About the Sikhs ... Peaceful until disturbed.

ABOUT THE SIKHS

The Golden Temple of Sikh Dharma
Amritsar, India

This page is presented for the purpose of making the inquirer more familiar with the lifestyle and practices of Sikh Dharma, a householders' spiritual path by which practice one may, by God's grace, be blessed with the virtue known as humility along with the good fortune to overcome the mental and spiritual affliction known as pride.

Introduction
"Peaceful until disturbed."

The history and suffering of Sikhs is one of the most important episodes in the history of India. Guru Nanak Dev founded Sikhism in the fifteen century and he was followed by nine Gurus (enlightened teachers or prophets). Guru Angad developed the Gurumukhi script. Guru Ram Das laid the foundation for the city of Amritsar. Guru Arjan Dev compiled the Adi Granth, the sacred text of Sikhs (a.k.a. Guru Granth Sahib).

But it was Guru Gobind Singh who gave Sikhism a renewed vigor and mass following in the seventeenth century. The principle of Sikhism is that there was but one God, and all people are servants of God and Guru, and are bound together in a holy brother-sisterhood known as the Khalsa. He declared that he was the last of the Gurus, and asked his followers to revere only the Guru-Word after his death.

Guru Gobind Singh also built the institution of Akalis. The Akalis were religious warriors -- soldiers of God. Late in the twentieth century (1970s and 1980s), the Akalis were to wage a bloody fight against the Indian government, which led to massive armed offensive against them.

Today, people of Sikh religion can be found all over the world, due to years of persecution in their homeland (in 1738 by Nadir Shah, in 1748 to 1751 by Ahmed Shah Abdadi, by the British in 1849, and in 1984 by government militia in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi's assassination) as well as due to their entrepreneurial spirit.

The Sikhs (or Sardarjis as they are popularly known) have been great patrons of art, religion and scholarship. Along with Rajputs, they are known as the bravest people in India, and their women, among India's most beautiful. The Sikhs have participated in India's nation building for hundreds of years, fighting the British, serving in the military (the Sikh regiment is the most decorated regiment of the Indian army) and excelling in sports, and they have even served as the President (Gianni Zail Singh, 1916-1994, President of India, 1982-87, and a veteran freedom fighter) and Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) of India.

"We never started a war before, but we have finished many."

Gianni Zail Singh Manmohan Singh

A Brief Historical Background

500 year ago, when Columbus first sailed across the Atlantic Ocean and discovered the Americas, a divinely-inspired spiritual teacher by the name of Guru Nanak traveled by foot throughout South Asia and the Middle East elevating the social situations of his time by teaching the oneness of humanity and tolerance between people of different religions. Guru Nanak and his followers, called Sikhs, wore turbans as a symbol of their devotion to the One God that created all people and all religions.

On April 13, 1699, the Tenth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh recognized those spiritual principles and incorporated them into the fabric of the Sikh honor code. The Sikh honor code promoted and, more importantly, protected equality of all people regardless of faith, color, caste and gender, and required Sikhs to protect the innocent from unjust attacks. The Sikh turban and beard have come to represent not only a spirit of universality, but also a willingness to protect others' rights, even at the cost of one's own life.

On September 11, 2001, when terrorists struck the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, thousands of lives were lost and the world was dramatically transformed. Hate crimes claimed more victims in the days that followed. The large-scale terrorist attacks and the countless victims of hate-related violence who suffered in the backlash from the attacks were ultimately victims of the same intolerance against people of other faiths, cultures and traditions.

Four days after the September 11th attacks, a Sikh man by the name of Balbir Singh Sodhi was shot and killed while planting flowers outside of his neighborhood gas station in Mesa, Arizona. The motive of the crime was simply hate. In the years since, victims' rights advocacy groups have identified many other people across the country who have also been murdered because of their religious or cultural backgrounds. In addition, hundreds of others have been physically attacked, verbally harassed or discriminated against simply because of their diversity. The 9-11 Backlash.

See Americans Get An 'F' In Religion.

The Sikhs ...

Believe God is Truth and Word is Guru.

Believe God is the One Creator, and all of Creation is God's manifestation.

Espouse the role of woman as representing the Universal Mother.

Keep their hair and beard unshorn, and their hair wrapped in a turban.

Are vegetarians and do not eat flesh food, i.e., red meat, chicken or seafood.

