Chapter 9.1 The Story of Sikhism History (pages 285

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Chapter 9.1The Story of SikhismHistory(pages
285 289)
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Sikhism in Canada

• In the past, Sikhism was often mistakenly assumed
  to be an offshoot of Hinduism.
• But, it is a separate religion with its own
  scripture, art, architecture, ethics, and
  military service.
• Appreciation of Sikhism has grown greatly in
  recent years, especially in Canada.
• Growing Sikh immigration to Canada in the last
  several decades has helped with recognition.
• Sikhs first came to Canada in the early 20th
  century, and settled mainly in British Columbia.

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The History of Sikhism

• Guru Nanak
• Sikhisms origins are traced to one manGuru
  Nanak.
• Nanak was born into a Hindu warrior-caste family
  in Punjab, India, in 1469.
• Punjab was home to Hindus and Muslims.
• At about 30, Guru Nanak left his family to
  explore religion.
• He had a vision where God appeared to him and
  told him to be the prophet of a new religion with
  no Hindu and no Muslim, but only one human being
  who is a disciple of God.
• His mission became to bridge the two faiths.
• He travelled through India, Iraq, Tibet, Sri
  Lanka, and Mecca, preaching to unite the faiths.

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• The Ten Divinely Directed Gurus
• In Nanaks religion, rituals were replaced with
  obedience to a divinely directed guru.
• In total, 10 gurus led the faith over the years.
• Sikh gurus revealed truth from their own
  experience, whereas Hindu gurus interpreted
  ancient Hindu scriptures.
• Their revelations became the basis of Sikhism.
• Sikhs believe the gurus were ordinary human
  beings blessed with divine grace.

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• In 2001, 278 410 Sikhs lived in Canada
• they accounted for almost 5 of the 1.8 million
  new immigrants to Canada in the 1990s
• Sikhs were not always accepted as immigrants.
• In the early 20th century, they were often
  discriminated against in the workplace, at
  school, and when looking for housing.
• Today, discrimination is much less prevalent
  although it has not completely disappeared.
• Sikhs have contributed much to Canadian society.

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• The Granth Sahib and the Golden Temple
• The fifth guru, Arjun Dev, collected sacred
  hymns, poems, and Sikh wisdom and compiled them
  into the Adi Granth, the Sikh scripture.
• He built the Golden Temple to house the holy
  book, and to be a gathering place for Sikhs.
• The Living Guru
• In 1708, three days before he died, the tenth
  guru, Gobind Singh, declared there would be no
  more human gurus.
• From then on, the holy book of the Sikhs sacred
  writings would be the guru.

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• The Creation of Pakistan
• In August 1947, India became independent from
  Britain.
• Pakistan was created as a home country for Indian
  Muslims, to calm divisions between Hindus and
  Muslims in India.
• About 1.5 million Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs
  moved away from their homes for fear of being
  part of a powerless minority.
• Sikhs were forced to abandon many of their holy
  places, such as the birthplace of Guru Nanak,
  because they were on the Pakistani side of the
  Punjab.

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Chapter 9.2The Story of SikhismRituals(pages
290 298)
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Rituals

• Prayer
• The essence of the Sikh scriptures is in the
  first few pages of the Guru Granth Sahib, called
  the Japji Sahib.
• Sikh morning prayer begins with the Mul Mantra.
• Sikhs recite five formal prayers throughout the
  day.
• Prayer, or ardas, is an important part of Sikh
  ritual.
• It consists of
• a call for the blessings of God and the 10 gurus
• a recitation of key events in the life of the 10
  gurus and a short history of the Sikhs
• a worshipful recitation of the name of God
• a call for peace, well-being, and prosperity for
  all humanity
• Prayers for specific functions or reasons include
  a supplication to God for the success of the
  function, gathering, or project.

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The Gurdwara

• Gurdwaras are the main centres of prayer and
  religious observances.
• The main hall is plainly decorated, with no
  statues or images.
• The central object of attention is the sacred
  scripture itself.
• Like Hindus and Buddhists, Sikhs visit their
  place of worship whenever they wish.
• No particular day of the week is holy.
• In Canada, Sikhs often go to a gurdwara on
  Sundays to align with Canadians attending church
  services.

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• Worship in the Gurdwara
• Visitors remove their shoes before entering, and
  cover their heads.
• Visitors bow before the Guru Granth Sahib.
• After they place their offering and say a prayer,
  they back away respectfully and find a place to
  sit.
• Men and women sit on either side of the hall, but
  there is no strict rule to do so.
• Worship involves prayer, hymns, and reciting
  poems or other religious compositions.

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Worship in the Gurdwara (contd)

• Worship can be led by any member of the
  congregation who has studied the Sikh scriptures.
• The granthi is the person who performs the daily
  prayer service.
• The main part of the service is the singing of
  hymns.
• Ragis (professional hymn singers) normally play
  the music and lead the singing.
• The service includes short readings from Guru
  Granth Sahib.
• Formal Sikh services last three to four hours,
  but people come and go as they please.

