The Colonial Construction of Sikhism

Sikhism and Gurmat: A Critical Analysis of the Ontological versus Reductionist Worldviews

Abstract:
This article critically explores the distinction between “Sikhism”—a term and framework that emerged through colonial and postcolonial encounters with Western categories of religion—and Gurmat, the ontological and psycho-spiritual wisdom system embedded in the revealed teachings of the Sikh Gurus. By examining the epistemological foundations, modes of knowing, and implications for understanding reality, this article argues that while Sikhism functions through reductionist, exoteric, and institutional paradigms, Gurmat remains a non-dual, experiential path to self-realization and ontological liberation (mukti). Extensive references from Gurbani, Sikh scholarship, colonial archives, and ontological philosophy are provided to substantiate this thesis.

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Introduction

The term Sikhism is widely used in academic, political, and interfaith discourse to denote a world religion akin to Christianity, Islam, or Buddhism. Yet the word Sikhism does not appear in the primary Sikh scriptural corpus, the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (SGGS), nor was it used by the Sikh Gurus or early Sangat. Rather, it is a product of Western classificatory frameworks and colonial encounters that reified fluid, experiential, and psycho-spiritual paths into fixed religious identities. In contrast, Gurmat (lit. “the counsel of the Guru”) articulates a radically different ontology, one rooted not in belief, dogma, or identity but in Giaan (direct knowledge of Reality), Naam (vibrational consciousness), and Anubhav (lived experience of non-duality).

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1. Historical Genesis of “Sikhism” through Western Encounter

1.1 Colonial Construction of Religion 

The term Sikhism first appears in Western texts during the British Raj, particularly in missionary and orientalist literature from the mid-19th century. According to Harjot Oberoi (1994), the British colonial administration actively sought to define and classify Indian traditions through European taxonomies of “world religions.” The Singh Sabha movement and subsequent institutional reforms (e.g., SGPC in 1920s) attempted to fit Sikh identity into these frameworks—emphasizing scripture, founder, places of worship, and moral codes.

• Oberoi, H. (1994). The Construction of Religious Boundaries: Culture, Identity, and Diversity in the Sikh Tradition. Oxford University Press.

• McLeod, W.H. (1989). Who is a Sikh? The Problem of Sikh Identity. Clarendon Press.

1.2 Emergence of Dogma and Institutionalism

In this process, “Sikhism” was reduced to doctrinal tenets, often mimicking Christian ecclesiastical structures. The infinite, paradoxical, and experiential teachings of the Gurus were reinterpreted through Protestant-influenced lenses, leading to the codification of “beliefs,” “rituals,” and “morality,” thereby privileging exoteric over esoteric dimensions.

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2. Gurmat as Ontological Revelation

2.1 Gurmat and the Ontological Turn

Gurmat cannot be categorized as a religion in the Western sense. It is an ontological science—a direct inquiry into the nature of Being (Sat) and Consciousness (Chit), culminating in bliss (Anand). The Mool Mantar itself offers an ontological declaration, not a theological creed:

ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ
ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ॥

This is not a statement of belief, but a description of Reality (Sat), Self-arising (Saibhan), and its accessibility through Guru Prasad (grace of Giaan/Guru).

• Singh, N. (2014). Philosophy of Sikhism: Reality and Super-reality. Singh Brothers.

• Panesar, D. (2023). Gurmat Therapy: Psycho-Spiritual Psychology for Self-Realisation. Unpublished manuscript.

2.2 Epistemology: Belief vs. Giaan

While Sikhism demands belief in scriptures, tenets, and historical events, Gurmat demands transformation of consciousness. Its praxis is oriented toward inner transmutation:

ਗਿਆਨਿ ਰਤੇ ਸੇਈ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਾਸੇ ॥
Giaan rate se-ee triptaase ||
(Those who are immersed in Giaan are truly fulfilled.) – SGGS, Ang 932

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3. Modes of Knowing: Exoteric vs. Esoteric

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4. Why “Sikhism” is Reductionist

Reductionism occurs when complex phenomena are explained in terms of their simplest parts. Sikhism, as a product of colonial modernity, reduces the ontological and psycho-spiritual depth of Gurmat into:

• Codified beliefs

• External identity markers

• Institutional orthodoxy

• Morality over consciousness

This reduction strips away the experiential, mystical, and transformational dimensions of the teachings, relegating Naam, Shabad, and Anhad Naad to metaphor rather than lived phenomena.

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5. Gurmat as a Living, Experiential Path

Gurmat cannot be systematized in Western academic terms because it is not a “system”—it is Tatt Darshan, a direct apprehension of the Real. The true practitioner (Gurmukh) undergoes Mann Marna (death of ego), a theme central to spiritual transformation:

ਮਨੁ ਮਰੈ ਧਾਤੁ ਮਰਿ ਜਾਈ ॥
When the mind dies, duality dies – SGGS, Ang 411

Gurmat is thus more aligned with ontological mysticism than with religious doctrine. It parallels the lived metaphysical inquiry found in Advaita, Taoism, and Zen, but remains distinct in its emphasis on Naam, Hukam, and Gurparsad.

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Conclusion

Sikhism, as understood and practiced today, is largely a product of historical reductionism necessitated by colonial politics and Western epistemology. Gurmat, however, is a non-dual ontological revelation, a path of inner alchemy and consciousness transformation. It transcends religion and invites the seeker into a radical encounter with Being itself. Academic engagement with Sikh traditions must move beyond the religion paradigm and rediscover the ontological ground of Gurmat as the lived wisdom of the Gurus.

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References

• Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. (Translation: Dr. Gopal Singh, Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa).

• Oberoi, H. (1994). The Construction of Religious Boundaries. Oxford University Press.

• McLeod, W.H. (1989). Who is a Sikh? Clarendon Press.

• Singh, N. (2014). Philosophy of Sikhism. Singh Brothers.

• Mandair, A.-P. S. (2009). Religion and the Specter of the West: Sikhism, India, Postcoloniality, and the Politics of Translation. Columbia University Press.

• Panesar, D. (2023). Gurmat Therapy Manual. Internal Publication.