If ever there was a faith born a moral reassurance and spiritual vitality it is Sikhism. We are living through tumultuous times: times of political conflict and social unrest, times of economic advance and moral retreat, times of instantaneous communications and loss of credibility, times of alternating hope and despair. At the threshold of the new millennium, humanity seems to be moving from the brink of one disaster to another.

In order to emerge from this gloom it is imperative that we make a conscious and determined effort to tear asunder the veils of myths that obscure the reality concerning our life on this planet as well as the moral and spiritual imperatives that the Sikh religion had perfected through long years of suffering. Contemporary Sikhism's challenges consist of not only the ability to comprehend our true destiny but to shape it for the future.

In common parlance, religion is understood to be simply a set of beliefs and a mode of worship. In Sikhism, however, spirituality permeates all life, and moral values encompass its every aspect, for we are confronted with the moral choice all the time. For instance, the moral dispensation laid down by Guru Nanak in Naam japna, Kirat karni, Wand-chhakna transcends the time dimension of Sikh history, and is at the root of Sikh spirituality. Living by these precepts has created the historical forces that shaped the destiny and fortunes of much of the subcontinent in South Asia. Guru Granth uses epics, history and folklore to underscore the basic truths and to caution the erring humanity.

In this address, a comprehensive treatment of all the issues is neither possible nor intended. Rather, what is being attempted qualifies, at best, as an overview, to arrange the trends into a coherent whole, to analyse and interpret tenets and trends for the future. In so far as the world's great religions, together, constitute a glorious heritage of all humanity, one would like to assess the situation with goodwill towards all and malice towards none, in the true spirit of Gurubani:

"Na koi beri nahin begana
Sagal sang ham ko ban aayi".

Need for better understanding: There is a rather distressing ignorance about the moral basis for social cooperation as well as the deeper instincts that guide all human endeavour and aspirations. The Sikh way of life primarily aims at inner peace and harmony - as a necessary prelude to collective social good. The trouble starts when the moral dispensation and social cooperation become tools in the hands of the self-serving politicians or priests. Guru Nanak considered the temporal duties in this world as the essential counterpart of man's spiritual goal - a coalition that was formalized as the Miri-Piri doctrine by the Sixth Nanak. As the mind's power must be trained and reined-in by Naam Simran, or Bhakti, so also the state power - Raj-Shakti - must be harnessed for the common good to promote a just and humane society.

The Vision: Sikhism quintessentially is a viable, practical, moral discipline, requiring its adherents to adore and remember God, treat life on earth as a Divine gift, earn an honest living and share it with those in need. The miracle wrought by the Ten Gurus consists in how they achieved celestial heights of spiritual purity in a strife-torn world, while inspiring their followers to make every kind of sacrifice for a life of liberty and righteousness - to benefit humanity in many cultures and countries.

The Khalsa moral code marks the climax of Guru Nanak's social revolution. Early historians sought to explain the emergence of Sikhism in terms of (a) Bhakti movement, and (b) a moral protest against entrenched Brahminism. But it would be a grave mistake to situate the Ten Gurus only in the historical context of the tyrannical rule of the Mughal. Fortunately, the focus has recently shifted to the exploration - among Sikhs themselves - of the deeper moral and sociological consciousness derived from the spiritual text of Guru Granth Sahib and the Gurmat philosophy that posited a radical departure from the Vedic ideology that stood for a strictly stratified society structured on Manu Smriti.

In any discussion of the questions of morality and ethics, different perspectives have been developed about how a person may live a good life. One response is karam-kand, that is, living the moral life by being obedient to a set of rules or laws of ethics. One could superficially term it "legalism" in religion, which can degenerate into fundamentalism and often become sterile as a spiritual exercise. Such shibboleths have been roundly and repeatedly condemned by Guru Nanak in Asa-di-var. In the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib, the key to a moral and spiritual life consists in the ethical principle that emphasizes the holiness of all life. In metaphors of great lyrical beauty, Gurubani gives every human being the right to strive for self-realization. It is towards achieving this all-important goal that the Gurus prescribe a specified code of conduct - a code that demands protection, not penance, of the body, including its integral part, the Kesh, abstinence from tobacco, deleterious drugs and intoxicants. Khande di Pahul, or Amrit, constitutes the essential benediction to the observance of the codified ethics. It is the spur to the life of loyalty to the basic principle, a bond of love with fellow Sikhs as well as with the humanity at large. In this relationship all divisions and distinctions of caste, colour, or station dissolve.

