A Few Questions

[Yasmin]

Helo all, quite a few questions i'm hoping some of you could answer for me? Bear in mind I don't know any punjabi and you'll have to put it simply because sad to say my knowledge of Sikhism is very small

1. From what I've gathered on the forum , when you take Amrit you're becoming more devoted to your religion and adopt the 5 K's? If so, what does the Amrit involve?

2. Is there any particular dress code regarding men and women?

3. Are things such as dating, free mixing between men and women allowed, what are the rulings on this?

4. Are Sikhs allowed to drink alcohol or is this a misconception? (I've seen a wedding video from my Sikh friend and the men were all drinking - is this because its allowed or are these men just not doing it correctly?)

5. I'm confused about the concept of afterlife in Sikhism. How many times can you be reincarnated? What are the different stages etc?

I had so many questions and now I've come to do the post I've forgotten half of them if anyone can help with these that would be gerat and I'll post somemore hoprfully later on.

Yasmin

[Deep Singh]

Yasmin,

1. Amrit means nectar or 'holy water/liquid'. Often we say that he or she has taken Amrit, but the appropriate word is perhaps Khandeh-Batteh-Di-Pahul. Khanda is a "double-edged sword", used in mixing the nectar. Batta is the all-steel [called Sarbloh in Punjabi] vessel. Pahul is the traditional word for initiation. Amrit is so much more. In one sence Amrit is the nectar is the steel vessel, but Amrit is also the Light of God/blessing of God that comes down to humans who take Pahul. There is a very strict to make Amrit-nectar. It was be read here: http://www.allaboutsikhs.com/way/amrit.htm

Also i believe there are minor differences between how the ceremony should be conducted. But the accepted Rehat [Codes] suggest this method: http://www.allaboutsikhs.com/rehat/rehat_06.htm Read the part about Panth's Status of Guruhood.

Also i suggest a book 'Amrit ki Hain - The meanin of Sikh baptism' by a Sikh mystic, Bhai Randhir Singh. can be found at www.akj.org and literature section.

2. Both men and women have to wear the 5 Ks. There is some argument whether women should also turban, but i believe most Sikh women who have taken Amrit, do wear a small turban, called keski. Of course men do wear turbans. Apart from this: well Guru Gobind Singh, 10th Guru Sahib, gave a dress called Baana to his sikhs. i have never had the experience to wear. but Sikhs on this forum wear it usually. It is partly a warriar dress, but i think there are some normal versions also. please help me here guys... i don't know if Baana is a must, or if it is up to the Sikhs who have devoted themselves to Sikhism etc.

3. Well, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, our scriptures say that lust and worldly attachment is bad. that said, we should indeed have a family. back in days, it was arranged marriages...like the culture etc. i feel there are different opinions here. can be discussed. don't know much about this thing.

4. NOPE! NOT ALLOWED AT ALL!

5. Afterlife...hmm. There is no fixed number how many times a person can be reincarnated. However the number 8,4 million is often used in Gurbani, perhaps it shows that the number is huge or endless. different stages: it is up to the actions we do in this life, AND the Will of God. above all it is God who desides our fate. Some say: we live and die in the same life time, and are reborn...some say we are reincarnated if we don't do good actions or not achieve the state of Jivan-Mukhti (freedom from this life-salvation). i guess both are right. the main thing is by doing good actions, doing Naam Simran (prayers, devotion) and living an honest life-sharing with others what we have got we can end this circle of rebirths. some even talk of hell and heaven. Yasmin, i guess it is not possible to describe the afterlife in Sikhism for Islam or Christianity. sorry. but the main thing is that by God's grace we can be saved.

[Guest rsingh]

Brilliana answer as usual from Deep Singh :e:

if i can just add to Q3) Sex before marriage is not allowed in Sikhi. Sikhs consider 5 evils in this world which one must fight, one of the evils is Lust (Kaam). mixing with differnet sex, etc is all fine but as long as urges of lust aren't acted upon.

you can read about the 5 evils and the 8 VIRTUES (or 8 wepons to combat with ) at the following link: http://sikhlionz.com/evilsvirtues.htm

hope this answers your Q and i was of some help. :TH:

Pull chuk maff! if i have said anything wrong plese forgive me as i am ur brother who is still learning.

[Yasmin]

Thanx for the answers they explain well :wub:

[V]

AMRIT - actually IS NAAM, but litteraly means

AM -RIT

immortal :wub:

5- It is asaid thta we have been through a MASSIVE number of reincarnations before getting ahuman form, hence this human body is worth a LOT, you don't get a lot of opperatunities in human life - so we should use it very carefully, and appreciate it.

wicked responses Deep Singh ji

bhull chukk maaf

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!