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June 2021
Q1.1: Which one of the following is the Sikh word for the religious community?
Put a tick () in the box next to the correct answer. A Gurmukh B Haumai C Khand D Sangat
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority Answer: D Sangat
Q1.2: Give two ways in which Sikhs show their belief in equality today.
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority If a student provides more than two responses, only the first two responses should be considered for marking. Via names Kaur and Singh / men and women are allowed to join Khalsa / both may read from Guru Granth Sahib in gurdwara / fight for justice is central to Sikhism / many Sikhs work in jobs which work for equality and justice / practices in langar, etc. Accept responses which are descriptive of actions, such as – their treatment of others / the way they speak to others / their support for campaigns for justice / they do not use discriminatory language /
Q1.3: Explain two ways in which belief in God as Creator influences Sikhs today.
Answer:
influence on individuals, communities and societies To be a ‘detailed explanation’ the ‘influence’ of the way must be included. • Believe the world to be created by God / hence should be looked after / not destroyed / so join • As God is the Creator / gives a sense of awe and wonder at God’s creation / magnifies respect for the power and intelligence of God / might lead them to express their beliefs to others. • God willed the existence of the universe / ‘God spoke one word and created the whole of creation’
- GGS / hukam (will or command of God) / so God is all-powerful / humans are dependent on God’s will / hence they feel grateful to and dependent on God. • A sense of gratitude / all exists because of God / including each person / so there is gratitude for life, for a world to live in, for all possessions, etc. • They might reflect that everything links back to God / because God is creator / all good fortune, events, health / might see God at work in the world (general revelation) / might see nature and feel they are seeing God, eg in the vastness of the universe. • Believe God created all life / so life is considered sacred / so try to protect it / e.g. human rights,
Q1.4: Explain two Sikh teachings about the barriers to mukti (liberation).
Refer to sacred writings or another source of Sikh belief and teaching in your answer.
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority Relevant and accurate reference to sacred writing or another source of Sikh belief and teaching – 1 mark • Maya / illusion / that humans do not see the world as it really is / because the Vices muddy a person’s perspective / or because the ego makes humans see everything around them as they want it to be / hence maya deludes the mind / preventing it from achieving the truth which is mukti / ‘In haumai there is maya (worldly attachment), and doubt, its shadow’ - Adi Granth, etc. • Haumai / pride or ego / that humans are so self-obsessed that they think of themselves before all else / mukti is achieved through being selfless, not selfish / so is the opposite of mukti / becoming more egotistical pushes a person further away from mukti / haumai leads a person to believe that belief in God is not necessary / ‘Egotism [haumai] is opposed to the Name of the Lord; the two do not dwell in the same place ....’ GGS 560 / ‘We degrade ourselves from the human order because of haumai’ Adi Granth, etc. • The Five Vices / ‘As many are the vices, so many are the chains around one’s neck’ – GGS / aka Five Thieves / lust, greed, anger, attachment, pride / these begin as positive emotions but become corrupted / humans are consumed by any/all of them / this affects the way a person responds to others and to situations negatively / pushes away from mukti, etc. • The barriers to mukti are attractive to humans / who are weak / and so are influenced toward the barriers and away from mukti because of that weakness / hence Sikhs need to show self- discipline to protect against this weakness, etc.
Sources of authority might include:
Adi Granth - ‘In haumai there is maya (worldly attachment), and doubt, its shadow’ / ‘We degrade ourselves from the human order because of haumai’ Guru Granth Sahib – ‘Egotism [haumai] is opposed to the Name of the Lord; the two do not dwell in the same place ....’ / ‘As many are the vices, so many are the chains around one’s neck’, etc
Q1.5: ‘For Sikhs, the only purpose of human life is to unite with God.’
Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should: • refer to Sikh teaching • give reasoned arguments to support this statement • give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view • reach a justified conclusion.
