Internal Panth vs External Panth

Problem

In the current crisis, we are so confused and disoriented about our Panthic priorities that objectives that don’t directly serve our Guru Sahib Ji have become Panthic, whereas the most crucial responsibilities towards our Guru Sahib Ji remain utterly dismissed.

To solve this imbalance, we need to create a framework to identify what is Guru-Centric so that we can separate it from everything else that stands at, or is beyond, the internal boundary of the Panth.

Exclusion of the Internal is External

The best way to understand the difference between internal and external is to first get clarity on what is internal to the Panth. That way, we can understand everything that is not included in the internal is likely in the external.

The Core of the Panth is Internal

In order to get a clear picture of the Internal Panth, we need to recognize a central point that we can build our understanding around it. Fortunately, that’s easy to identify for Sikhs, because the center of our identity is Guru Sahib Ji. That means we can define everything that revolves closely around our Guru Sahib as the central core of the Panth.

Internal belongs to the Guru and serves the Guru.

Since our Guru Sahib Ji has complete decision-making authority in terms of Kirpa, the Internal Panth is therefore an arena where we have complete agency over our present and the future.

However, we access that through Ardaas and earn it through intensive Sewa-Kamai for our Living Guru Sahib Ji.

By recognizing the immense fortune of having a Guru who is Jaadgi-Jot, the Internal Panth recalibrates focus back to the spiritual and temporal leadership of our Living Guru, Dhan Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

Additionally, those in the Internal Panth reject all forms of external barriers, and seek mentorship of our Guru Sahib Ji in all thoughts, actions, decisions, and priorities gained through the traditional Gurmat process. That includes Sewa, Gurbani, Rehit, Jeevan, Maryada, Ardaas, and Abhias.

Internal Prioritizes Satkar

Since our everything depends on our connection with Guru Sahib Ji, Satkar is the foundation that entire Panth stands upon. It is the pre-requisite of being a Sikh, and the absolute requirement for everything that is Panthic.

Dismissing this responsibility is nothing less than an automatic Badawa, declaring to Guru Sahib Ji that we are not your Sikhs, and you are no longer our Guru.

Internal Must Prevent Beadbi

We as a community have made it possible for many Saroops of our Living Guru Sahib Ji get burned down and torn apart into pieces. Right now, this is where we stand, with eyes closed and backs turned towards our Guru.

With our ongoing neglect, we have accumulated an unquantifiable amount of negative Panthic Karma that has resulted in, and will continue to, accelerate our spiritual, mental, and temporal decay.

We need to apologize to our Guru Sahib Ji. We must immediately stop our neglect and take responsibility for Beadbi Prevention.

In the Internal Panth, we recalibrate our focusing back to our Guru Sahib Ji, and realize that prevention and elevation of Satkar is the absolute top priority.

Internal does Gurmat-Centric Sewa

Besides the core responsibilities, the Internal Panth also focuses on doing Sewa that builds, nurtures, and strengthens the individual connections of Sikhs with Guru Sahib Ji.

That means, all traditional institutions of spiritual development based on Gurmat are prominent in the Internal Panth, including Gurbani Santhia, Kirtan, Shashtar Vidiya, and Itihas education.

Internal Provides Essential Support Systems

While working on Internal Sewa as individual Sikhs, our isolated efforts may not reach the efficiency and coordination required for large-scale impact.

Not that the individual efforts aren’t valuable — they are completely acceptable and meaningful. However, that does not mean that we should not have coordination or strive for increased efficiency.

With an additional layer of interconnectivity, we’ll not only be able to further amplify our individual efforts but also build long term-stability and consistency in the Internal Panth.

One model that can facilitate creating such support systems is the Distributed and Localized Panth, where individuals focus on their local area but share their experience, insights, and challenges with those doing the same Sewa in different regions.

By implementing that model, the Internal Panth can first build support systems for critical responsibilities, such as Beadbi Prevention and Gurbani Santhia, and then move to other priorities, such as those supporting Gurmat-based spiritual growth of Sikhs, Gurmat Vidiya, Education, and Kirat related needs.

