Why Sikhs believe in reincarnation? How do Sikhs justify reincarnation?
These are the most widely asked questions by non-sikhs regarding Sikhism. Yesterday I was going various Sikh sites and while randomly reading articles. I found a testimony on Real Sikhism by Gurinder Singh.I got the answer to the most widely asked question in the testimony. Considering it to be more influential I decided to put it as a reply to the question in my blog. So here it is-
'''''''''''''''''''*''''''''''''''
When I came to United States I started going to the high school in order to complete twelfth grade. I took Ap English along with two other Ap classes and three regular classes. We read three novels in Ap English and one of the novel was “By the River Piedra, I Sat Down and Cried” by Pavlo Coelho. In this novel the author talks about the feminine side of God and asserts the notion that God is a female.
We would have discussions about this topic in our class. I was the only Sikh with turban and beard among my Christian classmates and teacher. My classmates and teacher would ask me about my beliefs about God. I told them that Sikhs believe in One formless God. Since God does not have a particular form or shape the question about whether God is a male or female is insignificant. This notion was very interesting to them, particularly my teacher. So she asked me for more information but I did not know much.
The same day when I went home, I started to read an online version of Guru Granth Sahib with translations and began to find what Sikh Gurus say about God. Not only did I find what Gurus says about God about also His creations. “There are planets, solar systems and galaxies. If one speaks of them, there is no limit, no end. There are worlds upon worlds of His Creation. As He commands, so they exist. He watches over all, and contemplating the creation, He rejoices. Nanak says, to describe this is as hard as steel!” (Guru Granth Sahib, 8). Furthermore, it is stated that God created the whole universe including the earth. “You Yourself created the earth, and the two lamps of the sun and the moon” (Guru Granth Sahib, 83). And, “Many millions are the moons, suns and stars” (Guru Granth Sahib, 275). This was very interesting to me.
I also found mind opening information about the life and its purpose. I was wonder struck when I read about the miracles that God performed in order to save Naamdev and Kabir Ji. I began to disproof any of the beliefs in Guru Granth Sahib with the help of Science but I failed. To my surprise all beliefs in Sikhism has proper reasoning and justification. The information scientist find about galaxies, stars and planets was narrated by Guru Nanak more than 500 years ago.
The following week we had another discussion about the novel and I was well prepared to express Sikh beliefs. During the spiritual discussion, my teacher began to discuss her spiritual experiences. She said that when her mother was at deathbed, she saw some light coming out of her body and claimed that she saw her mother’s soul.
I asked her, "Was the soul you saw a male or a female?" Silence ... for ten minutes, she was unable to answer that question. I said, "If you don't even know that a soul has a gender than how can you say that God has a feminine or a masculine side? Gender exists in human parameters and the world above us is free of gender, race, cast, color and form.
Christians do not believe in reincarnation but it made perfect sense to me. Just like our environment and ecosystem has a perfect cycle, there must be a cycle in the world hereafter but my Christian friends disagreed with me. I ask one of my Christian friend about what happens after death according to Christianity? She said that the soul either goes to heaven or hell and lives there. I further asked how are babies being born then, where does their soul come from? She said that God makes new souls. I asked if God makes new souls then why are children born handicap? She didn’t have the answer. Anyhow if a soul does go to heaven to live there then no matter how big is the heaven it will get full since nothing is getting out of it. There must be a cycle of reincarnation that keeps everything balanced.
Furthermore I searched for the information in Guru Granth Sahib I found that Salvation is not reached just by entering in heaven. Salvation is reached by merging in the Holy Spirit, God. Salvation is not reached by just talking and doing good deeds, it is reached by meditating on God, and living the life by renouncing lust, greed, anger, emotional attachment and egotistical pride. “As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven, he does not reach God” (Guru Granth Sahib 325). The desire should be to meet God, not to go to heaven. Heaven and Hell are not created to live but to award and punish. Your good deeds will be paid off in heaven, your bad deeds in hell; you will then take birth again until you become One with God.
The more Christians talked to me about God and tried to disprove my beliefs, the stronger they made me in my faith. I did not previously know that Sikhism has so much reasoning and meaning behind its beliefs. Science cannot disprove any belief of Sikhism. Scientific facts are surprisingly consistent with the teachings of the Guru.
If science cannot find any proof about existence of God, it also fails to find any proof that God does not exist. Having rational thinking, Sikh beliefs totally make sense to me and I have no problem howsoever practicing these beliefs. Sikhism promotes humanity and respect among each other. I love my religion.
The credits for this testimony goes to Real Sikhism . Testimony by Gurinder Singh.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Sikh theory of reincarnation.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
Now I have got reasons and points to reply to those who used to drive me into the corner on this topic.
Thanks veerji
@Devinder
Never get pushed into the corner. The Sikh Dharma is a very scientific and logical path of living. It has reasons for everything we do and everything we try to keep away from us.
