By Gurnam Singh | Opinion |
In response to my recent article on the idea of God and belief, (https://asiasamachar.com/2023/09/16/do-you-believe-in-god-and-does-it-matter/), I received an email from somebody enquiring about the concept of duality, atheism and the Sikh perspective. Below I have reproduced both his question and my response. I would be interested in the thoughts of Faebook friends.
Dear Sir
I recently read your article on God and belief in Asia Samachar with great interest and it was very thought provoking. There is a question that I have asked several people and have also read the responses regarding the same question but have received several different answers. The question is “what is duality?” which is mentioned numerous times in the Shri Guru Granth Sahib. One of the answers received in the online discussion is that it referred to atheists. I am not sure if this is the right answer or not and would be very grateful if your learned self could enlighten me on this.
Regards
Mr S Singh
Dear Mr S Singh,
Many thanks for your question regarding the issue of ‘duality’, which is a central philosophical concept. Duality, as a concept, is primarily associated with religious and philosophical worldviews that posit the existence of dual or opposing principles, forces, or entities in the universe. These dualities are often linked to ideas of good and evil, light and dark, or order and chaos.
Therefore, atheism, which is the absence of belief in another sphere, in god/s or deities, typically does not incorporate the concept of duality in the same way that many religions do. In short, as there is a rejection of supernatural entities, unlike religious people, atheists reject metaphysical dualities. Instead, atheism tends to be rooted in naturalism and secularism, emphasizing empirical evidence, reason and rationality in understanding the world.
The duality that atheists tend to talk about is between physical truth and phenomenological truth. However, this is not really a duality but rather two aspects of life, which is the existence of material reality and representation of that reality in language as phenomena.
As for Sikhi and duality, there are two main ways to understand how the concept is deployed. As ‘dubida’, duality can be seen as vice or condition of doubt, confusion or lack of clarity or conviction. However, the concept of duality also functions to differentiate between the nature of the universe, and the spiritual journey of individuals. In this regard, one can locate duality on several other key aspects of Sikh.
Duality within Creation and divine hukam: Sikhi acknowledges the duality within the created universe, often referred to as the dual nature of Maya. Maya represents the material and illusionary aspects of the world, characterized by impermanence, attachment, and illusion. This is contrasted with the divine or spiritual reality, hukam, which is eternal, unchanging, and beyond the material world.
However, Sikhi also talks about merging the duality of the material and immaterial, the sargun or seen realm and the nirgun or unseen realm. Indeed, the ultimate goal in Sikhi is to transcend the dualities of the material world and achieve union with the divine whilst one lives in the world; this is referred to as ‘Jeevan mukati’.
Here one can also link to the concept of ‘Miri-Piri’ or the duality between temporal (Miri) and spiritual (Piri) aspects of life. However, it must be appreciated that ‘Miri/Piri’ or ‘Sargun/Nirguna’, are not seen as oppositional but complimentary. Accordingly, these phenomena can be seen as two parts of a whole. Hence, it is through living in the world and fulfilling worldly duties, but never reduced to worldly desires, that Sikhs are encouraged to maintain a spiritual connection and virtuous living.
And lastly, in terms of promoting Equality and Non-Duality, Sikhi emphasizes the oneness of all of existence, including humanity, along with the rejection of social, caste, race and gender-based dualities. The concept of “Ik Onkar” (Oneness of everything) underscores the fundamental unity of all people, things and places.
So, in summary, the Sikh way encourages individuals to transcend these dualities by living a life of devotion, selflessness, meditation on the divine, whilst simultaneously engaging with all aspects of the material challenges that we all face. This unity of belief and action is perfectly captured in the lotus plant that is rooted in the muddy waters but floats above on the surface. Ultimately, Sikhi teaches that by recognizing the unity within the duality of existence, one can attain spiritual enlightenment and union with the divine.
Gurnam Singh is an academic activist dedicated to human rights, liberty, equality, social and environmental justice. He is an Associate Professor of Sociology at University of Warwick, UK. He can be contacted at Gurnam.singh.1@warwick.ac.uk
* This is the opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Asia Samachar.
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Miracles and Godmen (Asia Samachar, 31 July 2020)
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