General Can A Dead Body Be Donated Or Does It Need To Be Cremated?

[Rani Sandhu]

I wanted to know if the dead body has to be cremated or can it be donated to a health institute for research purposes?

What does Sikhi says about this?

 

[BhagatSingh]

I wanted to know if the dead body has to be cremated or can it be donated to a health institute for research purposes?

What does Sikhi says about this?

Were there health Institutes for Research Purposes during the times of Gurus?
No.

So I think the real question is "What do you think Sikhi says?"

 

[Archived_Member16]

Sikh Reht Maryada

Article XIX , sub-section (c):


( c ) However young the deceased may be, the body should be cremated. However, where arrangements for cremation cannot be made, there should be no qualm about the body being immersed in flowing water or disposed of in any other manner.


source: Sikh Reht Maryada, The Definition of Sikh, Sikh Conduct & Conventions, Sikh Religion Living, India

 

[Admin]

disposed of in any other manner

Pretty much sums up the matter.

 

[Rani Sandhu]

What about if the person wanted to donate organs or the entire body so the organs or body parts can be used for someone in need? I am just curious to know if certain parts of body can be donated i.e. eyes, heart etc. What does sikhi says about organ donation?

 

[Tejwant Singh]

What about if the person wanted to donate organs or the entire body so the organs or body parts can be used for someone in need? I am just curious to know if certain parts of body can be donated i.e. eyes, heart etc. What does sikhi says about organ donation?

Rani ji,

Guru Fateh.

Sikhi is based on pragmatism, not on any dogmas. I am an organ donor. All my usable organs will be donated, no exception. Our Body is a big organ so for me it would be perfectly fine and at par with Gurmat values to donate one's body.

Rehat Maryada was writtena long time ago. It needs a lot of modifications. In fact I wrote about it in this forum quite sometime ago. You can research it and have my viewpoint.

Regards

Tejwant Singh

 

[Rani Sandhu]

Thanks for your veiws Tejwant Ji I agree with you, personally I don't see any problems with donating bodyparts especially if they are for good causes.

 

[Gyani Jarnail Singh]

GURBANI SAYS...
AN ANIMAL serves ten times even when DEAD....Dass Kaaj Swareh....animal carcass cna be used in various ways....BUT....
a DEAD HUMAN serves NONE - except incur further COSTS....funeral expenses, cremation Grounds, grave stones, ambulances, wood, gas, electricity, and then GURU KA Langgar..saradhs..b{censored}es..etc etc

Be a GOOD SIKH..and DONATE YOUR BODY to SAVE OTHERS. That would be GOOD SIKHI in PRACTICE.:ice::ice::ice::ice::ice::ice::ice::ice::ice::ice:

 

[BhagatSingh]

Sikh Reht Maryada

Article XIX , sub-section (c):


( c ) However young the deceased may be, the body should be cremated. However, where arrangements for cremation cannot be made, there should be no qualm about the body being immersed in flowing water or disposed of in any other manner.


source: Sikh Reht Maryada, The Definition of Sikh, Sikh Conduct & Conventions, Sikh Religion Living, India

This is obviously outdated. If the writers had known that bodies can be used in a way that helps mankind, then perhaps htey would have made an exception.
But this just goes to show that Rehit cannot stand that test of time. It must be changed to meet new needs. Why not simply let SGGS guide you to answers?? Afterall, I think we can all agree that out of all holy books, only SGGS has passed that test.

Speaking about body parts and perhaps something more controversial... what about donating hair so that wigs can be made for patients with no hair or who have lost it? Um cancer patients come to mind immediately (My aunt was one). I mean guys can be OK with with no hair, but girls... its a tough world. Hard to imagine the emotional pain...

