My title is taken from the first line of an "Advent" hymn - one which I love to use as we approach the holidays because it's so Unitarian and Universalist in its words, and we'll sing it today, after this reflection. Unitarian and inclusive as it is, it also suggests that good things come from the East, and that's something I want to explore with you today. I decided to do that when I noticed from my Multi-Faith Calendar that today marks the martyrdom of a revered Sikh Guru, remembered not only for his defence of the Sikh faith, but also of Hinduism and religious liberty as such. Three weeks from now, on December 15^th, also stimulated by a story, I'm going to be speaking about freedom of expression with a slightly different focus; today I'd like to introduce a particular tradition and a particular story within that tradition which I hope will set the stage in a small way for that later talk.

One of the first things I discovered when I started to research this talk was that I should be respectful enough to try to pronounce the name of the religion correctly: it's not properly Seek, but Sikh, with a short vowel sound. We tend to resist that, I think, as we do with some other words from different languages, because their English homonym has negative associations - and we rightly resist sounding as if we think Sikh people are sick! Maybe it helps if we try to remember that the kh at the end of the word is not ck - it's a bit more like the guttural sound that we find in languages such as German and Welsh - closer to the German sich. Small points, but calling people by the correct name, as far as we're able, is a sign of respect, I think.

Historians and specialists in Eastern religions generally believe that Sikhism is a syncretistic religion (one which draws on more than one tradition) and that it was originally drawn both from Hinduism and the Sufi branch of Islam, with many independent beliefs and practices added on. Some Sikhs disagree; they believe that their religion is a direct revelation from God -- a religion that was not derived from either Hinduism or Islam. And certainly Sikhism does have many unique aspects that are quite different from both Hinduism and Islam. The most obvious distinctive thing is the wearing of the turban, which is so handy for identifying Sikhs - but perhaps you know that not all Sikhs in our society wear it. The turban may help you to recognize a Sikh, but it may not be necessary in order to be a Sikh - although you could probably get some good discussions going on that matter among Sikhs!

The founder of Sikhism was Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, who was born in the Punjab area of what is now Pakistan in 1469. (Sikhism is newer than the other great religions of the world.) Like so many religious leaders, Guru Nanak received a vision, a call, to preach the way to enlightenment and to God. He's responsible for the saying, "There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim," which has since become one of the pillars of Sikhism. Guru Nanak and his followers built the first Sikh temple at Katarpur. A succession of nine Gurus (regarded as reincarnations of Guru Nanak) led the movement during the period from his death until 1708. At that time, the functions of the Guru passed to the Sikh community and to the most holy Sikh text, which is considered the 11th Guru. (Well, if a person can be a Guru, or holy teacher, why not a book? This book consists of hymns and writings by the first 10 Gurus, along with religious text from various Muslim and Hindu saints.

Sikhs number about 22.5 million worldwide. Most live in the Punjab in Northern India, which had been founded as a Sikh state in 1801, but close to 500,000 live in North America, and about 150,000 of those are in Canada. The primary goal of their religion is to build a close, loving relationship with God. Sikhs believe in a single, formless God, with many names, who can be known through meditation.  They believe in samsara (the repetitive cycle of birth, life and death), karma (the accumulated sum of one's good and bad deeds, and reincarnation, that is, rebirth following death. These beliefs are similar to Hinduism, but Sikhs have rejected the caste system of the Hindu religion; they believe that everyone has equal status in the eyes of God. This very important principle permeates all Sikh beliefs, behaviors, and rituals.

There are a number of traditions within Sikhism. Thousands of Sikhs, both in India and worldwide, follow living gurus who have lineages traceable back to the earliest teachers. In Canada and elsewhere, major tensions have developed in some places between liberal and conservative wings of the religion, as some Sikhs accommodate to the surrounding culture. The most accepted Sikh practices, however, still include prayers, repeated multiple times each day, refusal to worship idols, images or icons, the establishment of Gurdwaras, or temples (the most sacred of which is at Amritsar in India), never cutting one's hair, and carrying the kirpan or ceremonial sword. The Sikh emblem, or Khanda, contains a ring of steel representing the Unity of God, a two edged sword symbolizing God's concern for truth and justice, and two crossed swords curved around the outside to signify God's spiritual power.

