Baba Buddha Ji

Baba Buddha was the great Sikh saint who had the pleasure of serving under the first six Gurus. A venerated primal figure of early Sikhism.

When he was a young boy, ha was grazing cattle outside his village when Guru Nanak Dev Ji passed by. According to Bhai Mani Singh in Sikhism di Bhagat Mala, Bura went up to the Guru Ji presented him with a bowl of milk as his offering. He said to Guru Ji: 'O sustainer of the poor! Iam fortunate to have had a sight of you today. Absolve me now from the cycle of birth and death.'The Guru replied, 'You are only a child, yet you speak so wisely.' Some soldiers set up camp by our village,'replied Bura, 'and they mowed down all our crops-ripe as well as unripe. Then it occurred to me that, when no one could check these indiscriminating soldiers, who would restrain Death from laying his hand upon us, young or old.' At this Guru Nanak Dev Ji replied: 'You are not a child; you possess the wisdom of an old man.' From that day, Bura, came to be known as BHAI BUDDHA. Buddha in Punjabi meaning is an old man. And later, when advanced in years, he became known as BABA BUDDHA.

He devoted himself passionately to tasks such as the digging of the baoli at Goindval under the instructions of Guru Amar Das Ji and the excavation of the sarover at Amritsar under Guru Ram Das Ji and Guru Arjan Dev Ji. The ber tree under which he used to sit supervising the excavation of the Amritsar pool still stands in the grounds of the Golden Temple. . Since Guru Angad Dev Ji period and until Guru Har Gobind Sahib, Baba Buddha was responsible for tilak during the gur gadhi ceremonies.

Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji had no offspring by Mata Ganga Ji. The Guru told Mata Ganga Ji to go and see Baba Buddha. She did as the Guru asked and went to Baba Buddha Ji. Baba Ji broke an onion and predicted that she will have a son who will break the heads of the enemies like this, and destroy the cruel oppressors. This blessing proved to be true as later Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji was born to her and who lived up to the above expectations. 'Dal Bhanjan Gur Sooma'.

Guru Hargobind Ji was placed under Baba Buddha ji’s instructions and training. When the Adi Granth (Guru Granth Sahib Ji) was installed in the Harimandar Sahib on 16 August 1604, Baba Buddha Ji was appointed as the first ever granthi by Guru Arjan Dev Ji. He became the first high priest of the sacred shine, now known as the Golden Temple. Following the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji on 30 May 1606, Guru Hargobind Ji raised opposite the Harimandar an eleven feet high platform and called it Akal Takht, the Timeless Throne or the Throne of the Timeless.

Baba Buddha passed his last days in meditation at Jhanda Ramdas, or simply called Ramdas, a village founded by his son, Bhai Bhana. As the end came, on 16 November 1631, Guru Hargobind Ji was at his bedside. The Guru, as saying the Gurbilas Chhevin Patshahi, gave his shoulder to Baba Ji and performed the last rites. Two shrines stand in Ramdas commemorating Baba Buddha, Gudwara Tap Asthan Baba Buddha Ji, where the family lived on the southern edge of the village, and Gudwara Samadhan, where he was cremated.

Baba Bhuddha adopted the Sikh faith and lived an excellent GurSikh living. As a result he came to be respectfully known as 'Baba Buddha' and honorably earned some of the highest Gurughar honors. He had the privilege to serve, enjoy the company, and receive blessings of first six Gurus.