 

[Gyani Jarnail Singh]

Bhagat Ji,
will the commercial factories that make wigs accept free hair ?? How do you go about making them accept it....this is different from ORGAN DONATION....there are safeguards and procedures in that in place...and the Medical authorities take over as soon as one is dead..and these ORGANS are given free to the receivers...first come first installed basis...BUT i have never heard of a free wig donated by someones hair..and those who require a WIG..ususally go and BUY them based on colour etc preferences...anyway...no one would tell that I am wearing a wig..and that also a free one...!!!!

BTW the CHAUR "SAHIBS" for the SGGS are made of ANIMAL TAIL HAIRS....certain type of cow in Tibet...that has long hairs on its tails....these are also BOUGHT....

 

[spnadmin]

Bhagat ji

Dropping dead bodies in running water - streams and rivers - is also problematic for me. The obvious problem of pollution and contamination, especially in areas where water is scare. I am aware that this is a centuries old method of disposing of corpses. But today we would not do that. That part of the SRM is disconcerting.:hmm:

 

[spnadmin]

Gyani ji

Yes, Bhagat is correct about the donation of hair. There are organizations that manage the process. Usually a wig for a cancer patient is free through these organizations but not always.

 

[Gyani Jarnail Singh]

aad ji and bahgat ji,
then I am for hair donation as well.
why should it help me to burn my hair...kes jaleh jaiseh ghaas ka pula...the hair burn like a tuft of dried grass...I certainly DONT BUY the Damadami taskal argument..Guru Gobind Singh ji will PULL me up by my hair out of Hell !!! he he he....why woudl i be in hell in the first place ? and why woudl then GUru ji pull me out..just becasue i have long hair ?? and what will Guru Ji do with those with Cancer who lost all hair..or baldies..but good Gursikhs never the lesss...?? Sometimes this sort of Talibani sikhi makes us BLIND..so that we begin to LIMIT GURU JI to our LOW LEVELS.

 

[Archived_Member16]

Sikhism and organ donation

The Sikh philosophy and teachings place great emphasis on the importance of giving and putting others before oneself.


"Where self exists, there is no God
Where God exists, there is no self."
Guru Nanak, Guru Granth Sahib

The Sikh faith stresses the importance of performing noble deeds. There are many examples of selfless giving and sacrifice in Sikh teachings by the ten Gurus and other Sikhs.


Sikhs believe life after death is a continuous cycle of rebirth but the physical body is not needed in this cycle - a person's soul is their real essence.


"The dead sustain their bond with the living through virtuous deeds."
Guru Nanak, Guru Granth Sahib

"The Sikh religion teaches that life continues after death in the soul, and not the physical body. The last act of giving and helping others through organ donation is both consistent with and in the spirit of Sikh teachings."
Dr Indarjit Singh OBE, Director of the Network of Sikh Organisations UK
Endorsed by Sikh Authorities in Amritsar, Punjab

"The true servants of God are those who serve Him through helping others."
Guru Nanak, Guru Granth Sahib

"In my family we all carry donor cards and would encourage all Sikhs to do so"
Dr Indarjit Singh OBE, Director, Network of Sikh Organisations UK

 

[asingh]

The core theme is to provide a thought on whether is it according to Gurmat to Donate the Body or Organs .. .. Gurmat is very clear on desisting with anykind of "KarmKand" or significance attached to the Dead Body and as per my understanding "Vich Duniya Sev Kamaiye" it can be treated as "Seva" to donate any organ / body part. It is totally accordance to Gurmat.

Guru Fateh.

 

[Rani Sandhu]

I think there is a lack of education and knowlege too.....alot of ppl don't know the benefits of organ donation or there is a misconception about it.........I think if real life examples are used that actually benefited from receiving donated organs that ppl will donate more........there is a huge shortage of organ donation in Canada.....ppl have to wait a long time to receive organs or they have to be bought from other nations which leaves a burden on the healthcare system.........donating a heart can be a little tricky..........b/c person isn't fully dead when the heart is taken to be kept for a transplant.........also in certain nations what happens is that organs are taken away without the consent of the person or the family members..........so ppl are scared to consider organ donation.........sometimes religion is used as a barrier to limit donation........