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• At the end of the service, parshad, a sweet
  pudding-like dessert, is shared.
• Receiving the parshad is a key part of the
  hospitality practices in the gurdwara.
• People share a meal, called langar, that is
  prepared in the gurdwaras community kitchen.
• The meal is a symbol of unity and equality of all
  people.
• All people sit in rows on floor mats, regardless
  of their religion, age, gender, or status.

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Marking Time

• The fourth guru, Guru Ram Das, created the
  following routine
• 1) Sikhs wake up every morning before dawn and
  bathe.
• 2) Morning prayer begins with meditation on the
  name of God, followed by the rest of the
  Japji Sahib.
• 3) Sikhs then work to earn a living, but keep
  away from dishonesty and unfairness.
• 4) Sikhs recall Gods name at every opportunity
  during the day.
• 5) Sikhs offer prayer again in the evening and
  before bed.

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• Life-Cycle Ceremonies
• Birth and Naming
• The parents host a naming at the gurdwara.
• The granthi makes the amrit (ceremonial water
  also used in adult baptism) by adding sugar to
  water and stirring it with a kirpan (a small
  sword or dagger).
• Prayers are recited and hymns are sung to bless
  the newborn child.
• A random reading from the Guru Granth follows.
• The first letter of the first word of the reading
  becomes the initial letter of the childs name.

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• Baptism
• Guru Gobind Singh initiated the Baptism of the
  Sword ceremony in 1699.
• Baptized Sikhs are expected to wear symbols of
  their baptism at all times.
• These symbols are called the 5 Ks, and each has a
  special significance.
• 1) Kesh Uncut hair and beard (symbolizes
  saintliness and respect for the body)
• 2) Kangha Wooden comb (symbolizes personal
  cleanliness)
• 3) Kachha Short pants worn by the soldiers of
  the time (Khalsa Sikhs are warriors, always
  ready to defend their faith)
• 4) Kara Steel bracelet on the right wrist
  (symbolizes God, strength, and fearlessness)
• 5) Kirpan Small sword or dagger (symbolizes
  power and dignity)

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• Any man or woman can be baptized, at any age
• Baptism takes place in the gurdwara.
• Five members of the Khalsa explain the Khalsa
  obligations to the candidates, who vow to live
  according to them.
• The ardas (prayer) is recited, and a passage from
  the Granth is read.
• Anyone accepting Sikhism for the first time is
  given a new name.
• All baptized Sikhs share parshad.
• Most Sikhs do not undergo baptism.
• They are not bound to wear the 5 Ks, but many
  choose to wear some of them.

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Marriage

• The marriage ceremony is called Anand Karaj.
• Marriage is a holy union, and family life has the
  highest honour.
• Sikhs do not believe in celibacy (adults
  remaining single).
• Marriages are arranged with help of parents and
  extended families, but marriages are not always
  arranged in Canada.
• Marriage can take place anywhere, as long as
  there are no intoxicants, such as alcohol.
• Sikhs are encouraged to marry other Sikhs, but
  there are no barriers to race, caste, or status.
• The main ceremony consists of reciting the sacred
  wedding hymn.
• Each stanza gives important instructions for the
  couple on how to bring their marriage into a true
  communion.

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• Funeral Rites
• The body is bathed, dressed in clean clothes, and
  placed on a wooden frame.
• If the person has been baptised, the 5 Ks are
  displayed on the body.
• Mourners form a procession and sing hymns as they
  carry the body to the cremation ground.
• In Canada, the procession may be a motorcade that
  drives to the crematorium.
• Public displays of grief are discouraged because
  of Sikhs strong belief in the immortality of the
  human spirit.
• After cremation, the ashes are disposed of in the
  sea or other body of water.
• Some families take the ashes to the Sikh homeland
  in Punjab, India.
• Friends and relatives return to the house of the
  deceased where they may begin a ceremonial
  reading of the entire Guru Granth.
• The task is undertaken by friends, family, and
  sometimes a paid reader, and is to be completed
  in 9 days.
• On the last day, the mourners reassemble for the
  reading of the final five pages of the Guru
  Granth, the ardas (prayer), a random reading from
  the Granth, and the sharing of the parshad.

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Festivals and Holy Days

• Nanak Jayanti
• This is Guru Nanaks birthday, and takes place in
  November or December.
• Sikhs celebrate with processions and reading the
  Guru Granth Sahib continuously for three days
  before the holiday.

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• Baisakhi
• This is the birthday of the Khalsa, and the Sikh
  New Year.
• It remembers the first Baptism of the Sword.
• Baptisms take place on this day, and the Guru
  Granth is carried through the streets in
  procession.
• It also celebrates the beginning of the spring
  harvest, especially in the Punjab.

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The Community

• The Gurdwara
• The gurdwara is a centre for community life and
  charity.
• Sikhs believe service to humankind is service to
  God.
• Giving money to the needy and sharing meals
  together, including with strangers, are important
  acts of service.
• A langar (free kitchen) is always part of the
  gurdwara.

