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Founded
in the 15th century by Guru Nanak (1469-1539
in northern India, in the Punjab... he tried
to unite Hindus and Muslims. -
"Sikh" means "disciple", and they are the disciples
of 10 gurus (religious teachers, little less
than God). - Guru Nanak started his revelations
saying, "there is no Hindu and no Musulman (Muslim),
and the path I shall follow is God's"... - Like
the "Muslims", he revealed God as the only One,
the Truth, the Creator, immortal, and omnipresent...
and forbade images in the temples, only the
Book "Adi Granth" is the object of ceremonial
reverence in the temples and the only repository
of spiritual authority... because God never
incarnated into a human being.
Like
the "Hindus", he believes in Reincarnation,
the Law of Karma, celebrates the same Hindu
festivals, but strongly opposes the caste system,
and no Hindu gods.
There
are 19 million Sikhs, 300,000 of them in the
United States... well recognized by their long-coiled
"turban" and the heavy beard.
In
India many of them are taxi drivers, with a
fierce appearance, like a dangerous person,
but all that I had treated were most friendly
and good drivers. This turban is symbol of the
unity of the brotherhood.
The "Khalsa"
It started as religion of "love" and "peace"...
but both the Hindus and Muslims fought them,
and after 2 gurus were killed, they took to
arms, and the religion developed from a pacifist
to a new militant brotherhood called "Khalsa".
The
"Amrit Pahul":
The initiation into Khalsa is the most important
step of a Sikh and it is called "Amrit Pahul".
The
"5-Ks"
Besides the turban they use the 5-Ks to provide
protection of the persons body:
1- Hair and beard uncut, remind them not do
any injury to any part of the body.
2- A wooden "comb" symbolizes cleanliness.
3- Short pants underwear, remind men that sex
is confined to the marriage bed.
4- A small sword, to protect the poor and weak
.
5- Iron bracelet on the right arm, for devotion
to the truth.
Besides,
boys add Sigh (lion) to their surname, and girls
Kaur (princess) The "symbol" (Khanda) shows
in the center un upright double-edge sword to
remind them they should be saint-soldiers.
The
2 outside swords, for spiritual power and temporal
authority. The round circle is a symbol of the
oneness of God, and the unity of humanity, with
the rejection of caste, racial, and gender divisions.
"Religious
Traditions":
They
are very devoted, dedicating 10% of the time
in religious devotions, and 10% of their earning
for charity... No alcohol, no tobacco, no meat...
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