Sikhism

The sections below give more details of the underlying message of this faith. It is easiest to discuss the topic if the details are divided into the following sections:

1. Equality: All humans are equal before God - No discrimination is allowed on the basis of caste, race, gender, creed, origin, color, education, status, wealth, et cetera. The principles of universal equality and brotherhood are important pillars of Sikhism.
2. Personal right: Every person has a right to life but this right is restricted and has attached certain duties - simple living is essential. A Sikh is expected to rise early, meditate and pray, consume simple food, perform an honest day's work, carry out duties for his or her family, enjoy life and always be positive, be charitable and support the needy, et cetera.
3. Actions count: Salvation is obtained by one's actions - good deeds, remembrance of God - Naam Simran, Kirtan.
4. Living a family life: Encouraged to live as a family unit to provide and nurture children for the perpetual benefit of creation. (as opposed to living as a wild hermit, which was, and remains, a common spiritual practice in India.)
5. Sharing: It is encouraged to share and give to charity 10 percent of one's net earnings.
6. Accept God's will: Develop your personality so that you recognise happy event and miserable events as one - the will of God causes them.
7. The four fruits of life: Truth, contentment, contemplation and Naam, (in the name of God).

1. Non-logical behavior: Superstitions, or rituals which have no meaning, such as pilgrimages, fasting and bathing in rivers, gambling, worship of graves, idols or pictures, and compulsory wearing of the veil for women, are prohibited.
2. Material obsession: ("Maya") Accumulation of materials has no meaning in Sikhism. Wealth such as gold, portfolio, stocks, commodities, properties, et cetera, will all be left here on Earth when you depart. Do not get attached to them.
3. Sacrifice of creatures: Sati - Widows throwing themselves in the funeral pyre of their husbands, the act of slaughtering lambs and calves to celebrate holy occasions
4. Non-family oriented living: A Sikh is encouraged not to live as a recluse, beggar, monk, Nun, celibate, or in any similar vein.
5. Worthless talk: Bragging, gossip, and lying are not permitted.
6. Intoxication: The consumption of alcohol, drugs, tobacco, or other intoxicants is prohibited.
7. No priestly class: Sikhs do not have to depend on a priest for any of the functions that need to be performed.
8. Eating meat killed in a ritualistic manner: Sikhs are strictly prohibited from eating meat killed in a religious manner (such as halal or kosher meat), or any meat during the langar.[1] In some Sikh groups, eating any meat is believed to be forbidden, but this is not a universally held belief.[2]

1. Naam: Meditate upon God's name (Waheguru in the Sikh religion) through verba the mind is stilled and cleansed in order to become one with God. The technique taught by the Guru Granth Sahib is "Urd Uhrd". This means to inhale with the "Wahe" syllable and exhale on the "Guru" syllable. This is the most important part of the religion.
2. Kirat Karni: - Earning an honest living while remembering the Lord.
3. Wand kay Shakna: - Share with others who are deserving, as during langar

1. Reincarnation, karma and salvation: - Every creature has a soul. Upon death, the soul is passed from one body to another until liberation[citation needed]. The journey of the soul is governed by the deeds and actions that we perform during our lives.
2. Remember God: Love God, but have fear of Him as well. Only by keeping the Creator in your mind at all times will you make progress in your spiritual evolution.
3. Humanity (brotherhood): All human beings are equal. We are sons and daughters of Waheguru, the Almighty.
4. Uphold moral values: Defend, protect and fight for the rights of all creatures, in particular your fellow human beings.
5. Personal sacrifice: Be prepared to give your life for all supreme principles. See the life of Guru Teg Bahadur.
6. Many paths lead to God: - Sikhs are not special; they are not the chosen people of God. Simply calling yourself a Sikh does not bring you salvation. Members of all religions have the same right to liberty as Sikhs.
7. Positive attitude toward life: "Chardi Kala" - Always have a positive, optimistic and buoyant view of life. God is there - He will be your help.
8. Disciplined life: Upon baptism, a Sikh must wear the 5Ks and perform strict recital of the five prayers Banis.[citation needed]
9. No special worship days: Sikhs do not believe that any particular day is holier than any other.
10. Conquer the five thieves: It is every Sikh's duty to defeat these five thieves: Pride (a'Hankar), Anger (Kr'odh), Greed (Lob'H), Attachment (Mo'H), and Lust (K'haam). Known collectively as P.A.G.A.L.
11. Attack with Five Weapons: Contentment (Santokh), Charity (Dan), Kindness (Daya ), Positive Energy (Chardi Kala), Humility (Nimarta).
12. Having premarital sexual or extramarital relations:Sikhs are encouraged to be faithful to their spouse. All forms of adultery are discouraged. [3]
13. Not son of God: The Gurus were not, in the Christian sense, "Sons of God". Sikhism says we are all God's children.
14. All are welcome: Members of all religions can visit Sikh temples ("Gurdwaras"), but please observe the local rules: cover head, no shoes, no smoking when going in to the main hall.
15. Multi-level approach: Sikhism recognizes the concept of a multi-level approach to achieving your target as a disciple of the faith. For example, "Sahajdhari" (slow adopters) are Sikhs who have not donned the full 5Ks but are still Sikhs regardless.

