Sikhs And Alcohol

[Sayf Udeen]

Okay - as a Muslim I drink no alcohol nor do I find myself in a situation I'll be near it.

I've assumed that sikhs also don't drink - but I thought I should ask.

What is the Sikh school of thought on alcohol?

[Guest G.Kaur]

http://www.sikhism101.com/node/76

Is drinking permitted in Sikhism?

The Panthic Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh booklet of Code of Conduct) states:

"(j) A Sikh must not take hemp (cannabis), opium, liquor, tobacco, in short any intoxicant. His only routine intake should be food."

(SRM: Chapter X, Article XVI)

The Sikh Gurus banned the use of intoxicants including alcohol on account of its harmful effects. It is physically harmful and mentally disturbing.

ਰਿ ਮੰਦਰੁ ਏਹੁ ਸਰੀਰੁ ਹੈ ਗਿਆਨਿ ਰਤਨਿ ਪਰਗਟੁ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਮੂਲੁ ਨ ਜਾਣਨੀ ਮਾਣਸਿ ਹਰਿ ਮੰਦਰੁ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥2॥

"This body is the Temple of the Lord, in which the jewel of spiritual wisdom is revealed. The self-willed manmukhs do not know anything at all; they do not believe that the Lord's Temple is within. ||2||" (Ang 1346)

In Persian language, wine is called Sharaab (ਸ਼ਰਾਬ) which literally means 'the water of mischief' (ਸ਼ਰਾਤੀ ਪਾਣੀ). By drinking alcohol the intellect is destroyed. Waheguru is forsaken and the gem of the human life is wasted. Alcohol is a depressant that slows brain activity down. While one or two drinks makes most people feel relaxed, more alcohol may cause feelings of anxiety, depression, and often aggression. Sometimes people say "I will only have one glass" but in the mood of joy or sometimes when a person is feeling so low, that the one glass becomes two, then three and eventually the whole bottle of alcohol. Therefore, why become part of this slippery slope pattern?

Alcohol's first effect as it reaches the outer brain is to distort your judgement and lower you inhibition, while producing euphoria (a sense of pleasure). As you consume more alcohol, and it reaches the cerebellum, your coordination and perception are affected, and you can have memory blackouts. As the alcohol reaches your mid-brain, reflexes diminish; you experience confusion, stupor, and may lapse into a coma. Once the alcohol finally reaches the medulla, or inner core of the brain, your heart rate drops and breathing ceases, resulting in death. Research suggests that continued alcohol use can cause depression. Alcohol robs brain cells of water and glucose, the brain's food, contributing to a hangover the next day. Furthermore Alcohol depresses the body's immune system making it easier to get sick. It also disrupts your sleep patterns, further depressing the immune system. Other complications include osteoporosis, obesity, or liver damage. Alcohol has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease, constipation, and strokes.

Guru Amar Daas Ji, the third Guru, made drinking liquor/alcohol a Kurehat (prohibition) for the Sikhs:

ਸਲੋਕ ਮ: 3 ॥

ਮਾਣਸੁ ਭਰਿਆ ਆਣਿਆ ਮਾਣਸੁ ਭਰਿਆ ਆਇ ॥

ਜਿਤੁ ਪੀਤੈ ਮਤਿ ਦੂਰਿ ਹੋਇ ਬਰਲੁ ਪਵੈ ਵਿਚਿ ਆਇ ॥

ਆਪਣਾ ਪਰਾਇਆ ਨ ਪਛਾਣਈ ਖਸਮਹੁ ਧਕੇ ਖਾਇ ॥

ਜਿਤੁ ਪੀਤੈ ਖਸਮੁ ਵਿਸਰੈ ਦਰਗਹ ਮਿਲੈ ਸਜਾਇ ॥

ਝੂਠਾ ਮਦੁ ਮੂਲਿ ਨ ਪੀਚਈ ਜੇ ਕਾ ਪਾਰਿ ਵਸਾਇ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਨਦਰੀ ਸਚੁ ਮਦੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਜਿਸੁ ਆਇ ॥

ਸਦਾ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਕੈ ਰੰਗਿ ਰਹੈ ਮਹਲੀ ਪਾਵੈ ਥਾਉ ॥1॥

"Salok, Third Mehl: One person brings a full bottle, and another fills his cup. Drinking which, his intelligence departs, and madness enters his mind; he cannot distinguish between his own and others, and he is pushed away by his Lord and Master; One should strictly avoid this evil alcohol by drinking of which one forgets Waheguru and is punished in His Court. Do not drink the false wine at all, to where it is in your power. O Nanak, with God's Grace a person obtains the True intoxication of the Lord's Name. That person dwells forever in the Love of the Lord Master, Waheguru, and obtains a seat (meaning honour) in the Mansion of His Presence. ||1||"

