VICHAAR – Why Sikhism Fails to Impact at Global Level – Prof. H.S. Virk – 11:00 am Sunday April 8, 2018 at San Jose Gurdwara
VICHAAR
ਡਿਠੈ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਨ ਹੋਵਈ ਜਿਚਰੁ ਸਬਦਿ ਨ ਕਰੇ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Study Group Brought to you by The Chardi Kalaa Foundation, IGS Now and Sikh Gurdwara San Jose.
Date: Sunday April 8, 2018
Location: Sikh Gurdwara San Jose – Sahibzada Fateh Singh Room in the Khalsa school area.
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Duration: 2 Hours
Format: Conference Room
Medium: English
Prof. H.S. Virk will address the subject of “Why Sikhism Fails to Impact at Global Level”
Abstract:
I am venturing into a new, and somewhat Controversial, topic for my Presentation:
Introduction: Sikhism is the most modern Scientific and logical religion in the World. It has a Universal appeal. Its Scripture, Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS), has sacred writings of Saints of all Indian religious traditions. Sikhs are spread over nearly 120 countries. However, Sikhism fails to impact at global level. Let us ponder over the ISSUES involved. My presentation will focus on the issue of , as one of the major issues.
As always, we look for active participation by the Sangat in an environment that encourages interactive discussion.
WAHEGURU JI
It is a nice topic indeed.
During the first ever historical international sikh conclave held at Chandigarh on 24 MAR 2018 ,
I was fortunate to highlight that we have failed to create the right kind of impact on others basically
we have not experienced / tasted the blessings of NAAM daan !!!!
We cannot market any item without its knowledge.
Gurbani confirms , ” NANAK KAI GHAR KEWAL NAAM…..”
What is NAAM ?
NAAM is a state of feeling blessed with Infinite bliss ( PRAKASH) of love of truth.
Since we have pure commercial mind , it is very difficult to share this information with
seekers of truth . My website has been created for the seekers of truth & has over 500
hits daily. Seekers are even asking me to charge a few dollars for its viewing but my aim
is not to make money .
Marketing of the philosophy of NAAM needs to be done on interfaith dialogues at various
conferences held at global level as it was done by our beloved GURU , ” BABA NANAK JEE”
Chardi Kala Foundation can facilitate in spreading fragrance of bliss of love of truth at global
level in a more effective manner …………………..GOOD LUCK
My View point is : We stopped application of Gurbani into our daily life. Sikhi is to earn.. Who so ever applies what Gurbani teaches in his life will see the difference.
a very very complex topic. only the guru can give us wisdom and the answer
>>> The Gita is dead. Guru Gobind Singh is the new Gita, says the speaker quoting Prof Puran Singh.
Puran Singh says: for the good of the Hindu people, Guru Granth ought to have been the new Veda and the new Gita and new Upanishads, if they are to share in the great life-urge of themodern world. In the scheme of human progress there is such a thing as the physics of spirituality; the Hindu has ignored it, the Western races have realized it.” [Prof. Puran Singh p-17]
https://www.vidhia.com/Professor%20Puran%20Singh/Spirit_of_the_Sikh_Part2_V1.pdf
The good prof. is contradicting himself. He is saying Sikhism is a sect of Hinduism. That is the meaning of the Guru Granth being the new Veda and the new Upanishad of the Hindus. The Sikhs are not separate from Hindus he is saying. That Hindus should all own up the new sect. But if Sikhism is a separate religion that has failed to make a global impact as the presenter is saying, then why should the Hindus adopt the text a text of another scripture as their own Gita? The presentation is inherently flawed.
“Development of Hindu religion shows that from time to time saints and reformers attempted to remove from Hindu thought and practices elements of corruption and superstition and revolted against dominance of rituals and power of priestly class; and that led to formation of different sects. In the teachings of these saints and reformers is noticeable a certain amount of divergence, but under that divergence lie broad concepts which can be treated as basic and there is a kind of subtle indescribable unity which keeps them within the sweep of broad Hindu religion.” http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/in-bad-faith-3-lingyat-religion-status/
So was Guru Nanak a reformer of Hindu religion? The presenter would disagree. Yet he endorses Puran Singh.