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• Branches of Sikhism
• There are three main branches of Sikhism
• Khalsa or Singhs initiated, baptized Sikhs
• Keshdhari Sikhs who keep their hair uncut and
  wear a turban, but have not been baptized
• Sahajdhari Sikhs who accept the beliefs and
  philosophies of Sikhism, but do not take the
  baptismal vows they cut their hair and do not
  wear a turban

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Major Teachings

• The 10 gurus and Guru Granth Sahib provide Sikhs
  with a beliefs system on how to worship and live
  their lives.
• 1. Monotheism
• There is only one God Creator, Timeless,
  Unincarnated (without a physical body), Eternal.
• 2. The Reality of the World
• The world is good it is not an illusion, nor a
  source of suffering.
• Human life is an opportunity to become one with
  God.

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• 3. Spiritual Achievement in This Life
• The goal of life is to escape our self-will or
  self-interest and become one with God.
• The highest achievement is to become a Gurmukh (a
  God-man), who is selfless and completely in touch
  with the will of God.
• 4. Union of Spiritual and Worldly Lives
• Guru Nanak did not believe in asceticism.
• Sikhs are involved in community life, take care
  of the poor, and act against injustice.
• Consumerism and materialism are strongly
  discouraged.

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• 5. Nam
• Nam is the presence of God in each human heart.
• Sikhs must strive to keep this God-within in
  mind at all times to become more loving,
  truthful, humble, and content.
• 6. Good Deeds, Not Rituals
• Ritualism is condemned.
• Sikhs feel that at the end of their lives, they
  will be judged solely on the quality of their
  actions.

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• 7. Equality and Human Dignity
• Sikhs profess that all humans are equal.
• Nanak rejected the Hindu caste system entirely.
• Sikhs profess the equality of women and men.
• 8. A Just Society
• Nanak wanted to establish a just and
  compassionate society on Earth.
• In his ideal community, all would work together,
  pray together, eat together and be treated
  equally.

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Chapter 9.3The Story of SikhismMorality /
Family(pages 302 303)
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Morality

• Social Responsibility
• The Rahit (or Reht) Maryada is the Sikh code of
  moral conduct.
• It provides guidelines for how to perform
  religious rites and live an ethical life.
• It is based on the teachings of the 10 gurus and
  the Guru Granth Sahib.
• Sikhism teaches that God, who created everything,
  gave people free will, and they must make moral
  choices.
• Sikhism requires its followers live according to
  three principles
• devotion to the Divine Name
• earning an honest living
• sharing earnings with those less fortunate
• Gaining wealth is not against Sikhism, as long as
  it is gained in an honest way and help is given
  to those in need.

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• Sikh Virtues and Vices
• The Gurus encourage five virtues and discourage
  five vices.
• Virtues Truth, Contentment, Patience, Perfect
  Faith, and Compassion
• Vices Lust, Anger, Greed, Attachment, Pride
• Sikh morality
• prohibits sex outside marriage and forbids
  adultery
• urges that all people be treated as equals
• encourages Sikhs to keep good company, and to act
  modest and humble
• requires Sikhs to contribute 1/10 of their
  earnings to charitable causes
• requires Sikhs to take part in the langar

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• Homosexuality is not mentioned specifically, but
  most Sikhs see it as inconsistent with nature.
• The code forbids intoxicants, smoking, and eating
  of kosher or halal meat.
• Sikhs strive to uphold the role of women as being
  equal to men.
• Women are encouraged to develop spiritual lives
  through prayer, song, and attendance at the
  gurdwara.
• Women participate equally in and perform all
  ceremonies, including baptism.
• Sikhs religion aims to improve the world by
  direct action.
• Sikhs believe that God has given them the
  blessings they need to turn any situation toward
  the good.

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Family Life

• Sikhs believe all adults should marry, if
  possible.
• They consider family life to be of the highest
  honour.
• Family life lived with virtuous behaviour and
  sincere faith in God leads to salvation.
• Children learn the beliefs and morals of Sikhism
  at home.
• Divorce is not encouraged, but it is permitted,
  especially on the grounds of cruelty, adultery,
  or change of religion.
• Second marriages after divorce are permitted.
• Remarriage after the death of a spouse is
  encouraged.
• Young Sikhs are often discouraged from dating
  because Sikhs believe sex outside of marriage is
  wrong.

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Chapter 9.4The Story of SikhismDialogue(pages
304 306)
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Interreligious Dialogue

• Sikhism and the Catholic Church
• Dialogue between Sikhs and Catholics began in New
  York in 2006.
• They have committed to meeting regularly to
  discuss matters of common concern.
• The first encounters were to raise the level of
  trust and mutual understanding.
• Sikhs are proud of their history of religious
  tolerance.

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• Profile Yogi Bhajan
• He was born in Punjab and became a master of
  Kundalini, an ancient form of yoga.
• He immigrated to Canada to teach it to the
  Western world.
• He became known for his 3HO movement, which
  stated it was the birthright of all people to be
  Healthy, Happy, and Holy.
• Yogi Bhajan met with leaders of all faiths to
  encourage dialogue.
• He encouraged Pope Paul VI to bring religious
  leaders together and, after the popes death,
  continued his relationship with the Catholic
  Church.
• He became co-president of the World Fellowship of
  Religions in 1974 and established the first
  International Peace Prayer Day for people of all
  faiths, which continues around the world today.