[SPaG 3 marks]
Extra space
Q2 Sikhism: Practices
Answer:
In your answer you should: • give reasoned arguments to support this statement • give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view [SPaG 3 marks] understanding of relevant evidence and information. References to religion applied to the issue. relevant evidence and information. Clear reference to religion. evidence and information.
Arguments in support
• All Sikh practices are designed to bring this closer / as stated in Rahit Maryada, there are three key duties / Nam Japna, truthful lifestyle, and sewa. • Nam Japna is the most important Sikh practice / meditating on the name of God, being always aware of God / everything a Sikh does should be out of devotion to God / this brings union / ‘Those who meditate on you, Oh Lord...They are liberated...Those who serve my Dear Lord are absorbed into the being of the Lord’, GGS 11.4-5. • Sikhs try to develop the personal virtues within themselves / by this method, they become humble, truthful, and so on / this makes them fit for union with God / as they are allowing themselves to recognise the divine spark in themselves and others / and be guided by it to union • The aim of Sikhism is mukti (liberation) / which is union with God in the fifth stage (Khand) / hence all practices are leading to this union directly or indirectly. • The GGS describes the bliss of union with God / this encourages a focus on achieving that union / ‘Your soul belongs to Him; remain united with Him, and the Lord will come to dwell in your mind…The Lord infused His Light into you, and then you came into the world.’ GGS 921, etc.
Arguments in support of other views
• Sikhs have other duties / to marry / Nam Japna / sewa / truthful living / have children educated in Sikhism / all duties in Rahit Maryada. • Most Sikhs find the life of complete devotion difficult / modern world throws up many distractions / barriers to mukti / so there must be lesser purposes. • There are five stages of mukti / only the fifth is union with God / hence for any Sikh below the fourth stage, their purpose is to achieve the next stage rather than union / ie they have to be ready and not all Sikhs are / would not apply to sahajdhari Sikhs. • Union with God is not possible / God is separate to the universe / hence humans cannot unite with something so different. • Mool Mantra describes God as something humans cannot even aspire to be / without fear, without hate, timeless, without form / thus humans cannot unite with what they cannot even conceive of Q2 Sikhism: Practices
Q2.1: Which one of the following is not one of the 5Ks?
Put a tick () in the box next to the correct answer. A Head covering B Steel bracelet C Steel sword D Uncut hair
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority Answer: A Head covering
Q2.2: Give two reasons why the names Kaur and Singh are important in Sikhism.
Question 2 continues on the next page
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority If a student provides more than two responses, only the first two responses should be considered for marking. Guru Gobind Singh commanded they be used / tradition in Sikhism to use these connects Sikhs / they represent equality / represent that women have their own identity separate to that of their father or husband, hence gender equality / respect for females / denotes member of Khalsa / name denotes honour of bearer, ie lion, princess, etc.
Q2.3: Explain two contrasting ways in which Sikhs can fulfil the duty to meditate on the
name of God (Nam Japna) in their daily lives.
Answer:
similarities and differences within and/or between religions and beliefs • They can meditate first thing in the morning / after making themselves clean for worship / hence start their day in the right mind / be focused on God from the start / which will influence moral • They can meditate before going to sleep / hence seeking a closure to any issues of the day / and being right with God before sleep / allowing them to reflect and learn from their day. • They could attend the gurdwara each day / to join in acts of worship / or to engage in the delivery of acts of worship / hence showing devotion. • They could help others to understand the Guru Granth Sahib / or their duty as a Sikh / or how they can develop the personal virtues / or of the goals of Sikhism / that is, share their knowledge to help teach others / sewa. • By carrying out NitNem prayers each day / reciting Japji Sahib, Mool Mantra, Jaap Sahib / reciting hymns by the Gurus / reading from and reflecting on the Gutka. • By learning to read the Guru Granth Sahib in its original Gurmukhi script / because this is to study the word of God / so they become closer to its full and true meaning. • They could recite prayers / listen to prayers / whilst they are doing other things / such as driving, household chores and so on / so as to devote every activity to God, etc.
