WJKK WJKF,
Ekoankar is Akal Moorat, the timeless idol (timeless and idol, both formless and form). Both creator and creation exist in time but Ekoankar is beyond time. To unlearn (go beyond) time helps to recognize Ekoankar. and yes it is possible to unlearn time. Worship this Akal Moorat in whatever rituals you perform. The timeless is everywhere even in an idol.
Gurudwaras are not much different from temples. Only the rituals that take place inside are different. The various traditions in Hinduism have their own different set of rituals. So a simple comparison cannot be made. Also there are ancient temples where the Gods are carved inside the temples and even on the outside, all over.
I am guessing this is why temples themselves are worshipped. Needless to say any place carrying a sacred object is worthy of worship.
We often bow down before we even enter a gurudwara. This is to say we are entering sacred space. We then bow to the Nishaan sahib (or in the west, the Nishan Sahib before the Gurudwara itself). Then we bow to the Guru Granth Sahib and the Weapons that are placed in front of it. And if you are in Harimandir Sahib then you bow down to Dakhni Deori, a place where Baba Deep Singh ji laid down his head, etc etc.
I face lot of confusion as my Hindu faith collide with Sikh teaching, because I love and respect Babaji in same way how I love and respect my religious text and 1000's of Gods : )
Really? Which tradition do you follow? What religious text do you follow? Who is/are your God(s)?
And this is where I fulfill Harry ji's prophecy. what would he do without me?
Welcome friend,
you have posted an interesting question, one to which you will get many answers, chances are that none of them will be the 'official sikh line', they will just be personal opinions, just in fact like this post!
Further down through the thread the answers will be come less as each individual poster then argues with another about which is the correct answer, after which it will spin off on a tangent and then die lol
Yes, my understanding is that no idols should be worshipped,
Yes
and that Lord Ram and Lord Krishna never existed as far as Sikhism is concerned.
No. As far as the authors of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji are concerned, they do/did/will exist.
Gurudwaras today are no different from Hindu temples, but that was not the original intention, they should have been places of learning and contemplation and focus. As Sikhs we should put great emphasis on non ritualistic activities, but most Gurudwaras wish to appear hip and modern and exciting, so a lot model themselves on Mandirs.
Original intention? The first "Gurudwara" was called Hari Mandir, popularly known as the Golden Temple. 'nuff said.
Gurudwara, Mandirs, churches, mosques are a place of ritual, devotion and love, which we call worship. There is no such thing as a non-ritual activity. Any non-ritual activity that you are going to do in a gurudwara is by definition a ritual. Let's say you go there to listen to or sing kirtan, this is a ritual. You go there to read paath, a ritual. You go there to clean shoes, a ritual.
Now learning and contemplation can also happen but the latter is better done in solitude. If you can find solitude in a gurudwara great. But I can get that at home and I think it's better (and healthier) to perform rituals in the Gurudwara than sit on your butt and be lost in thought.
I completely respect Hinduism and Vedicism and hope I can learn something from your goodself, but Sikhism is not Hinduism, it is Sikhism. If we can accept this point then we can have some fruitful dialogue
Best Wishes
I think any person who has studied them both, knows they are not the same. And any person who has studied them both, knows they are very related.
