by Rooptaz Singh Sibia, Medical Student , Medical College, University, Miami, FL

continued from previous issue

Sikh Viewpoints Toward Active Euthanasia

Sikhism would strongly condemn active euthanasia. Sikhs believe in God’s Will and they should abide by it, Here area few lines to corroborate this statement:

Death is God’s Will. Accept it gracefully when it comes (Guru Granth Sahib 923) Hereis another illustration which further attests to a Sikh’s acceptance of God’s Will:

O Thou Destroyer of pain and grief of the poor, Lord of every heart and thyself without a Mas ter. I have come under thy protection… My Soul and Body are thine capital (Guru Granth Sahib 40),

“God is the Creator of the first karma and the origin of the universe. When an individual learns to submit to God’s Will, he ceases to make new karma. He offers all his actions to Him, he acts as the instrument of God’s Will.” Guru says: What please thee, O Lord, that is acceptable. To thy Will, lam a sacrifice (Guru Granth Sahib678). Man realizes that whatever comes from God is for his own good. Every misery that he faces is a sort of mercy. Further support for accepting God’s Will are the following lines: As waves beating on the shingle, Go back and in the ocean mingle, And to God return when their race is run (Dasam Granth),

A major argument for allowing euthanasia is the relief of suffering, Suffering has a place in Sikhism. Everything is created by God, even evil and suffering. But what we regard as suffering has a Special purpose to serve. The purpose of suffering is to test the character of man. According to Guri Nanak, the first Guru:

Suffering is the remedy and comfort the disease (Guru Granth Sahib 469),

A mind chastened by suffering becomes enriched and qualified for happiness at intellectual and aesthetic levels, it prepares the Spin it for a state of blissfulness. A Sikh may remain content even in adverse situations, be it poverty, disease, or sickness. These are accepted as normal events of life. Contentment results from submission to the Divine Will which a true Sikh accepts with gratitude and joy.

Assisted Suicide

Assisted suicide in the case of a physician entails making a means of suicide like lethal pills, available to a patient (Singer 1881) Physician assisted suicide has just recently become the focus of public attention with the use of “suicide machines” and public cases of physicians assisting in their patient’s suicides. One distinction between assisted suicide and euthanasia is that in assisted suicide the patient has a more autonomous way of ending his or her life since the patient must perform the life ending act themselves (Council 2233), Advocates of euthanasia use basically the same arguments for sup porting assisted suicide, “Suicide would put an end to suffering that could be considered needless” (Orentlicher 1844) and it would have fulfilled the person’s right to self-determination, Assisted suicide is further supported by the “potentially therapeutic effect of both having the means to end one’s life and having personal control over the time and setting of their use” (Brody 1386). Objections to assisted suicide are similar to those of euthanasia since both are interventions intended to cause death. “Assisted suicide might seriously undermine an essential element of the patient physician relationship, the patient’s trust that the physician is whole heartedly devoted to caring for the patient’s health” (Orentlicher 1845), Also treatment designed to bring on death, does not heal and is inconsistent with the physician’s role in a patient physician relationship (Orentlicher 1845). “The potential for coercive financial and societal pressures on patient’s to commit suicide” may also be a result of allowing assisted suicide (Council 2233).

Sikhism’s Response to Assisted Suicide

Sikhism completely rejects any and all forms of suicide, First, suicide would be an interference with God’s Will, Suicide, furthermore, is an interference with karma. Suicide causes one’s soul foreman in the cycle of births and deaths with no hope of reaching God. Death is under the command of God and one should not hasten its process. Throughout their history many Sikhs faced torture and ultimate death at the hands of ty rant rulers and fanatic leaders, though they could have found relief through suicide. One prayer in the Sikh Ardas particular tells of the sacrifices Sikhs have made when suicide would have been an easy way out:

Think of and remember the unique service rendered by those brave Sikh men and women who sacrificed their heads, but did not surrender their Sikh religion; who got themselves cut to pieces from each of the joints of the body (limb to limb), who got their skulls (scalps) removed; who were tied and rotated on the wheels and bro ken into pieces, who were cut by saws; who were flayed alive, who sacrificed themselves to upkeep the dignity of the Sikh faith, Who kept their Sikh religion and saved their long hair till their last breath.

Throughout their history Sikhs were often persecuted based on their religion. Sikhs often had to either convert to Islam or face death. Many could have simply converted, but instead they held to their faith and faced torture, in ancient Hindu custom during Sikhism’s early years a practice known as ‘Sati’ occurred. A widow would bum herself on her husband’s funeral pyre to join him in the afterlife. Sikhism strongly preached against this practice, not only because it conferred a lower Status upon women, but it was basically suicide. Female infanticide commonly occurred in India, as well, and Sikhism strongly condemned this practice.

Summary

Sikhism does not want to unnecessarily prolong life, nor does it want to shorten it either, Reluctantly, Sikhism would allow the withholding of care in order to allow a dignified death. There is no place in Sikhism for active euthanasia or assisted suicide. Sikhism allows for medicine and surgery to alleviate sickness and’ suffering. Suffering is a part of the human condition and has a place in God’s scheme. Suffering causes one to look towards God “Suffering is a medicine; happiness is a disease” (Guru Granth Sahib 469), Suicide is an interference with God’s plan and is a sign of a lack of perseverance, Birth and death are under God’s control and man should not try to oppose the Divine Will, (concluded).

Article extracted from this publication >>  November 5, 1993