Sikhism > Rehat Maryada
(p) After this, one from amongst the five beloved ones should explain to the initiates the
discipline of the order: Today you are reborn in the true Guru's household, ending the cycle of
migration, and joined the Khalsa Panth (order). Your spiritual father is now Guru Gobind Singh
and, spiritual mother, Mata Sahib Kaur. Your place of birth is Kesgarh Sahib and your native
place is Anandpur Sahib. You, being the sons of one father, are, inter-se yourselves and other
baptized Sikhs, spiritual brothers. You have become the pure Khalsa, having renounced your
previous lineage, professional background, calling (occupation), beliefs, that is, having given
up all connections with your caste, descent, birth, country, religion, etc. You are to worship
none except the One Timeless Being - no god, goddess, incarnation or prophet. You are not to
think of anyone except the ten Gurus and anything except their gospel as your savior. You are
supposed to know Gurmukhi (Punjabi alphabet). (If you do not, you must learn it.) And recite,
or listen in to the recitation of, the undermentioned scriptural compositions, the daily
repetition of which is ordained, every day: (1) The Japuji Sahib, (2) The Jaap Sahib, (3) The Ten
Sawayyas (Quartrains), beginning "sarawag sudh", (4) The Sodar Rahiras and the Sohila. Besides,
you should read from or listen in to the recitation from the Guru Granth. Have, on your person,
all the time, the five K's: The Keshas (unshorn hair), the Kirpan (sheathed sword) [The length of
the sword to be worn is not prescribed.], the Kachherha (drawers like garment) [It may be made
from any cloth, but its legs should not reach down to below the shins.], the Kanga (comb), the
Karha (steel bracelet) [The Karha should be of pure steel.].
The undermentioned four transgressions (tabooed practices) must be avoided:
(1) Dishonoring the hair; (2) Eating the meat of an animal slaughtered the Muslim way; (3) Cohabiting with a person other than one's spouse; (4) Using tobacco. In the event of the commission of any of these transgressions, the transgressor must get rebaptized. If a transgression is committed unintentionally and unknowingly, the transgressor shall not be liable to punishment. You must not associate with a Sikh who had uncut hair earlier and has cut it or a Sikh who smokes. You must ever be ready for the service of the Panth and of the gurdwaras (Sikh places of worship). You must tender one tenth of your earnings to the Guru. In short, you must act the Guru's way in all spheres of activity.
You must remain fully aligned to the Khalsa brotherhood in accordance with the principles of the Khalsa faith. If you commit transgression of the Khalsa discipline, you must present yourself before the congregation and beg pardon, accepting whatever punishment is awarded. You must also resolve to remain watchful against defaults in the future.
(q) The following individuals shall be liable to chastisement involving automatic boycott:
(1) Anyone maintaining relations or communion with elements antagonistic to the Panth including the minas (reprobates), the masands (agents once accredited to local Sikh communities as Guru's representatives, since discredited for their faults and aberrations), followers of Dhirmal or Ram Rai, et. al., or users of tobacco or killers of female infants; (2) One who eats/drinks leftovers of the unbaptised or the fallen Sikhs; (3) One who dyes his beard; (4) One who gives off son or daughter in matrimony for a price or reward; (5) Users of intoxicants (hemp, opium, liquor, narcotics, cocaine, etc.); (6) One holding, or being a party to, ceremonies or practices contrary to the Guru's way; (7) One who defaults in the maintenance of Sikh discipline.
(r) After this sermon, one from among the five beloved ones should perform the Ardas.
(s) Thereafter, the Sikh sitting in attendance of the Guru Granth Sahib should take the Hukam. If anyone amongst those who have received the ambrosial baptism had not earlier been named in accordance with the Sikh naming ceremony, he should renounce his previous name and be given a new name beginning with the first letter of the Hukam now taken.
(t) And finally, the karhah prashad should be distributed. All the newly launched Sikh men and women should eat the karhah prashad together off the same bowl.
Method of Imposing Chastisement
(a) Any Sikh who has committed any default in the observance of the Sikh discipline should approach the nearby Sikh congregation and make a confession of his lapse standing before the congregation.
(b) The congregation should then, in the holy presence of Guru Granth Sahib, elect from among themselves five beloved ones who should ponder over the suppliant's fault and propose the chastisement (punishment) for it.
