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SHAP JOURNAL 2003/2004 WEALTH AND POVERTY
Wealth and Poverty in Sikhism
Sewa Singh Kalsi
Key Words:
Sikhism;
Socio-economic Structure of Society;
Caste; Maya
(wealth); Illusion; Greeb (humility); Social Justice; dharmsal (Place for practising
rightous deeds); Gambling.
The concepts of wealth and poverty are closely linked with the doctrine of social justice
in Sikhism. In order to understand their significance for the development of ethical
behaviour we will attempt to reflect on some of the fundamental beliefs of the Sikhs and
the socio-economic structure of Punjabi society of the 15th century. We will also briefly
examine the impact of the ideology of social justice on contemporary Sikh society both
in India and abroad.
Our quest for gaining insight into this phenomenon must begin with Guru Nanak, the
found of Sikh tradition, as ethical values occupy an important place in his teachings. For
example, reflecting on the role of the king and his administrators, Guru Nanak says
‘Greed and sin have become the king and the minister. Falsehood is the local governor.
Lust is the naih (deputy) with whom consultations are held… The kings are tigers and
their officials are dogs who disturb the people without caring for their convenience…
The kaliyug (present times) is a knife and the kings are butchers – justice has taken wing
(Var Majh, 1).
Socio-economic Structure of Punjabi Society
Sikh tradition emerged and developed in the context of a caste-ridden social structure in
which individual status was ascribed on the basis of one’s birth into a particular caste.
There was no significant social interaction between members of different caste groups.
Moreover, the material capital of the nation was controlled by the high caste groups, eg
Brahmins, Kshatryas and Vaishas. Sikh Gurus strongly condemned the caste system as
they regarded it to be based on caste exclusiveness and institutionalized inequality.
Members of the Shudra caste, popularly known as untouchables, were totally excluded
from social, economic and religious domains of society. The were not only forced to live
in separate colonies but they had no right to worship at the temples. Rejecting the caste
system and the social values promoted by it, Guru Nanak says ‘Nonsense is the caste
system and nonsense is the grandeur of name and fame arising of it. All creatures are
under the protection of the same one God.' (Var Sri Rag, 1).
Oneness of God
The central teaching of Sikhism is the belief in the notion of the oneness of God. It is
explicitly expressed in the Mul-Mantra (Basic Creed) and other compositions of Guru
Nanak. It states that all people, irrespective of caste, creed, colour and sex are the
creation of one God, and everything which is visible and invisible in this universe
personifies the Divine and functions according to the Divine Order (Hukam). Thus, it is
significant to note that all Sikh institutions eg Adi Granth (scripture), gurdwara, sangat
(congregational worship) and langar (communal meal) transmit the core message of the
oneness of God.
Wealth and Poverty in Sikhism
Now, let us look at the notions of wealth and poverty as perceived within the Sikh
tradition. Before we proceed with this inquiry we need to glance at the etymology of
these terms in the Punjabi language. In Punjabi language wealth is called maya.
According to a Punjabi-English Dictionary maya is money; wealth; Lakshmi (goddess of
wealth); illusion; magical power of a deity; or jaal; a bubble; deceit; mere show (p. 505,
1992). Bhai Kahn Singh, in his Mahan Kosh (Encyclopaedia of Punjabi Literature) says:
a mayadhari is one who worships wealth and considers it his own property.
In Sikhism the concept of maya/wealth is understood in two contexts: material wealth
and an illusion which is applied to describe the essence of the world as real but also
impermanent. It is attachment to material wealth, and greed to accumulate more and
more wealth which is strongly condemned by the Sikh Gurus. For example, Guru Amar
Das says: ‘mayadhari ut andha bola’ (the worshipper of maya/wealth is utterly blind and
deaf). Reflecting on the harmful effects of attachment to wealth, Guru Amar Das further
states: ‘Maya/wealth is (a) she-serpent, it clings to the whole world. And so, he who
serves her, him she eats (AG, 510). Guru Nanak also expressed his attitude towards the
accumulation of wealth in a most disparaging tone and said that it is rendered possible
only by acts of injustice and high-handedness. ‘The accumulation of wealth is not
possible without sins; nor does it accompany the accumulator after death.’
The episode of Guru Nanak’s meeting with a wealthy man called Duni Chand is very
popular in Sikh tradition; clearly it demonstrates Guru Nanak’s concern about hoarding
wealth. It is believed that Guru Nanak once met Duni Chand who was very proud of his
wealth and had the desire to become the richest man in Lahore; Guru Nanak gave a
needle to Duni Chand and said, ‘Please keep it with you and give it to me in the next
world’. Duni Chand paused for a while and then said, ‘I cannot carry it to the next world
– we cannot take anything with us to the next world’. Guru Nanak looked at Duni Chand
and remarked, ‘If you cannot take this small thing with you how can you carry your
millions with you.’ Guru Nanak advised him to share his wealth with needy people and
use it for charitable purposes. Does it mean that Sikh teachings are against creating
wealth? We will attempt to unlock this riddle by looking at the notion of poverty.
Literally poverty, greebi, denotes the economic state of a poor person; ie greeb means a
poor person. In Sikh teachings the concept of greebi/poverty has been extensively
applied to denote humility and the term greeb has been used for a humble and meek
person and this word is proudly used by Guru Nanak of himself. He says 'main greeb
main maskeen…tera naam hai adhara' (I am poor and humble, I have only the support
of your Naam). Guru Arjun also applies the term greeb to himself. He writes, ‘For me
the meek one, the only true Support art Thou, O, my true Guru.’ (AG 398).