See full exposition here: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/TheBecoming/conversations/messages/13840
Just after minute 32 of the video the presenter says he follows the method of exegesis of ‘Gurbani through Gurbani’.
It is a defective method. It limits the explanation to a scholar’s own intellectual capacity or to his experience. For a better understanding he has to go outside his necessarily limited experience or intellectual depth.
He refers also to the apparent contradiction in Gurbani that says the world is false and also that it is the home of the true. He says referencing Giani Niranjan Singh, that the way to reconcile this is through Gurbani itself. I don’t see how?
I began my inquiry into Sikh metaphysics at exactly this point and arrived at some unexpected results. My method was to take up the contradictory statements and examine them against ‘not-Gurbani’ explanations of the two ideas. I then weighed up the arguments on both sides to arrive at my own understanding of what Gurbani is saying. Each topic that I took up gave rise to other questions which I then examined in like manner. The result was new insights into the nature of creation. The world was not created, I discovered, through passages of the Gurbani itself, the way I had been told by kathakars of the taksals. There is something called the creative force that Gurbani refers to.
The starting point of my inquiry begins thus:
The world is not an illusion
Reading the concluding pages of the Guru Granth Saheb that record the writing of Guru Teg Bahadur, it would be easy to conclude that he is saying the world is unreal. This would place Sikh ontology in the same class as Advaita Vedanta that says the world is an illusion.
Guru Teg Bahadur wrote: Like a dream and a show, so is this world, you must know. None of this is true, O Nanak, without God. ||23|| As the bubbles in the water well up and disappear again, so is the universe created; says Nanak, listen, O my friend! ||25||
Guru Teg Bahadur further wrote: The world and its affairs are totally false; know this well, my friend. Says Nanak, it is like a wall of sand; it shall not endure. ||49|| Raam Chand passed away, as did Raawan, even though he had lots of relatives. Says Nanak, nothing lasts forever; the world is like a dream. ||50|| People become anxious, when something unexpected happens. This is the way of the world, O Nanak; nothing is stable or permanent. ||51|| Whatever has been created shall be destroyed; everyone shall perish, today or tomorrow.
What has been said here is, the world is temporary. Guru Nanak says the same: The world is a drama, staged in a dream. In a moment, the play is played out. Some attain union with the Lord, while others depart in separation.
In similar vein Naamdev, whose writing is also included says: False doubts and dream objects – man believes them to be true.
The world is real, affirms the granth. Says Guru Nanak: True are Your worlds, True are Your solar Systems. True are Your realms, True is Your creation.
Guru Angad says: This world is the room of the True Lord; within it is the dwelling of the True Lord.
Says Guru Arjan: He Himself is True, and all that He has made is True. The entire creation came from God. As it pleases Him, He creates the expanse. As it pleases Him, He becomes the One and Only again. As it pleases Him, He merges us into Himself again. He Himself is Himself pervading everywhere. In all forms, He Himself is pervading. Through all eyes, He Himself is watching. All the creation is His Body.
So which of these two assertions represent Sikh theology? That the world is a dream or that the world is real?
To arrive at a conclusion we will have to examine a little more closely the advaita philosophy that says the world is a dream and its two contesting philosophies in Vedanta thought that differ from it. We will have to go into the question of what is real. We will have to examine the doctrine of monism that Guru Arjan asserts. We will have to examine why the world was created and what Gurbani has to say on the subject. All these we shall consider in the following posts.
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/TheBecoming/conversations/messages/13740
I appreciate the comments of DS Gulati. He does not accept exegesis of “Gurbani through Gurbani as valid but I differ.
He brings in Vedanta philosophy. My approach tells: World is Real as it is abode of God, but its existence is not permanent. It is created by Will of God. Gulati does not accept God as the Creator, or Karta Purakh as in Gurbani.
It is a Good Suggestion Ajit Singh Mac. Bhajan Yogi Jee promoted Sikhi in USA thro Yoga; the other option is NAAM.
I appreciate the recommendation of Dr HS Virk Jee………………Thanks indeed.
I suggest that we should have the topic of NAAM for discussion in the coming
year .
My website with 29 blogs is all devoted for explaining the practical meaning &
importance of the of Naam philosophy since it is being sought by seekers of
truth in the west . Google has rated the website as number one .
http://www.fleeky.one
With divine love