Sikh way of life is said to have been stripped of complications: no myths, no jargon, no rituals and no exploitation of human by another human in the name of religion.
Please read the appopriate pages from Pat Fisher to explore to Sikh religious practices and the contemporary Sikh community.
Sikh spirituality is inclined towards the inner virtue. Here is a quote that points to what happens in “Sikh spirituality”: “Let self-control be the furnace, and patience the goldsmith. Let understanding be the anvil, and spiritual wisdom the tools. With the Fear of God as the bellows, fan the flames of tapa, the body’s inner heat. In the crucible of love, melt the Nectar of the Name, and mint the True Coin of the Shabad, the Word of God. Such is the karma of those upon whom He has cast His Glance of Grace.”
Towards this the Sikh is required to undertake the following observances:
A. Disciplined Life
1. Wake up early in the morning.
2. Bath and cleanse the body and mind.
3. Engage in family life and address your responsibilities within & outside the family.
4. Earn a living through earnest means.
5. Undertake to help the less well off with monetary or/and physical help.
6. Exercise your responsibilities to the community and take active part in the maintenance and safeguard of the community.
B. Personal Regulations
1. Wear the 5 K’s: Long and uncut hair (kes) and a turban to protect the hair on the head; small comb (kangha) to be used twice daily to keep the hair in clean and healthy condition; wear an underwear (kachcha) in the form of short to exercise self-control; wear a steel slave bangle (kara) on the dominant arm to remind the Sikh to always remember the Guru before undertaking any action; and wear a short dagger (kirpan) to remind the Sikh that he is to defend the weak.
2. Meditate by reciting and singing God’s names. Remembrance of God is central practice.
3. Wash your mind clean with selfless service (sewa) to the community by doing manual work at the Gurudwara by cleaning the dishes, washing the floors, painting the walls; working in Community Centres.
4. Practice Truth at all times.
5. Be kind and merciful to others: Kindness is a virtue that the Sikhs have been asked to exercise at all times. The Gurus have shown on many occasion how to practise and live a life of kindness.
6. Become a Gurmukh, a Sikh of good deeds, by doing Good deeds.
C. Community Practices
1. Organise Gurdwaras. Sikhs are expected to setup places of worship called Gurdwara where services need to be held in the morning and evening. Gurdwaras were earlier known as dharmasalas. Today the Gurudwaras are house of the Guru – Guru Granth Sahib, Nishan Sahib (Safron Flag) and a langar.
2. Gurdwaras provide space to listen to the word; there Sikhs can listen and learn of the Rahit – Sikh beliefs and practices; Sikhs are provided with an opportunity for congregational singing of the name; this also provides space to meet the fellow Sikhs; and an opportunity to provide charity.
3. Sikhs adopted three festivals of the Hindus – Vaisakhi (Spring Festival), Diwali (Fall Festival), and Holi (Winter Festival) – and continue to celebrate.
4. Sikhs also celebrate great days connected with the Gurus – birthdays of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh; martyrdom days of Guru Arjun and Guru Teghbahdur are remembered.
5. Sikh men have “Singh” (Lion) as the suffix of their names while women take “Kaur” (Princess).
D. Baptism Ceremony
1. Baptism, known as Amrit Ceremony, is necessary to join the Khalsa Panth, community of the pure or committed Sikhs. Guru Gobind Singh initiated the practice with the establishment of the order of the Khalsa in 1699.
2. The Amrit ceremony (baptism) is held in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib. Five baptized Sikhs known for their piety, all wearing the five symbols – Kes, Kangha, Kachcha, Kara, and Kirpan – sit in front of the Guru Granth Sahib.
3. One of the five explains the principles of Sikhism to those who want to be baptized. After the candidates have signified their acceptance, one of the five offers prayers (ardas). Then the five will sit round an iron-vessel containing fresh water andsweets.
4. More prayers are recited while the one who recite stirs the water with a double-edged sword, a Khanda, which he holds in his right hand. After recitation is over, the five initiators stand up, holding the vessel in their hands. Each one of them then offers prayer for the nectar just prepared.
5. As each candidate receives five handfuls of Amrit (holy water), which he drinks declaring, "Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh", meaning, khalsa belongs to God, to God belongs victory.
6. The baptised then will become an Amritdhari.
Questions to Explore:
1. Outline the major Sikh practices and explain them in detail.
2. Describe the Amrit ceremony and discus its significance for the development of the Sikh Community.
3. What are the Sikh festivals? From where and why did they originate? Explain your answer in detail.
4. How do the Sikhs achieve the “inner spiritual virtues”? Explain with examples your answer.
Please read the appopriate pages from Pat Fisher to explore to Sikh religious practices and the contemporary Sikh community.
