Western Writers' thinking about Sikhism and Gurbani

SHauKeeN GaBRu

Chardi Kala
Western Writers' thinking about Sikhism and Gurbani

1) Miss Pearl S. Buck, a noble laureate, while giving her comments on the English Translation of Guru Granth Sahib, wrote, "I have studied the scripture of great religions, but I do not find elsewhere the same power of appeal to the heart and mind as I find here in these volumes. They are compact in spite of their length and are a revelation of the vast reaches of the human heart varying from the most noble concept of God to the recognition and indeed the insistence upon the practical needs of the human body. There is something strangely modern about these scriptures and this puzzled me until I learned they are in fact comparatively modern, compiled as late as 16th century, when explorers were beginning to discover that the globe, upon which we all live, is a single entity divided only by arbitrary lines of our own making. Perhaps this sense of unity is the source of power I find in these volumes. They speak to the people of any religion or of none. They speak for the human heart and the searching mind."




2) H.L.Bradshaw, a well known professor, after thoroughly studying the philosophy of Sikhism observed that Sikhism is a universal world faith, a message for all men. This is amply demonstrated in the writings of the Gurus. Sikhs must cease to think of their faith as "just another good religion" and must begin to think in terms of Sikhism as being the religion for this new age. The religion preached by Guru Nanak is the faith of New Age. It completely supplants and fulfills all the former dispensations of older religions. Books must be written proving this. The other religions also contain the truth, but Sikhism contains the fullness of truth. Bradshaw also says that Guru Granth Sahib of all the world religions alone states that there are innumerable worlds and universes other than our own. The previous scriptures were all concerned only with this world and its spiritual counterpart. To imply that they spoke of other worlds as does the Guru Granth Sahib is to stretch their obvious meaning out of context. The Sikh religion is truly the answer to the problems of modern man. Archer very rightly commented that, "The religion of the Adi Granth is a universal and practical religion....Due to ancient prejudice of the Sikhs it could not spread in the world. The world today needs its message of peace and love."




3) Another writer Dorothy Field writes: Pure Sikhism is far above dependence on Hindu ritual and is capable of a distinct position as a world religion as long as Sikhs maintain their distinctive. The religion is also one which should appeal to the occidental mind. It is essentially a practical religion. If judges from the pragmatically standpoint - a favorite in some quarters - it would rank almost FIRST IN THE WORLD (Emphasis by the author). Of no other religion can it be said that it has made a nation in so short a time. Field further observed: The religion of Sikhs is one of the most interesting at present existing in India, possibly indeed in the whole world. A reading of the Granth strongly suggests that Sikhism should be regarded as a new and separate world religion rather than a reformed sect of Hinduism.





4) Arnold Toynbee, a historian who has done much work in comparing cultures writes: Mankind's religious future may be obscure, yet one thing can be foreseen. The living higher religions are going to influence each other more than ever before, in the days of increasing communications between all parts of the world and branches of the human race. In this coming religious debate, the Sikh religious debate, the Sikh religion and its scriptures, the Adi Granth, will have something special of value to say to the rest of the world. In other words, it is not only Sikhs who see that Sikhism unlike most other religions is a philosophy which has validity for all cultures but non-Sikh writers also endorse this view.

It will be interesting to know the comments of Dr.W.O.Cole, Chairman Consultant, Religious Education Projects, U.K. who has written half dozen books on Sikhism. In 1985, he visited India where communal disturbances had created a virtual turmoil and thousands of people had been killed. He gave a message to Punjabis (through them to the whole of humanity): Remember the tenets of Guru Nanak, his concepts of oneness of God and Universal Brotherhood of man. If any community holds the key to the national integration of India, it is the Sikhs all the way.
After a key note lecture by him on the "Mission and Message of Guru Nanak" he was asked what drew him to the study of Sikhism. He replied, "Theologically, I can not answer this question. You may call it the purpose of God. But to be more specific, the unique concept of Universality and the system of Langar (free community meal) in Sikhism are the two features that attracted me to the study of Sikhism. Langar is the exclusive feature of Sikhism and found nowhere else in the world. Sikhism is the only religion which welcomes each and everyone to the Langar without any discrimination of caste, creed, color or sex."



