How are Hinduism and Sikhism related, considering they both originated in Punjab, India?

Let's look at the views of Sant Kabir

I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.

There the streams of light flow in all directions, few are the men who can cross to that shore!

What is the cost of implementing synchronized traffic lights in a mid-sized city?

CONCLUSION:

ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥

Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.

Have you ever been spanked in front of a group of people?

ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਰਸ ਤਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਾਸੀ ॥

ਕਾਸੀ ਮਗਹਰ ਸਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥

ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥

Is the saying "nice guys finish last" true? Can good intentions always lead to positive outcomes?

— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore

Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:

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Is it wise to choose your family over your honor?

There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.

ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥

He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),

Which country has the best and strictest legal system in the world?

ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥

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Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?

How can I remove decimals in math?

ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥

Without looking into one's heart, how can one reach paradise?

ਸਗਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਿਵ ਪੁਰੀ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥

Is Veuve Clicquot Brut a good champagne?

ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥

Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,

Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325

I can not sleep. what is the problem?

As mentioned above Guru Arjan Dev was talking from the perspective Sant Kabir whose views we have discussed much earlier here. We know that Sant Kabir continuing in the Ramanandi Sampradaya went further away from the mainstream ritualistic Hinduism and was journeying more towards a SEAMLESS Dharma.

My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||

Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.23)

What are you wearing under your clothes today?

I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1|| Pause ||

He accepted even women (Sursuri and Padywati) as disciples. Bhagat Pipa and Dhanna were Rajput and Jat who were also his disciples.

There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,

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ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥

Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.

ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਛੋਡਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਇਓ ਮੀਨਾ ॥

I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||

Says Kabeer, this is what I say:

For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;

Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 325

ਮਰਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਗਹਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਸੀ ॥੩॥

Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,

यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति ।

ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥

ਕਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਜ ਸਿਵ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ॥

ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥

ਤਜੀ ਲੇ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਮਤਿ ਭਈ ਥੋਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥

The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||

If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥

We can see that great saints like Kabir and Ravidas etc… descended from the Ramananda sampradaya which is still the largest ascetic order in India.

ਮਰਤੀ ਬਾਰ ਮਗਹਰਿ ਉਠਿ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥

ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

At the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||

But we have actually seen how much Kabir is also rooted in the Vedantic concept of “supreme realization” but in a non-mainstream path.

I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||

Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Gauri / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 326

ਕੈਸੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਬ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

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Again we see that the originator of this Sant Sampraday himself talks about Brahman even in Gurbani.

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

He does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||

Actually, this part of the Ang 326 is widely used by McSikhs to show that Sikhism considers Hindu pilgrimages as useless and thus drives home the point again that the “religion” has got NOTHING to do with Hinduism.

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Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.

Now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||

ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਹਉ ਤਪ ਕਾ ਹੀਨਾ ॥੧॥

Kabir (a weaver)

Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.

You are totally pervading and permeating in all.

ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ ॥੫॥੧੫॥

You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧

We have searched the turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,

Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know

That Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||

Sain (a barber)

How can they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like that of a wet nurse?

ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥

Kabir, Ravidas and ultimately the NINE SIKH GURUS are a product of this very Sant Sampraday founded by Ramanandacharya!

NOW…

Now here in this verse

I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.

ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ॥

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥

ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥੪॥੧੦॥

From where did the word Maya come? Isn’t it a typical Vedantic concept discussed profoundly in Advaita? It definitely isn’t a concept pioneered by Kabir or even his teacher Ramanandacharya! It is ultimately from Sanatana Dharma!

The Sant Sampraday of Sikh panth integrates the warrior spirit of the Nihangs and Khalsa, the service of Seva panth and the renunciation of Udasi/Nirmala saints.

— Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore

I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;

Let’s look at the most used verse by McSikhs to show that Sikhs are neither Hindus nor Muslims.

Bhakti movement began in South (Tamil Nadu to be precise) and slowly spread to Northern parts of India. This movement was extremely popular because of its simple fundamentals which could be understood by even commonfolk. Vaishnavism, Shaivism etc… were already connecting with commonfolk from a long time and this Bhakti movement reinforced it by making the devotee feel a personal connection with the deity.