In modern age, while the educated people tend to seek answers to their innermost questions through science and technology, the unlettered masses cling to superstition, and look for supernatural intervention for all their woes. Traditional ways of thinking and speaking about God invite cynicism if not derision. Most people live their lives in untrammeled satisfaction of animal instincts. We think of God only when we are in distress, or when there are questions we cannot answer.

But the teachings of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh ignite the Divine spirit in every disciple: "Jaagat Jyot Jaape nis-basur....". The Gurus affirmed that we are capable of realising and experiencing God, howsoever subtle and beyond comprehension He may be. The imperatives of a truthful and virtuous life are inseparable from the Divine power. For devotees He is not impersonal nor an abstraction:

Adrishtu agochar aparanpar swami
Gur poorai pragat kar(i) deenai. [668]

Then as now: A time continuum -

But in colossal ignorance of Reality, the masses of people suffer and languish in pain and misery. So the Guru's all-encompassing compassion calls to the high heaven for peace :

Jagat jalanda rakh lai
apni kirpa dhar

That is, the world is aflame in sin, unable to accomplish its own salvation; only Divine Grace can grant salvation. Indeed, in this age, Guru's intervention is the last desperate instrumentality for showing the way. Gurubani demands reflection. It is not in conflict with scientific thought. Simple logic, in allegorical language and scientific temper, are amply reflected in the holy Scriptures, be it with reference to the cosmic phenomena, the material world, the origin of species, biology, physics or psychology. The ever-present love and logic are indeed Gurubani's chief characteristic. Sikhism indeed does not have to defend itself against the expanding realm of science. On the other hand, Gurubani says there are vast and immense spaces of the mind and spirit which remain a mystery, and it will be many millennia before science can explore the remotest recesses of the human spirit.

The argument is not so much between science and "secularism" as in the religious practices that divide and breed antagonism. The entire Guru Granth Sahib is a repudiation of this false ritualism:

Jakai karam nahi dharam nahi,

nahi suchi mala (1328)

Fanaticism in religion is merely another face of this falsity. It is contagious. It tends to evoke similar response from the adversary, whether Christian, Muslim, or Hindu. Our experience in India, both pre-partition and post-partition, brings home to us the fact that nothing is more deadly than the frictions generated by religious passion. Pascal said it more than three centuries ago : "Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction". Sikhism has been singularly free from this brand of religious fanaticism. Before India's partition, the Great Calcutta Killing of August 1946 witnessed the miracle of the Sikhs rescuing both Hindus and Muslims from frenzied mobs. Even the savage massacre of innocent Sikhs in the Indian capital in 1984 did not provoke any reprisals against Hindus in Punjab where Sikhs are in a majority.

False Modernity:

The twin dangers that Sikhism faces today are, on the one hand, of apostasy masquerading as liberalism which seeks to discard the basic discipline, and on the other, the fundamentalism which takes us into a blind alley of tribalism and isolationism. Apostasy, in the guise of modernity, looks out for excuses to turn its back upon rehat-maryada, seeing these as reflective of medieval times, rather than the Divinely inspired, timeless message of the great Masters who tested its ingredients in the crucible of life. The Gurus laid down a code that was at once realistic and rewarding, as the guidepost for day to day living and carving out a character and spirit as close to the Divine spirit as flesh and blood can admit of.

Fundamentalism - whether in the Punjabi or Canadian context - is founded on the concept that the rehat maryada must be interpreted literally and placed on an absolute plane. In some measure, this is the by-product of the events and trends of the last few decades. But the Sikh identity must be seen as the inspiration to mould the Sikh character, and an aid to internalization of the seeker's spiritual mode.

Collectively, Sikhism in the twentieth century has exhibited its share of libertarian and non-violent features. It both reflected - and contributed to - the activism and turmoil of the period. In last few decades Indian State widely publicized the Sikh theological resurgence but, tendentiously, projected it as fundamentalism. More deplorable was the onslaught against the established Sikh tradition of Amrit Prachar. Official media gave it a sinister aspect, asking the people to beware of the Amritdhari Sikh, as if he were some kind of a dangerous creature about to subvert the country! To impute motives of subversion and extremism was calculated to win the Hindu majority community and cause confusion among Sikh ranks, besides breeding disaffection between Sikhs and other classes in India. Despite recent changes in the ruling class there is yet no evidence to indicate that the said kind of misinformation has been discontinued, or that the media have relented, or tried to understand the true significance of Amrit Prachar and its spiritual importance. Nor have the multifarious Sikh organizations made any attempt to bring home to the intelligentsia what initiation into the Khalsa brotherhood really implies. It is not too late to try and disabuse the mind of all men of goodwill as to the true nature of Sikh Amrit, and to mobilize the masses to prepare for being Guru's Khalsa in the 21st Century.

