Full Test Bank Sikh Traditions Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Sikh Traditions

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does the word Sikh mean?
   1. Ascetic
   2. Disciple
   3. Guru
   4. One who submits
   5. Student
2. What is God, as “Timeless Being (or Person),” referred to as in Sikhism?
   1. Akal Purakh
   2. Adi Granth
   3. Guru Nanak
   4. Ahura Mazda
   5. Allah
3. In what region of India did Sikhism emerge?
   1. Andhra Pradesh
   2. Gujarat
   3. Uttar Pradesh
   4. Goa
   5. Punjab
4. Approximately how many Sikhs are there worldwide?
   1. 5 million
   2. 100 million
   3. 25 million
   4. 10 million
   5. 500 million
5. With what North Indian spiritual tradition did Guru Nanak share much in common?
   1. Shramana
   2. Vaishnava
   3. Sant
   4. Sufi
   5. Tamil
6. To what does nam refer, on which Sikhs meditate to achieve spiritual liberation?
   1. The divine Name
   2. The mystical connection with God
   3. The Golden Temple
   4. The names of the Gurus
   5. The infinite power of God
7. The life of Guru Nanak may be divided into how many distinct phases?
   1. 2
   2. 3
   3. 4
   4. 5
   5. 6
8. According to Sikh tradition, when did Nanak have his foundational mystical experience?
   1. While bathing in a river
   2. While reading sacred verses in the Vedas
   3. While travelling in the desert
   4. While praying in a mountain cave
   5. During meditation under a tree
9. According to Sikh tradition, what did Guru Nanak famously proclaim after his mystical experience?
   1. “Hindus and Muslims are one.”
   2. “There is no god but God.”
   3. “There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim.”
   4. “We are all God.”
   5. “There is no God.”
10. What, according to Sikh tradition, did Nanak receive from God during his mystical experience?
    1. A special robe bearing both Hindu and Muslim markings
    2. A harp to accompany the hymns sung in God’s name
    3. A series of laws that became the content of the Adi Granth
    4. A cup of divine nectar (amrit)
    5. A holy sceptre
11. What is kirtan, a central part of Sikh congregational worship?
    1. Devotional singing
    2. An instructional sermon on ethics
    3. Silent meditation
    4. Chanting a single mantra repeatedly
    5. Full-body prostration in prayer
12. Through what means did Guru Nanak primarily convey the message of liberation?
    1. Essays
    2. Letters sent to the Mughal emperor
    3. Hymns
    4. Missionaries sent all over India
    5. Sermons
13. In the Sikh tradition, what is the langar?
    1. The ceremonial dagger or sword worn by members of the Khalsa
    2. The special room in which the Adi Granth is kept
    3. The main hymn sung at the end of every Sikh service
    4. The turban worn by observant Sikhs
    5. The communal meal open to all castes, prepared as a community service
14. What is a Sikh place of worship called?
    1. Kirtan
    2. Gurdwara
    3. Panth
    4. Stupa
    5. Gurmukh
15. Whom did Guru Nanak name as his successor?
    1. Ramdass
    2. Har Rai
    3. Ranjit Singh
    4. Angad
    5. Gobind Singh
16. How many Gurus comprise the succession of human gurus concluding with Gobind Singh?
    1. Fifty
    2. Twelve
    3. Eight
    4. Five
    5. Ten
17. What script, refined by Guru Angad, is the principal form of Sikh written language?
    1. Gurmukhi
    2. Sanskrit
    3. Hindi
    4. Arabic
    5. Persian
18. What does the term bani mean in English?
    1. Divine Word
    2. Divine Truth
    3. Divine Light
    4. Divine Wisdom
    5. Divine Discipline
19. Which Guru advanced equality of women in Sikhism by abolishing the wearing of the veil and the practice of sati?
    1. Angad
    2. Gobind Singh
    3. Har Rai
    4. Ram Das
    5. Amar Das
20. Which Guru founded Amritsar “(nectar of immortality”) and ordered the construction of a large pool there?
    1. Ram Das
    2. Nanak
    3. Gobind Singh
    4. Arjan
    5. Har Rai
21. What is the English name for the Darbar Sahib, which was built by Guru Arjan in Amritsar?
    1. Great Gurdwara
    2. Taj Mahal
    3. Babri Mosque
    4. Divine Court
    5. Adi Granth
22. Which Guru suffered the “first martyrdom,” which pushed the Sikh community in the direction of separatism and militancy?
    1. Nanak
    2. Ramdass
    3. Gobind Singh
    4. Arjan
    5. Amardas