(c) The congregation should not take an obdurate stand in granting pardon. Nor should the defaulter argue about the chastisement. The punishment that is imposed should be some kind of service, especially some service that can be performed with hands.
(d) And finally an Ardas for correction should be performed.
Method of Adopting Gurmatta
(a) The Gurmatta can only be on a subject that affects the fundamental principles of Sikh religion and for their upholding, such as the questions affecting the maintenance of the status of the Gurus or the Guru Granth Sahib or the inviolability of the Guru Granth Sahib, ambrosial baptism, Sikh discipline and way of life, the identity and structural framework of the Panth. Ordinary issues of religious, educational, social or political nature can be dealt with only in a Matta [resolution].
(b) A Gurmatta [Holy resolution] can be adopted only by a select primary Panthic group or a representative gathering of the Panth.
Appeals Against Local Decisions
An appeal can be made to the Akal Takht against a local congregation's decision.
The undermentioned four transgressions (tabooed practices) must be avoided:
(1) Dishonoring the hair; (2) Eating the meat of an animal slaughtered the Muslim way; (3) Cohabiting with a person other than one's spouse; (4) Using tobacco. In the event of the commission of any of these transgressions, the transgressor must get rebaptized. If a transgression is committed unintentionally and unknowingly, the transgressor shall not be liable to punishment. You must not associate with a Sikh who had uncut hair earlier and has cut it or a Sikh who smokes. You must ever be ready for the service of the Panth and of the gurdwaras (Sikh places of worship). You must tender one tenth of your earnings to the Guru. In short, you must act the Guru's way in all spheres of activity.
You must remain fully aligned to the Khalsa brotherhood in accordance with the principles of the Khalsa faith. If you commit transgression of the Khalsa discipline, you must present yourself before the congregation and beg pardon, accepting whatever punishment is awarded. You must also resolve to remain watchful against defaults in the future.
(q) The following individuals shall be liable to chastisement involving automatic boycott:
(1) Anyone maintaining relations or communion with elements antagonistic to the Panth including the minas (reprobates), the masands (agents once accredited to local Sikh communities as Guru's representatives, since discredited for their faults and aberrations), followers of Dhirmal or Ram Rai, et. al., or users of tobacco or killers of female infants; (2) One who eats/drinks leftovers of the unbaptised or the fallen Sikhs; (3) One who dyes his beard; (4) One who gives off son or daughter in matrimony for a price or reward; (5) Users of intoxicants (hemp, opium, liquor, narcotics, cocaine, etc.); (6) One holding, or being a party to, ceremonies or practices contrary to the Guru's way; (7) One who defaults in the maintenance of Sikh discipline.
(r) After this sermon, one from among the five beloved ones should perform the Ardas.
(s) Thereafter, the Sikh sitting in attendance of the Guru Granth Sahib should take the Hukam. If anyone amongst those who have received the ambrosial baptism had not earlier been named in accordance with the Sikh naming ceremony, he should renounce his previous name and be given a new name beginning with the first letter of the Hukam now taken.
(t) And finally, the karhah prashad should be distributed. All the newly launched Sikh men and women should eat the karhah prashad together off the same bowl.
Method of Imposing Chastisement
(a) Any Sikh who has committed any default in the observance of the Sikh discipline should approach the nearby Sikh congregation and make a confession of his lapse standing before the congregation.
(b) The congregation should then, in the holy presence of Guru Granth Sahib, elect from among themselves five beloved ones who should ponder over the suppliant's fault and propose the chastisement (punishment) for it.
(c) The congregation should not take an obdurate stand in granting pardon. Nor should the defaulter argue about the chastisement. The punishment that is imposed should be some kind of service, especially some service that can be performed with hands.
(d) And finally an Ardas for correction should be performed.
Method of Adopting Gurmatta
(a) The Gurmatta can only be on a subject that affects the fundamental principles of Sikh religion and for their upholding, such as the questions affecting the maintenance of the status of the Gurus or the Guru Granth Sahib or the inviolability of the Guru Granth Sahib, ambrosial baptism, Sikh discipline and way of life, the identity and structural framework of the Panth. Ordinary issues of religious, educational, social or political nature can be dealt with only in a Matta [resolution].
(b) A Gurmatta [Holy resolution] can be adopted only by a select primary Panthic group or a representative gathering of the Panth.
Appeals Against Local Decisions
An appeal can be made to the Akal Takht against a local congregation's decision.