The Sikh who's commemorated today was Guru Tegh Bahadur, the youngest of five sons, born in Amritsar in the early hours of April 1, 1621. His father predicted, "He shall protect the weak and relieve their distress. This shall be his principal mark," and called the child Tegh Bahadur, Mighty of Sword. Tegh Bahadur was brought up in the approved Sikh style. As a young boy, he was given teachers who supervised his training in archery and horsemanship and taught him the old classics. He made rapid progress and showed early promise of mastery in both fields. He also gave evidence of a deeply mystical and poetical temperament by prolonged spells of seclusion and contemplation. His mother often wondered how Tegh Bahadur, who was quiet and humble and seemed devoid of all ambition, would ever come to attain the powerful role predicted for him.

As he grew up, Tegh Bahadur always lived austerely and showed no signs of rebelliousness, but by his teaching and his travels across the country, he created a new energy and environment for Sikh living. He was especially sensitive to the peoples' suffering and taught them to be fearless. Non-attachment and renunciation was the central theme of his teaching. And he gained the devotion of many friends in different parts of the country. There's a nice little story told of a disciple who had hoped for a long time that the Guru would visit him, and had built a new house specially to welcome him - with an extra high doorway opening so that the Master could ride right into the house without having to dismount from his horse! The disciple cleaned the house every day and locked it up, vowing never to live in it until the Guru had visited. It happened just as he had hoped: Tegh Bahadur entered the house on horseback, and I would guess he was properly impressed! (It reminds me of the Universalist story of John Murray coming to Thomas Potter's meeting house, which some of you know.)

At this time, the Emperor of India was an orthodox Muslim who dreamed of purging India of all 'infidels' and converting it into a land of Islam. He had no tolerance for other religions and embarked on a brutal campaign of repression. Famous Hindu temples throughout the country were demolished and mosques built in their place. Hindu idols were placed on the steps of mosques to be trodden on by the feet of Muslim pilgrims. In 1665 Hindus were forbidden to display illuminations at Diwali festivals. In 1671 an order was issued that only Muslims could be landlords of crown lands, and provincial Viceroys were called on to dismiss all Hindu clerks. In 1669 there was a general order to destroy the schools and temples of non-Muslims. In 1674 lands held by Hindus were all confiscated.

In this somewhat intolerant climate, the viceroy of Kashmir took on the task of forcibly converting the Hindu population to Islam. The Hindu Brahmins of Kashmir were among the most highly learned and orthodox of the Hindu leadership. The viceroy felt if they could be converted, the rest of the country would easily follow. Given this ultimatum, a large delegation of 500 Kashmiri Brahmins decided to seek the help of Guru Tegh Bahadur, whose reputation as a Guru was by now well established. It was known that he believed in freedom of religion and the right of the Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs to live in peace and practice their own religions.The Brahmins begged to know what could be done. The Guru replied "Such persecution can only be stopped by a sacrifice of a great person".

Just then, the Guru's 8 year-old son came along and saw his father in deep thoughts. Noticing the serious and gloomy mood in the room the young boy asked his father what was happening. The Guru replied, "Unless a holy man lays down his life for the sake of the poor Brahmins, there is no hope for their escape from imperial tyranny." His son replied, "Father, who would be better equipped for this than yourself?" Guru Tegh Bahadur hugged his son and wept.

"I was only worried about the future, for you are far too young for this to happen to me."

"Leave me to God," the boy replied, "and accept the challenge."

Guru Tegh Bahadur knew what he had to do. He told the Kashmiri Brahmins, "Inform the authorities that if they can convert me, your Guru, then you will all become Muslims." The challenge was accepted; the Guru was put in an iron cage fastened on the back of an elephant. His companions were fettered and handcuffed, and were carried in a bullock cart to Delhi, where they were kept in jail. The Muslim Governor now challenged Tegh Bahadur to show by miracles that he was true guru -- or to embrace Islam.

The Guru replied that performing a miracle was to interfere in the work of God which was wholly improper. As for embracing Islam he considered his religion as good as Islam, and therefore the change of religion was not necessary. The Governor ordered that he be put to the severest of tortures, including having to watch the horrible executions of fellow Sikhs right in front of him, while he was helpless in the iron cage, in hopes that the sight of these ghastly deeds might intimidate the Guru enough to change his mind and embrace Islam.

