Image of  Max Arthur Macauliffe

Timeline

Lifetime: 1838 - 1913 Passed: ≈ 111 years ago

Title

Author , Scholar

Country/Nationality

United Kingdom
Wikipedia

Max Arthur Macauliffe

Michael MacAuliffe, also known as Max Arthur Macauliffe  and Max Singh Metcalfe, was a senior British administrator, prolific scholar and author. MacAuliffe is renowned for his partial translation of Sikh scripture Guru Granth Sahib and history into English.

MacAuliffe was born in Ireland at Newcastle West, County Limerick, on 10 September 1841. He was educated at Newcastle School, Limerick, and Springfield College. He attended Queen's College Galway between 1857 and 1863, being awarded junior scholarships in the Literary Division of the Arts Faculty for 1857–58, 1858–59, and 1859–60. He was awarded a B.A. degree with first class honours in Modern Languages in 1860. He obtained a senior scholarship in Ancient Classics for 1860-1, and a senior scholarship in Modern Languages and History for 1861-62. He also served as Secretary of the college's Literary and Debating Society for the 1860–61 session.

MacAuliffe entered the Indian Civil Service in 1862, and arrived in the Punjab in February 1864. He was appointed Deputy Commissioner of the Punjab in 1882, and a Divisional Judge in 1884. He retired from the Indian Civil Service in 1893.

MacAuliffe also wrote a rendition, English translation of the Sacred scriptures of the Sikh religion, the Guru Granth Sahib. He also wrote The Sikh Religion: its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors . He was assisted in his works by Pratap Singh Giani, a Sikh scholar.

MacAuliffe converted to Sikhism in the 1860s and was even derided by his employers for having "turned a Sikh".

His personal assistant remarked in his memoirs that on his death bed, MacAuliffe could be heard reciting the Sikh morning prayer, Japji Sahib, ten minutes before he died.

MacAuliffe is held in high esteem amongst Sikh communion, for his translation into English of the Sikh Scriptures, the Guru Granth Sahib. At a lecture at the annual session of the Lahore Singh Sabha Macauliffe proclaimed that the Guru Granth was matchless as a book of holy teachings.

He was awarded the degree of M.A. by his alma mater in 1882. MacAuliffe died in the United Kingdom at his home in London on 15 March 1913.

Books by Max Arthur Macauliffe

The Sikh Religion Cover image

The Sikh Religion

Philosophy Religion
Religion Sikh Religion Sikhism

Michael MacAuliffe (also known as Max Arthur Macauliffe) was a senior British administrator, prolific scholar and author. Macauliffe is renowned for his translation of Sikh scripture and history into English. This is one of the first (and still one...

The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors, Volume 5 Cover image

The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors, Volume 5

History Religion
Independence Struggle Philosophical Religious Development Writing Sikhism Martial Arts

The tenth and final guru of Sikhism, Gobind Singh, was a warrior, poet, and philosopher. His life and teachings are the subject of Volume 5 of Max Arthur Macauliffe's classic work on Sikhism. Macauliffe begins by tracing Gobind Singh's ancestry and...

The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors, Volume 1 Cover image

The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors, Volume 1

History Religion
Equality Travels Religious Sikhism India Social Justice

A fascinating and comprehensive introduction to the Sikh religion The Sikh religion is a relatively young religion, but it has a rich and complex history. Volume 1 of The Sikh Religion by Max Arthur Macauliffe tells the story of the first five gurus...

The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors, Volume 2 Cover image

The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors, Volume 2

History Religion
Education Religious Islam Writing Sikh Religion Sikhism Fascinating

The Sikh religion is a fascinating and complex faith, and Volume 2 of Max Arthur Macauliffe's classic work provides a comprehensive overview of the lives and teachings of the third, fourth, and fifth gurus. Guru Amar Das, Guru Ram Das, and Guru Arju...

The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors, Volume 3 Cover image

The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors, Volume 3

History Religion
Power Future Military Religious Scripture Writing Sikh Religion Sikhism India

The Sikh religion is a fascinating and complex faith, and Volume 3 of Max Arthur Macauliffe's classic work provides a comprehensive overview of the life and teachings of the sixth guru, Guru Hargobind. Guru Hargobind was a warrior-saint who led the...

The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors, Volume 4 Cover image

The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors, Volume 4

History Religion
Death Faith Religious Writing Martyrs Sikh Religion Sikhism Humility Diseases

The Sikh religion is a fascinating and complex faith, and Volume 4 of Max Arthur Macauliffe's classic work provides a comprehensive overview of the lives and teachings of the seventh and eighth gurus, Guru Har Rai and Guru Har Krishan. Guru Har Rai...

The Sikh Religion: its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors, Volume 6 Cover image

The Sikh Religion: its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors, Volume 6

History Religion
Faith Struggle Philosophical Religious Writing Sikh Religion Sikhism

Volume 6 of The Sikh Religion by Max Arthur Macauliffe focuses on the lives and teachings of the ninth and tenth gurus of Sikhism, Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh. Guru Tegh Bahadur was the ninth guru of Sikhism. He was born in 1621 in Amrit...