The opinion of some Hindu mystics also need to be quoted to know their experiences with Sikh faith. Swami Nitya Nand (expired at the age of 135 years) writes in his books "Gur Gian": I, in the company of my Guru, Brahma Nand Ji went to Mathra...while on pilgrimage tour, we reached Punjab and there "We met Swami Satya Nand Udasi. He explained the philosophy and religious practices of Nanak in such way that Swami Brahma Nand Ji enjoyed a mystic lore. During the visit to Golden Temple, Amritsar, his soul was so much affected that he became a devotee of the Guru. After spending some time in the Punjab, he went to Hardwar. Though he was hail and hearty, one day I saw tears in his eyes. I asked the reason for that. He replied, I sifted sand the whole of my life. The truth was in the house of Guru Nanak. I will have to take one more birth in that house, only then will I attain Kalyan." After saying that the soul left his body.


Swami Nitya Nand also wrote of his own experience: I also constantly meditate on WaheGuru revealed by Guru Nanak. I practiced Yoga Asanas under the guidance of Yogis and did that for many years. The bliss and peace that I enjoy now had never been attained earlier.
 

full_taur

Member
Bulle shah padh le yeh.. kadi changi cheej pad leni chahdi hai....

but yaar kasoor tera nai hega.. I guess tere kol time hi nai hona, as u and your team are too busy finding faults and making stories.. heheheh
 

Ramta

Member
"It is admitted that a knowledge of the religions of the people of India is a desideratum for the British officials who administer its affairs and indirectly for the people who are governed by them so that mutual sympathy may be produced. It seems, at any rate politic to place before the Sikh soldiery their Guru’s prophecies in favor of the English and the texts of their sacred writings which foster their loyalty."

--- The Sikh Religion’,1909, M.A. Macauliffe, Preface xxii


Thanks


 

dhana_jatt

~*~ NiMaNa ~*~
tu jutti khaye bina ni hatna lagda?
bohat ho geya.. aapna bori bistra chuk ke aap lang ja nahi sanu bhejna v aaunda
 

Panjaban

*~DoAbAn~*
Shokeen Gabru, thanks for sharing. bahut hee useful hai, kaash "bulleshah" de palle v kujh pai jaanda.
 

full_taur

Member
"It is admitted that a knowledge of the religions of the people of India is a desideratum for the British officials who administer its affairs and indirectly for the people who are governed by them so that mutual sympathy may be produced. It seems, at any rate politic to place before the Sikh soldiery their Guru’s prophecies in favor of the English and the texts of their sacred writings which foster their loyalty."

--- The Sikh Religion’,1909, M.A. Macauliffe, Preface xxii


Thanks

Does it prove anything Bulle Shah..!!!

Well let me tell you briefly about this author M.A. Macauliffe...

In 1882, Macauliffe achieved the position of Deputy Commissioner in Punjab.hat one of the main objectives for Macauliffe was to inculcate loyalty within Sikhs for the British Raj. At the time, the Sanatan Sikh Raj had been displaced by the British Raj, and as such, Sanatan Sikhs, especially the Akali Nihangs, were naturally very hostile towards the British..

So what Mr Macauliffe tried to did was DIVIDE & RULE policy of the britishers... and thats why he wanted to do as SIKHS have always been great warriors and Brits knew that it will be very hard for them to fight with the SIKH WARRIORS.Check this link for more information

Sanatan Sikhi - Distortions of Sikh History

Sharam di gal hai Bulle shah, ki saada desh azaad ho gaya but still there are idiots like you, jo haale vi gulaam ne hora de and tuhadhi soch haale vi GHULAM'an vaali hai....

But kasoor tuhadha nai, tuhanu sikhaya hi ani gaya ki SIR CHAK ke kis tarah jeeyida, izaat naal kiven jayidi....

