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Summary of Question:	All Paths Leading To God
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Tuesday, 3/02/2004 4:21 AM MST

The thing i love most about sikhi is that we do not discriminate against other religons. When i logged on to y i chose sikhism, i thought it was good as it educated sikh girls about the differences between sikhi and islam's women as conversion is becomming a huge thing amongst sikh girls in the UK.

However i went through each section of the website and responses to muslims page had a section that says


"It is a TOTALLY FALSE argument that Sikhism believes all paths lead to the same goal and thus all religions are equal: From its very inception, Gurmat has been declared a unique and distinct path. Bhai Gurdas writes: "the Guru has created the mighty Gurmukh panth. This panth keeps itself away from the boundaries of the Vedas and the Semitic scriptures..." (Bhai Gurdas, 23.19)
SGGS over and over stresses the importance of "Gurmat Naam". Without Gurmat Naam no one can find Akaal or reach sachkhand. Gurmat naam is only available in the house of Guru Nanak: "Nanak kai ghar keval, naam" . Keval means "only".
Without naam, no one can find God. GurbaaNee is clear about this fact:
Nanak naam binaa ko mukath n hoee
Translation:O Nanak, without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, no one is liberated
So, unless someone receives Gurmat Naam from Guru Nanak, there is no liberation. They will be rewarded for their good karma, but not liberated. They don't want liberation! Christians are content with heaven, and they will receive it. But then they will enter the cycle of births and deaths again, hopefully in a life which will bring them closer to liberation. Gurmat Panth's respect of all religions goes as far as saying that they are not sent to eternal hell, they will get what they work for. Like Harmandir Saahib: God is open and available to all directions and all people of the world, but the path to God is ONE: Gurmat.
In many other places it is made clear that Gurmat, the way of the Giani, who meditates on Gurmat Naam is the only path to Akaal. Others will get their heaven etc. but not find Akaal.
Who else is the true Guru of status of Guru Nanak? Mohammad? Jesus? Krishna? Rama? There is none. These prophets don't come close to even the Sikhs of Guru Nanak, let alone Guru Nanak himself. GurbaaNee leaves no doubt: "Sabh tay Vadaa Satgur Nanak, Jin kal raakhee mayree" meaning Satuguru Nanak is THE GREATEST who has protected my honour in this age of darkness (Kaljug)."

I BELIEVE THAT THIS PUTS SIKHI IN A COMPLTELY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE! I have always believed that sikhi says that all religons are a pathway to god!

I have emailed the web site saying the same thing, am i right?

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reply
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Sat Siri Akaal. Yes, you are right. The Guru of Guru Nanak and all the Gurus is Shabd Guru, the WORD. It is not Guru Nanak. Read Sidh Gosht. Bani Guroo Guroo hai Banee, Banee is Guru and Guru is Banee. Meditation on the Naam is the vehicle for knowing Guru. It is a subtle, internal thing. SGGS says over and over that birth, caste, occupation, and gender do not automatically give or prevent one from knowing God. It does say that meditation on the Naam is the SUREST way to (1) know God and (2) be liberated from the rounds of births and deaths.

Gurmat Naam is not limited to Sikhi. Naam is called something ELSE in other paths. The concept of meditation on the Name is not limited to Sikhi, it is also found in Buddhism, Judaism and Christianity but it might not be emphasized as it is in Sikhi. The Sufis understand Naam deeply. It might manifest through deep prayer (catholic), or meditation on spiritual phrases and concepts (as opposed to study)--Buddhism, Judaism. The END RESULT is the same, though for some it takes longer. Bhai Gurdas undestood that the technology of meditation on the Naam is one that any person, no matter what his or her identified religious affiliation, can do.

It is theo-academic snobbery for a person of any religion to pronounce that all other paths are false or not as good or inferior. There are devotees in all spiritual paths, in all places, and Sikhs are in no position to claim that a Christian or Muslim or anyone else cannot be liberated via their paths. For anyone, a great deal depends on how sincerely (not fanatically) one practices their chosen path and its particular practices. It is also important to keep in mind that not everyone is willing or ready to be liberated from the rounds of births & deaths. This is a subconscious thing, but it is real, nonetheless.
Guru ang sang,
-DKK