Issue - Monsieur Donc Dieu Existe Répondez!.... 3
Posted by Preet Mohan S Ahluwalia
Issue - Monsieur Donc Dieu Existe Répondez!.... 3
Posted by Preet Mohan S Ahluwalia on Sunday, 8/26/2001 3:11 PM MDT
| CREATOR (Part III) Preet Mohan Singh Ahluwalia August 26, 2001 In an article published in the Skeptical Inquirer, Victor Stenger while writing against the argument-by-design says, "we have no reason to assume that ours is the only possible form of life and life of some sort could have happened whatever form the universe took..If we have no reason to assume ours is the only life form, we also have no reason to assume that ours is the only universe. Many universes can exist, with all possible combinations of physical laws and constants." The issue raised in the argument-by-design concept of creation is: A watchmaker creates watches from pre-existing materials, whereas God is claimed to have created the universe from nothing. These two sorts of creation are clearly fundamentally different. Sikh concept of Creator is defined in the Mool-Mantra. Sikh philosophy differs in its view of the Creator. Semitic God who orders a creation into existence does not find acceptance. Neither is there a place for multiple gods and their reincarnation in the form of humans and animals. Due to limitations of the English language, I will refer to the Creator in the masculine gender. Sikh philosophy, however, does not attribute gender to the Creator. Sikhs consider the Creator as both Mother and Father. The Creator's attributes are clearly defined in the Mool Mantra. Ik Oankar - There is one Creator Sat Naam - Creator is the Supreme Truth Karta Purkh - Creator of the creation Nir Bhau - Without Fear Nir Vair - Without Hate Akal Moorat - Timeless and Without Form Ajuni Saibhang - Beyond Birth and Death, Self-Existent To describe the Creator, Guru Nanak calls Him, Nirankar -- one without a form. According to Sikh thought, creation came from within the Creator. Before creation the Creator was by Himself. "[from] nothingness the Formless one assumes a form, the Attribute free becomes full of attributes."(SGGS: p.940) Says Guru Nanak: From the state of shunya, the latent form became active. The elements of air and water were evolved out of shunya... within the fire, water and living beings is His Light and the power of creation lies within shunya.. From shunya came out the moon, the sun and the firmament.. The earth and heaven have been evolved out of shunya.(SGGS: 1037-38) And also, From the [formless] External-being the air(gas) evolved, And from gas came the water. From the water were created three worlds and In every heart He infused His Light. (SGGS p.19) The shunya of Guru Nanak is not the same as the Buddhistic shunyata nor the absolute nothingness, the ex-nihilo, of other schools. Guru Nanak's nothingness refers to the absence of creation and not the absence of Creator and His potencies. The universe originated from within the Creator. It is His manifestation. A single source as the origin of Cosmic laws. Countless stars, suns, moons and heavenly bodies are being created. They are destroyed after completing their life-span, and the universe continues to create more. All of creation and destruction happens according to the Divine Will (Hukam). Hukam is the Cosmic Law and it came into existence at the moment of creation. All Laws that are required for the functioning of the universe have been provided for, once and for all, at the time of creation.(SGGS: p.7) Sikhism believes that there was a moment of creation. Time, too, originated then. Creator has created matter(mountains), and time(aeons) (SGGS: p.929) There is no limit to creation. Numberless are the moons the suns, numberless universes and numberless countries.(Japuji:35) Countless are the men of Divine knowledge and countless the servants of God. O' Nanak! there is no limit to His bounds.(Japuji:35) There are universes upon universes and creations over creations.(Japuji:37) There are more worlds beyond this earth, more and more.(Japuji:16) As great is thy creation, so great is Thine celebrity.(Japuji:19) There are nether worlds beyond the nether worlds and countless skies over skies.(Japuji:22) The scriptures say one thing: searching for God's limits and bounds, (without success) people have grown weary.(Japuji:22) If there be any account of His creation, then man would finish[die] while writing.(Japuji:22) The limit of His created creation is not discerned.(Japuji:23) His limits are not found.(Japuji:23) He, who created the creation is and shall also be. He shall not depart when the creation shall depart (disappear).