Web Notes - Posted by Jesse Allen

The notes below are from Monday 03,0 3, 03

We had a guest speaker come to class and talk
about The Sikh Religion. We were given a booklet
called “Glimpse of The Sikh” This booklet outlined
some of what she talked about. Including The five
K’s which are Karha (bracelet), Kesh (hair),
Kanga (komb), Kirpan (knife), and Kacchera
(under garments). The five K’s are like guidelines
for all Sikhs to follow. They are like the
commandments or tenants.
There are ten Gurus: Guru Nanik (1469-1539),
Guru Angad (1504-1552), Guru Amar Das (1479-
1574), Guru Ram Das(1534-1581), Guru Arjun
(1563-1606), Guru Guru Hargobind (1595- 1644),
Guru Har Rai (1630- 1661), Guru Har Krishna
(1656-1664), Guru Teg Bahadur (1621-1675),
Guru Gobind Singh(1666-1708) Siri Guru Granth
Sahib(timeless).
All Sikhs who take Amrit have a spiritual name
given to them. The same names can be for both
male and females alike. What is different is all
men have the middle name Singh. All women
have the middle name Kaur. All Sikhs have the
last night Khalsa. All Sikhs are vegetarians. Sikhs
were their hair in a turban and dress in banna.
There religious service is called Gurudwara.
Sikhs practice and teach Kundelini yoga.
What is the Sikhs position or opinion on war? In
general Sikhs are peaceful, and that’s what they
would like to project on to the world. There are
people who feel different as with any religion.

Definitions:
Adishakti- One Power
Amrit- Religious Initiation
Darhma-Path
Guru- One who brings you from darkness to light.
Gurudwara- Religious service
Kaur- Princess
Khalsa- Pure
Sikhism- To Follow
Singh-Lion
03-03-03
The in class notes from Instructor Borrowdale

What is Nirvana?
In Therauada Budism it is bliss and freedom(form
desire) wittle down desires to nothing. Pg 87-90
What is Nirvana? Cant demonstrate it through the
scences but it’s there.
-nothingness?
-a spiritual realm?
Pg 96 Problem of perceived elitism of Buddha,
Monks favored over Lay people.
Tathagata – title for Buddha
Dhamma- pali for dharma
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Dharma in Buddhism- the truth, Buddha’s
“gospel”
Dharma in Hinduism- saned duty – what you are
supposed to do.
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Is becoming a monk selfish?
-The Buddha is a trail blazer- he has shown the
way to nirvana- he leads by example.
-The Tathagata Buddha’s believe that it is not
selfish to become a monk because you are
leading by example.


Mahayana Parables
1)Burning houses. Father lures the children out of
the burning house with attractive, pressious things
…toy carts-Ox, Deer,and Goat.
Did the father lie?
Parables say no- He gives them trivial trinkets
even thought the real reward is saving their lives.
-----------
Theravada teachings are like flashy trinkets or
toys used by the Buddha as a recruitment tool.
Burning house is like the world of suffering and
desire.
The real purpose is to prepare people for more
advances Mahayana teachings

2) Prodigal son- Father : Buddha
Son : us (therauada followers- afraid of the truth,
wont face it.
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The Buddha taught according to our capacity to
learn in the early days.

3) Parable of physicians.
- sons wont take the antidote while their father is
present he leaves, leaving the antidote behind
Point- why Buddha didn’t stay behind as a
boddhisatha but went to final Nervana.