Watershed:

The tragic events of 1984 have left an indelible scar on the Sikh psyche. The effect on our moral and religious fiber is distinguishable largely by the fact of geography, whether we live within boundaries of Punjab or beyond. The degree of democratic freedom available to us for practicing the basic tenets varies, so does our response to the challenge of identity. Whereas hundreds of Sikh apostates in Western countries have returned to the purity of classical Sikhism as Keshadhari and Amritdhari Sikhs, in Punjab, and particularly among youth - the confusion and the "urge to merge" psychosis seem to have gripped growing numbers of those rushing into apostasy and willfully, if foolishly, discarding the basic identity in an illusory quest for glamour and social acceptance. This paranoia is not confined to the male of the species. Instances of Sikh girls turning their back on the traditional cultural affinity, and seeking matrimonial alliance with non-Sikhs whose culture and moral values may be light-years away, are becoming common.

Faith is for ever:

It is necessary to impress upon the Sikhs, everywhere that our vitality, creativity and vigour are derived from our faith rooted in the Guru's chosen path, the Scripture and the discipline. Only the most gullible would believe that there is safety in anonymity of the human mass. It is like feeding the crocodile in the hope that he will eat you last, for eat you he will. The example of Buddhism in India is with us, of how they were brought to the brink of extinction notwithstanding Siddhartha's noble message of love and compassion.

Know Thyself:

It is in this context that the new Sikh historiography, characterized by Dr. Sangat Singh's Sikhs in History assumes a special significance and makes an epochal contribution to the understanding of the Sikh movement. This changing self-perception of the Sikh ideology is as important as the philosophical interpretation of the late Sirdar Kapur Singh, who sought to reclaim the original puritanical Sikh ideal amid an aggressive and fierce campaign to project Sikhism as an offshoot of classical Hinduism. No wonder the Sikh movement developed a substantive political dimension that, over time, since 1940's symbolized commitment to the politics of Khalistan - a desperate bid to save Sikhism from the twin onslaught of an Islamic Pakistan and a Hindu India.

In his book "Why Men Rebel" the American sociologist, T. Robert Gurr has argued that political violence is the consequence of a significant gap developing between the expectations of a given group and the willingness of authority to concede them. This sense of aspirational deprivation and cumulative frustration, in case of Sikhs in Punjab, eventually brought to the surface the phenomenon of terrorism, initially manifest in the violence of reprisals. Yet not all youth were in the vanguard of this cult of violence and fewer still were protagonists of secessionism. Some, disenchanted with the state of affairs, chose to turn their backs on the country of their birth and walked away from it in search of safer sanctuaries. Many were liquidated in "fake encounters"- that still awaits investigation.

While the peaceful struggle for an autonomous status in Punjab must remain our long-term goal, the challenge in the Westen democracies assumes a special importance for minority religions because of the profound influence of the Western civilization. Communication technology has visibly reduced the authority and credibility of governments. Nation-States are losing their relevance, even as the mass of people feel disenchanted with politicians everywhere.

Our sociological values must be reinterpreted in this context, with the aid of Gurbani, that explicitly rejects the rat race for material gain, and advocates humanitarian life of sharing. Similarly, multiracialism offers at once a challenge and an opportunity for assertion of the Sikh identity. Its distinctiveness - and not the segregationist element - underlines the basic fact of unity in diversity. The affirmative ideal in Sikhism is the best antidote to the postmodern culture of disbelief and cynicism. Diversity, inherent in nature, is a celebration of God's power. It is this diversity that inspires faith - faith in the Divine will. It helps us to understand and experience God's universal spirit. The more we practice the Sikh way of life the greater shall be our respect for multiculturalism in our neighborhood. Sikh Americans therefore deserve our love and respect.

