DailySikhUpdates: "Generally, people do not grasp the true meaning of the terms Amritdhari and non-Amritdhari Sikhs. The phrase non-Amritdhari Sikhs is meaningless. One cannot make a comparison between them.There is only one class of Sikhs and that class is the SIKH (Khalsa). Thus, one is either a Sikh or not a Sikh." The daily mail of the Sikhs is at it again. The level of intellect is astounding. Sorry to all those Sikhs who haven't taken amrit, you're not a Sikh. Perhaps a reinterpretation of such a strict hierarchy is that the Khalsa is a particular pinnacle for a Sikh in becoming a Khalsa. However, there are numerous Sikhs (Udhasis, Nirmalas, Sewapanthies, etc) who have made a huge contribution to 'Sikhi' and were not amritdhari. Within hermeneutics the literal approach is consider the basic step towards a moral, allegorical or anagogical interpretation. The practical and literal interpretation of the author of the DailySikhUpdates ensures that any of the Sikhs prior to Guru Gobind Singh Ji weren't Sikhs. Surely such a hard and fast rule has it's caveats? --->>>Read the quotes below and the interpretation at the bottom<<<--- Ang 305, Line 16, Gur Sathigur Kaa Jo sikh Akhaaeae S Bhalakae Outh Har Naam Dhhiaavai || One who calls himself a sikh of the Guru the True Guru shall rise in the early morning hours and meditate on the Lord's Name. ਜੋ ਸਾਸਿ ਗਿਰਾਸਿ ਧਿਆਏ ਮੇਰਾ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਸੋ ਗੁਰਸਿਖੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਮਨਿ ਭਾਵੈ ॥ Jo Saas Giraas Dhhiaaeae Maeraa Har Har So Gurasikh Guroo Man Bhaavai || जो सासि गिरासि धिआए मेरा हरि हरि सो गुरसिखु गुरू मनि भावै ॥ One who meditates on my Lord, Har, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food - that Gursikh becomes pleasing to the Guru's Mind. Bhai Gurdas Ji Vaaran, Vaar 1 Pauri 25 ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਵਰਨੁ ਅਵਰਨ ਹੋਇ ਨਿਵ ਚਲਣਾ ਗੁਰ ਸਿਖਿ ਵਿਸੇਖੈ। Guramoukhi Varanu Avaranu Hoi Nivi Chalanaa Gurasikhi Visaykhai. गुरमुखि वरनु अवरनु होइ निवि चलणा गुरसिखि विसेखै । The special feature of the sikh of the Guru is that he goes beyond the framework of caste-classification and moves in humility. Bhai Gurdas Ji Vaaran, Vaar 6 Pauri 1 ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਸਚੁ ਨਾਉ ਗੁਰ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਧਿਆਨੁ ਸਿਖਾ ਸਮਝਾਇਆ। Sachu Roopu Sachu Naau Gur Giaanu Dhiaanu sikhaa Samajhaaiaa. सचु रूपु सचु नाउ गुर गिआनु धिआनु सिखा समझाइआ । The Guru, out of his sheer love for the sikhs, has made them understand the true nature of the Lord, the true name and the knowledge-producing meditation. Bhai Gurdas Ji Vaaran, Vaar 7 Pauri 1 ਗੁਰਸਿਖ ਲੈ ਗੁਰਸਿਖ ਹੋਇ ਆਪੁ ਗਵਾਇ ਨ ਆਪੁ ਗਣਾਇਆ। Gur sikh Lai Gurasikh Hoi Aapu Gavaai N Aapu Ganaaiaa. गुर सिख लै गुरसिख होइ आपु गवाइ न आपु गणाइआ । The sikhs living there being taught by the Guru, lose their ego and never make themselves noticed. Bhai Gurdas Ji Vaaran, Vaar 9, Pauri 2 ਦੁਤੀਆ ਨਾਸਤਿ ਏਤੁ ਘਰਿ ਹੋਇ ਇਕਾ ਇਕੀ। Douteeaa Naasati Aytu Ghari Hoi Ikaa Ikee. दुतीआ नासति एतु घरि होइ इका इकी । In the house of Sikhi, the duality gets erased and one becomes one with that One.
----> The above quotation's indicate that a Sikh is one who is orthopraxic (continues a practice) rather than orthodoxic (one who believes). This is a practice to lose ones ego, to see beyond the illusion of duality aka maya. This is not to say this is not achieved via taking amrit for the very process of taking amrit ensures your head now belongs to the Guru. However, surely the boundaries of a Sikh are not as nationalistic as only those who are part of the brotherhood. If the Khalsa tradition of today is derived from the Nihangs of old, well they also lived alongside those would not be deemed Sikhs within a modern definition. The following Vaar (ਗੁਰ ਅੰਗਦੁ ਗੁਰਸਿਖੁ ਬਬਾਣੇ ਆਇਆ। Gur Angadu Gurasikhu Babaanay Aaiaa. Becoming sikh of the Guru, Guru Angad joined this family) illustrates that Guru Angad Dev Ji became a Sikh when he met the Guru. Therefore, could a Sikh simply be a disciple of their Guru, wherever on the journey they are? <---
Only an opinion and I'm probably completely wrong so BCMKF but in support of dialogue and vichaar, please read the above.
#ramblingsofasikh #dailysikhupdates #unity