The Ādi Granth, or the Holy Scriptures of the Sikhs (1877) · 30

f5^ -l^ t?I3R5^ ■@3Vf^ II fS^ ST% 31?§ ftwrra II f3^_ 3T% 3T ^sftrra II Similar is the expression, Gauri, Sukhmani XXII., Slok (Transl. p. 418):

° There are a great many passages of this kind iu the Granth; compare Transl. p. 133, VIF., 3. ' The same idea is also boldly expressed by Ravidas (Transl. p. 130, I.):

" Between thee and me, me and tliee, what is the difference? Like gold and the bracelet (made of it), like water and a wave."

We now prefer this rendering of the first line. Cf. also Transl. p. 116, VII., Panrl.

ST^ f f srarr f qnn »i-^ *ffa ^ur 3;i ii ■^ra wnn "M^ sn t*rf3 sifsniT ^h3 %¥^ 33 3 ii

The world is therefore in fact nothing but a 2>^<^1/ or sport (tR5) of the Absolute Being,' which is expanding or contracting itself, as it pleases; Hari establishes and disestablishes, vivifies and destroys ad lihilum. An infinite number of worlds is stated to be produced by him, which, like a plaything, ajipcar and disappear. Thus says Eam-das:

"By thyself all the creation is produced, by thyself, having created, the whole is caused to disappear (again)." '

No teleological principle whatever is assigned for the production or destruction of the created beings; they are cosraogonic revolutions, which could not be accounted for and were therefore referred to a sporting propensity of the Absolute. We need hardly remark, that this whole definition and description of the Sujireme is altogether pantheistic. The Hindu way of thinking comprehends in the Absolute both spirit and matter, as the creation of material bodies out of nothing is totally incomprehensible to the Hindu mind; to him the material essence is therefore co-eternal with the spiiit ("irSM)- The matter put in the Absolute is however not the gross, sensible matter (fqftrJlfT = f^'^'Jl), but purely atomic {Tm'V{ = 'W^), which by the expansion of the Absolute receives the grosser, sensible form by the conjunction of infinite atoms. God is therefore the absolute vital substance, the all-filling world-soul (7T3TTft^?J). as he is frequently called.

We can distinguish in the Granth a grosser and a finer kind of Pantheism. The grosser Pantheism identifies all things with the Absolute, the universe in its various forms being considered the expansion of it; ^ the finer Pantheism on the other hand distinguishes between the Absolute and the finite beings and borders frequently on Theism. Though God is producing all things out of himself and is filling all, yet he remains distinct from the creatures and is not contaminated by the Maya,* as a lotus in a pond of water remains distinct from the water surrounding it. The

^ The oiiginal is (So Purklui, Miih. IV., I., 5, Traiisl. p. 17):

As to tlie innnmerability of the worlds, see Traasl. p. 6, v. li); p. 397, v. 7, where Aijim says: " Many times the expanse of the world was spread out. Many ciores (of worlds) of many kinds were made. From the Lord tliey emanated and in tlie Lord they are absorbed."

' This kind of Pantheism, whicli, according to the expressions used, borders occasionally on Materialism, is chiefly represented by tlie Bhagats Namdev and Ravidas. See p. xcix, note 3. * Kabir says (Transl. p. 474, Lll., 2):

" Whose l)ody tlie universe is, he is not in it, tlie creator is not in it. Who is putting (the tilings) together, he is always aloof from them."

And Arjun says (Transl. p. 148, XXXV., 2):

" In every body he dwells near. Tlie donor of the living beings is always distinct (from them)."

Cf. also Transl. p. 151, XLI., 3, with note 2. In order to understand the words of Kabir and Arjun more fidly, we must coni|)are what is said of the Su|uenie Being- in tlie Bhagavad-glta, Cliap. XIII., Shiok 14 sqq. " It is existing both apart from and within existing things, it is animate and also inanimate. It cannot be recognized on account of its subtilty, and it exists both far and near. Not distributed among beings and yet existing as if distributed." And in Chap. XIII., ShIok 12, it is said:

" It is called the S ipreine Brahni, without beginning, neither existent nor non-existent." The sense of this line is, that it has and has not a real existence, i.e. that it is spirit ami matter.