23. What is symbolized in Sikhism by the two swords, first donned by Guru Hargobind?
    1. Wisdom and strength
    2. The requirement of all Sikhs to bear arms
    3. Justice and equality
    4. The martyrdoms of the Gurus
    5. One temporal and the other spiritual authority
24. What does Baisakhi Day commemorate in the Sikh tradition?
    1. The birth of Guru Gobind Singh
    2. The foundation of the Khalsa
    3. The birth of Guru Nanak
    4. The martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur
    5. The release of Guru Hargobind from prison
25. What is the Khalsa in the Sikh tradition?
    1. The Sikh sacred text
    2. The list of honoured Sikhs who have been martyred since the time of Guru Arjan
    3. The communal meal provided free of charge to the general community
    4. Order oh loyal Sikhs bound by a common identity and discipline
    5. The central temple found in Amritsar in the midst of a lake
26. How many volunteers initially responded to Guru Gobind Singh’s call, forming the nucleus of the newly formed Khalsa?
    1. 100
    2. 10
    3. 5
    4. 500
    5. 50
27. In the Sikh tradition, which Guru was the last of the succession of human Gurus, passing authority instead to the Adi Granth?
    1. Gobind Singh
    2. Har Rai
    3. Arjan
    4. Amardas
    5. Tegh Bahadur
28. Gobind Sing delivered the core of the Rahit, which is in reference to which of the following?
    1. Code of Love
    2. Code of Discipleship
    3. Code of the Gurus
    4. Code of the Community
    5. Code of Conduct
29. In the Sikh tradition, what surnames were Khalsa initiates, male and female respectively, given?
    1. Rai and Kaur
    2. Singh and Kaur
    3. Sharma and Chopra
    4. Gupta and Mehra
    5. Singh and Patel
30. What does Kes (unshorn hair) symbolically indicate for the Sikh community?
    1. Spirituality and saintliness
    2. Divine grace, dignity and courage
    3. Order and discipline
    4. Moral restrain
    5. Allegiance to the Guru
31. What is the second sacred collection in Sikhism, after the Adi Granth?
    1. The rahit-namas
    2. The Qur’an
    3. The gur-bilas
    4. The janam-sakhis
    5. The Dasam Granth
32. What “Seed Formula,” the first words of the Adi Granth, constitute a fundamental statement of Sikh belief?
    1. The kirpan
    2. The langar
    3. The bani
    4. The Mul Mantar
    5. The Rahit
33. Sikh doctrine understands God as which of the following?
    1. One manifestation of the Divine Reality among many deities
    2. Radically transcendent
    3. Completely unknowable
    4. Totally and always immanent
    5. At once transcendent and immanent
34. What is the term for “divine order” (or “divine will/command”) in Sikhism?
    1. Shabad
    2. Hukam
    3. Karam
    4. Nam
    5. Sansar
35. The key concept of sansar means which of the following?
    1. Forgiveness
    2. Meditation
    3. Awareness
    4. Reincarnation
    5. Recitation
36. What ultimately separates us from God and keeps us trapped in the cycle of rebirth, according to Sikh tradition?
    1. Hatred
    2. Jealousy
    3. Self-centeredness
    4. Anger
    5. Dualism
37. According to Sikh teaching, humans must resist the five evil worldly impulses through cultivation of which interior discipline?
    1. Hukam
    2. Amrit-dhari
    3. Miri-piri
    4. Nam-simaran
    5. Rahit
38. The discipline known as nam-simaran means in English which of the following?
    1. Remembering the divine Name
    2. Forgetting the self
    3. Renouncing desires and greed
    4. Singing hymns of praise
    5. Meditating on the teachings of the Gurus
39. What is another name for the Adi Granth, the Sikh scripture?
    1. Guru Hukam
    2. Guru Granth Sahib
    3. Guru Panth Sahib
    4. Akal Purakh
    5. Adi Panth
40. Along with justice, what is seen as a key element of Sikh ethics?
    1. Nobility
    2. Service
    3. Compassion
    4. Pragmatism
    5. Submission
41. When are the “ambrosial hours” in the Sikh tradition?
    1. 3 a.m. – 6 a.m.
    2. 5 a.m. – 7 a.m.
    3. 6 a.m. – 9 a.m.
    4. Noon – 2 p.m.
    5. Hour or two before bedtime
42. What is the primary ethical duty of Khalsa Sikhs?
    1. Renouncing all possessions and living monastically
    2. Non-violence
    3. Converting non-believers
    4. Almsgiving
    5. The quest for justice
43. During what times do devout Sikhs perform their daily liturgical prayers?