(Japuji:27) What the time, what movement, what lunar day, what week day, and what the season and what month, when the creation came into being? The Pundits[Hindu priests] find not the time, even though it be mentioned in the Puran's[Hindu] texts. Nor do the Qazis, who scribe the writing of Quran, Know the time. Neither the yogi nor any one else knows the lunar day, week day season and the month. The Creator who creates the world, He Himself Knows (the time).(Japuji:21) The most significant weakness of the teleological arguments was the duality between the Creator and the world. Cosmological arguments also suffered from the same. The ontologial argument failed to reconcile the concept of God who orders and acts like humans. Sikh philosophy rejects the duality between the Creator and the creation. Creation is dependant on the Creator since it originated from Him. There is a remarkable unity between the two. On the question of evolution let us take the case of two scientists - a physicist and an evolutionary biologist. The evolutionary biologist believes that life form has evolved from one stage to another with each new stage more complex than the preceding. The biologists call it "ladder of progression." They feel that this upward progression defines the way of Nature. This is how man became a superior being. The physicist, however, believes in the Second Law of Thermodynamics which states that a closed system is always moving towards a state of disorder - the thermodynamic equilibrium. In other words, the universe is in a gradual state of disintegration. The sun and the stars will slowly die when their nuclear fuels burns out as they lose their photons to the cosmos. This law does not support the upward progression of the biologist. So, we have two men of science. Both swear by their theory. Yet, both come to a different conclusion. Now comes a third scientist who tries to integrate (unify) these two theories. To him for evolution to take place certain conditions are necessary. Light and warmth. These conditions would not be possible unless the sun was burning its fuel. In other words, one leads to another. Sikhism also proclaims such a holistic view. As regards the "ladder of progress," Guru Arjan acknowledges man as a superior being. Says he, For several births you were just a worm For several births, an elephant, a fish, a deer For several births, a bird, a serpent For several births served as a bull, horse This is the moment of union with God- Now that you have, after ages, evolved into the human form. Many times destroyed in the womb For countless times subjected to vegetative growth Passing through myriads of species Through communion with the Holy you arose into a man Serve now the Lord, meditating on Guru's[God] word. (SGGS: p.176) Sikh path is not a way to individual salvation. It is a path for the collective good of huamanity. Love for all, social service and other altruistic deeds are essential characteristics of Sikhism. Sikh prayer ends with a supplication: "May Your Grace bless all of mankind." Sikhs lay greater emphasis on human deeds and a desire to create God's Kingdom on Earth. Truth is high; higher still is truthful living.(SGGS: p.64) An individual will experience divinity through actions only. There is no concept of heaven or hell. Neither is there a place for the devil. Sikh Vision Of Life On Earth The City Joyful is the name of that city - Suffering and sorrow abide not there. Neither is there worry of paying taxes, nor does any hold property; Neither fear of punishment for error nor of decline. This fine place of habitation have I found: Brother! there weal perpetual reigns. Eternally fixed in the kingship therein: No second or third are there; all are alike. Ever fully populated, famous is that city. Those abiding therein are prosperous, opulent. There people disport themselves as they please - All are inmates of that mansion; none bars any. Saith Ravi Das, the cobbler, freed from all bonds; Whoever of that city is citizen, is our friend. (SGGS: p.345) Different revelations of the Divine are accepted in the spirit of brotherhood and co-existence. Says Guru Nanak: Numerous are the seasons emanating from the one Sun Numerous are the guises in which the Creator appears And Innumerable are the prayer-chants; Innumerable the forms of devotion. Innumerable are the forms of worship; Innumerable the modes of doing penace. Innumerable are those with vows of silence in unbroken contemplation. How may I give an idea of Divine might? All thou willst is good, thou Formless one ! Immutable, ever perfect art thou.(SGGS: p.3-4) |
