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From Mystical Movement to Established Religion

From Mystical Movement to Established Religion. Lesson 2: Gurus, Diversity, and the birth of the Khalsa. Nanak’s Legacy: Core Ideas. (1) Nam (Name) The True name= no specific description or designation. Just that God is One .(Akal Purakh ) More so than One God Akal= Eternal

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From Mystical Movement to Established Religion

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  1. From Mystical Movement to Established Religion Lesson 2: Gurus, Diversity, and the birth of the Khalsa

  2. Nanak’s Legacy: Core Ideas • (1) Nam (Name) • The True name= no specific description or designation. Just that God is One.(Akal Purakh) • More so than One God • Akal= Eternal • Purakh= Entity (that is the essence of all creation) • Worship in other forms was not disallowed by Nanak; just reminded people what it is they were worshipping • Meditation and chanting of the Satnam (Naam Jap) key element of Sikh worship • (2) Dan (Charity) • Live with restraint, help the poor and the weak • Treat all like your own brother and sister • Seen in Sikh practice of Langar (free communal meal at any Gurudwara) • Seek liberation for yourself, but help others too. If the latter ignored, your own liberation is meaningless. • Also referred to as VaņdChakkō(help the needy) • (3) Ishaan (Purity) • Live truthful, restrained, ethical lives without being an ascetic • Be clean in thought, action, and habit while in the world. • KiratKarō: honest living • Laughing at Imam story: example • Other key ideas: • Soul is reincarnated; goal is Mukti to get off cycle of rebirth and enter union with EkalPurukh • Rejected elaborate ritual of Hinduism and Islam • All of humanity is one; so rejected caste, or idea that brahmins or imams deserved privileges or power

  3. Nanak’s Legacy Nanak travelled Punjab, through 2 Muslim Empires (In Iran and Saudi), North and South India over the course of 3 decades. Accompanied by Mardana (a Muslim bard) and a Hindu named BhaiBala Everywhere he went, he was understood as a Mystic, not the founder of a new religion Back in India, he was understood in the framework of popular religion: as a Santadvocating NirgunicBhaktiwith a social justice focus. This was the legacy that was passed on to the succeeding Gurus upon his death….

  4. Life after Nanak • Like Buddha, he didn’t leave an institution or political body • Just his teachings, his hymns, and a following that believed in the continuation of this Guru Panth (tradition) • But, just as Darwin has taught us—religions change over time. This is true, too, for Sikh history. • Refer to your HW and handout on the contributions of succeeding Gurus. What pattern do you notice? • Nanak to Ram Das, pacifist and mystical emphasis • Arjan introduced military ethic, expanded by Hargobind, TeghBahadur and especially Gobind Singh.

  5. Sikh Diversity • If I were to ask you, what makes a Sikh a Sikh, what would you say? • Long hair in turban (Kesh),, uncut beards • Ceremonial dagger (Kirpan) • Steel bracelet (Kara) • Comb (Kangha) • Ceremonial shorts (Kachk) • This describes only one group of initiates, within one Sikh sub-tradition • Khalsa, as ‘special tactical unit’ of the Keshdari • Other sub-traditions: • Udaisi • Sahajdhari • Other Keshdaris • So, how did it come to pass that Khalsa, eventually became equated with the only way to be Sikh

  6. Encounter and Identity • What do you see when you look in the mirror • How do you choose to identify, physically • What do you choose to reveal to others about who you are, what you believe • Choose 10 words to describe what is means to be: attractive, successful, intelligent, believable • How are these attributes shaped by individuals, institutions, ideas that have power in your own environment • If you want to be 'taken seriously' in this environment, how does this affect they way you choose to look, act, present yourself

  7. Encounter and Identity • Context: foreign rule • (2) 19th C Indians up-happy with British Rule • Religious reform started, in effort to develop clear response and alternative to British rule • Indians felt the need to prove to British their religions were as rational, strong, and developed as the culture and religion of the west. • Hindu response: AryaSamaj • Real Hinduism=Vedic and Upanisads. No murtis, no mythology, no customs that are not derived from text • Only meditation on formless Brahman in front of Fire. Everything else= false Hinduism • Muslim Response: Jamat-I-Islam • Only one real Islam: Sufism, Shi'a, different schools of Shari'a (Islamic law) weaken Islam. • Sikh response? • Singh Sabha • Only one true, pure Sikhism: the Khalsa ideal of Guru Gobind Singh Ji

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