 

full_taur

Member
tu jutti khaye bina ni hatna lagda?
bohat ho geya.. aapna bori bistra chuk ke aap lang ja nahi sanu bhejna v aaunda

Dhan'ea dont worry yaar ihne aape bhaj jana.. and yaar see how helpless he is now.. he cant think of anything as he has got answer to each & everything.. so can u see his helplessness in his posts....Infact hasna chahida is te te....
 

pps309

Prime VIP
:mean
"It is admitted that a knowledge of the religions of the people of India is a desideratum for the British officials who administer its affairs and indirectly for the people who are governed by them so that mutual sympathy may be produced. It seems, at any rate politic to place before the Sikh soldiery their Guru’s prophecies in favor of the English and the texts of their sacred writings which foster their loyalty."

--- The Sikh Religion’,1909, M.A. Macauliffe, Preface xxii


Thanks
:bak :bak :bak :bak :bak

:kuto :kuto :kuto :kuto :kuto

:ban :mean :sleeping
 

full_taur

Member
"It is admitted that a knowledge of the religions of the people of India is a desideratum for the British officials who administer its affairs and indirectly for the people who are governed by them so that mutual sympathy may be produced. It seems, at any rate politic to place before the Sikh soldiery their Guru’s prophecies in favor of the English and the texts of their sacred writings which foster their loyalty."

--- The Sikh Religion’,1909, M.A. Macauliffe, Preface xxii


Thanks

is text to ik gal hor clear hundi hai that guru de sikh inne great see ki angrejan nu pure hindustan vich sikh hi inne daler mile, ki angrejn nu special policies banayi payiyan unnu nu rokan vaaste...

vaise hai bhi sahi.. saaleyo tusi shuru to hi ghulam rahe ho.. tuhanupata hi nai ki kiven jeyida izzat naal.... tusi te haale vi ghulam hi ho...
 

munda_wakhre_type_da

-- Kem da Gui --
is text to ik gal hor clear hundi hai that guru de sikh inne great see ki angrejan nu pure hindustan vich sikh hi inne daler mile, ki angrejn nu special policies banayi payiyan unnu nu rokan vaaste...

vaise hai bhi sahi.. saaleyo tusi shuru to hi ghulam rahe ho.. tuhanupata hi nai ki kiven jeyida izzat naal.... tusi te haale vi ghulam hi ho...

veere sirf jealousy hi main reason hai why dese people cm up wid such stupid things
 

pps309

Prime VIP
is text to ik gal hor clear hundi hai that guru de sikh inne great see ki angrejan nu pure hindustan vich sikh hi inne daler mile, ki angrejn nu special policies banayi payiyan unnu nu rokan vaaste...

vaise hai bhi sahi.. saaleyo tusi shuru to hi ghulam rahe ho.. tuhanupata hi nai ki kiven jeyida izzat naal.... tusi te haale vi ghulam hi ho...
he is gulam even today....someone has captured his mind and soul.
Watever he is doing here is actually getting done by his master.....his lord...hahahahaha

BTW Mr Bulleshah, I heard that in Rigveda it is written that Shudra came from feet of God and Brahmin came from head of God so that is why brahmins are great........................:mean :mean :mean :mean

But what I heard is something different, the one who is always in the feet of God is great......................tusi lok bhi na injh hi,,,,,,,,:bak :bak :bak hatde nahi
 

full_taur

Member
Boli jaan deyo saaleya nu... inne de apne gat kuch hai na.. te sadi state, saade freedom fighters te saade culture to saale jelousy karde ne... but they dont know ki inne varge kai aaye te chale gaye, asi uthe de uthe hi haan.. jad ABDLAI varge ni sada kuch patt sake, te yeh saale ki kar lenge...
 

SehaJ

Troublemaker
Oye BuleyShah...tun je menu kite takar geya na....sachi kehana.....chadna ne tenu....vaise ta tun menu mentally upset lagda....taras anda menu tere te yaar.....elaz kara le apna.....paise UNP vallo mil jaan ge.....das...
 

thejatthawk

Member
yeh 22 donation kar devangey bulleshah de ilaaz layee nahe tey amne samne mil javey tey free v kar sakde ilaaz par ehe internet gangster ney bass type kar sakdey ya kitaba likh sakdey par sanu khattam karan vaaley khattam karkey khattam hovangey assi
burraah
 

