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Re: Sikhism and Monotheism
Posted by Jass Singh Send Email to Author on Sunday, 6/14/1998 12:37 AM MDT
Dear Veerji Preet Mohan
Sat Sri Akal

Thank you for taking the time to post this most important information. I have read most of Daljeet Singh's works and the work he has done in trying to systematize Sikh theology is truly Herculean. He is a giant among Sikh scholars and his books are a must read for all Sikhs.

The points he raises on monism are very controversial and his opinion is not final as there are many verses that openly allude to a pantheistic monism as concluded by prof Sher Singh, Nirbhai Singh and Ishar Singh. These were also astute and keen scholars of Sikhism. You need the whole counsel of SGGS to get the proper perspective. Daljeet Singh talks of the Immanence of God as His Will. But will is a constituent of personality. All personalities have a will. Although guru Arjun Dev is said to have screened all verses that alluded to monism, I think that if you read carefully the verses listed below, you will see that this is not the case. The whole interpretation of verses in the SGGS in terms of transcendence and immanence is reading meanings into the text of the SGGS, which were not intended to be there. These thoughts and concepts are alien to Eastern thought forms. Also personality cannot come from personality. So if you want to talk about a personal God, He has to be personal from eternity past, which r
ules out the existence of the Absolute Impersonal God. Also the theory of God as Naam, and Word needs to be expanded and explained. Is this a modalism or emanations of God? Most importantly there needs to be a consensus on the system of hermeneutics to use in regards to the SGGS.

The SGGS says:
"Sagar mehn bund bund mehn sagaru
Kavanu bujhai bidhi janai."
"In the drop is contained the ocean, the ocean in the drop, who will unravel this?" (GND Ramkali M1 )

"Nirgun aap sargun bhee ohee....... Har bin doojaa naahee ko-e. sarb nirantar eko so-e."
"The Lord is unattributed and attributed. There is no other than God. He the one Lord is pervasive in all beings."(Gauri GGS p287)

"Ek roop saglo paasaaraa."
"The entire expanse is the manifestation of One God."
(Bilawal M5 GGS p803)

"My Master is the One, He is the One, brother and He alone exists." (Asa M5 GGS p350)

"From His Absolute condition, He the pure One became manifest, from nirguna, He became Saguna."

"Thaapiaa na jaa-e keetaa na hoe. Aape aap niranjan soe."
"He can neither be manifested nor created by anyone, he, the pure one is all in all." (GGS p2)

"From the Absolute Lord, emanated Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva."
(GGS p1037)


The stone, plant, animal and man are in the same line with some difference of degree, but none of kind:
a) "Dulabh deh pai Wadbhagi.."(Gauri M5 GGS p183)
b) see Maru M3 GGS p1063

"PRABH DUR NAHIN, PRABH TUN HAIN."
"GOD IS NOT FAR, IT IS THYSELF"(ASA M1 GGS P354)

"Suraj kiran mili , jal ka jal hua Ram."
"God and you are the same like the sun and the ray."
(Bilawal M5 GGS 846).

"As from one fire millions of sparks arise; though rising separately, they unite again in the fire;
As from one heap of dust several particles of dust fill the air and on filling it again blend with the dust;
As in one stream millions of waves are produced, the waves being made of water all become water;
So from non-sentient things and sentient things are manifested and springing from Him, shall all be united in Him again."
(Sikh Religion, Macauliffe Vol V p276)

All this means the essential similarity of the two, but it does not mean the identity of God and the individual. Although the waves and the ocean both consist of water, yet there is a great difference between the two:
"I am one wave of thee who art an endless sea. Thou art as distinct from me as heaven is from earth."
(Sikh Religion, Macauliffe Vol V p104)

"Kaia andar sabhu kichh wasai khand mandal patala, Kaia andar Jagjiwan data wasai sabhna kare pratpala."
"Just as the sea is represented in the drop and the drop in the sea on a smaller scale, similar is the resemblance between man and the universe."(Suhi M3 GGS p754)

"Qudrat disai qudrat suniai qudrat bho-o sukh saar."
"Whatever we see or hear is the manifestation of Brahman."
(Var M1 GGS p464)

"Aape patee kalm aap upar lekh bhi Tun."
"Thou art the wooden tablet, Thou art the pen and Thou art the writing. There is only One, O Nanak! and no second."
(Var Malar M1 GGS 1291)

"Ekas te hoio anantaa Nanak ekas mah smaae jeeo."
"He becomes countless from One, saith Nanak, And everything dissolves into One."(Majh M5 GGS p131)

Bhul maaf Karni

Humbly with love and regards

Jass Singh


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