Sikh Philosophy

Sikhism, one of the major spiritual-philosophical traditions of India, is often missing from discussions of cross-cultural philosophy. In this introduction, Arvind-Pal Singh Mandair, an internationally acknowledged expert in Sikh studies, provides the first rigorous engagement in the West with Sikh philosophy. Sensitive both to the historical formation of Sikh thought, and to the decolonial context in which he writes, Mandair examines some of the key concepts of Sikh philosophy and how they inform its vision of life. He asks what Sikh philosophical concepts tell us about the nature of reality, the relationship between mind/self/ego, and whether it is possible to discern broad contours of a Sikh logic, epistemology and ontology. Additionally, the book looks at how these concepts address broader themes such as the body, health and well-being, creation and cosmology, death and rebirth, the nature of action and intention, bioethics and, a theme that undergirds every chapter, spirituality. Each chapter concludes with a set of bullet points highlighting the key concepts discussed, a set of questions for further discussion and teachings points to aid discussion. Through this much-needed introduction we understand the place of Sikh Philosophy within modern Sikh studies and why the philosophical quest became marginalized in contemporary Sikh studies. Most importantly, we recognize the importance of looking beyond the well-trodden terrain of Hindu and Buddhist thinkers and involving Sikh philosophical thought in the emergent field of world philosophies.

The first to appear in Curzon's well respected 'Popular Dictionary' series.

The Sikhs And Their Polity Have Attracted Good Deal Of Attention As A Result Of Recent Developments In Panjab And Some Of The Basic Formulations Are Being Questioned. In A Period Of Turmoil Both The Rulers And The Ruled Seem To Have Forgotten Their Duties. The Author, Who Has Based His Work On Original Sources Such As The Adi Granth, The Dasam Granth, Varan Bhai Gurdas And Other Contemporary Sources, Has Deve¬Loped Answers To Some Of The Problems Relating To Sikh Polity By Quoting The Authority Of The Sikh Gurus Themselves.The Major Focus Of The Present Work Is On The Political Philosophy Of The Sikh Gurus As Conceived By Guru Nanak And Developed By The Successive Gurus. The Author Asserts That Guru Nanak Clearly Understood The Political Milieu And Reacted To The Politics Of Oppression Whether It Was From The Ruling Elite Or Vested Priestly Interests. The Guru Had Clearly Laid The Foundation Of A Viable Political Alternative By Giving A Distinct Political Ideology And Creating A Model Society, In Which There Were Neither The Suppressors Nor The Suppressed. In The Present Context It Will Be Relevant To Point Out That While The Sikh Gurus Clearly Condemned Political Oppression They Also Emphasised The Use Of Moral Force As A Major Weapon To Fight Politi¬Cal Opponents. Paradoxical As It May Sound, Guru Gobind Singh Suggested A Code Of Ethics Even In The Conduct Of Wars.

Contributed articles.

Containing the 11th Guru Nanak Memorial Lectures to Punjabi University, which were delivered in 1977 and hailed as a turning point in the study of the Sikh Gurus' message, this study relates the ideas of the holy Gurus to the ideas of both Western thinkers and ancient Indian visionaries. This philosophic work expresses with clarity and precision the Sikh Gurus' questions about God, immortality, and love, and the solution of active love that they promoted in response to the extreme bigotry they encountered.