Ramta

Member
I am not expecting much from the progeny of the clergy of the Golden Temple, led by Arur Singh, who had honoured the massacring Gen Dyer by declaring him a Sikh, on condition that he renounce one cigarette a year.......But I'm forced to continue to reply to such Neo-Sikhs. You see, like them, I'm caught in a trap of my own making -- The Incredible Heaviness of Being Macho. If I ignore your post, it'll be taken as my inability to refute your rank garbage; and if I begin explaining, it'll be perceived as a chicken-hearted retreat in face of the malevolent campaign aimed by London-Toronto-Keshdhari Clowns. What to do. A clean-shaven-Sikh-Hindu can be no less daft. Therefore, let me assert by saying: I do NOT retract a single word of what I said.

Sorry to say this but you appear to be a victim of a fraud perpetrated by oue own people. People who since the day they were beaten by the British badly have been in awe of them. And since then have been making all effort to make Sikhi sound and appear and 'not-much' different from the 'gora-Gods' preachings.

This foundation of deception was built by the Tat Khalsa Singh Sabhia progeny, such as the Shromani Gurdwara Parbandak Committee (S.G.P.C.), another creation of the British by nurturing on narrow-minded puritanical Victorian ideals established by the British Raj. The Tat Khalsa Singh Sabhia movement emerged from the womb of the filthy foreigner in 1879, it began to radically alter Sikhism as it existed so as ensure it conformed to their new British Raj-accommodating perception. In fact, one of the leading figures of this movement was an Irishman, Max Arthur Macauliffe. He is regarded today by many modern Sikhs as being a great scholar and historian.

In 1882, Macauliffe achieved the position of Deputy Commissioner in Punjab. With the help of Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha, Macauliffe wrote the popular Tat Khalsa Singh Sabhia-sanctioned text that outlined Sikh history according to the views of the Tat Khalsa scholars of the time. In it, he states the reasons for writing his extensive work on the Sikhs:

"It is admitted that a knowledge of the religions of the people of India is a desideratum for the British officials who administer its affairs and indirectly for the people who are governed by them so that mutual sympathy may be produced. It seems, at any rate politic to place before the Sikh soldiery their Guru’s prophecies in favor of the English and the texts of their sacred writings which foster their loyalty."

- - - The Sikh Religion’,1909, M.A. Macauliffe, Preface xxii

What you say and believe is the logical conclusion of that fraud played by the British on us...

The Sikh community leaders have commited not some but many mistakes a few of which are as follows :

1) In order to bolster their separateness from Hinduism, Sikh separatists have magnified the Islamic element in Sikhism. An element of this tendency is the replacement of Sanskrit-based terms with Persian terms, e.g. the Hari Mandir, "Vishnu temple", in Amritsar is preferably called Darbar Sahib by the Akalis, "venerable court session (of the Timeless one)".

2) The Akali's propogated the by now widespread story that the foundation stone of the Hari Mandir was laid by the Sufi pir Mian Mir. Repetition of this myth prompted many people including from the Sikh community to carry out a detailed survey of the oldest and modernest sources pertaining to the construction of the Hari Mandir. Found no trace of Mian Mir. But the Hardliners of the Singh-Sabha variety continue to prop up a blatant forgery simply because it has become popular and is being patronised by those who control the neo-Sikh establishment.(Canadian Visa anyone????)

3) Sikh self-historiographers have filled the Sikh history with concoctions, starting with insertions and changes in 19th-century editions of older texts, all of it in unsubtle appropriation of the latest ideological fashions of Anglo-secularists. (Rajendra Singh, a Sikh anti-separatist author claims that even (not to say especially) the key moments of Sikh history are often concoctions. Thus, the founding of the martial Khalsa order by Guru Govind Singh in 1699, with the beard as part of its dress code, is put in doubt by a post-1699 painting of a clean-shaven Govind Singh. He also points out that many stories about the lives of the Gurus are obvious calks on Puranic or Islamic stories.)