Sikh spirituality is inclined towards the inner virtue. Here is a quote that points to what happens in “Sikh spirituality”: “Let self-control be the furnace, and patience the goldsmith. Let understanding be the anvil, and spiritual wisdom the tools. With the Fear of God as the bellows, fan the flames of tapa, the body’s inner heat. In the crucible of love, melt the Nectar of the Name, and mint the True Coin of the Shabad, the Word of God. Such is the karma of those upon whom He has cast His Glance of Grace.”
Towards this the Sikh is required to undertake the following observances:
A. Disciplined Life
1. Wake up early in the morning.
2. Bath and cleanse the body and mind.
3. Engage in family life and address your responsibilities within & outside the family.
4. Earn a living through earnest means.
5. Undertake to help the less well off with monetary or/and physical help.
6. Exercise your responsibilities to the community and take active part in the maintenance and safeguard of the community.
B. Personal Regulations
1. Wear the 5 K’s: Long and uncut hair (kes) and a turban to protect the hair on the head; small comb (kangha) to be used twice daily to keep the hair in clean and healthy condition; wear an underwear (kachcha) in the form of short to exercise self-control; wear a steel slave bangle (kara) on the dominant arm to remind the Sikh to always remember the Guru before undertaking any action; and wear a short dagger (kirpan) to remind the Sikh that he is to defend the weak.
2. Meditate by reciting and singing God’s names. Remembrance of God is central practice.
3. Wash your mind clean with selfless service (sewa) to the community by doing manual work at the Gurudwara by cleaning the dishes, washing the floors, painting the walls; working in Community Centres.
4. Practice Truth at all times.
5. Be kind and merciful to others: Kindness is a virtue that the Sikhs have been asked to exercise at all times. The Gurus have shown on many occasion how to practise and live a life of kindness.
6. Become a Gurmukh, a Sikh of good deeds, by doing Good deeds.
C. Community Practices
1. Organise Gurdwaras. Sikhs are expected to setup places of worship called Gurdwara where services need to be held in the morning and evening. Gurdwaras were earlier known as dharmasalas. Today the Gurudwaras are house of the Guru – Guru Granth Sahib, Nishan Sahib (Safron Flag) and a langar.
2. Gurdwaras provide space to listen to the word; there Sikhs can listen and learn of the Rahit – Sikh beliefs and practices; Sikhs are provided with an opportunity for congregational singing of the name; this also provides space to meet the fellow Sikhs; and an opportunity to provide charity.
3. Sikhs adopted three festivals of the Hindus – Vaisakhi (Spring Festival), Diwali (Fall Festival), and Holi (Winter Festival) – and continue to celebrate.
4. Sikhs also celebrate great days connected with the Gurus – birthdays of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh; martyrdom days of Guru Arjun and Guru Teghbahdur are remembered.
5. Sikh men have “Singh” (Lion) as the suffix of their names while women take “Kaur” (Princess).
D. Baptism Ceremony
1. Baptism, known as Amrit Ceremony, is necessary to join the Khalsa Panth, community of the pure or committed Sikhs. Guru Gobind Singh initiated the practice with the establishment of the order of the Khalsa in 1699.
2. The Amrit ceremony (baptism) is held in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib. Five baptized Sikhs known for their piety, all wearing the five symbols – Kes, Kangha, Kachcha, Kara, and Kirpan – sit in front of the Guru Granth Sahib.
3. One of the five explains the principles of Sikhism to those who want to be baptized. After the candidates have signified their acceptance, one of the five offers prayers (ardas). Then the five will sit round an iron-vessel containing fresh water andsweets.
4. More prayers are recited while the one who recite stirs the water with a double-edged sword, a Khanda, which he holds in his right hand. After recitation is over, the five initiators stand up, holding the vessel in their hands. Each one of them then offers prayer for the nectar just prepared.
5. As each candidate receives five handfuls of Amrit (holy water), which he drinks declaring, "Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh", meaning, khalsa belongs to God, to God belongs victory.
6. The baptised then will become an Amritdhari.
Questions to Explore:
1. Outline the major Sikh practices and explain them in detail.
2. Describe the Amrit ceremony and discus its significance for the development of the Sikh Community.
3. What are the Sikh festivals? From where and why did they originate? Explain your answer in detail.
4. How do the Sikhs achieve the “inner spiritual virtues”? Explain with examples your answer.
