The other day, we were all sitting and eating roti and we began talking about amrit. The meaning of it, different places people have taken it, and how it makes a person. We also said that it is not right to force someone to take amrit, and it is better that they are prepared and ready for it. Another thing that we talked about was how there are some places that think of the rules of amrit as more guidelines. To me, that is not right. Amrit is there for those who want to become Amritdhari and follow the teachings of the gurur 100%. It is not meant for you to choose which teachings to follow and which to not. For example, some say it is ok to have meat such as eggs and fish, as long as you dont eat meat itself. To me that does not make any sense at all. The guru said that we should not eat any type of meat or animal product, if eggs and fish are not that, then what are they? Many people who eat eggs and fish say it is for health reasons. There are many different ways to get the nutrition that eggs and fish give, without eating them. I'm sorry if I have said something wrong. Below is an article from a website that I found.
In the history of the Sikh faith, the initiation ceremony has passed through two distinct phases. From the time of Guru Nanak (1469-1539), the founder up to 1699, charan amrit or "pagpahul" was the custom. Charanamrit and pagpahul meant initiation by water touched by the Master’s toe — the charan and pag both being equivalents of the word ‘foot’. In early Sikhism, the neophytes sipped water poured over the Guru’s toe to be initiated into the fold. Where the Guru was not present, masands or local sangat leaders officiated. A reference to initiation by "charan amrit" occurs in Bhai Gurdas, Varan, I.23, born 12 years after the passing away of Guru Nanak.
The practice continued until 1699 when, at the time of the inauguration of the Khalsa, Guru Gobind Singh introduced "khande di pahul", i.e. pahul by khanda, the double-edged steel sword. This was done at Anandpur at the time of Baisakhi festival on 30 March 1699, in a soul-stirring drama. At the morning assembly of the Sikhs drawn from all four corners of India, Guru Gobind Singh, sword in hand, proclaimed, “My sword wants today a head. Let any one of my Sikhs come forward. Isn’t there a Sikh of mine who would be prepared to sacrifice his life for his Guru?” To five similar calls successively made, five Sikhs offered their heads one after the other. They were Bhai Daya Singh, Bhai Mukham Singh, Bhai Sahib Singh, Bhai Dharam Singh and Bhai Himmat Singh. Guru Gobind Singh proceeded to hold the ceremony of initiation to mark their rebirth as new men.
Filling an iron bowl with clean water, he kept stirring it with a two-edged sword (called a Khanda) while reciting over it five of the sacred texts or banis — Japji, Jaap, Savaiyye, Benti Chaupai and Anand Sahib. The Guru’s wife, Mata Jito (also known as Mata Sahib Kaur), poured into the vessel sugar crystals, mingling sweetness with the alchemy of iron. The five Sikhs sat on the ground around the bowl reverently as the holy water was being churned to the recitation of the sacred verses.
With the recitation of the five banis completed, khande di pahul or amrit, the Nectar of Immortality, was ready for administration. Guru Gobind Singh gave the five Sikhs five palmsful each of it to drink. The disciple sat "bir-asan" i.e. in the posture of a warrior with his left knee raised and the right knee touching the ground. Every time the Guru poured the nectar into his palms to drink, he called out aloud, “Bol Vahiguru ji ka Khalsa Vahiguru ji ki Fateh (Utter, Hail the Khalsa who belongs to the Lord; the Lord to whom belongs victory).” The Sikh repeated the blessed utterance. After the five life-giving draughts had been thus administered, the Guru sprinkled the holy liquid into his face gazing intently into his eyes. He then anointed his hair with the nectar. In the same manner, Guru Gobind Singh initiated the other four one by one. At the end, all five of them were given the steel bowl to quaff from it turn by turn the remaining elixir in token of their new fraternal comradeship. Then, following the Guru, they repeated Vahiguru five times as gurmantra and five times recited the Mool Mantra They were given the common surname of Singh, (meaning lion) and enjoined to regard themselves as the khalsa, i.e. the Guru’s own. They were told that their rebirth into this brotherhood meant the annihilation of their family ties (kul nas), of the occupations which had formerly determined their place in society (krit nas), of their earlier beliefs and creeds and of the ritual they observed.
Their worship was to be addressed to none but Akal, the Timeless One. They were ever to keep the five emblems of the Khalsa — kesh or long hair and beard; kangha, a comb tucked into the kesh to keep it tidy in contrast to the recluses who kept it matted in token of their having renounced the world; kara, a steel bracelet to be worn round the wrist of the right hand; kachchha, short breeches; and kirpan, a sword.