That would certainly have been enough for me! But Tegh Bahadur remained stonelike, apparently unruffled and undismayed. He continually chanted words like this:

Give up your head, but forsake not those whom you have undertaken to protect.

Sacrifice your life, but relinquish not your faith.

Next morning in prison, Tegh Bahadur rose early. He bathed and sat in meditation. A little before 11 o'clock he was brought to open place of execution where the executioner was already standing, with sword in hand. A contigent of soldiers stood on guard. A large crowd of spectators had gathered outside the barricade. The Guru stood in front of the Emperor and was asked why he was hailed as the Guru or prophet and called the True King. If he really believed in his being one he should perform a miracle to justify his claim. (To those raised in Christianity, there may something familiar-sounding here.)

Guru Tegh Bahadur reprimanded the Emperor for his blind orthodoxy and his persecution of other faiths. He said,

Hinduism may not be my faith, and I may believe not in the supremacy of Veda or the Brahmins, nor in idol worship or caste or pilgrimages and other rituals, but I would fight for the right of all Hindus to live with honour and practice their faith according to their own rites. ...... I neither convert others by force, nor submit to force, to change my faith.

The Emperor was enraged and ordered again that the Guru either perform a miracle, or embrace Islam, or face death. Tegh Bahadur now said before the assembly that since he had been commanded to perform a miracle, he had resolved upon complying with that order. He wrote on a piece of paper, which he said was charmed, and then having tied it round his neck declared that the sword would fall harmless on it. The executioner was now summoned to test the miraculous charm. The blow was given and the head of the Guru rolled on the floor.

Hindus, Sikhs and Sufi Muslims in the Panjab were deeply shocked at the execution of the Guru. The event turned the tide of history of the Sikhs, as his son and successor slowly came to believe that the greatest need of the time was to create a system based on social justice, in which there would be no discrimination in the name of caste, creed or colour. And this conviction, which ultimately contributed to the transformation of India, had happened through an occurrence which is possibly unique, the religious leader of one faith sacrificing his life to save the freedom of a different religion.

Heroes and saints come in all shapes and sizes, and they're always at the same time part of their time and place and transcending it. Guru Tegh Bahadur lived more than 300 years ago and in a culture dramatically different from our own. Any attempts we make to understand his story and to find common ground with Sikhs in their celebration of him are open to the distortions which always go along with mythologizing and trying to see another society through the lens of this one. Personally, because Tegh Bahadur has not been an important figure in my consciousness (I'd never heard of him until a few weeks ago) I wouldn't be particularly disturbed to discover that he never actually lived -- or that he lived but had serious character flaws -- or that his story has been drastically rewritten over the years. What seems to matter, for me, a non-historian, is that Sikhs today tell this story as an inspiration to religious co-operation and mutual acceptance. It matters in the way that Bible stories, or national legends, matter - their value is in their inspirational quality.

And the inspirational quality of this particular story, for me, and I hope perhaps in some way for you too, is that it gives me a point at which I can stand on common ground with people of another, very different faith from my own, where I can say with them, Yes! This is so important! I find this wonderful, that a man would give all that he had, his life, to protect other people's religious freedom. I understand why you honour him. And sometime, if ever I'm talking with a Sikh who's interested in who Unitarians are, I might take the opportunity to tell the story of 28-year-old Unitarian King John Sigismund of Transylvania, who with the help of his mentor Francis David, in 1568 issued an Act of Tolerance and Freedom of Conscience, perhaps the most foundational words about tolerance in our religious movement. Here's part of what the Act said:

His Majesty ..... reaffirms that in every place the preachers shall preach and explain the Gospel each according to his understanding of it, and if the congregation like it, well; if not, no one shall compel them for their souls would not be satisfied, but they shall be permitted to keep a preacher whose teaching they approve. Therefore ..... no one shall be reviled for his religion by anyone ..... and it is not permitted that anyone should threaten anyone else by imprisonment or by removal from his post for his teaching, for faith is the gift of God .....

Whether wisdom comes from Transylvania, from India, from long-ago times or from our own, may we be open to it and recognize it, and take it into our hearts, minds and lives. So may it be.