• Welcome to all New Sikh Philosophy Network Forums!
    Explore Sikh Sikhi Sikhism...
    Sign up Log in

Is There Freewill In Sikhism?

Jasdeep118

Writer
SPNer
Dec 4, 2015
85
33
33
This is a curious question since I realised that even though our religion prohibits the five vices some Sikhs might commit them; however, do us human beings have a free will or is this pre determined by destiny or fate by God?
 

Tejwant Singh

Mentor
Writer
SPNer
Jun 30, 2004
5,028
7,188
Henderson, NV.
This is a curious question since I realised that even though our religion prohibits the five vices some Sikhs might commit them; however, do us human beings have a free will or is this pre determined by destiny or fate by God?

Is There Freewill In Sikhism?


Free-will is an interesting thing to ponder upon. In Christianity, this is used quite often as a weapon or a tool and/or as a carrot and a stick.

My question about the free-will to my Christian friends is if one has the free will, then god ceases to be omnipotent- all powerful. They have no answer for that which is expected.
Now let's try to separate the wheat from the chaff from both, the Eastern philosophy and the Western one.

The latter is based on a moral code etched in stone literally and metaphorically where dos and don'ts are its levers.
The former, which Sikhi is part of is based on higher consciousness which makes us seekers in the true sense of the word.
A seeker actually has the free will because it is up to us how we value ourselves.
Gurbani gives us the nudge to seek it in a succulent manner.
Although I have been advocating for the posters here to give full Shabad as a reference rather than a one-liner, in this context, this one-liner is quite optimal. It is quite long but this Shabad is famous for one particular line on page 441.
Here is the Shabad from our 3rd Guru

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ
Ik▫oaʼnkār saṯgur parsāḏ.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ ਛੰਤ ਘਰੁ
Āsā mėhlā 3 cẖẖanṯ gẖar 3.
Aasaa, Third Mehl, Chhant, Third House:

[ਮਨ ਤੂੰ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੁ ਹੈ ਆਪਣਾ ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣੁ
Man ṯūʼn joṯ sarūp hai āpṇā mūl pacẖẖāṇ.
O my mind, you are the embodiment of the Divine Light - recognize your own origin.

"O mind, you are the light within. Use this torch to map your own GPS"]

Sri Granth: Sri Guru Granth Sahib

Thanks & regards
Tejwant Singh
 

❤️ CLICK HERE TO JOIN SPN MOBILE PLATFORM

❤️ CLICK HERE TO JOIN SPN MOBILE PLATFORM

📌 For all latest updates, follow the Official Sikh Philosophy Network Whatsapp Channel:
Top