The need is to 'study the source of all knowledge' the Great Guru SGGS Ji.
Navjeet ji I am not sure if you meant literally regarding your page title. Sikh does mean learn but in Sikhism Sikh means "chela", "Guru da chela". Correct me if I am wrong.
www.kabir-sahib.blogspot.com
Another thing I would like to bring up here is that God is not formless. If you go by Guru Nanak Dev Ji's Bani then Guru Nanak Ji went to Sachkhand. God met Guru Nanak Dev ji on river Bein and then took him to Sachkhand. After visiting Sachkhand, Guru Nanak Ji came back to earth after 3 days. God met Nanak Ji in form. After that Guru Nanak Dev Ji spoke of that God as "dhaanak roop raha kartaar". You will find the full description here. www.jagatgururampalji.org/shrigurugranthsahib.html or you could also check it on my blog www.kabir-sahib.blogspot.com
lol @ Rajeev and the "stories"
In Bhagavad-Gita Lord SriKrishna says to Arjuna:
“I taught this immortal Yoga to Vivasvan (sun-god), Vivasvan conveyed it to Manu(his son), and Manu imparted it to (his son) Iksvaku. Thus transmitted to succession from father to son, Arjuna, this Yoga remained known to the Rajarisis (royal sages). It has however long since disappeared from this earth. The same ancient Yoga has this day been imparted to you by Me, because you are My devotee and friend, and also because this is a supreme secret”.
At this Arjuna said: You are of recent origin while the birth of Vivasvan dates back to remote antiquity. How, then, I am to believe that you taught this Yoga at the beginning of creation? Lord SriKrishna said: Arjuna, you and I have passed through many births. I remember them all, you do not remember.
1. Radha Soami Faith was founded by His Holiness Param Purush Puran Dhani Huzur Soamiji Maharaj on the prayer of His Holiness Huzur Maharaj who later on became second Spiritual Head of Radha Soami Faith. The prime object of the Radha Soami Faith is the emancipation of all Jeevas (Souls) i.e. to take the entire force of consciousness to its original abode. There is a tradition of succession of Gurus or Spiritual Adepts in Radha Soami Faith. I am one of them as is evident from the following facts or ….
“My most Revered Guru of my previous life His Holiness Maharaj Sahab, 3rd Spiritual Head of Radhasoami Faith had revealed this secret to me during trance like state.
HE told me, “Tum Sarkar Sahab Ho” (You are Sarkar Sahab). Sarkar Sahab was one of the most beloved disciple of His Holiness Maharj Sahab. Sarkar Sahab later on became Fourth Spiritual Head of Radhasoami Faith.
Since I don’t have any direct realization of it so I can not claim the extent of its correctness. But it seems to be correct. During my previous birth I wanted to sing the song of ‘Infinite’ (Agam Geet yeh gawan chahoon tumhri mauj nihara, mauj hoi to satguru soami karoon supanth vichara) but I could not do so then since I had to leave the mortal frame at a very early age. But through the unbounded Grace and Mercy of my most Revered Guru that desire of my past birth is being fulfilled now.”
The need is to 'study the source of all knowledge' the Great Guru SGGS Ji.
You need to do a LOT of learning.
Just by reading this article I can pick out a MASS number of contradictions and faults which does not reflect the real message of Sikhism.
Your teaching “There are planets, solar systems and galaxies. If one speaks of them, there is no limit, no end."
then you contradict yourself by telling your teacher: "Anyhow if a soul does go to heaven to live there then no matter how big is the heaven it will get full since nothing is getting out of it."
If the skies have no limit, then why do the heavens?
“You Yourself created the earth, and the two lamps of the sun and the moon” - Scientific Problem - A Lamp produces it's own light. So the sun is a Lamp but the Moon does not produce its own light. It borrows the light from the sun.
Sikhism and reincarnation: reincarnation is a Hindu concept and Sikhi does not believe in reincarnation. Each soul is unique and it is like a wave in the ocean. When the wave finally ceases to exist in remains in the ocean, it does not have its own separate identity. We are waves, live for a while and then merge back in the ocean and then new waves are produced and this process continues. God the all mighty does all this rest of the theories are mere guesses. As guru Arjan dev ji says "agali kichh khabar na payee, rovan haar bhi oouth sidhyee. na ko mooa na marnai joge" no one knows what happens after death, the one who is weeping today will also depart tomorrow. Human are not capable of being born or die, it is god who is controlling the whole process of creation and anhillation. accordiong to SGGS air, water, soil and fire merge with their original source and jote (life energy or soul) merges with primal super life that is god. Pavanai meh pavan samaya, joti mah jote ral jaya, matti matti hoyee aik ravanharai ki kavan take.
Post a Comment