In the rehit or code of conduct promulgated for the Sikhs on that day were the four prohibitions, i.e.
1. Cutting or trimming of hair,
2. Fornication or adultery,
3. Halal meat or flesh of animal slaughtered in a slow and painful manner,
4. Use of tobacco
(from: http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Pahul)
8 comments:
how about alcohol? or other intoxicants? aren't we as sikhs supposed to abstain from these?
yes, we are. and as a sikh, I'm sure you are already aware of this. i was using meat, eggs and fish as an example, i was not excluding alcohol and other intoxicants. can you please leave your name next time, thank you.
Also you have written in Point #3 about halal meat or flesh of animal slaughtered in a slow and painful manner. Does this mean we can eat meat that is not killed in a slow and painful manner, but in a quick and painless manner?
Signed anonymous
no it does not
This is a very controversial subject. There are loads of Sikhs who believe that meat is permissible, and others who think that is is not.
There are some who believe that alcohol in little amounts is permissible, while others who believe that it is strictly forbidden.
Most of the time we just go round in this continuous circle, each trying to prove the other wrong. Less emphasis is made on action. Is it going to make me any more spiritual if I win the argument? NO!!! All I would have done is wasted my time which I would rather have spent doing something positive.
It is best to avoid these issues and practice what each believes is right, as sikhi is a personal relationship between you and your guru. Try to be gursikhs as it is with guru ji's kirpa one can become one with the existence.
That was awesome, Baljinder. I too agree with you that when one takes amrit, they should stick to the tenets of becoming amritdhari.
There are some people who I know who have said that you don't have to read the panj baneeyan. And then I think to myself, 'well, then why bother taking amrit?' It is about a discipline and one should have amrit if they are ready to accept that discipline. It should not be about do however much we can, and then it is all good. Why else would our Gurus have given us these guidelines to adhere by, if we are just going to do what we feel is comfortable?
Why else would our Gurus have written so much bani if we are just going to leave it for someone else to recite, or if we are just going to matha taek and not do anything after that (as my Nana Ji would say)?
People just want to make life simple and easy for themselves, and that is why they 'cut corners' so to speak.
I know others who have taken amrit and who continue to trim their hair, get rid of facial hair, and dress in ways that would undermine the simplicity with which amritdhari women should abide by.
With all of this, though, I also realize that we should not judge each other. It is Guru Ji who will judge each of us when it is our time. But, I do feel that if our Guru Ji's have set out a way of life for us to follow, then we should do our best to follow it. People shouldn't brag about having amrit if they don't follow what it is all about.
Thank you for listening.
Satnam
To Anonymous,
1. "There are loads of Sikhs who believe that meat is permissible," Not if they are Amritdhari. That is not part of the discipline.
2. "There are some who believe that alcohol in little amounts" All nasha is forbidden for Amritdhari sikhs.
3. "Most of the time we just go round in this continuous circle, each trying to prove the other wrong" There is no point in arguing to prove anything is right or wrong. All you have to do is follow Guru Ji's hukum.
4. "It is best to avoid these issues and practice what each believes is right," How do you know what is right? If you were to follow Guru Ji's hukum you would not have to worry about right and wrong. I believe they call that having faith or sharda.
5. "as sikhi is a personal relationship between you and your guru." Sikhi is not a conversation with God. Maybe you can have a personal relationship with Jesus. And maybe you are confusing the 2 religions. Sikhi is a path that one follows to Guru Ji.
6. "Try to be gursikhs as it is with guru ji's kirpa one can become one with the existence." That is why Sikhs take amrit, to purify mind and body. And follow Guru Ji's hukum to the letter, so there can be kirpa. And one doesn't try to be a gursikh, you either are, and have complete faith and follow Guru Ji's hukum.
"Hukum rajaee challaya,
Nanak likhya naal"
Or else you become like the "loads of sikhs" who rationalise the hukum "and practice whatever each believes is right". Since when did we "Sikhs" all of a sudden know more than Guru Ji.
Baljinder, great conversation and discussion you have created with your blog entry.
Bhul chuk maaf.
From,
Raj and Mander
Okay. no where in gurbani does it say that sikhs aren't allowed to have meat. It is explicitly stated that no halal meat, or food prepared in a ritualistic fashion, but that doesn't encompass ALL meat.
additionally, gurbani clearly states that arguing about whether or not meat is permissible as an item of consumption is a waste of time (and we should not engage in it). Time is better spent on remembering waheguru.
WJKK!
WJKF!
S. Kaur
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