Predestination and Karma in Sikhism:

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Predestination and Karma in Sikhism

• Divine Will or Human Effort?

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Predestination

• Fundamental to Sikh belief is that ultimate
  escape from samsara is responsibility of God
  rather than the individual.
• Nadar is the Grace of God. Sight or vision of
  God.
• The Grace of God is conceived of as the gift of
  God to mankind. Guru Nanak lays great stress on
  his teachings about Grace in his hymns, and as
  Kohli points out
• Jiva takes its birth in the world on account of
  karmas, but the final liberation is attained only
  through the grace of God.
• (Kohli, S. S. (1976) Outlines of Sikh Thought,
  Delhi Munshiram Manoharlal, p. 49)
• Supremacy of God in all respects

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• Since Guru Nanak greatly emphasized bhakti, it
  seems inevitable that the Supremacy of God would
  be shown as being paramount in each individuals
  quest for liberation. Guru Nanak highlighted
  continuously that without Nadar, the individuals
  efforts are to no avail
• Thinking avails not, howso hard one
  thinks
• Nor silence avails, howsoever one shrinks
• Into oneself...
• His Will
• Inborn in us, ingrained,
• Thou follow.
• (Thus is Truth attained). (AG 1)

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• Sikhism teaches that God has power to override
  all systems including the law of karma.
• Human not puppet must work towards salvation,
  otherwise why the golden opportunity?
• Freewill
• Manmukh to Gurmukh is own efforts
• Human birth is a chance
• No guarantee of mukti at end of this life for
  gurmukh, only God knows.
• God is not unjust
• In mul mantar, God is Gurpurshad through Grace
  can God be known

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• Hukam and Nadar are connected.
• Each being, according to Sikhism is predestined
  according to the Will (Hukam) of God. Release
  from samsara ultimately dependent on the Grace
  (Nadar) of God. Individual efforts only so far
• The true gurmukh lives in total submission to the
  Hukam. This is clarified on p636 of the GGS
• In the Lords Will does one come into the world
• in His Will, one passes out of it. In the
  Lords Will is the Egocentric driven along, and
  suffers sorrow (at the Yamas abode). In the
  Lords Will is the word Realised, and one is
  Robed at the Lords Court. (AG 636).
• Some individuals remain manmukh because they
  remain in the ignorant state choose to be
  governed by their haumai rather than love for
  God.
• Nadar (Grace) through the life of the householder
  
• 
  
  

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Karma (karam)

• Law of karma is still very operative. Guru Nanak
  accepted this important concept of his Hindu
  upbringing.
• Not karma ultimately but in accordance with Nadar
  and Hukam Guru Nanak devout bhakta.
• Guru Nanak himself defines the law of karma as
•   As one does, so is one rewarded
• As one sows, so also one reaps. (AG 662)
• Thomas clearly draws out the significance of
  Hukam in Guru Nanaks teachings. He states that
  in asserting Gods Sovereignty, Nanak implies
  that the law of karma is subject to the Hukam
• It is not always clear in other Indian religions
  exactly what Gods role is in relation to karma.
  In Guru Nanak, the combination of the sovereignty
  of God and the personal aspect of God means that
  the bad effects of karma as well as the good are
  as a result of the will of God. (Thomas, T.
  (1988) The Religion of the Sikhs - Units 8-9,
  Open University Press, p.28.)

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• If mukti not obtained, karma will decide
  condition of rebirth. Hukam will decide when the
  birth is human from other species.
• No monism in Sikhism released soul will live in
  bliss alongside the Divine, no absorption into
  the Divine.
• Mukti not dependent on caste Guru Nanak taught
  it was for all. Hence his rejection of ritualism
  and the sacred thread.
• Love of God enables Grace to be obtained, hence
  bhakti is a central feature of Sikhism.

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The five khands Realms of existence

• The paradox over whether it is God or
  freewill/human effort that decides mukti is
  explained through the pac khanda, or 5 realms of
  existence
• These are the transition of the individual from
  manmukh to gurmukh.
• Each stage is evolutionary
• Involve both freewill and the Grace (Nadar) of
  God.
• 1. DHARAM KHAND - initial Nadar (maybe human
  birth if not already), individual given
  opporunity to realize God
• 2. GIAN KHAND next stage of evolution is for
  indivdual to accept the Nadar through overcoming
  the haumai

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• 3. SARAM KHAND realm of effort. Since haumai
  lost in (2), now is the chance to work towards
  salvation through ones own efforts. Live in
  total harmony with Gods Grace.
• 4. KARAM KHAND realm of Grace. Must wait now
  for the Grace of God, not always guaranteed in
  accordance with the Hukam (Will).
• 5. SACH KHAND realm of truth. Ultimate goal for
  a Sikh to reach this realm. This is where the
  liberating grace from samsara is given.
  Therefore, mukti for the soul.
• Realms 1-3 Freewill/human effort
• Realms 4 5 Hukam/Nadar
• Gurus help others achieve mukti, human
  preceptors, cant give mukti.

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activity

• Prepare a summary of why Sikhs view samsara as an
  entrapment for the soul.
• How does Sikh religious philosophy enable the
  individual to seek release through mukti.
• Who is ultimately responsible for mukti God or
  the indivudual? Explain your answer through a
  summary of both Sikh and your own opinions.