The Concept of Social Justice in Sikhism
The notion of dharmsal (place for practising righteous deeds) is fundamental for
understanding the doctrine of social justice and responsibility. The term dharmsal is
composed of two words: dharm which denotes religious, ethical and social obligations
while sal means a place of abode. Guru Nanak, in his hymn Japji, describes the earth as a
dharmsal established by God in the universe and human life as the highest form in God’s
kingdom. In Sikh teachings the doctrine of dharmsal sets the agenda for daily conduct. It
means that one must earn his/her living by honest and hard work and be prepared to
share it with others. As Guru Nanak says: ‘He who works hard honestly for what he eats,
and shares it with others has found the true path..' (AG 1245)
Interestingly, the notion of honest and hard work is beautifully depicted in the episode of
Malik Bhago and Lalo. According to the Sikh tradition, Guru Nanak once stayed with
Lalo; he was a carpenter and belonged to the shudra/low caste. The landlord of that
village was Malik Bhago. He objected to Guru Nanak’s choice of residence with the
low-caste Lalo. It is said that once Malik Bhago invited Guru Nanak for a meal which he
refused to accept; Malik Bhago did not approve of the attitude of Guru Nanak and sent
for him again. Now, Guru Nanak went to Malik Bhago’s mansion and explained the
reason why of his refusal, ‘Look Malik Bhago! I am happy to stay at Lalo’s house and
eat his food which is earned with honest and hard work, while your food contains the
blood of your workers who tirelessly work on your fields day and night.’ Moreover,
Guru Nanak expressed his delight and enjoyment of the company of an honest and
hardworking carpenter by declaring that ‘There are the lowest men among the
low-castes, Nanak, I shall go with them. What have I got to do with the great? God’s eye
of mercy falls on those who take care of the lowly.’ (Sri Rag 1)
Guru Nanak, most skilfully applied the doctrine of dharmsal to all domains of life by
selecting terminology for justice from both Hindu and Muslim traditions. He strongly
laid stress on haq halal (Islamic term for righteousness) in earnings and forbade
encroachment on what rightfully belonged to others: ‘Encroachment upon what
rightfully belonged to others is forbidden to both Muslim and Hindu, as pork to the
former and beef to the latter. The guru or pir can help a person only when he is not guilty
of this act which is tantamount to the eating of carrion.’ (Var Majh, 1).
The teachings of the Sikh Gurus are equally valid and instructive for applying the
principles of dharmsal to the Sikhs of the modern period. The Sikhs are known to be a
hardworking community. In India and abroad they have earned the reputation of being
successful industrialists and businessmen. In the Sikh diaspora, they have displayed an
enormous capacity for rapid achievement in the economic sector of the so-called host
societies. How do we explain the emergence of an ambitious class of Sikh millionaires?
The answer lies in their commitment to the ethical principles of kirat kara tey wand
chhako (>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>) and haq halal. The Sikh Gurus encouraged the
creation of wealth by establishing the new townships of Amritsar, Tarantaran and
Kartarpur. They invited traders, artisans, craftsmen and shopkeepers to the new towns.
As a result of this strategy Amritsar and Kartarpur emerged as flourishing trade centres.
As discussed before, in Sikhism the world is perceived as the abode of God and a sacred
place in which to practice dharma; it means that every Sikh ought to engage him/herself
in righteous actions and contribute towards the general welfare of the society. According
to Sikh teachings, a Sikh is not a passive spectator but an active participant in the
struggle for social justice. Sikh Gurus strongly rejected the notion of sannyas
(renunciation of society) and Guru Nanak particularly reprimanded the Yogis who
preached and practised sannyas and sought God in the forests. He praised those who
lived amongst people and contributed towards achieving the ideal of dharmsal. Although
the Sikh Gurus encouraged the creation of wealth, they categorically rejected unethical
means to accumulate wealth. For example, the Rehat Maryada (Sikh code of discipline
approved by the Supreme Management Committee of Gurdwaras in the Punjab) strongly
disapproves of gambling as it contravenes the principle of kirat karna (earning one's
living by working).
It is significant to note the notion of daswandh (literally reserving one tenth of one’s
earnings for charitable purposes) has become an integral part of Sikh tradition. For
example, we can see its impact on the Sikh community in Britain. There are more than
two hundred gurdwaras in this country which have been established through voluntary
contributions. In Southall, a new purpose-built gurdwara was officially opened on the
festival of Baisakhi this year; it is claimed to be the biggest gurdwara outside India. As
centres of religious and cultural activities gurdwaras are actively engaged in nurturing
ethical values among Sikh youngsters and promoting inter-faith dialogue and
understanding. Moreover, a number of educational and health care projects in India are
supported by the diaspora Sikhs. This is how the notions of wealth/maya and
poverty/humility - greeb - are perceived by Sikhs.
Bibliography
McLeod W H, Guru Nanak and the Sikh Religion, Oxford University Press, 1988
Kalsi S S, Simple Guide to Sikhism, Global Books Ltd, 1999
Sri Guru Granth Sahib/Adi Granth (English and Punjabi translation), Amritsar:
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandak Committee, 1992
Punjabi Dictionary Punjabi-Angrezi Kosh, Amritsar: Singh Brothers
Singh Kahan, Mahan Kos’ (Encyclopaedia of Sikh Literature), Pataila: Language
Department, Punjab
Nesbitt E and Kaur Gopinder, Guru Nanak, RMEP, 1999