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Summary of Question:	Names Of God
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Tuesday, 11/11/2003 5:46 AM MST

hello sikhnet, first i would like to commend on the excellent job you people are doing for the sake of sikhi, may dhan dhan guru ram das ji bless you all for doing this meritious job. Now, i would like to come to my question, i am a sikh, i do my nitnem daily and in the same time, i do believe in buddhism, i also recite buddhist mantras and buddhist prayers especially the great compassionate mantra and in the same time, i do believe in hindu gods and goddess. I know this phenomena could be strange because i will wake up early in the morning to meditate on waheguru and do my nitnem and then i will recite the buddhist mantras and then i will go to my prayer room to pray to lord narayan and goddess laxmi mata. Now, i want to know, is there anything wrong with me? is it ok for me to believe in buddhism and hindu gods and also in the same time in Sikhism? you see, one day i was in the gurdwara and the granthi was giving a lecture and he said that anyone believes in other religions than sikhism which is Waheguru will be sent to hell with no questions asked. I got shocked to hear this. Eventough this happen 6 months ago, i still pray to waheguru and then lord buddha and the hindu gods and goddess. Please enlighten me on this subject. Another thing is, can sikhs recite the mantra "ALLAH"?

thank you!

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REPLY
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Sat Siri Akaal. The granthi is wrong. No matter what Name of God you use for chanting, it is still sacred, still a name of God. You certainly will not 'go to hell." (Goodness, what a Christian and non-Sikh concept!) While there are those who would say that you are not a true Sikh because of your method of practice, Guru Nanak was clear that the practice of spirituality is NOT limited to Sikhs or to Brahmins or anyone else by virtue of birth or what they call themselves! Spirituality is best understood and attained through practice of Naam Simran. As you describe it above, these practices are a form of Naam Simran. If this works for you, then by all means do not stop. You are doing more than a lot of folks who call themselves Sikh but never chant the Naam.

Do not forget this: There is ONE creator of the creation, and only One. Known as Sat Nam, EkOngKaar, Allah, Raam, OM MANI PADME HUUM, it is still the same God. Be clear about this in your practice(s). As you grow and develop, you might consider taking ONE of the practices you do, and do it longer, consistently, the same time every day, for 40 days. Experiment and see what practice works best for you, and notice the effects of a single practice.

I also would be remiss if I didn't say that should you decide to become Amritdhari, it would be considered non-Sikh and inappropriate to pray and bow to ANYONE but Siri Guru Granth Sahib and Gurbani/Gurbani mantras. The GUru of the Sikhs is Shabd Guru.

Guru ang sang,
-DKK