Internal Protects and Nurtures the Roots of Sikhi

We are so distracted from our roots that we can’t see the extent of the damage that our neglect continues to cause. One brick at a time, we have already lost and continue to lose many more historical sites and Gurdwaras. Not just that, but we have lost irrecoverable historical manuscripts and countless hand written Saroops of our Guru Granth Sahib Ji as well.

Unfortunately, these issues don’t even appear to be on our list of priorities anywhere. This is the crisis we are in the middle of.

Other than our neglect, we have also gotten to this stage partially because of a lack of perspective about what exactly are the roots of Sikhi.

First, there are those that we can visually identify, such as historical Gurdware, manuscripts, Saroops of Guru Granth Sahib Ji, and other historical artifacts.

Then there are those that we cannot visually identify, such as our heritage of Gurmat Vidiya and Shashtar Vidia, including all of our traditional Scholars and Vidvans that carry generational treasure of knowledge.

Both visible and invisible are all part of the roots that we need to protect, defend, and conserve. These roots make up our Nyarapan, giving us the uniqueness that makes us who we are.

In the internal Panth, we recognize that the Roots of Sikhi are the basis of everything. With that awareness, we turn inward and decide to dedicate ourselves to serving our Guru Sahib Ji.

Internal is Timeless

A unique characteristic of most that falls within the Internal Panth is that of long-term stability.

There are certain priorities that, no matter how much time goes by, will always remain equally important in the future. Even after decades, centuries, or millennia, certain priorities, like learning to read Gurbani, will not change. Same applies to learning Kirtan, Itihas, and doing Satkar of Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

When we put that into perspective, we can see that the Sewa in the Internal Panth provides long-term stability.

While we may be currently in a crisis, but if we seek forgiveness from our Guru Sahib Ji and take responsibility, we’ll discover the opportunity to build many Internal Panthic structures that will last for generations to come.

With this long-term perspective, we can focus our Sewa efforts on what will always remain relevant in the Panth.

Internal is Geographically Universal

Another unique characteristic of the Internal Panth is that its major priorities are all independent of geographical location. No matter where a group or population of Sikhs is located today, or will be tomorrow, the importance of internal Sewa does not change.

That is also the case with varying legal jurisdictions tied to different regions. No matter where Sikhs are, what is important to the Internal Panth does not change.

Therefore, with persistent priorities regardless of region or jurisdiction, the Internal Panth provides another pillar of long-term stability.

Benefits of Separation

There is often a lack of understanding of how the priorities that are outside the internal periphery of the Panth face unique limitations. Those that work in the External Panth do not have the same arena as those inside the Panth, as they are bound by external dynamics.

Therefore, we must build clarity in our community about how things actually work.

The first step in that direction is increasing understanding that, depending on the type and scope of a given Sewa goal, the underlying dynamics may be different, and sometimes even involve opposing incentives.

While some individuals and groups may not understand or want to respect this separation, most Sikhs must strive to build this much needed stability that offers efficiency through clarity of roles, responsibilities, and objectives in the Panth.

Those with long-sighted vision of a thriving future for the Panth reject such self-sabotaging limitation and instead build understanding that helps reduce friction and boost opportunities that are in the best interest of our Panth.

Risk Mitigation

There are inherit risks when we take things into extreme imbalance. In our case, three major risks are of concern that we must mitigate to reap the benefits of a functional separation between the internal and the external.

First is that of not allowing those in the External Panth to use influence that is borrowed from external non-Sikh sources in the realm of our Internal Panth.

Second one is making sure to not overextend the flexibility granted to the External Panth for its practical needs.

The third is not creating a proper way to manage the interactions between the Internal Panth and the External Panth. To ensure proper functioning of both the Internal Panth and the External Panth, we need to establish a set of protocols and etiquette rules.

While there are other concerns as well, these three are the ones that we need to pay more attention to. Without it, we may risk ruining the progress of those working hard in both arenas of the Panth.