Refrain from using tobacco, drugs or alcohol.

Perform sadhana,* i.e., spiritual practice before sunrise, and recite banis daily.*

Believe all religion and scripture is an expression of the One Creator.

Respect the rights and freedoms of all spiritual paths.

Espouse the sanctity of the path of the householder.

Believe it is God's blessing to serve others, and to protect the weak.

*Sadhana: Derived from a Sanskrit word meaning, Sa-all, and Dhana-blessings.

"The greatest reward of doing Sadhana is that the person becomes incapable of being defeated. Sadhana is a self-victory, and it is a victory over time and space. Getting up in the morning is a victory over time, and doing it is a victory over space." Yogi Bhajan

*Banis are specific passages taken from the Guru and read each day.

In America

Only the Sikhs wear turban.

In America, the members of the Sikh Dharma are the only religious group whose practice includes the wearing of a turban.

An Ancient Practice

Why do Sikhs wear the turban? Wearing a head covering enables one to command the sixth center, the Agia Chakra. Covering the head stabilizes the cerebral matter and the twenty-six parts of the brain which are interlocked with the neurological system and the electromagnetic field. Covering one's head creates a focus of the functional circuit of the hemispheres, and tunes up the neurological system. The whole head should be covered, not just the Crown Chakra. Any head covering that covers the whole head is acceptable; white natural fabric, such as cotton, is ideal.

In ancient times the Turban preceded the Crown
as the symbol of Wisdom, Knowledge and Power.

The benefit to wearing the turban is that when one wraps the 5 or more layers of cloth, the temples are covered, which minimizes any variance or movement in the different parts of the skull. In other words, wearing a turban automatically provides an acupressure-like cranial adjustment, which provides an aid to all mental activities.

Today, in North America, the only religious group, which wears turban, is the Sikhs. The practice of wearing the turban has not only become a rarity in many religions, but to the unversed it is associated only with fanatical and militant world terrorists. Since the horror of September 11, 2001, the Sikhs have been profiled and mistakenly identified as being associated with the fanatical Muslim Taliban of Afghanistan. In the days following 9-11, the Sikh community around the world became painfully aware that many people have very little knowledge of the Sikh religion. A great deal of confusion existed then, as some American Sikhs were attacked, some were killed, and questions continue to this day regarding the Sikhs and their high profile tradition of unshorn hair, maintaining full beard, and tying turban. See Sikh Style Turbans See Beards

What is Sikhism?

Sikhism, the youngest of the world religions and numbering about 20 million, is barely five hundred years old. Its founder, Guru Nanak, was born in 1469. Guru Nanak spread a simple ecumenical message of "Ek Ong Kar", we are all one, created by the One Creator of all Creation. This was at a time when India was being torn apart by castes, sectarianism, religious factions, and fanaticism. He aligned with no religion, and respected all religions, and religious scriptures. He expressed the reality that there is but one God, and many paths, and the Name of God is Truth, "Sat Nam". His simple message to all is, "Meditate forever on the One!"

Word is The Guru

The Siri Guru Granth Sahib

Guru Nanak's followers are known as Sikhs (disciples of Truth). He taught them to bow only before the one God, and to link themselves by way of the Guru, the Light of Truth, who lives always in direct consciousness of God, experiencing no separation. Through words and example, the Guru demonstrates to followers how to experience God within themselves, bringing them from darkness into light. Guru Nanak was a humble bearer of this Light of Truth. He opposed superstition, injustice, and hypocrisy and inspired seekers by singing divine songs, which touched the hearts of the most callous listeners. These songs were recorded, and formed the beginnings of the Sikhs' Sacred Writings, later to become the "Siri Guru Granth Sahib".

Guru Nanak taught this Spiritual Lifestyle.

Nam Japa - To rise each day before sunrise, clean the body, meditate on God's Name and recite the Guru's hymns to clean the mind. And throughout the day, continuously remember God's Name with every breath, meditating on the One.

Dharam di Kirat Karni - To labor and earn by the sweat of the brow, live a householder's way of life, and practice truthfulness and honesty in all dealings.

Vand Ke Chakna - To share the fruits of one's labor with others before considering oneself. And thus, live as an inspiration and a support to the entire community.

