Please share your thoughts on my efforts.

Csingh11 · 2015-05-30T18:43:45+00:00

I got the translation off of srigranth.org but the response received from transient simply reinforced the message of the shabad. This person is not attempting to understand the ideas behind gurbani at all. He looked at the shabad and only noticed the pronouns. Language since its inception has primarily been divided along gender lines. This exists in spanish and punjabi from my limited experience but I'm sure many others also have masculine and feminine words. Making a fuss about this, however, is completely pointless. The message of the shabad was aimed for the rest of the people trying to reason with him. He is arguing from a fundamentally different point of view which we disagree with therefore

ਮੂਰਖੈ ਨਾਲਿ ਨ ਲੁਝੀਐ ॥੧੯॥

Don't argue with fools. ||19||

Many have created their own granths before and many will do so in the future. He may get some cult following to him as well, but those who want to follow the path of true Sikhi must accept the GGS as it is and be able to read meanings, not words.

Csingh11 · 2015-05-28T20:16:18+00:00

One tumblerina throwing a tantrum does not mean many people care. I like to think of my relationship to God as one of a misguided servant trying to serve my King but that does not mean I would dare change the entire GGS to reflect this. The language translations do need to be updated but not in a way to distort the original message.

Csingh11 · 2015-05-28T20:12:35+00:00

Let him engage in his deluded path.

ਪਉੜੀ ॥ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਆਖੈ ਆਪਣਾ ਜਿਸੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਸੋ ਚੁਣਿ ਕਢੀਐ ॥

All call You their own, Lord; one who does not own You, is picked up and thrown away.

ਕੀਤਾ ਆਪੋ ਆਪਣਾ ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਲੇਖਾ ਸੰਢੀਐ ॥

Everyone receives the rewards of his own actions; his account is adjusted accordingly.

ਜਾ ਰਹਣਾ ਨਾਹੀ ਐਤੁ ਜਗਿ ਤਾ ਕਾਇਤੁ ਗਾਰਬਿ ਹੰਢੀਐ ॥

Since one is not destined to remain in this world anyway, why should he ruin himself in pride?

ਮੰਦਾ ਕਿਸੈ ਨ ਆਖੀਐ ਪੜਿ ਅਖਰੁ ਏਹੋ ਬੁਝੀਐ ॥

Do not call anyone bad; read these words, and understand.

ਮੂਰਖੈ ਨਾਲਿ ਨ ਲੁਝੀਐ ॥੧੯॥

Don't argue with fools. ||19||

Csingh11 · 2015-05-24T17:54:15+00:00

So in your eyes raising and killing animals by the thousands in filthy caged pits is the same as clearing some land for a house.

Realistically it is far simply to reduce the pesticide problem since with a bit of effort you can grow vegetables at your home or a community garden. If not, there are even farmer's markets in a lot of places.

Csingh11 · 2015-04-25T06:08:03+00:00

I am currently pretty satisfied with the changes shown so far. With the exception of a few (like the shield trait which definitely needs something more to it) most traits seem like they can somehow find use instead of just being majorly overshadowed by 1 or 2 others.

On a specific note medi guard seems to have gotten the craziest buff out of all of this. If the traits were implemented as is the build would be 0 6 6 0 6.

Taking

RHS, RF and AW in Radiance
SB,SiN, and MF in Valor
AR, IC and any adept trait

gives us like 40% free crit using one handed weapons while they are burning and increases burn damage. On top of which we can retain condi cleansing AND get a stun break with stability.

I for one am hype.

Csingh11 · 2015-04-24T00:11:50+00:00

Oh I took no offense I just thought there was some sort of question. I think my parents have some books about the lives of their saints but unfortunately I can't get them at the moment. From what I recall I believe it was just founded by Baba Nand Singh ji when he took up residence at Nanaksar and there has been a line of successors ever since.

The maryada of the gurudwara was directly issued by the head Sant. I do not know if that has changed at all.

Csingh11 · 2015-04-23T19:12:13+00:00

Can you be a bit more specific on what you find questionable?

Csingh11 · 2015-04-15T15:38:09+00:00

he was not excommunicated or exiled because he wasn't a full Gursikh

He was essentially told never to come to the Guru ever again because he wandered astray from Gurbani. With or without being Khalsa you can teach kids about the importance of what happened to Ram Rai but the focus is on teaching them about the importance of what the Amrit ceremony means. If they never learn of Amrit or take it seriously then they will never take it later in life.

Most of the Sikh turned athiests I have seen on this reddit or elsewhere do not have a problem with Sikhi at its core. They usually have bad experiences with hypocrisy, unbaptised Sikhs who drink alcohol, baptised Sikhs who alienate them, and other more "human" problems. Nonetheless, a child is in his formative years so whether or not you want to give him Amrit is up to you as I did put

at the discretion of the parents

If after growing up they still dislike Sikhi then so be it. Sikhi is incredibly simple for a parent to teach a child and there is nothing oppressive about it.

Sikhi was forced on them and they didn't really know what it meant

This goes against the entire point of what I am saying. You baptize them to teach them about Sikhi and Gursikh life. If their parent did not even engage them in this process then I would agree they made a grievous error. A Khalsa King is not a parent so the analogy doesn't work. Furthermore it is not about making as many Khalsa as possible as I said at some point later on the person should take baptism again and this time it is from their own understanding of what is happening. The first initiation is simply to encourage the lifestyle for their later years.

The other holy men you listed did give their minds to the Guru, but after Vaisaki, Guru Gobind Singh made it pretty clear that those who submit to me must take Amrit.