    1. Continually throughout the day
    2. Morning, noon, midafternoon, evening, and bedtime
    3. Morning and early evening
    4. Early morning, evening, and bedtime
    5. Early morning and before bed
44. Which term refers to the “reader” and custodian of the Adi Granth, who is present in every gurdwara?
    1. Sadhu
    2. Japji
    3. Kes-dhari
    4. Granthi
    5. Guru
45. What “sanctified” sweet, rich paste of flour, sugar, and butter is distributed in Sikh services following the Vak (“Saying”)?
    1. Langar
    2. Karah prashad
    3. Sugar-dough
    4. Mul Mantar
    5. Chauri
46. Who shares in the langar or communal meal after a Sikh service?
    1. Sikh men and women only
    2. Sikh and non-Sikh men only
    3. Khalsa members only
    4. All who are present, Sikh and non-Sikh
    5. Sikh men only
47. Sikhs celebrate the autumn festival of lights (Divali) to commemorate which event?
    1. The day when Guru Hargobind was released from imprisonment
    2. The martyrdom of Guru Arjan
    3. The foundation of the Khalsa
    4. Nanak’s mystical experience
    5. The birth of Nanak
48. The Sikh understanding of the Adi Granth as living Guru is most evident in the practice known as “taking the Guru’s word,” which involves which of the following?
    1. Chanting the Mul Mantar together
    2. Meditating and praying silently as a group
    3. Opening the Adi Granth at random and reading aloud the first hymn on the left-hand page
    4. Receiving a sip from the ceremonial cup of amrit
    5. Reading out loud the entirety of the Adi Granth from start to finish, using a succession of readers
49. How is a Sikh child named, according to tradition?
    1. A granthi is consulted, who suggests a name based on the parents’ personalities.
    2. The Adi Granth is opened at random and the first letter of the first composition on the left-hand page is noted; then a name beginning with the same letter is chosen.
    3. The Adi Granth is opened at random, and a random word is chosen from the left-hand page; that word becomes the child’s name.
    4. A name is chosen from a special book of names composed by the tenth Guru, Gobind Singh.
    5. Parents sit for a whole day in silent prayer and contemplation in the gurdwara.
50. What is at the centre of every important Sikh life-cycle ritual?
    1. The Guru Granth Sahib
    2. A trip to the Golden Temple
    3. The presence of five Khalsa members
    4. The drinking of amrit
    5. Congregational singing
51. How many times do the bride and groom circumambulate the sacred scripture at their wedding?
    1. One
    2. Two
    3. Three
    4. Four
    5. Seven
52. How many vows are there between the bride and groom at a Sikh wedding?
    1. Two
    2. Three
    3. Four
    4. Five
    5. Six
53. What is the amrit sanskar within the context of the Sikh tradition?
    1. Wedding ceremony
    2. Funeral rites
    3. Khalsa initiation ceremony
    4. Last prayer in the evening
    5. Sweet drink at communal meal
54. What Sikh leader succeeded in unifying the Punjab in the late eighteenth century?
    1. Gobind Singh
    2. Ram Das
    3. Bibi Jagir Kaur
    4. Bhagat Singh
    5. Ranjit Singh
55. What is the English term applied to Sikhs who revered Hindu as well as the Sikh scriptures?
    1. Gradualists
    2. Conformists
    3. Heretics
    4. Schismatics
    5. Halfway Disciples
56. What is the primary medium by which Guru Nanak delivered his message?
    1. Narratives
    2. Philosophy
    3. Ethics
    4. Parables
    5. Music
57. What group played a leadership role in the Sing Sabha reform movement?
    1. Writers
    2. Mystics
    3. Gradualists
    4. Politicians
    5. White Sikhs
58. Who are known as “White Sikhs”?
    1. Members of the Sikh Dharma (“3HO”) organization in North America who dress in white
    2. Sikhs who have taken a vow of celibacy
    3. Westerners who have converted to Sikhism and moved to India
    4. Sikhs who refuse to leave the Punjab and move into the diaspora
    5. A militant group of Sikh separatists
59. Guru Har Rai’s birthday in March has been fixed as which of the following days?
    1. Sikh Mother’s Day
    2. Sikh Diaspora Day
    3. Sikh Awareness Day
    4. Sikh Environment Day
    5. Sikh Coalition Day
60. In what year was the first North American conference on Sikh studies held?
    1. 1999
    2. 1969
    3. 1985
    4. 2009
    5. 1976

