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Manohar Singh Grewal reads the Sikh Faith Statement on Nature, which was compiled under the guidance of Sri Singh Sahib Manjit Singh, the Jathedar of Anandapur, one of the five spiritual and temporal heads of The Sikh Religion, and Sri Akhal Takhat Sahib, his deputy.
This is the 12th blogcast in our Faith for Earth blogcast series where we’ll be highlighting the commitments and calls for action faith traditions have made around caring for the Earth.
This recording is originally from the Center for Ecumenical and Interreligious Engagement’s Faith for Earth Canvas Guide to the Faith for Earth: A Call for Action resource, a document created by the Parliament of the World’s Religions and the United Nations Environment Programme Faith for Earth Initiative. You can access the full Guide here.
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The Sikh religion was founded in the late 15th century in the Punjab by Guru Nanak (1469-1539) and takes its name from the word “sikh” meaning “disciple.” It is founded on faith in one Supreme Being and meditation on the divine Name with devotion, while living a householder life of virtue, honest work, and selfless service while seeking to establish justice in the world. Sikhism, as it is also called, affirms the unity of humanity and the equality of all people. The line of the Sikh Gurus was ended by the tenth and last Guru, Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708), after whom Sikhs take as the Guru their holy scripture, the Sri Guru Granth Sahib
The Sikh Faith Statement on Nature
We are called to the vision of Guru Nanak, which is a World Society comprising God-conscious human beings who have realized God. To these spiritual beings the earth and the universe are sacred; all life is unity, and their mission is the spiritualization of all.
Guru Nanak in his philosophy states that the reality that humans create around themselves is a reflection of their inner state. The current instability of the natural system of the earth—the external environment of human beings—is only a reflection of the instability and pain within humans. The increasing barrenness of the earth’s terrain is a reflection of the emptiness within humans.
This environmental crisis cries out for an immediate and urgent solution. It requires going back to the basic question of the purpose of human beings in this universe and an understanding of ourselves and God’s creation.
The solution to problems manifest in our world lies in prayer and in accepting God’s hukam. It is difficult to translate certain Sikh concepts accurately. Hukam is one such concept— it may be best described as a combination of God’s will, order, and system. With an attitude of humility, and surrender to the Divine Spirit, conscientious human beings can seek to redress the current crises of the environment and of social justice. In the Sikh Way this is done through the guidance of the Guru, who is the Divine Master and messenger of God.
This text was compiled under the guidance of Sri Singh Sahib Manjit Singh, the Jathedar of Anandapur, one of the five spiritual and temporal heads of The Sikh Religion, and Sri Akhal Takhat Sahib, his deputy.
This recording is originally from the Center for Ecumenical and Interreligious Engagement’s Faith for Earth Canvas Guide to the Faith for Earth: A Call for Action resource, a document created by the Parliament of the World’s Religions and the United Nations Environment Programme Faith for Earth Initiative. You can access the full Guide here.
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