4) The Sikh leaders fell for the British who were disappointed with the conclusions of the first scholar who investigated and translated Sikh Scriptures, the German Indologist and missionary Dr. E. Trumpp, who had found Guru Nanak a 'thorough Hindu' and his religion 'a Pantheism derived directly from Hindu sources'. (This was not long after the 1857 Mutiny, when the Sikhs had fought on the British side, and the British were systematically turning the Sikhs into one of the privileged enclaves in native society with whose help they wanted to make governing India easier for themselves.)

5) Other Sikh community scholars started to rewrite Sikh history in the sense desired by the British. Max Arthur Macauliffe, a highly placed British administrator told the Sikhs that Hinduism was like a ‘boa constrictor of the Indian forest’ which ‘winds its opponent and finally causes it to disappear in its capacious interior’. The Sikhs ‘may go that way’, he warned. He was pained to see that the Sikhs regarded themselves as Hindus which was ‘in direct opposition to the teachings of the Gurus’. The influence of scholarship is silent, subtle and long-range. Macauliffe and others provided categories which became the thought-equipment of subsequent Sikh intellectuals.

6) The Akalis in 1909, over 200 years after the Tenth Guru's passing replaced the Dasam Granth with just the one, under the influence of the british oppressors such as maccauliffe, who were trying to Christianise Sikhism.

7) The Akalis in 1909, over 200 years after the Tenth Guru's passing, passed the 'Anand marriage act' under the say so of Wilheim Leitner, (Austro Hungarian) British administrator, who supposedly spoke twenty five languages. And this despite the fact that The Gurus themselves all had Hindu Pandits conduct their weddings, entirely within Hindu tradition.

8) During the late 19th century and early 20th century, scholars such as Bhai Vir Singh came across numerous practices within Sikhism such as ‘Chandi’ worship, use of intoxicants (such as alcohol, cannabis, opium), ‘Chatka’, polygamy, and references to topics such as adultery, homosexuality, lesbianism, ‘napumsak’ (the third gender), etc. Considering such issues as being products of either ‘Hindu’ influence, ‘impure’ thoughts, or ‘manmat’ (practices that go against the teachings of the Sikh Gurus), the Tat Khalsa Singh Sabhia-sponsored scholars began to dismiss, or expunge, or destroy, or alter any text/manuscript that mentioned such subjects.

9) In the early 20th century, the surreptitious Bhai Vir Singh decided to publish Rattan Singh Bhangu’s ‘Pracheen Panth Prakash’. He systematically expunged this great text and altered some portions of the original text, but still deviously presented it as an ‘edited’ version. He sought to remove all mention of ‘Chandi Pooja’ and alcohol and from it for such practices, were deemed as being too ‘Hindu’ for the insecure Tat Khalsa Singhs.

The former S.G.P.C.-elected Jathedar of the Akal Takht, Giani Kirpal Singh and editor of ‘Naveen Panth Prakash’ commented on the advice given him by some modern Sikhs:

"When I was just transliterating the invocatory verses, then many Sikh gentlemen advised me to:
‘Erase those portions of it, which were against Guru’s thinking and Sikh history and in their place insert your own new verses. Like how, from Rattan Singh Bhangu’s work, ‘Panth Prakash’, Bhai Vir Singh removed some portions. In some places [Bhai Vir Singh] changed the wording such as that with regards to the invocation of ‘Chandi’ (NB. Chandi Pooja was carried out by Akali Nihang Guru Gobind Singh before the before creation of the Khalsa), etc., and, replacing the word ‘Sura’ (alcohol) with ‘Suda’ (Ambrosia/Khalsa initiation)’
I did not agree with those gentlemen’s above-said thinking, and I said that to cut out some writers original text and insert in new text of your own is a great injustice with the author and in the literary world is considered a great sin. Yes, regards the text the editor in foot notes can give his own views."