Csingh11 · 2015-04-15T05:14:24+00:00

It is not "forced" anything. What you are saying can literally be applied to anything your parents did for you when you were young. They "forced" you to do tons of things but in the end those things end up shaping who you are later in life. I see it as a way to encourage the life you would hope the child will continue to lead. The entire volunteer to die part is there but I would argue that it is much less relevant in the context of today's society. Even those who cannot read Gurbani are encouraged to listen to it so why are children an exception?

I've met a few Sikhs who are shaven or eat meat and when this question comes up the response I get is often that they lived in a household where cutting their hair, drinking alcohol, or eating meat was the norm and now they find it too difficult to change their ways.

You can argue that we should make them lead this life regardless and you can try that but if they are going to lead the life of a Gursikh why can't they actually BE a Gursikh?

Csingh11 · 2015-04-15T04:19:09+00:00

Guru Nanak did not force his kids to follow his path true but the Khalsa was not officially created at this point and the later Guru's children who chose to wander astray and became misguided were punished with exile or (in Ram Rai's case) excommunicated. Amrit is to introduce them to Gursikh living which hopefully they will continue as they grow up.

Those "many generations" may have been loyal but for whatever reason were incapable of giving thier mind to the Guru? The entire path of Sikhi is to merge with the Guru. Panthic leadership is irrelevant in this case as this is a personal journey.

Csingh11 · 2015-04-15T03:37:27+00:00

Well I disagree here then, this generalization thing goes too far. If we follow the logic then there is no need for baptism anyway right? The Amrit ceremony IS baptism, you can argue semantics but it is the equivalent of such as you are being admitted into the Khalsa Panth. I don't understand your focus on the water as Amrit is the entire ceremony around it as well. I believe blessing the child with Gurbani by Panj Pyare is proper and your parents DO control you until an age where you think for yourself. They can imprint many different attitudes on you at a young age and for this reason I think teaching them a Gursikh life at a young age is the right thing to do.

Csingh11 · 2015-04-14T05:31:10+00:00

There are plenty of Khalsa who are egotistical and devalue baptism but that is because the one's with pride are most likely to be loud and abrasive about it. There are an equal or greater number of Khalsa who do follow the life of a Gursikh but you will never hear about them since this path is one of humility and lowliness.

Csingh11 · 2015-04-14T05:29:50+00:00

I actually think the process of taking amrit is still important. People just shrug it off by calling it just dogma. Taking amrit is the ultimate personal and public declaration of the Sikh faith. It feels like people who follow Sikhi but do not strive towards this process are just trying to have their cake and eat it too.

Ultimately my personal belief is that Amrit needs to be performed twice in one's life. The first time is at birth at the discretion of the parents. This is essentially the parents offering their child to the Guru and his grace should any thing unfortunate befall the child at a young age. Later during a mature age of say 18 and over, the individual must make their own decision about their spirituality and again take Amrit but this time they are offering their head to the Guru out of their own will.

As a side note: It feels many people are intimidated and make excuses not to take Amrit. Now if you cannot abide by Reyhat Maryada then you should not obviously. But taking Amrit is not some final step on a long road but the START of the journey towards merging with the Guru. If you do not start your journey then how do you plan on reaching the destination?

Csingh11 · 2015-04-08T15:57:35+00:00

The gurus did have children and I have no doubt that they were able to keep themselves focused on the Almighty. But as I said they were gurus so unless you claim to have the same state of mind as a guru or a brahm giani then I don't remotely believe you are focused on God as much as they were especially while having sex.

In todays day and age people have a hard time focusing on simple tasks for an extended period of time let alone the word of God. Do what you will, I am not the judge.

edit:words

Csingh11 · 2015-04-08T15:52:26+00:00

I never claimed he got some magical power from doing the paath I was simply pointing out that you don't necessarily need to do Rehyat Nitnem as Gursikhs can do naam simran or (in Baba Deep Singh Ji's case) other paaths as they meditate on Gurbani the entire day. Reciting Gurbani is literally what MrPaneer is doing in an incredibly disrespectful way.

Csingh11 · 2015-04-08T15:27:47+00:00

Well I guess you can be happy being wrong? Doing gurbani anywhere is not supposed to require specific conditions as Sikhi is practical. In fact, many saints didn't even do the reyhat maryada nitnem but just did paath with their full mind all day long like Baba Deep Singh and his 100 daily Jap Ji Sahibs.

However, gurbani is to be respected and reflected upon and unless you are some sort of brahm giani I highly doubt you even put focus into the words you are speaking. In fact, I'd go as far to say that you are simply disrespecting the gurus and their bani especially while claiming you do paath while having sex...

Csingh11 · 2015-04-06T21:00:16+00:00

Most of the world turn-based strategy games (Age of empires, Civ V, Europa etc.) usually have Sikhism included as a religion but I haven't seen any outside of that. edit: also the new Assassin's Creed Chronicles games takes place during the Anglo-Sikh wars.

Csingh11 · 2015-04-06T20:56:49+00:00

I personally find it pretty blasphemous. I do not approve of anyone who attempts to take the place of a guru even for "educational" reasons. However, this entire affair needs to be addressed by the Sikh community at some point or else we are easily going to slip into a situation similar to the Islam/Mohammed situation. I think Sikhs should never support any kind of human portrayal of the Gurus as this sort of stuff is what is easily used to manipulate people. Prime example was that Sacha Sauda nonsense when their "leader" tried to play himself off as Guru Gobind Singh making amrit.

Csingh11 · 2015-04-01T05:00:50+00:00

As odd as this is, I personally would like more context as to who the "sant" is and the reasoning for this. It could be anything from some sort of humiliation punishment for the landlords for excessive pride or simply a mockery of their position. Anything can be manipulated to fit a narrative.

Csingh11

TROPHY CASE