Resilience, not Rigidity: The problem with any evaluation of moral and cultural values in a society is that history is all mixed up, each year seems to be a little stranger then the one before. We are naturally frustrated - frustrated with government, with our leaders and Jathedars, indeed with ourselves ! We turn to one another and ask, "Who is responsible?" Are we at the mercy of some undefined fate? We conveniently skirt the crucial message of the Gurus, the wisdom of God manifested through the Holy Scripture enshrined in Guru Granth Sahib. We forget that God might be working through these traumatic events to accomplish the Divine Hukam in order to draw us closer to HIM. This message of Gurmat offers the only certainty in this uncertain world. As we reflect on the times in which we live and experience the rapidity of mind-boggling change, we seek an anchor to provide the moorings in this raging tempest. God is our only refuge in these perilous times, as we stand on the threshold of a new century.

These thoughts may sound simplistic but it is only the quintessence of the Sikh doctrine that can anchor the ship of Sikh faith in tempestuous seas and enable us to face the odds with confidence and trust. There is a great psychological security in being able to stand on so firm a foundation steeled in the furnace of martyrdom and sustained by Amrit of 1699. Here, let us examine just one precept laid down by Guru Gobind Singhs: Gyaneh ki badhany mano haath le katarta kutwar buharey: Destroy false notions with the scythe of spiritual wisdom.

Most of us apply the Khalsa ideal only at the level of the physical attributes, on the Five K's. We seldom go beyond the symbolism - to the cultural, moral and spiritual planes that guide us into a life of truth, purity, service and continence which the Tenth Master defined in his Gurbani. He asked that we use Gyaneh-ki-badhni, the sword of knowledge, to tear apart ignorance and superstitious. To be armed with knowledge we must know our mother tongue Punjabi, in Gurmukhi script, and understand the language of the Scripture.

If today's Khalsa cannot recapture the sacrificial spirit of the Scriptures it will lose its authenticity even if it observes the externalised code. Unless we imbibe the essential spirit, we have no right to expect the Guru's Grace for which we daily pray. The contemporary generation will acknowledge and accept the postulates of Gurmat only when the symbolism is matched by the practice and purity of character, social equality, readiness to do good deeds, and a total absence of fear. Guru Gobind Singh turned tragedy into triumph when he wrote his letter of victory to Emperor Aurangzeb. The most significant feature of "ZafarNama" of Guru Gobind Singh is its transparent honesty and noble courage. It remains, to this day, the most lucid and moving explanation of the epic struggle of the Tenth Master and of his resort to sword when all other means had failed.

Every day we meet young people whose disappointment with the performance of their parents, with the inadequacy of politicians and priests has turned into outright disgust. The current spate of apostasy and setback of Sikh institutions must awaken in us the faith that the Right defeated for the time being is stronger than the Evil triumphant, for ultimately the Truth must prevail. I have no doubt about the outcome of our struggle, even if our motives are at present misunderstood and our methods often mismatch the times.

In the past the Indian media - more from ignorance than malice - promoted the fiction that an amritdhari is intrinsically a fundamentalist. In Sikhism the amritdhari is the norm, not the exception. His qualities must not only be beneficent but appear to be so. He must think and act right. Tolerance is his watch-word. Some of the faithfuls hold that if liberalism were allowed free rein, not only would the Sikh identity be jeopardized but Sikhism itself would be imperiled. One has only to remind oneself of the universality of the Gurmat to perceive how fragile this argument is. Sikhism is an inclusive religion, not an exclusive social club. In fact that is how the religion developed, and that is how it still functions. The greatest merit of Gurmat spirit can be seen at the langar in any Sikh shrine. The controversy about whether langar should be taken sitting on the floor or on benches is unnecessary. Sinner and saint, Hindu or Muslim, white or black, all are free to enter and partake of the prasad- the Guru's benediction.

Exclusiveness and rigidity take the pernicious form of divisiveness, striking at the very root of our unity. Its manifestations are many: the Jat, non-Jat syndrome, the reappearance of casteism, the matrimonial barriers and other social evils. The treatment of Mazhabi Sikhs in rural Punjab is a perverse example of the Brahmanical inroads in our socio-cultural fabric, still practiced because we regard them as people at the lower end of the socio-cultural scale. You cannot accept one principle of Gurmat while violating another principle, and still call the organisation the Khalsa Panth. If the media have done a great disservice by giving currency to the idea that Sikhs are a sect of Hinduism, we as Sikhs have done greater disservice by clinging to the divisive practices that are the very antithesis of Sikhism.

