<cite></cite>
<cite>Virinder</cite>

​

 

[max314]

the epistemological gridlock...

For the skeptic practicing a stringent form of internalism, every definition and expression of knowledge is dependant on the 'state of mind' (be it a collective or an individual).

where do we draw the lines?

To re-iterate vsgrewal's quotation:

"Those who understand their own Higher Self are themselves the same Primal Force."
--Guru Nanak​

State of mind.

 

[curious seeker]

Dear Bitu

God is present in every breath we take, it is impossible for us to be alienated from him. He could not have created us for blind obedience, since he gave us the ability to understand , and acquire knowledge and wants us to learn about Him-Her so, with all due respect , it makes little sense IMO, for god to send one to reunite what cannot be separated.

But even less comprehensible to me, is that God would have a (particular) son whom Ge made born to a Virgin , that is that God would be involved in a literal physical conception. Moreover to have an innocent die for the guilty smacks of injustice and God, for Him-Her to be God, has to be far above humans and thus the embodiment of Justice and incapable of injustice.

Sincerely
Curious

 

[spnadmin]

<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="98%"><tbody><tr bgcolor="#ffecec"><td class="ggs">ਸਾਰਗ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffecec"><td class="subhead">saarag mehalaa 5 ||
</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffecec"><td class="shlok">Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
</td></tr><tr><td class="rmenuheader">

</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffec"><td class="ggs">ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਦੀਓ ਸੇਵਕ ਕਉ ਨਾਮ ॥
</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffec"><td class="subhead">har har dheeou saevak ko naam ||
</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffec"><td class="shlok">The Lord has blessed His servant with His Name.
</td></tr><tr><td class="rmenuheader">

</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffecec"><td class="ggs">ਮਾਨਸੁ ਕਾ ਕੋ ਬਪੁਰੋ ਭਾਈ ਜਾ ਕੋ ਰਾਖਾ ਰਾਮ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffecec"><td class="subhead">maanas kaa ko bapuro bhaaee jaa ko raakhaa raam ||1|| rehaao ||
</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffecec"><td class="shlok">What can any poor mortal do to someone who has the Lord as his Savior and Protector? ||1||Pause||
</td></tr><tr><td class="rmenuheader">

</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffec"><td class="ggs">ਆਪਿ ਮਹਾ ਜਨੁ ਆਪੇ ਪੰਚਾ ਆਪਿ ਸੇਵਕ ਕੈ ਕਾਮ ॥
</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffec"><td class="subhead">aap mehaa jan aapae panchaa aap saevak kai kaam ||
</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffec"><td class="shlok">He Himself is the Great Being; He Himself is the Leader. He Himself accomplishes the tasks of His servant.
</td></tr><tr><td class="rmenuheader">
</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffecec"><td class="ggs">ਆਪੇ ਸਗਲੇ ਦੂਤ ਬਿਦਾਰੇ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਅੰਤਰਜਾਮ ॥੧॥
</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffecec"><td class="subhead">aapae sagalae dhooth bidhaarae thaakur antharajaam ||1||
</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffecec"><td class="shlok">Our Lord and Master destroys all demons; He is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. ||1||
</td></tr><tr><td class="rmenuheader">

</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffec"><td class="ggs">ਆਪੇ ਪਤਿ ਰਾਖੀ ਸੇਵਕ ਕੀ ਆਪਿ ਕੀਓ ਬੰਧਾਨ ॥
</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffec"><td class="subhead">aapae path raakhee saevak kee aap keeou bandhhaan ||
</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffec"><td class="shlok">He Himself saves the honor of His servants; He Himself blesses them with stability.
</td></tr><tr><td class="rmenuheader">

</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffecec"><td class="ggs">ਆਦਿ ਜੁਗਾਦਿ ਸੇਵਕ ਕੀ ਰਾਖੈ ਨਾਨਕ ਕੋ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਜਾਨ ॥੨॥੪੦॥੬੩॥
</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffecec"><td class="subhead">aadh jugaadh saevak kee raakhai naanak ko prabh jaan ||2||40||63||
</td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffecec"><td class="shlok">From the very beginning of time, and throughout the ages, He saves His servants. O Nanak, how rare is the person who knows God. ||2||40||63||</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

[curious seeker]

Hi Naranyanjot

This might be off topic here but ... I am striving to know and understand your faith I have , needless to say, an almost endless amount of questions. But do not worry I am not going to ask them all at once! I really like to know what does the Gurbani says regarding union with God. I mean is it a literal union? Is it an extinction of the individual, in which it becomes like another cell or atom of God and looses all individuality, or are we still individuals in God.

It seems to me that God has gone to extremes to create individuals and diversity not even two drops of H2O are the same ... so why go to the trouble of creating individuality to just merge into an impersonal Also, if god is personal and you can hav a persbal relation with him, does it not seem obvious that He Himself is an individual and wants individuals to come to be like unto him in ethical nature.

Or is it that you consider the individual itself a mirage? If so on what basis other than the authority of your scripture?
http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/members/narayanjot-kaur.html

 

[spnadmin]

curious seeker ji

My experience has been from reading various and serious essays on your question below and reflection on Gurbani itself that you will get a range of reactions.

"It seems to me that God has gone to extremes to create individuals and diversity not even two drops of H2O are the same ... so why go to the trouble of creating individuality to just merge into an impersonal"

My own reaction is that individuality is both created by the Divine and ultimately overcome with the grace of the Divine. Satguru, Waheguru, Akaal Purakh never makes mistakes. And the Sikh view is not identical with that of other dharmic faiths.


