A Comparative Study of Sikhism and Hinduism A Comparative Study of Sikhism and Hinduism Dr Jagraj Singh A publication of Sikh University USA Copyright Dr. Jagraj Singh 1 A Comparative Study of Sikhism and Hinduism A comparative study of Sikhism and Hinduism Contents Page Acknowledgements 4 Foreword Introduction 5 Chapter 1 What is Sikhism? 9 What is Hinduism? 29 Who are Sikhs? 30 Who are Hindus? 33 Who is a Sikh? 34 Who is a Hindu? 35 Chapter 2 God in Sikhism. 48 God in Hinduism. 49 Chapter 3 Theory of creation of universe---Cosmology according to Sikhism. 58 Theory of creation according to Hinduism 62 Chapter 4 Scriptures of Sikhism 64 Scriptures of Hinduism 66 Chapter 5 Sikh place of worship and worship in Sikhism 73 Hindu place of worship and worship in Hinduism 75 Sign of invocation used in Hinduism Sign of invocation used in Sikhism Chapter 6 Hindu Ritualism (Karm Kanda) and Sikh view 76 Chapter 7 Important places of Hindu pilgrimage in India 94 Chapter 8 Hindu Festivals 95 Sikh Festivals Chapter 9 Philosophy of Hinduism---Khat Darsan 98 Philosophy of Sikhism-----Gur Darshan / Gurmat 99 Chapter 10 Panjabi language 103 Chapter 11 The devisive caste system of Hinduism and its rejection by Sikhism 111 Chapter 12 Religion and Character in Sikhism------Ethics of Sikhism 115 Copyright Dr. Jagraj Singh 2 A Comparative Study of Sikhism and Hinduism Sexual morality in Sikhism Sexual morality in Hinduism Religion and ethics of Hinduism Status of woman in Hinduism Chapter13 Various concepts of Hinduism and the Sikh view 127 Chapter 14 Rejection of authority of scriptures of Hinduism by Sikhism 133 Chapter 15 Sacraments of Hinduism and Sikh view 135 Chapter 16 Yoga (Yogic Philosophy of Hinduism and its rejection in Sikhism 142 Chapter 17 Hindu mythology and Sikh view 145 Chapter 18 Un-Sikh and anti-Sikh practices and their rejection 147 Chapter 19 Sikhism versus other religious aystems 149 Glossary of common terms used in Sikhism 154 Bibliography 160 Copyright Dr. Jagraj Singh 3 A Comparative Study of Sikhism and Hinduism Acknowledgements I am grateful to the Almighty God for endowing me with time, resources and energy to take up this work. I am grateful to my parents and grand parents, who inculcated in me the understanding of Gurbani right from my childhood and for teaching me the history of the Sikhs and Sikhism. I am highly thankful to my teachers of divinity, Giani Harsa Singh in Majha Khalsa High School Khalra and then Dr Taaran Singh in Khalsa College Amritsar, for imparting me instructions in Divinity. I express whole-hearted gratitude to all the scholars of Sikhism and Sikh history whose works have served me as light-house in executing this work. I would like to express thanks to my children, grandchildren, Mr Surajjit Roy and Mr Donald Adam, Mrs Missy Idle and Mr Pawan Manocha for helping me with my computer problems. I am grateful to my wife Sardarni Harbans kaur who co-operated and rendered all the help to complete this work. I am thankful to Dr Mohan Singh Rattan and Dr Ramanpreet Singh for encouraging me to take up and execute this stupendous task. Though every care has been taken while typing Gurbani however, mistake if any, that is highly regretted for which I may be pardoned. Jagraj Singh Copyright Dr. Jagraj Singh 4 A Comparative Study of Sikhism and Hinduism Introduction • Of all the religions of the world Sikh religion / Sikhi / Sikhism is the youngest whereas Hinduism is one of the oldest. • Sikhism is a prophetic religion based on a definitive revelation like Semitic religions of the west, where as Hinduism, has an anonymous mysticism as its source of validity. • Sikhism believes in the oneness God and is strictly monotheistic faith, where as Hinduism believes in Trinity of God and is polytheistic. • Sikhism believes in universal brotherhood and equality of all human beings. It strongly denounces the divisive Hindu caste system. Guru Nanak says, “eyk ipqw eyks ky hm bwirk qUM myrw gurhweI[[-Ek pita ekas kay ham batik toon mera gurhai” i.e; “We are all children of the same God who takes care of us all (GGS, p.611). Guru Gobind Singh says, “mwns kI jwq sBY eykY pihcwnbo[[-Manans kee jaat sabay ekay pehchannb” “Treat all mankind alike”. All other Indian religions, except Buddhism observe caste system and ‘Varan Ashram Dharma’ forms the bedrock of Hinduism. Buddhism did away with ceremonies of Hindus set aside the Brahmanical priesthood, abolished sacrifices and dethroned the Gods of the Hindus. Buddhism and Jainism stand for ‘Moksha’ or ‘Nirvan’ thourgh penance. Jainism on one hand condemns sacrifices, denies divine origion of the Vedas, rejects the Hindu doctrine of immunity from punishment through alms-giving and invocation of Gods and attaches no importance to the spirits of the dead. On the other hand, it recognizes the priestly institutions of the Brahmans, adheres rigidly to the Hindu caste system and has rules connected with purification, weddings, death, inheritance, the worship