Strategy: Above questions must be answered and negative practices reversed; at least the related issues must be brought out in the open and not swept under the carpet. Sikhism will lose half its charm if it were to revert to exclusivism. As it is, we have allowed sections of Indian people to drift away from communion with Sikhs; many who used to visit Gurdwaras regularly and listen to the Divine kirtan, now keep away. A bizarre provision in one version of the maryada forbids a Sahajdhari from singing Gurbani hymns in the gurdwara. The sooner we shed our intolerance the better for us. Attendance in gurdwara (and I am not talking of the ritualistic Matha Tekna at the historic shrines) has sharply declined. Inter-community contact has become scarce, breeding suspicion and mistrust. Urban or rural, the Sikhs seem to be cheerfully reverting to alcoholism and rank materialism. In Punjab, the consumption of liquor is said to have risen five times over the decade, if the excise statistics are any guide. Among the first acts of the Akali-BJP rule in Punjab in 1997 was to auction the liquor vends for a record revenue. Forgotten was Sant Bhindranwale's puritanical campaign, as the Sikh Students Federation squabbled and the intellectuals looked on. This deadly trend towards intoxicants must be reversed. In Punjab Sikhs must unreservedly raise the socio economic status of so-called Mazhabis and consciously discard the casteist mindset.

One of the basic doctrines of the Khalsa is to resist injustice and tyranny. Where the oppressor is unrepentant and incorrigible, retribution is permissible. Guru Gobind Singh Ji deputed Banda Singh Bahadur to Sirhind to put an end to tyranny and oppression rather than avenge the death of his sons, as is touted by some history books. Likewise, it would be wrong to place an absolutist interpretation on the Tenth Guru's worship of weaponry. Beyond the apparent extolling of the armoury, the Master meant to instill chivalry and heroism in the face of heavy odds. Let us acknowledge the psychological and cultural conditioning of historic events, in fairness to the Guru. The use of weaponry against the innocent, the unwary and unarmed is clearly a repudiation of the spirit of the Khalsa. The paradigm shift must focus on the spread of education, particularly Punjabi in Gurmukhi script, and an increase in literacy levels so as to sharpen the mass awareness of Sikh ideal as a vital value system. This should indeed have followed the creation of Punjabi Suba in 1966. The originality of the Sikh doctrine deserves to filter down to the grassroots. Gurbani's moral and melodic message needs to rejuvenate the spirit of youth - this time by the new generation of Sikhs of Diaspora. Cyber-Sangat is a vital tool to bring together good souls. Knowing more about our heritage is the surest way to save Sikh identity. Electronic media have the extraordinary power not only to inform but to INSPIRE the process of self-discovery and fulfillment.

Conclusion: Gurmat, or Guru's path, tells us that inspite of the seeming chaos, God is incharge of the universe, not God of the Sikhs, or Christian or Hindus, but God of all humanity. That is the most reassuring fact of life. Not only does it provide confidence but engenders optimism- "Charhdi Kala" - which is the lifeblood of Gurmat. To be God-accepted, God-realized is our best reason for living the righteous, compassionate and dedicated life demonstrated - and demanded - by the galaxy of Gurus from Guru Nanak Devji to Guru Gobind Singh. Only such life can be meaningful for the individual, the family, the society, the country and the human race.

We may be passing through the age of gene mutation, of technology, of space exploration, of computer miracles, of energy crisis, and environmental pollution. But nothing can save humanity as surely as the humane principles enshrined in Guru Granth Sahib. Hope springs from the Sikhs' capacity for sacrifice and suffering, for God and the ethical values. Our faith in truth and divine justice must be rekindled. Such faith is an essential ingredient of cultural and psychological renaissance.

Preparedness to face the harsh realities, and the courage to uphold the true character of Sikhism in all its glory are the imperative needs of the new times as we step across the 1999 threshold into the next Millennium.

Let us give up pettifogging interests in pursuit of selfish gains, and let us extend the Gurus' love to all the disciples and win over all denominations. Let us make unity, amity and goodwill the cornerstones of our relationship with other communities in the true spirit of 'humanity is one race'. Let us stand firm in our resolve to achieve our goals in the 21st Century, for these goals intersect with practically every aspect of the future of the Sikhs. Whatever the shape of the future across the continents, every true Sikh must be willing to make sacrifices for achieving a loving unity with God of the Universe to whom we owe this life.