The Concept of Man in Sikhism

‘Wonders are many but none more wonderful than man.’ Great indeed is man; it appears that the macrocosm is in the microcosm of man’s body. He is an old and eternal philosophical problem, which has always been a challenge to thinkers. The author in her present work carries out an in-depth study of the Sikh scriptures with a view to present a systematic exposition of the concept of man in Sikhism. After presenting a brief account of the Sikh history and philosophy, she set forth the Sikh views covering various dimensions and aspects of man, viz. nature and constitution of man; his position in relation to God, universe and society; purpose of his existence, and attainment of summum bonum. According to the Sikh view, man is an integral unity of matter, like, mind and spirit. He is the central figure in the universe. Because spirit and self-consciousness is fundamental in him, he alone has the capacity of freeing himself from matter and mind, and of involution leading to the focus of his Being. His infinite creative power and his capacity to deepen his inwardness endows him with the potentiality to realise the Absolute within. Sikhism advocates a simple technique of Nam Marga which aims at turning the outward flow of mind towards the inward deeper and deeper reality culminating in spiritual experience of the Ultimate. According to the Sikh thought the perfect man is the one who attains to the self-realisation and thereafter leads a spiritual life which is neither fixed nor stagnant, but fluid, active, creative and altruistic helping others to attain to the self-realisation and thus build a society in which social life and ethics are based on the belief that all creatures are same in essence. The author carries out an in-depth philosophical analysis of the above issues concerning man and gives them a detailed exposure. This book would prove to be of great interest to common man in quest of truth about man as well as to the students of philosophy, particularly, philosophy of religion.