Guru Nanak (1469-1539)
Founder of Sikh Dharma

Guru Nanak laid down this foundation of Sikhism. Guru Nanak later infused and passed this consciousness on to a disciple, who then became the next Guru, who subsequently passed the light on to the next, and so on. The word "Guru" is derived from the root words "Gu", which means darkness or ignorance, and "Ru", which means light or knowledge. The Guru is the experience of Truth, God, the One Reality.

Each one of the ten Sikh Gurus
represents a divine attribute.

Guru Nanak - Humility
Guru Angad - Obedience
Guru Amar Das - Equality
Guru Ram Das - Service
Guru Arjan - Self-Sacrifice
Guru Hargobind - Justice
Guru Har Rai - Mercy
Guru Harkrishan - Purity
Guru Tegh Bahadur - Tranquility
Guru Gobind Singh - Royal Courage

Guru Gobind Singh, the Tenth Guru, exemplified the Sikh ideal of the Soldier-Saint. He was also an inspired and prolific writer, courageous warrior, and a source of Divine Wisdom to his Sikhs. "When all other means have failed," he said, "only then is it righteous to take up the sword." He was the defender of the innocent, the poor, the meek, and the oppressed masses of India.

The Making of the Khalsa

Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708)

Guru Gobind Singh was the last of the ten Sikh Gurus in human form. At the first Vaisakhi, he created the Khalsa; a spiritual brother and sisterhood devoted to purity of thought and action. He gave the Khalsa a distinctive external form, the five "K's", to inspire and remind them of their commitment, and to help them maintain an elevated state of consciousness. And he decreed that Sikh men carry the middle name, Singh, meaning lion, and that Sikh women carry the middle name, Kaur, meaning princess. Examples are, Hari Singh Khalsa, and Hari Kaur Khalsa.

About Vaisakhi

Five Sikhs prepare Amrit at Vaisakhi

Vaisakhi day commemorates a very important occasion in the history of the Sikh Faith. On this day, Guru Gobind Singh established the Khalsa Panth. The word Khalsa comes from Persian dialect, meaning “pure”, and Panth refers to “way of life”. He created a Fellowship of the Pure. In a distinct ceremony, five followers of the faith were initiated in to Panth, who passed a difficult test set for them by the Guru, and became known as the “Panj Pyare” (the five beloved ones). Since that time, any five baptized Sikhs have been called upon to render decisions on important issues facing Sikh communities. Another unique aspect is that after baptizing the Panj Pyare, Guru Gobind Singh asked them to initiate him, thus firmly establishing the democratic principles inherent in the Sikh religion. The baptized Sikhs were given a distinct uniform or identity: Kanga (wooden comb), Katchera (breeches), Kara (steel bracelet), Kirpan (sword), the wearing of Kesh (unshorn hair), and a “Code of Conduct” which included abiding by truthful principles of living.

The Five "K's"

Every baptized Khalsa Sikh vows to wear the symbols known as the Five "K's", first ordered by Guru Gobind Singh.
KESH*, the God-given hair and beard, kept unshorn to sustain him or her in higher consciousness, and to be covered with a Turban, the crown of spirituality. The unshorn hair is coiled, and worn in a jura or knot (bun) on top of the head (crown chakra), and under the turban. See Turbans See Beards
KANGHA, the wooden comb, symbol and reminder of the commitment to cleanliness, and used to groom the hair.

KATCHERA, the specially designed cotton underwear, symbol and reminder of the commitment to purity, and to refrain from sexual relationships outside of marriage. (Khalsa Sikhs also vow to refrain from eating meat or using tobacco, alcohol, and all other intoxicants.)
KARA, the steel ring-bracelet, symbol of Infinity, worn on the wrist, signifying a bondage to Truth, The One God, The One Reality, and freedom from every entanglement.
KIRPAN, the small sword, the symbolic Sword of Righteousness, with which a Khalsa is committed to righteously defend the innocent, and the fine line of Truth.

Then Guru Gobind Singh infused his own being into the Khalsa, declaring that the Khalsa was now the Guru in all temporal matters. For spiritual matters, the Guruship was given to the "Siri Guru Granth Sahib", a compilation of sacred ecumenical writings taken from saints and sages of several spiritual paths who have experienced Truth. For Sikhs, "Siri Guru Granth Sahib" is the living embodiment of the Guru, and is regarded with the utmost reverence and respect wherever it is found. Sikhs all over the world look to the "Siri Guru Granth Sahib" as their supreme, living Guru, as the source of their spiritual instruction and guidance.