The young and the old drink milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.

ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥

Meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||

From Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 1195

Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.

The views of Kabir are very much in parallel to the Advaita philosophy and it is obvious that as the disciple of Ramanandacharya he will carry forward with his chosen NIRGUN BHAKTI.

Raamaanand Jee, First House:

ਅਬ ਕਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥

Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.

Wherever I go, I find water and stones.

Sadhna (a Muslim butcher) and

ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥

There is a reason why I mention ROOTED and thus NOT implying that it belongs to one of the numerous sects in Sanatana Dharma like Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktism, Smartism etc…

As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,

With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||

I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||

Ramanandacharya was a 14th-century Hindu Vaishnava devotional poet saint who amalgamated Advaita with Vaishnava Bhakti. He was the pioneer in validating NIRGUN and SAGUN Bhakti as parallel paths.

If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,

I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.

then who is there to know what happens without?

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥

I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.

Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;

ਮੁਆ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਮਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮੈ

That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||

The divergence of Kabir’s views from Vedanta is seen in the fact that he fully opposed religious symbolism of ALL KINDS and not just IDOLS.

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥

Bhagat Kabir ji / Raag Sriraag / / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 92

Let’s see what Gurbani has about Ramanandacharya’s views.

ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥

Ramanandacharya’s teachings were centered on pure and personal connection with the God Rama and didn’t believe in any kind of formal ritualism. He used the common vernacular language instead of Sanskrit so that everyone could understand.

ਬ੍ਰਹਮ is Brahm i.e the Brahman of vedanta but it gets interpreted as an all-pervading lord god.

ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥

I am like a fish out of water,

Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?

ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥੩॥

These morons know nothing, they wander about in ignorance,

So in the same spirit Kabir finds pilgrimages to holy cities futile as his mind is fixated on Rama!

ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥

Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,

ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥

ਓਛੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੀ ॥੪॥

Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,

Guru Nanak (right) and Bhai Mardana (foreground) with Bhagat Kabir (left). This painting is found in the B-40 Janamsakhi, written and painted in 1733. The painting was made by Alam Chand Raj

Ravidas (a chamar shoemaker)

Here ਨਿਰਗੁਣ is Nirgun and not just lord. This is just another example to show that Kabir himself continued in the NIRGUN BHAKTI path.

Sant Kabir was staunchly against cow slaughter.

Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.

Recklessly they display boundless pride while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.

To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating.

Ramarchan Paddati gives more info about his teachings.

ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.

ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਰੋਸੁ ॥

I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.

Sikhism is a NIRGUN path descending from the Sant Sampraday of Ramanandacharya and traces its ideas to VEDANTA!

Ramananda accepted disciples without discriminating against anyone by gender, class or caste and they included even people from humble origins like

We can understand that Kabir despite being in favor of formless worship was very much embedded in the Dharmik fold but always preached in the spirit of the transcendental nature of Brahman to the point that HE LOST THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN HINDU AND MUSLIM.

All the men and women of the world are His living forms.

The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||

ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥

How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1|| Pause ||

For him Dharma was beyond everything physical including the desire for heaven because was fully into the NIRGUN . The last verse shows that according to him the company of the enlightened Sadhus is heaven which is again a typical teaching of Sanatana Dharma.

My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1|| Pause ||

I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.

ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥

The influence of Kabir is significant on Sikhism. The following Bani from Ang 1136 is attributed to GURU ARJAN DEV but if you observe at the end you can see that he was talking in the spirit of Sant Kabir.

Because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||

For a superficial McSikh who is interested only in separation and not enlightenment the views of Kabir can be easily shown as a denouncement of Hindu practices.

Sikhism is fundamentally rooted in BHAKTI tradition and thus ultimately in Sanatana Dharma. There is no doubt about it despite what modern McSikh acrobatics try to claim otherwise

I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.

One day, a desire welled up in my mind.

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ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥

ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥

Here ਰਾਮੈ is Rama and not just lord. Kabir died chanting the name of Rama DESPITE him not finding any result of penances done in holy cities in his previous birth. Another example to show how much Kabir valued personal devotion to Rama in his own NIRGUN style.

— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen