The Concept Of God In Sikhism
The Mool Mantra is as good an attempt to describe God as any. However it could perhaps be taken only as a (very apt) pointer.
God in relation to the Institution of Sikhism. Am afraid this does not interest me much. However it is perhaps usefull at a particular stage and level. Otherwise it is a distraction...
The thread starters query is most welcome. In brief it can be said that the God in Sikhism is the same as the God in Islam (cannot be otherwise). However since God is beyond concepts (no concept can fully encompass God) so the concept of God in Sikhism may appear to be somewhat different.
God in relation to the Institution of Sikhism. Am afraid this does not interest me much. However it is perhaps usefull at a particular stage and level. Otherwise it is a distraction...
The thread starters query is most welcome. In brief it can be said that the God in Sikhism is the same as the God in Islam (cannot be otherwise). However since God is beyond concepts (no concept can fully encompass God) so the concept of God in Sikhism may appear to be somewhat different.
God is everything, so all we need to do is e ourselves, find our inner self, and bring out the truth. Because making an image of god in the mind is just an illusion. Since god is everything, we may remember god, depending on the kind of people we are, and just get along with everyday life, be yourself!
When we keep thinking about god this god that, we get confused, and it makes people wonder, and they spend their whole life wondering, when god is right here, god is everything, so just be yourself, and think high, but be simple!
When we keep thinking about god this god that, we get confused, and it makes people wonder, and they spend their whole life wondering, when god is right here, god is everything, so just be yourself, and think high, but be simple!
drkhalsa
SPNer
- Sep 16, 2004
- 1,308
- 54
Just to add One more point here ,
In sikhism as you all has very clearly described god to be everywhere and everything.
So sikh dont go out looking for and FINDING GOD actually the emphasis is start RECOGNIZING God it can start with anything but has to end in EVERTHING
Jatinder Singh
In sikhism as you all has very clearly described god to be everywhere and everything.
So sikh dont go out looking for and FINDING GOD actually the emphasis is start RECOGNIZING God it can start with anything but has to end in EVERTHING
Jatinder Singh
Lee
SPNer
Sat Sri Akal!
Fantastic thread people!
Let me make my small contribution then.
Hello Faizaan please let me try to answer some of your questions. You ask a very good question:
'How can man pray to God when man is God? If God is within us then is there a part of us that isn’t God? The part which prays? The part which discovers God?'
No there is no part of us that isn't God, God is all, but mankind, humanity, we, have a sense of self or I guess I cold say we are self aware. You have an identity that is yours and yours alone, you share your Self with no other being. Because of this Self or Ego, it makes it hard for us to remeber the conectedness of God, of all; because we are aware of differances we actualy think that we are separate! And so we pray to God not realising that we don't actualy have to vocalise any of our feelings, because God knows already.
What though is prayer? In Sikhi prayer is there to prasie God, not to ask God for things, not to beg for aid, but simply to prasie God, what better way to praise than to sing at the top of your voice, humanity has always vocalised it feelings.
Faizaan you raise a very good point when you say:
'If this is spirituality, then this is an internal process relative to each person, such a mechanism renders Sikhism completely esoteric, but this isn’t the case.'
You know what, this really is the case. Guru says that Sikhi is a way to God, not the only way but just a way, it could be argued that it is the best way, or the quickest way, or what ever, but the truth of that is we all think in differant ways, and so everything that we think and feel is totaly relative to each person, this must include thoughts of God, how could it not.
You go on to talk about articles of faith, I guess in Sihki that would be the 5 K's, why do we or why should we keep the 5 K's if Guru Nanak has told us that meaningless rituals, and ritual behaviour does not bring us to God?
Quite simply the reason is because Guru has told us that we should. Most religions have some dogma about submission to the will of God, Sikhi is no differant. If we cannot keep even one command of Guru Ji, then how can we hope to submit to God?
You are correct that many Sikhs show ritualistic behaviour, but you know this is human nature, to forget how close we are to God and so place more importance on the articls of faith rather than on God. Heh and in the end although I fully belive that God wants us all to come to God, I truely belive that a tiny minority have the force of will nessicairy to control the 5 thieves, heh and me? Perhaps not in this lifetime, but God willing maybe the next huh!
Cheers,
Lee.
Sat Sri Akal,
Many thanks for the above
Fantastic thread people!
Let me make my small contribution then.
Hello Faizaan please let me try to answer some of your questions. You ask a very good question:
'How can man pray to God when man is God? If God is within us then is there a part of us that isn’t God? The part which prays? The part which discovers God?'
No there is no part of us that isn't God, God is all, but mankind, humanity, we, have a sense of self or I guess I cold say we are self aware. You have an identity that is yours and yours alone, you share your Self with no other being. Because of this Self or Ego, it makes it hard for us to remeber the conectedness of God, of all; because we are aware of differances we actualy think that we are separate! And so we pray to God not realising that we don't actualy have to vocalise any of our feelings, because God knows already.
What though is prayer? In Sikhi prayer is there to prasie God, not to ask God for things, not to beg for aid, but simply to prasie God, what better way to praise than to sing at the top of your voice, humanity has always vocalised it feelings.
Faizaan you raise a very good point when you say:
'If this is spirituality, then this is an internal process relative to each person, such a mechanism renders Sikhism completely esoteric, but this isn’t the case.'
You know what, this really is the case. Guru says that Sikhi is a way to God, not the only way but just a way, it could be argued that it is the best way, or the quickest way, or what ever, but the truth of that is we all think in differant ways, and so everything that we think and feel is totaly relative to each person, this must include thoughts of God, how could it not.
You go on to talk about articles of faith, I guess in Sihki that would be the 5 K's, why do we or why should we keep the 5 K's if Guru Nanak has told us that meaningless rituals, and ritual behaviour does not bring us to God?
Quite simply the reason is because Guru has told us that we should. Most religions have some dogma about submission to the will of God, Sikhi is no differant. If we cannot keep even one command of Guru Ji, then how can we hope to submit to God?
You are correct that many Sikhs show ritualistic behaviour, but you know this is human nature, to forget how close we are to God and so place more importance on the articls of faith rather than on God. Heh and in the end although I fully belive that God wants us all to come to God, I truely belive that a tiny minority have the force of will nessicairy to control the 5 thieves, heh and me? Perhaps not in this lifetime, but God willing maybe the next huh!
Cheers,
Lee.
Anoop said:
Sat Sri Akal,
Many thanks for the above
Last edited:
rabjot_singh@yahoo.co.in
SPNer
Guru Nanak was amonst the greatest prophets. He emphasised karam, he told his disciples that greater than truth was truthful living. His recipe for redemption or attaining salvation was simple: karam karo, naam japo, wand chako that is labour, remember and contemplate God and share your earnings with needy people.
There were 9 gurus after him and then the last guru was Granth sahib ( sikh religious book)
There were 9 gurus after him and then the last guru was Granth sahib ( sikh religious book)
rabjot_singh@yahoo.co.in
SPNer
Dear all,
No religion can define god as infinite cannot be found in finite. They can only show you the way to attain that blissfull state where one can feel his presence.
The knowledge of unknown can be attained through known sources like Gita, Koran, Granth sahib, vedas, Bible.
He is infinite in a sense that he is everything ( from a tiny atom to a big star) everything is contained in him.
No religion can define god as infinite cannot be found in finite. They can only show you the way to attain that blissfull state where one can feel his presence.
The knowledge of unknown can be attained through known sources like Gita, Koran, Granth sahib, vedas, Bible.
He is infinite in a sense that he is everything ( from a tiny atom to a big star) everything is contained in him.
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