Then you say, "Also, if god is personal and you can hav a persbal relation with him, does it not seem obvious that He Himself is an individual and wants individuals to come to be like unto him in ethical nature."

That is difficult to answer without knowing what you mean by "personal."The idea of a "personal" God would not be consistent with Sikh belief in the way it is held by Christians when they say "Jesus Christ is my personal Savior." Or look on God as incarnating as a person. There may be other ways in which Akaal is experienced personally as the Divine is Immanent and the footprints of the Divine are everywhere throughout Creation.

On the next point I can be more definite.

"Or is it that you consider the individual itself a mirage? If so on what basis other than the authority of your scripture?"

Sikhism does not consider creation an illusion. The illusion or veil of Maya is our mental construction of creation. That is a major departure from those dharmic traditions which equate the created universe with maya.

I don't have time right now to upload some good writing on this point, but will later.

 

[curious seeker]

Hi Narayanjot

Well! I want to thank you for your patience . I mean I am just asking a lot of questions amd you have been are being very gracious taking time to answer them. Speaking of which, I ask so many because I want to clearly understand what you and your faith are saying. I realize that at least to some extent your interpretation might not be that of all Sikhs but at least I have yours

Can you clarify some of your statements? For ex. you said:
'' My own reaction is that individuality is both created by the Divine and ultimately overcome with the grace of the Divine. Satguru, Waheguru, Akaal Purakh never makes mistakes. And the Sikh view is not identical with that of other dharmic faiths''

Are you saying that in your Scripture, the True Guru is going to overcome our individuality? If that is so. I still do not see why create individuals. I mean individuality and uniqueness is extreme in creation by any measure. Unless, you are saying that God is basically creating other parts of Himself puritfying them and then just adding them to Him/Her self, which would mean that the purpose of creation is to evolve an ethically conscious being with critical thinking and then add that being to God making God in effect expand or be bigger?

Of course believing that God wants to increase is just speculation, and that I realize God and his purposes may be truly unknowable to man, but regardless of that you and I know that men will always speculate, specially about God's nature. I also do not mean that God incarnates like Jesus or an Avatar

Also what do you mean by God making no mistakes, in the context that we are talking about? If he were too be making individuals to keep them individual, even after liberation, why would that be a mistake on His part? I don't follow, unless the Gurbani specifically says that we will merge into God like a drop of water merges into an ocean.

Also can you please expand on these differences with the Dahrmic faiths?

To answer your question on personal. By 'personal', I mean that God is a 'person' that S/He has attributes, thinks, acts, feels, chooses and has a self. I do not mean S-He is anthromorphic, nor physical and, certainly, I do not expect Him/Her to be an old man with a beard or an ancient of days, like in the Bible. And if S/He is 'Father' S/He is called father only because He emanated His Creation out of Himself.

Just to give you an idea, of where I am coming from, I am in basic agreement with a Zarathushtrian school (out of Iran not Parsis which are in total deviation of the Gathas, Zarathushtrian scripture, in our opinion) We believe that God, as the Laws of the Universe, (What Zarathushtrians call Asha and which ethically is TRUTH & RIGHT) is present in every process of nature, making life and indeed existence possible. Indeed, to further explain, in every breath we take God is present through His laws (In this case Osmosis) and actually makes it possible for us to oxygenate our tissues, sustaining our lives. In other words we are alive only because the Real Teacher supports our life, through His Laws

Thus we cannot be separated from Him. And if we could, we would not exist or be alive. Life is impossible without the Wonderful Teacher, in other words. But, to me, the very fact that men pray to God assumes that S-He is personal. I believe you pray to God, yes? If you ,you are not praying to what cannot answer your prayer but to some ONE who is your teacher and thus has a personal relationship with you.

As to maya. What you are saying is not that the world is unreal or illusory, but that our PERCEPTION of the word is false illsusory, a sort of a mirage? If that is so , to what extent this is so and what evidence, outside scripture, do you have , that our perceptions are illusory? I mean, acting in our perceptions men have made great discoveries and have advanced in material things to a great extent so, if our perceptions are illusory , how is this possible?

Finally, dear and patient friend, can you recommend books on Sikh Theology and practice? I am puzzled by the meaning , both practically and theologically, of Khalsa (spelling?) and the requirement for not cutting hair. I understand this last requirement is for all Sikhs, yes? That is it for now! I hope I am not overwhelming you with so many questions.

Indebted to your kindness and wishing you all blessings

Curious

 

[spnadmin]

curious seeker ji

Yes, you do have a lot of questions on your list :happykaur: I will try to tackle them one at a time, but can't do that right at this minute. As it is now 0309 hours where I am and time for me to wrap up my forum activities.

But I don't want you to think I am being dismissive and want you to have some good references for your quest.

I recommend that you visit this site for excellent articles on Sikhism. Global Sikh Studies.net >> Home Page

They have an archive of articles by writers who have a strong theological bent.

In addition I have uploaded a pdf file Essentials of Sikhism which is a searchable pdf document, actually an e-book. In it are chapters that address many of your questions.

Signing off -- I want to say that I am fascinated by your connection to Zarathushtrianism. And also fascinated that there is someone who is a member of SPN who understands the distinctions or distinct paths within that religion. It would be a gift if you were to write more about these topics as little is known by the general public about it.

Thank you. And tomorrow is another day, and I will reply personally to your questions.