Q2.4: Explain two reasons why historical gurdwaras, including the Golden Temple, are
still important to Sikhs today. Refer to sacred writings or another source of Sikh belief and teaching in your answer.
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority Relevant and accurate reference to sacred writing or another source of Sikh belief and teaching – 1 mark • The fact that these are gurdwaras / places consecrated to Sikhism with the possession of a Guru Granth Sahib / often consecrated by a Guru / makes them more important / GGS - How does one recognise Sat Sangat? Sat Sangat is where the Lord’s name is recited’ • These places are sources of authority / eg the Five Takhts / from where decisions on the implementation of Sikh law in daily life are made. • The Rahit Maryada gives these places importance / there is no requirement to visit / they are important of themselves / Guru Gobind Singh – ‘Make pilgrimage only for seeing gurdwaras’ • These places link to the Gurus / eg Nankana Sahib in Pakistan is where Guru Nanak was born / ‘touching history’ by going to them. • To join in festival celebrations on a different scale / with Sikhs from around the world / which are usually very big events at Amritsar, for example / with firework displays / eg at Divali, the whole temple is lit by thousands of lights. • Going to the historical gurdwara means joining with thousands of others / all focused on their religion / the spiritual atmosphere is overwhelming for some. • To take part in acts of worship / at the places which recall historical people and events / making those acts more meaningful to the worshipper. • To learn more about the history of Sikhism / eg the Golden Temple complex has a museum of Sikhism / which includes actual artefacts owned by the Gurus / eg the cloak with 52 tails which Guru Hargobind wore is in the Sikh Museum at Amritsar. • To perform sewa / in the holiest of Sikh places / replicating that done by the Gurus in the place they did it / eg by helping in the langar at Amritsar / hence fulfilling a duty for Sikhs in a place of great importance and history / ‘Sewa must be offered to all’ (Rahit Maryada), etc.
Sources of authority might include:
Rahit Maryada – Sikh Code of Conduct granting importance to Takhts / ‘Sewa must be offered to all’ Guru Granth Sahib – ‘How does one recognise Sat Sangat? Sat Sangat is where the Lord’s name is / Guru Gobind Singh – ‘Make pilgrimage only for seeing gurdwaras’, etc
Q2.5: ‘Birth ceremonies are not important for Sikhs today.’
Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should: • refer to Sikh teaching • give reasoned arguments to support this statement • give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view • reach a justified conclusion.
Extra space
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Answer:
In your answer you should: • give reasoned arguments to support this statement • give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view understanding of relevant evidence and information. References to religion applied to the issue. relevant evidence and information. Clear reference to religion. evidence and information.
Arguments in support
• The baby has no idea of what is going on / so the ceremony is really not for the child / rather for the parents or tradition / traditions are out-dated in the modern world / the child might not have wanted this ceremony if they had been able to express themselves. • Rahit Maryada gives little detail on what must happen in the ceremony / whereas other ceremonies are clearly detailed therein / suggesting lesser importance. • Other ceremonies, such as the naming ceremony, are more important / as these are done publicly, and witnessed by many / whereas the birth ceremony is done at the hospital or at home / without witnesses / so there is no public accountability in the birth ceremony for the promises made by the couple. • Sikhism is about devotion to God / the child is too young to show devotion / so this ceremony has no value / they should wait until the child is older and able to decide for themselves if they want to be dedicated to God, etc.
Arguments in support of other views
• If they were not important, Sikhs would not continue to have them / they are the norm for Sikhs rather than an exception, so must still be important. • This is a way to welcome the child into the Sikh faith / their life begins with an introduction to and blessing from God / ‘The True Lord has sent this gift’ (Guru Granth Sahib) / shows their gratitude to God when they have this ceremony. • The parents are making a statement that they want their child to be a Sikh / to live the Sikh way / to be devoted to God / which is important because it shows the parents devotion as well as their intention for their child. • Most people – religious or not – have some sort of celebration for the birth of a child / hence birth is something universally seen as important / people should celebrate that as per their culture, etc.