True or False Questions

The Adi Granth, the Sikh sacred scripture, means “Good News.”

The area in northern India in which Sikhism was founded was under Muslim rule.

Sikhism emerged in the sixteenth century.

After his mystical experience, Guru Nanak proclaimed “All Hindus are Muslims.”

Sikh rituals were initially only open to upper-caste brahmins.

The langar is served by volunteers from the Sikh community.

Women have always been considered equal to men in Sikhism.

Guru Nanak’s son followed him to become the second Guru.

The first Sikh Guru to be killed by the Muslim Mughal ruler was Arjan.

Sikh militarism first developed in response to the British annexation of India.

The Khalsa was formed on the day of Divali in 1699.

The launching of the Khalsa is one of the reforms attributed to Gobind Singh.

Steel-toed shoes are among the five required physical symbols for the Khalsa members.

The Adi Granth includes a compilation of divinely inspired hymns by six Gurus.

The standard text of the Adi Granth is 1,430 pages with exact same material on every page.

The Adi Granth is the only collection of sacred literature in Sikhism.

The Mul Mantar is the fundamental statement of Sikh belief.

According to Sikh teachings, divine grace always takes precedence over the law of karam (karma), and can even break the chain of adverse karam.

The line of succession of human Gurus has continued from the time of Nanak until the present day.

A key part of Sikh belief and practice is remembering the divine Name.

The term “Guru” is applied exclusively to the succession of the ten Sikh spiritual leaders, and the Guru Granth Sahib.

Devout Sikhs rise between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. each morning and recite five liturgical prayers.

Sikhism has no ordained priesthood.

The langar meal requires men and women to eat separately.

The Adi Granth is only brought out and read from during major yearly festivals.

There is no fixed age for initiation into the Khalsa.

The Sikh community in the Punjab was never annexed to the British Empire.

There is no central source or authority in Sikhism for questions of religious discipline.

Women cannot be full members of the Khalsa.

Soba Singh was a skilled oil painter.

Amrita Shergill has been called the Frida Kahlo of India.

The ultimate authority on doctrine, practice and disciplines is the Akal Takhat in Amritsar.

In 1952, the independent republics of India and Pakistan came into being.

Article 25 of India’s Constitution guarantees freedom of religion.

Article 25 separates the Sikh religion from Hinduism.

Due to Operation Blue Star, the Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi was exiled to London.

Sikh women who are members of Akhand Kirtani Jatha wear turbans.

Simran Jeet Sing founded the Healthy, Happy. Holy Organization (3HO).

The Adri Granth condemns homosexuality as one of the unnatural acts of desire.

Currently, three is only one endowed chair in Sikh Studies in North America.

Short Answer Questions

People who identify themselves as Sikhs are disciples of what three main things?

What religious traditions existed in the Punjab when Sikhism emerged?

The foundation of the Sikh tradition is based on Guru Nanak’s belief in what?

What was the significance of Nanak’s proclamation, “There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim”? How was this manifested in his methods of religious teaching?

What is the langar, according to the Sikh tradition, and how is it symbolic of Guru Nanak’s spiritual message?

What were the institutional innovations introduced to Sikhism by Guru Amar Das?

What did the two swords donned by Guru Hargobind (the sixth Guru) symbolize? How did this signify a change in direction for Sikhism?

The Sikh Rahit, also known as the “Code of Conduct” prescribes what five physical symbols for members of the Khalsa?

What were the significant changes introduced to Sikh tradition by Guru Gobind Singh?

How are the notions of karma (karam) and samsara (sansar) understood differently in Sikh tradition than in other Indic religions?

Which three terms did Guru Nanak use to describe the nature of divine revelation, and what do these terms mean?

What is the traditional attitude toward religious pluralism in Sikh tradition?

Essay Questions

What major Sikh institutions did Guru Nanak establish, and how are they representative of Sikh ethics on the whole?

What, traditionally, has been the general status of, and attitude towards, women in Sikhism? Explain with examples.

Discuss the Khalsa in Sikhism. Why was it created? What did it symbolize?

What is the nature of God, according to Sikh tradition? How does this differ from ideas of God in other religious traditions? Compare to at least one other tradition.

How has the question of Sikh identity evolved over the history of the tradition? In what way is it still one of the most pressing questions today?

Explain the history and philosophy of Sikh militancy. What are its origins, and what misconceptions may be associated with it?