Supreme is in its essence ti[j (ligbt, the all-energizing vital power), which, though diffused into all creatures, remains distinct from them; the material hodies are dissolved again into atoms, whereas the emanated light is re-absorhed into the fountain of light. In this finer shade of Pantheism creation assumes the form of emanation from the Supreme (as in the system of the Sufis); the atomic matter is either likewise considered co-eternal with the Absolute and immanent in it, becoming moulded into various, distinct foims by the energizing vigour of the absolute -riti; or the realitv of matter is more or less denied (as by the Sufis, who call it the *Jc;, to fJ,'] 6v), so that the divine yjfs is the only real essence in all; this last view borders on Idealism.

That an Absolute Being, thus defined, cannot be a self-conscious spirit, endowed with a free will and acting according to teleological principles, seems never to have struck their minds. For after the strongest pantheistic expressions, the Supreme is again addressed as a self-conscious per- sonality, who governs all things and takes care of all creatures and with whom man endeavours to enter into personal relations. Contradictory sentences of this kind we find a great many in the Granth.i

To this personification of the Supreme it is owing, that intellectual and moral qualities are frequently ascribed to him, though, strictly speaking, there is no room for them in this system. He is called very wise (*<MlcN. T33\), acquainted with the secrets of the hearts or the inward governor (JJ?:Jd-HI*l^). not deceivable (»H^W). etc., kind to his devotees (^313^^75), merciful, just, etc. In other places qualities are again attributed to him, which are contradictory to each other, and which clearly show that they are to be taken in a pantheistic sense. Thus says Xanak (Transl. p. 35, XXV., 1):

"He himself is enjoying pleasure, he himself is the pleasure, he himself is amusing (others) with pleasure. He himself is the petticoat ( = the woman), he himself is the husband of the bed." '

We should be wrong in assuming that Xanak forbade the worship of other gods on the ground of the unity of the Supreme. Far from doing so, he took over the whole Hindu Pantheon, with all its mythological background, with the only difl'erence that the whole was subordinated to the Supreme Brahm. The position of the popular gods was thereby, though not openly attacked, naturally lowered, and their service must needs appear less important, yea even useless for the attainment of the highest object of mankind. The folly of idolatry is occasionally ridiculed in the Granth, especially by Kablr. He says (Transl. p. 657, I., 1-3):

" The female gardener breaks off leaves, in the leaves, in the leaves (there is) life. The stone, for the sake of which she breaks off the leaves, is lifeless. A stone is shaped by the hammer and formed into an image, giving it a breast and feet. If this image be true, then it will eat the hammerer."

" Kabir (says): a stone is made the Lord, the whole world worships it. Who remains in reliance on this, is drowned in the black stream."

It is a mistake, if Xanak is represented as having endeavoured to unite the Hindu and Muhammadan idea about God. Xanak remained a thorough Hindu, according to all his views, and if he had communionship with Musalmans and many of these even became his disciples, it was owing to the fact that Sufism, which all these iluhammadans were professing, was in reality nothing hut

' See such addresses to the Supreme, Transl. p. 143, XXI., and p. 144, XXIV., XXV. ' In a simihtr sense Aijun says (Trausl. p. 143, XXI., 3):

" Thou art perfectly composed, sensual and given to pleasure."

a Pantheism, derived directly from Hindu sources, and only outwardly adapted to the forms of the Islam. Hindu and Muslim Pantheists could well unite together, as they entertained essentially the same ideas about the Supreme; ' the Hindu mythologry was not pressed on the Musalmans, as the Hindu philosophers themselves laid no particular stress upon it — ^the belief in the minor gods, the transient manifestations of the Supreme, being with them a matter of choice. On these grounds tolerance between Hindus and Turks is often advocated in the Granth and intolerance on the part of the Turks rebuked.^

Our next question is: What is ike relation of man to the Supreme?

The human soul is represented as being light (rffe) from light, a scintilla aminae divinae, which has emanated from the Absolute and is by itself immortal.^