- - - ‘Siri Guru Panth Prakash’, editor Giani Kirpal Singh, 1970, Vol.1, Pa.3

10) In 1899, Kahn Singh published ‘Gurmat Sudhakar’, an anthology of Sikh historical and scriptural texts that became the first Tat Khalsa Singh Sabhia authorized‘Rehit Nama’ (code of conduct). Hew Mcleod, a prominent western scholar of Sikhism speaking of Bhai Kahn’s publication writes:

"In 1901 Kahn Singh Nabha moved a step closer to an authorised rahit-nama when he published Gurmat Sudhakar, a compendium of works relating to the person and period of Guru Gobind Singh. This included a selection from the existing rahitnamas, and in editing the materials available to him Kahn Singh implicitly expressed a particular interpretation of them. Although his selections were presented as abridged versions of extant rahits-namas, they are more accurately described as expurgated versions. In other words, Kahn Singh had cut items that he believed ought not be there. What this implied was that the pure Rahit enunciated by the tenth Guru had subsequently been corrupted by ignorant or malicious transmitters of the tradition. By eliminating all that conflicted with reason and sound tradition (as understood by such men as Kahn Singh) one might hope to restore the pristine Rahit, the uncorrupted original Rahit as the Guru had delivered it."

- - - ‘Sikhism’, by Hew Mcleod, 1997, P.122

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The Tat Khalsa Singh Sabias scholars such as Bhai Vir Singh, Kahn Singh Nabha, etc., like their masters before them, the imperialist British Raj, believed in all sincerity that is was righteous to be economical with the truth when required, manipulate it, or dismiss it entirely.

Another classical example of such contortions of historical truths is exemplified by Bhai Randhir Singh, the protégé of Teja Singh Bhasauria, who founded the ‘Bhai Randhir Singh da Jatha’ (later known as the Akhand Kirtani Jatha, A.K.J.). Bhai Randhir Singh’s views with regards to ‘Chatka’, and many other issues were based on the premonition that their interpretation is the truest above all others. The promotion of such fraud and deception is a trademark of Tat Khalsa Singh Sabhia-authorised scholars and historians.

A more recent series of events involves the Sikh historical text ‘Gurblias Patshahi Shemi’. The latest version of this text, is the 1998 reprint edited by the present S.G.P.C.-elected Jathedar of the Akal Takht, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti. A Canadian-based Sikh named Gurbakhsh Singh Kala Afghana published a series of 10 books named ‘Bipran Ki Reet Sach Da Marg’ in which he accused Vedanti of tampering with the historical work. He also made may other blasphamous statements which lead Kala Afghana being declared a ‘Tankhaiya’ (apostate) by the S.G.P.C. Interestingly, this text was immediately declared as being ‘banned’ by Vedanti and was withdrawn from all bookshelves in Punjab. According to news reports, Kala Afghana wrote a letter to Vedanti calling him a ‘liar’ and a ‘maha pappi’ (great sinner), which lead Vedanti to state that this act was unpardonable.

Even today, as Giani Kirpal Singh found out, there are many Sikhs who prescribe to the thinking of expunging and rewriting ancient Sikh texts. Some even believe in writing their own version of events from scratch. One such Sikh, is the A.K.J.-approved author, J.P. Sangat Singh who writes:

"There is no doubt in this, that we at present have no ancient history, but, due to the foresight of Siri Guru Arjan Dev Patshah, we do have the pure scripture (Siri Guru Granth Sahib) available in original form, under the guidance of who’s light, if we today tried, we can write our ancient history."

- - - ‘Sikh Dharm Teh Mas Sharab’, by J.P. Sangat Singh, 1977, P190

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I can go on and on but that should be enough...

Thanks.



Millions are slanderers, millions are apostates and
millions of wicked persons are untrue to their salt.
Unfaithful, ungrateful, thieves, vagabonds and millions
of other infamous persons are there.
Thousands are there who are slayers
of Brahmin, cow, and their own family.
 

munda_wakhre_type_da

-- Kem da Gui --

1) In order to bolster their separateness from Hinduism, Sikh separatists have magnified the Islamic element in Sikhism. An element of this tendency is the replacement of Sanskrit-based terms with Persian terms, e.g. the Hari Mandir, "Vishnu temple", in Amritsar is preferably called Darbar Sahib by the Akalis, "venerable court session (of the Timeless one)".



kini waar samjhavan .. its not harimandir its sri harmandir sahib


tenu samjh ni aundi k it gt nthin to do wid vishnu temple ... dmaaag khrab na kar bai .. ainwe khaadi peeti ch banda hunda uto tu takar jaunda :kuto
 
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