Sikhism

This familiar prayer from Hindu Scripture expresses the spiritual need of every human being. Every person who is honestly searching for peace with God will admit that there is within him an irresistible compulsion to do the things he knows he should not do, and that there is a lack of inner strength to do the good that he should do. The resulting undesirable acts are collectively called sin, which has broken off our close communion with God, thereby stripping away the immortality He had entrusted to the first human beings He had created. When they sinned, their bodies became spiritually contaminated and subject to death, while their poisoned souls became condemned to an eternity of misery away from the Holy Creator. This eternal separation of man’s soul from God’s glorious presence is described in the Bible, the Qur’an, and the Rig Ved (4.5.5 & 7.104.3); the Bible calls it hell. These two physical and spiritual death sentences have been inherited by us all, leaving in us a spiritual emptiness which is hopeless and oppressive. We yearn with an uneasy spiritual hunger for a way to achieve immortality because finding that way will bring us hope and lasting inner peace. This hunger for assurance is familiar to every true spiritual seeker. Kathopanishad 1:12-26 states it this way: “no gift is equal to that of knowing about eternal life which follows our physical death.”

In a mental flash, the true seeker faces many conflicting theories about life after death. Reasonably, only one can be true, and the devoted seeker will be given the inner strength by God Almighty to reject all else. The Founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, said to Sheikh Ibrahim (a renowned Sufi Muslim): “If there is one God, then there is only His way to attain Him, not another. One must follow that way and reject the others”. About two thousand years earlier, David (King of the Israelites) had declared in Psalms 18:30: “As for God, His way is perfect”. In Psalms 119:89, David declared that God does not change His counsel: “Forever, O Lord, your Word is established firmly in Heaven”. Two thousand years ago, this way to immortality was presented to mankind in the person of Jesus Christ who declared: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life (eternal); no man can come to the Father except through me”. The validity of this claim comes from the absolute superhuman authority he demonstrated over the wind, the sea, the demons, illnesses, blindness, and death — true miracles.

Many other religious teachers (rabbis, pundits, maulanas, prophets, etc) through the ages have claimed to be or to know other ways of escape from this eternity of horror. Each of them is revered as a guru (a Sanskrit word loosely translated as “teacher”) on the basis of their seemingly supernatural experiences or profound philosophy. But these experiences or philosophies could hardly satisfy even physical hunger: how could they soothe our spiritual hunger? In spite of many ever-increasing and captivating stories and teachings about him, Guru Nanak himself lamented: “I have spent days and nights in vanity, contemplating evil. Never have I thought of good; this is what I am” (Tilang).

Therefore, our destiny hangs precariously on the question: “Is there a Supreme Guru who can liberate us mortals from spiritual illusion, darkness, and eternal suffering?” Graciously, the answer is a resounding “Yes”!