of Gods closely analogous to those of Hindus. The Jains rever cow and consider killing of any living creature an unpardonable sin. • Sikhism believes in reality (existence) of the God and reality of the world, “scw Awp scw drbwr[[- Schcha aap sachcha Darbar”-(GGS, Ml, Japji, Pauri 34, p.7). Hinduism believes in God, but regards the world as Maya (illusion). There is total confusion about God in Hinduism. Sikhism is strictly monotheistic. It does not believe in Polytheism or henotheism. It does not in the Hindu Trinity of God, Brahma (The Creator), Vishnu (The Sustainer) and Shiva (The Destroyer). • Sikhism does not believe in the incarnations (Avtaars) of God, Gods (Devtas) and Goddesses (Devis). Hinduism believes in incarnations of God (Avtaars), Gods (Devtas) and Goddesses (Devis). • Sikhism is based on ethics, morality and knowledge (Giyan). It strongly denounces all ritualism. Hinduism strongly believes in ritualism. Hinduism is based on Chanakiya neeti of Saam, Daam and Dand Bhed in which morality and ethics have no place. • Sikhism believes in equality of all human beings irrespective of gender, colour or any other such denomination. Whereas the divisive caste system forms the very bed rock of Hinduism and it is also known as Varn Ashram Dharma. • Sikhism strongly denounces all ritualism. Hinduism strongly believes in ritualism. • Hinduism’believes in Karma and bhog (Cause and Effect), transmigration, the concept of Heaven and Hell. Buddhism and Jainism donot believe in the existence of God, but accept the concepts of transmigration of soul and that of Karma and bhog and they regard the world as misery or a suffering. • Sikhism believes in now and here and does not believe in the concept of after life and thereby rejects the existence of Narak-Surag of Hinduism (Hell and heaven). As per Sikh thought, heaven and hell are not places for living here-after, they are part of spiritual topography of man and donot Copyright Dr. Jagraj Singh 5 A Comparative Study of Sikhism and Hinduism exist otherwise. They refer to good and evil stages of life respectively and can be lived here in our earthly existence. According to Gurbani: “Truthful living in the noble fear of God is heaven. Having no faith in God and leading an unethical life is hell” (GGS, p. 24). • Sikhism does not subscribe to the mythological Hindu theory of creation. Guru Granth Sahib, the holy Sikh scripture gives a very definite theory of creation. • Sikhism does not believe in miracles, whereas Hinduism believes in miracles. • Sikhism strictly forbids Idol, picture, grave, tomb and Baba worship. Hinduism believes in Idolatry, samadh and Baba worship. • Sikhism is a whole life system because it does not accept any dichotomy in life, whether it is ‘personal and social’, ‘spiritual and material,’ ‘faith and reason,’ or any other such differentiation. It involves an integral combination between spiritual and empirical life of man. This constitutes the foundation of Miri-Piri (Bhagti and Shakti) doctrine of Sikhism. Other Indian religions: Vedanta (Hinduism), Radical saints, Buddhism, Jainism etc; consider spiritual path and empirical (worldly) paths, separate and distinct and there is a clear dichotomy between the empirical and spiritual life of man, hence they are dichotomous systems. They address devotion (Bhagti) and force (Shakti) as separate entities. • Sikhism unlike Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism takes a more positive view of the human body. Man, the acme of God's creation is not merely a handful of dust, but repository and medium of the message of the lord. The body is not an unclean vessel, a seat of worms, but `Temple of God' worthy of adoration and reverence. Anything unnatural or tortuous has no excuse for acceptance. Standing on one leg, living on roots, practicing contemplation in different postures, undergoing self suppression in a hard way and doing penances were too weak to avail man in the path of realization, but they are considered necessary in other eastern religious systems for the purification of the body and attainment of enlightenment. Buddhism and Jainism stand for Moksha /Nirvana through penance. Gurbani denounces any such practices, “nwnk so pRB ismrIAY iqs dyhI ko pwl[[-Nanak so prabh simri-ay tis dehi ko paal” i.e “The Lord should be meditated on by serving the body first” (GGS, p.554). • Sikhism believes in Ahimsa (Ahinsa), but according to its own philosophy. It does not believe in Ahimsa that stood as a bar against the religious man or a religious society trying to confront socio-political aggression. A society that has to accept the social responsibility of confronting injustice cannot remain wedded to the hurdle of Ahimsa. According to Sikhism it is righteous to use sword, when all other peaceful means fail, “cUM kwr Az hmwN hIlqy dr guzSq[[ hlwl Asq burdn bw SmSIr dsq[[-Choon Kar Az Haman Heelte Dar Guzashat, Halal Ast Burdan Ba Shamsheer Dast” (Zafarnama, Guru Gobind Singh).