Sikh Beliefs about Rights, Equality and Social Justice » Vand Chakna: Sikhism on Rich and Poor

Quick recall

In Rich and Poor: Charity, Justice and Compassion you learned that many religious and non-religious people believe the wealthy have a responsibility to help the poor. Now we look at the Sikh answer. It begins with one of the three duties of a Sikh.

Vand chakna: sharing what you have

Sikhs are taught three duties: to remember God (nam simran), to earn an honest living (kirat karni) and to share what you have with others. This third duty is vand chakna. It is often put in a short phrase: earn honestly, then share.

The idea comes from Guru Nanak, the first Guru, who farmed land at Kartarpur and shared what he grew with those who came to him. A verse in the Guru Granth Sahib (page 1245) says that a person who works for what they eat and gives some of it away has found the right way to live.

Key terms:

• Vand chakna: sharing what you have with others, especially those in need. It is one of the three duties of a Sikh.
• Dasvandh: giving a tenth of your earnings to help others or to support the community.

Dasvandh: a tenth for others

Many Sikhs put vand chakna into practice through dasvandh. They set aside one tenth of what they earn for charity, the gurdwara (Sikh place of worship) or people in need. Because it is a fixed share, it turns a good intention into a habit. A wealthy person gives more than a poor person, but both give the same fraction.

Is wealth wrong?

Sikhs do not teach that being rich is wrong. Guru Nanak taught that Sikhs should live as householders, with a job and a family, and not leave the world behind. Wealth is fine if it is honestly earned and shared.

The danger is attachment. Remember maya from Maya, Manmukh and Haumai: being pulled away from God by things that do not last. A rich person who clings to money and ignores the poor is caught in maya. A person who shares is loosening its hold.

Guru Nanak, Bhai Lalo and Malik Bhago

Sikhs tell a well-known story, passed down by tradition, to show what honest earning means. In the town of Eminabad, Guru Nanak stayed with Bhai Lalo, a poor carpenter who earned his living by honest work. Meanwhile Malik Bhago, a rich and powerful local man, held a great feast and invited the Guru. Guru Nanak stayed with Lalo and ate his simple food.

Malik Bhago was angry and asked why. In the tradition, Guru Nanak asked for food from both men. He held Lalo's simple bread in one hand and Bhago's rich food in the other and squeezed them. Milk is said to have come from Lalo's bread and blood from Bhago's food. Sikhs understand the story to mean that money taken unfairly from others brings harm, and that honest earnings, even small ones, are pure.

Practical generosity in Sikh communities

• The langar: a free meal, served in the gurdwara kitchen, open to everyone whatever their religion or wealth, and available every day. People sit together on the floor. Gurdwaras in many countries serve the langar, and the Harmandir Sahib (the Golden Temple, the most important gurdwara for Sikhs) in Amritsar serves thousands of people every day.
• Sewa: selfless service. Sikhs of all incomes cook, clean and serve food in the langar without pay. Rich and poor work side by side.
• Sikh charities: Khalsa Aid, founded in 1999, gives emergency help after disasters. NishkamSWAT feeds homeless people and helps those facing addiction. Many Sikhs also support such groups through dasvandh.

These show the ideals of charity, justice and compassion: giving freely, treating all people as equal in worth, and caring for those who suffer.

Exam-style question

(a) Identify three Sikh duties. [3 marks]

(b) Choose one religion. Outline two ways the wealthy are encouraged to help the poor in this religion. [4 marks]

(c) Choose one religion. Explain why wealth should be shared in this religion. [6 marks]

(d) "Giving a tenth of your income is too much to ask." Evaluate this statement, showing you have considered different points of view. In your answer you should refer to at least one religion. [12 marks]