Sikhism is one religion, which is founded on the principles of global interfaith communities and mutual inter-community respect and harmony. The founders of Sikhism have, since 1469, defined and taught the principles of interfaith respect, dialogue, and harmony. A Sikh, by definition, will respect and accept all other world religions. Further, the Sikh will protect, guard, and allow the free practice of the customs and rituals of other religions.

'... We gladly accept all, and we will exclude none,
For after all, we're the same - we are all One.'
Guru Gobind Singh

*Think about it!

Sikhs consider hair to be a blessing from the Creator.

Why is hair so rapidly replaced, cut after cut?
It's more important to your well being than you realize.

Today, whether a man has a beard can spark controversy. Witness the case of Maher "Mike" Hawash, an Intel contract engineer, and a Muslim, who has pleaded not guilty to charges related to waging war against the United States. In some pictures he's clean shaven, and in others he has a beard. The underlying issue has been, what kind of message does a man's beard send about innocence, guilt, stereotypes and political correctness?

Here's a quick look at what six religious faiths believe about beards and letting one's hair grow.

Sikhism: Devout Sikhs, both men and women, let their hair grow, wrap their hair in a turban,* and the men allow their beards to grow. These are some basic requirements of the Khalsa, a fellowship of those who "belong to the divine." The practice affirms their belief that God made men and women perfectly, with no changes necessary. When the Khalsa arose in 1699, their unshorn hair set Sikhs apart and encouraged them to stand up against oppression, tyranny and injustice.

To a Sikh, hair is a reminder
of the One Who put it there.

But human hair also has physiological and psychological aspects. To the Sikhs, it is an important component in the equation of man's physical and electromagnetic health and harmony. And in the human male, facial hair acts as an important buffer to the solar and lunar energies. Thus, human hair has its obvious or exoteric, as well as yogic or esoteric aspects. In a psychological sense, our cutting of body hair is an indication of a conflicted attitude, since it is within the physical nature of our body to grow the hair, and it is an attitude within our psyche to cut the hair. Conversely, letting the hair grow expresses an inner harmony with nature. In a biological sense, it would appear that hair is important to our physical well being since the body repeatedly replaces hair quickly, whenever it is cut. And in a spiritual sense, it can be said that there is an important message to be had from the One Creator, as to the necessity for hair, e.g., when a man's facial hair is shaved, it rapidly reappears, time after time. *What's with the Turban Sikh Style Turbans What Sikhs Have To Say

Judaism: Orthodox and Hasidic Jews wear beards and, sometimes, long side-curls, called payot. Leviticus 19:27 forbids them to round off the corners of their temples or "mar" the edges of their beards. The latter is equated with shaving, but some Jews believe that scissors and scissor-action shavers may be used. In some circles, a beard is a sign of mourning, either for a loved one lost or grown from Passover to Pentecost on behalf of the Jewish people.

Christianity: God is often depicted as having a flowing white beard, and Jesus, most often, has a darker one. No eternal, blanket understanding about facial hair arose, but smaller groups, such as the Orthodox churches, developed traditions about men keeping beards. In the modern world, men may or may not adhere to them. Some groups ascribe particular meaning to beards. Amish men, for example, may grow beards as a sign of being married. Just a beard, though -- a mustache is seen as frivolous or militaristic.

Islam: The Prophet Muhammad himself had a beard and prescribed them for his male followers. Different styles of beards are allowed, and some reflect cultural differences. Muslims may disagree on whether it's permissible to trim a beard, but Muhammad said that a moustache should be trimmed so that it didn't get wet when a man took a drink of water. Cutting hair is a different story. Muhammad himself had long or short hair at different times of his life.

Buddhism: A goal is to dissociate from the material world and its distractions, and hair is often a subject of pride or vanity. Buddhist monks and nuns may shave their heads, as an outward sign of renouncing the world. Shaven heads and faces are associated with cleanliness. Some Western teachers avoid shaved heads because they can create discomfort in the general population.

Rastafarianism: Their characteristic dreadlocks express their pride in African hair and are allowed to grow free-form, uncombed and untreated after washing. They are in keeping with a Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament law for Nazarites, a group of people who are consecrated or set apart. Numbers 6:5 says "no razor shall come upon the head ... they shall be holy; they shall let the locks of the head grow long."