Note: The Punjabi language does not have a gender for God. Unfortunately, when translating, the real meaning cannot be properly conveyed without using "Him," "His," "He," "Brotherhood," "Him or Her," et cetera; but this distorts the meaning by giving the impression that God is masculine, which is not the message in the original script. The reader must allow for this every time these words are used. It is often the case that rather than taking a gender definition, God is simply conveyed as "Omnipotent Being" rather than God, thus converying the correct perceptual image.

1. ^ "Sikhism, A Complete Introduction" by Dr. H.S. Singha & Satwant Kaur Hemkunt, Hemkunt Press, New Delhi, 1994, Special:Booksources
2. ^ "Sikh Identity: An Exploration of Groups Among Sikhs" by Opinderjit Kaur Takhar, pg. 51, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd, 2005, Special:Booksources
3. ^ Doris R. Jakobsh. Relocating Gender In Sikh History: Transformation, Meaning and Identity. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2003, pp.39-40

• Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle - A Socio-Religious Non-Profit Sikh Organization (ISO 9001:2000 Certified)

Amrit is said to be the ambrosial nectar of gods, immortalizing those who drink of it.

In the Sikh baptism ceremony, the Amrit Sanchar, the Panj Pyaray (five beloved ones) prepare Amrit by stirring sugar cakes into an iron bowl filled with water using an iron sword. This is done while reciting Amrit Banis, the five prayers of initiation, to infuse the water with the sweetness of sugar, strength of iron and the immortalizing properties of prayer. The first amrit ceremony took place at Anandpur Sahib, Punjab, India on March 30th 1699.

Guru Nanak started off Sikhism. He chose the 2nd Guru (Guru Agnad) as his 2 sons failed to complete a series of errands whilst Agnad did them for the Guru. The rest of the information is all pretty much the same, the present Guru would chose someone to success them if this person was devoted enough etc.....

The 2nd last Guru was worried that someone might change the stories slightly, so he wrote everything into the book called the Guru Granth Sahib. This is the current and final guru.

Any extra info use wikipedia by searching there names to see what they contributed to Sikhism or go to http://sikhism.about.com/od/tengurus/tp/Ten-Gurus-Timeline.htm for all of the Gurus and a bit of info on them.

hope helped.

Gurudwara is a place of worship, a temple of Sikhs, the followers of Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhism, the main feature of Gurdwara is to sing/listen the praises of Lord God and true Guru in association with the true congregation of devotee worshipers and recite the scripture contained in Guru Granth Sahib and hence learn the teachings of true Guru for implementation in real life of course.

गुर दुआरै हरि कीरतनु सुणीऐ ॥

All the Guru's door one hears the God's praise.

सतिगुरु भेटि हरि जसु मुखि भणीऐ ॥

Meeting with the True Guru, one utters the Lord's praise with honour in the Lord's court.

कलि कलेस मिटाए सतिगुरु हरि दरगह देवै मानां हे ॥४॥

Sorrows and strifes the True Guru effaces and blesses with honour in the Lord's court.

Guru Arjan Dev Ji, Raag Maaroo 1075

Besides above Gurdwara is used for,

1. Learning Punjabi,

2,Learning Tabla and Keertan,

3. Learning recitation of scriptures of Guru Granth Sahib and other scriptures of 10th Guru and Bhai Gurdassji.

4. taking coaching of meaning of the scriptures.

5. Religious books library and

6. Free medical care clinic.etc etc.

Except above Gurudwara is a place where the pupils/disciples/followers Sikhs are baptized, hence given the unique identification of a baptized(Amritdhari) Sikh. Here it is necessary to mention that we may have faith in Sikhism, but the true Guru gives more importance to baptized Sikhs and guides spiritually to His disciples. This is just like the enrollment in some institution and only then that institution issues their I. Card. After baptism all religious practice of a Sikh, like chanting name singing praises etc are suitably accounted for with the Lord God and true Guru.

As a public place Gurudwara is of great importance like meetings for religious resolutions. arranging Guru festivals of Their births and uniting with Lord God days.

Langer Hall is there for having lunch or brunch. Personal functions can also be arranged there being economical.

Another great importance of Gurdwara is marriage ceremony in way of Sikh custom.

In short a Gurudwara is like the temples of other religions. Temples are like concrete banks on a river facilitating safe baths, where one can worship without disturbance with other similar devotee worshipers.

तितु जाइ बहहु सतसंगती जिथै हरि का हरि नामु बिलोईऐ ॥

Go and sit in the society of saints where Lord God's Name is churned (meditated upon).

सहजे ही हरि नामु लेहु हरि ततु न खोईऐ ॥

Remember thou the God's Name with composure, that thou mayest not lose God, the Essence.

नित जपिअहु हरि हरि दिनसु राति हरि दरगह ढोईऐ ॥

Day and night repeat ever repeats God's Name, that thou myest find protection in God's court.

सो पाए पूरा सतगुरू जिसु धुरि मसतकि लिलाटि लिखोईऐ ॥

He alone obtains the perfect True Guru, on whose forehead and brow such a writ is written since the very beginning.

तिसु गुर कंउ सभि नमसकारु करहु जिनि हरि की हरि गाल गलोईऐ ॥४॥

Let us all pay homage to that Guru who utters the Divine sermon of the Lord.

Guru Amar Daas Ji, Raag Vadhans 587