(Ang 554)

Furthermore, Gurbani tells us:

ਸੁਰਸਰੀ ਸਲਲ ਕ੍ਰਿਤ ਬਾਰੁਨੀ ਰੇ ਸੰਤ ਜਨ ਕਰਤ ਨਹੀ ਪਾਨੰ ॥

ਸੁਰਾ ਅਪਵਿਤ੍ਰ ਨਤ ਅਵਰ ਜਲ ਰੇ ਸੁਰਸਰੀ ਮਿਲਤ ਨਹਿ ਹੋਇ ਆਨੰ ॥1॥

"Gurmukhs, good persons, do not consume alcohol even if it is prepared by using Gangaa-jal (sacred water of the Ganges). This wine, and any other polluted water which mixes with the Ganges, is not separate from it (similarly a person from a lowly background who joins the pure Lord Vaheguru does not remain separate from Him). ||1||"

(Ang 1293)

Yogis, men who practiced Yoga as a religious path to meet Waheguru used to drink alcohol to focus their minds when sitting cross legged trying to meditate. Guru Nanak Sahib Ji condemns the consumption of liquor and alcohol:

ਪੂਰਾ ਸਾਚੁ ਪਿਆਲਾ ਸਹਜੇ ਤਿਸਹਿ ਪੀਆਏ ਜਾ ਕਉ ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰੇ ॥

ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਕਾ ਵਾਪਾਰੀ ਹੋਵੈ ਕਿਆ ਮਦਿ ਛੂਛੈ ਭਾਉ ਧਰੇ ॥2॥

"(O Yogi!) The Perfect Lord naturally gives the cup of Truth, to the one upon whom Waheguru casts His Glance of Grace. One who trades in this Amrit, the nectar, which gives eternal spiritual life - how could he ever love the alcohol of the world? ||2||"

(Ang 360)

Bhagat Kabeer Ji says:

ਕਬੀਰ ਭਾਂਗ ਮਾਛੁਲੀ ਸੁਰਾ ਪਾਨਿ ਜੋ ਜੋ ਪ੍ਰਾਨੀ ਖਾਂਹਿ ॥

ਤੀਰਥ ਬਰਤ ਨੇਮ ਕੀਏ ਤੇ ਸਭੈ ਰਸਾਤਲਿ ਜਾਂਹਿ ॥੨੩੩॥

"O Kabeer! Those mortals who consume marijuana, fish and wine - no matter what pilgrimages, fasts and rituals they follow, they will all go to hell. ||233||

(Ang 1377)

Guru Gobind Singh in his Rahatnama addressed to Bhai Chaupa Singh banned the use of any intoxicating drink. A Sikh of the Guru should never drink wine. (Guru Ka Sikh Sharab Kadi Na Peevay).

Drinking alcohol even in small quantities to enjoy its effect is against Gurmat. Alcohol and liquor are forbidden because of their ill effects on the mind and body and foremost it is addictive drug. BBC Health documented that a recent medical study has proven to show that drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause physical and mental birth defects. Each year, more than 40,000 babies are born with some degree of alcohol related damage. Although many women are aware that heavy drinking during pregnancy can cause birth defects, many do not realize that moderate�or even light�drinking also may harm the fetus.

Alcohol, especially in excess, is responsible for altering brain activity and affecting concentration and reflexes. As a result, individuals under the influence of alcohol are more susceptible to accidents especially while driving. Other side affects include insomnia (the inability to fall asleep and stay asleep), heartburn and high blood pressure. Excessive use or abuse of alcohol can contribute to increased levels of triglycerides in the blood that can then lead to heart disease.

We should feel blessed that our Guru was a Perfect Guru who was All-Knowing. In the last few decades the Western world has discovered the ill effects of alcohol on our mind, body and even on society. As a result restrictions were gradually brought on the drinking and driving, campaigns on the effects of alcohol abuse on youngsters, and the damage alcohol does to mothers and society in the whole. Furthermore However, our Guru told us this over 500 years ago.

Category: Rehat Maryada (Code of Conduct)

[jassa]

punj rattni is ban it can only be taken for medical purposes and that to in form of medicine if needed ...

[Kali]

To G.Kaur, you said:

Yogis, men who practiced Yoga as a religious path to meet Waheguru used to drink alcohol to focus their minds when sitting cross legged trying to meditate. Guru Nanak Sahib Ji condemns the consumption of liquor and alcohol:

You're completely wrong when you say that Yogis drinked this filth to focus their minds. Yogis condemn this act. If any did, they must be completely devoid of Yoga.

read this,

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Yogis do not touch alcohol, since they consider it to lower the vibrations of their subtle body (astral body). This defeats the purpose of yoga, which is to increase the vibrational level so they can gradually unfold their Higher Self.

Yoga also considers alcohol to have an adverse effect on the central nervous system, and in particular the brain. The integrity of the central nervous system is considered very important by the yogis, since one of the goals of yoga is to improve the health of this system, and much of the progress of yoga is achieved via this vital communication system.

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The whole purpose of Yoga is to be detached from this world and its pleasures; the mind being in an imbalanced state and lower form due to this is unable to connect/communicate with Spirituality, Reality, Soul and most importantly God. The Sidhs that Guru Nanak Dev Ji met and preached to (the discussion in the bani sidh ghost), were accomplished in yoga, and they speak of being detached from this world.

Now, for a sikh it is exactly the same, but the only difference is that Guru Nanak Dev Ji told us to live in society/Maya and become renunciates here while living a gristi jeevan:

nwnk nwmu visAw ijsu AMqir prvwxu igrsq audwsw jIau ]4]40]47]

naanak naam vasiaa jis a(n)thar paravaan girasath oudhaasaa jeeo ||4||40||47||

O Nanak, if the Naam, the Name of the Lord, dwells within the mind, one is approved and accepted, who lives as a renunciate in a house-holder life.

How can naam dwell in the heart/mind if:

rsu suienw rsu rupw kwmix rsu prml kI vwsu ]

[/size]The pleasures of gold and silver, the pleasures of women, the pleasure of the fragrance of sandalwood,

rsu GoVy rsu syjw mMdr rsu mITw rsu mwsu ]

the pleasure of horses, the pleasure of a soft bed in a palace, the pleasure of sweet treats and the pleasure of hearty meals

eyqy rs srIr ky kY Git nwm invwsu ]2]

-these pleasures of the human body are so numerous; how can the Naam, the Name of the Lord, find its dwelling in the heart? ||2||

And Finally, our goal as a sikh (student) is to attain the level of Gurmukh/khalsa:

bwhir jwqO Twik rhwvY gurmuiK shij smwvY ]4]

baahar jaatha t(h)aak rehaavai guramukh sehaj samaavai ||4||

The mind which wandered in external distractions is restrained and held in check; the Gurmukh is intuitively absorbed in God. ||4||

so igrhI so dwsu audwsI ijin gurmuiK Awpu pCwinAw ]

so girehee so dhaas oudhaasee jin guramukh aap pashhaaniaa ||

He is a householder, he is a renunciate and God's slave, who, as Gurmukh, realizes his own self.

This is the reason for why we are against alcohol since it is only there for its pleasure. Its meaningless. It is a corrupt pleasure.

When one becomes Gurmukh all these pleasures in this world seem tasteless. Our aim is to leave every worldly pleasure and not just alcohol, and live within ones self where God resides. Everything created by God is an illusion only the Creator is the reality. Its either the creation or the creator:

kIqy kau myrY sMmwnY krxhwru iqRxu jwnY ]

keethae ko maerai sa(n)maanai karanehaar thrin jaanai ||

He looks upon the creation like a mountain of gold, and sees the Creator as a blade of grass.

Hope that helped.

[Guest G.Kaur]

Kali, my post is an article I copied from http://www.sikhism101.com/node/76

[apne]

There are too many types of Yogis. One of the most powerful Yogis are Oghurs (Aow-Gha-arr). They feed on dead animal flesh and even eat dead human bodies. They live naked and in jungles away from society. They are masters of occult and Tantra. And Yogis not only drink alcohol but their urine too mixed with alcohol.

Yoga is done to become one with God, to become Brahman as per Hindu thought. As per Sikh thought they are a misguided lot. Guru Gobind Singh specifically states that by doing pranayam a man can fool others to believe he has achieved God but in reality he has not, he with is trickery is able to lead a comfortable life in this world but rots in the next where his tricks do not play with lord.

[Harjeet.Singh]

Even though Sikhs are not permitted to take intoxicants (smoking or alcohol), Most Sikhs actually do it anyway. And if you were to ask some sikhs directly, does your religion permit you to drink? they probably would even say yes. But in true Sikhi your not supposed to.

[buddasingh]

Fill in the conclusion…

If …

to be a sikh is a choice

to drink alcohol is a choice

drinking alcohol is not permitted for a sikh

then someone who drinks by choice…

Same can be said for hair…

If…

to be a sikh is a choice

cutting one’s hair is a choice

cutting hair is not permitted for a sikh

then someone who cuts hair by choice…

[Sayf Udeen]

Thanks for the replies.

Yeah - there's Muslims who drink too - but most of them do admit they're not practising.