Tag: hindu

  • Tindak Balas Kepada ‘Better Beer Festival’: Dari Perspektif Agama Di Malaysia

    Tindak Balas Kepada ‘Better Beer Festival’: Dari Perspektif Agama Di Malaysia

    [RESPON KEPADA ‘BETTER BEER FESTIVAL’: Dari Perspektif Agama Di Malaysia]

    Sebelum ini kami sudah mengulas mengenai isu arak di dalam pandangan agama-agama dunia, dan kami berpandangan mengikut konteks Malaysia isu arak tidak relevan jika ia diurus di dalam skop kebebasan beragama. Ini kerana majoriti penganut agama di Malaysia adalah Muslim, Buddhis, Hindu, Kristian, dan Sikh yang mana adalah jelas di dalam kitab ajaran agama ini semua mengharamkan arak.

    Di Malaysia masyarakat cina bukan Islam adalah golongan yang mendominasi di dalam mengkonsumsi arak. Tidak hairan kerana minuman ini juga dilihat mula berkembang di China. Merujuk jurnal National Geographic: The Birth of Booze, bukti penciptaan arak terawal ditemui di Jiahu, China. Antara bahan yang digunakan adalah jagung, barli, beras, gandum, anggur, tebu dan lain-lain lagi. Ketika itu China masih mengamalkan kepercayaan shamanisme dan agama tradisi nenek moyang. Ia berlaku jauh sebelum lahirnya agama Buddha di India, dan agama Taoisme serta Konfusianisme di China.[1]

    Larangan Arak Dalam Agama Buddha

    Di dalam Pancasila (lima sila) ajaran Buddha, sila terakhir menyatakan perlu menghindari minuman yang memabukkan. Sebutan di dalam bahasa Pali

    “Suramerayamajja pamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami” yang bermaksud menahan diri daripada meminum minuman memabukkan. Dan dari ayat ini terdapat banyak pandangan dari kalangan ilmuan Buddha dalam menghurai larangan ini. [2]

    Malah ilmuan Buddhis sendiri seperti Master Hsing Yun dalam bukunya The Five Precepts menyatakan sekiranya seseorang itu mengambil sedikit sahaja minuman keras tetap juga dilarang. Begitu juga dengan ilmuan yang lain:

    “The Vibhanga states that even as little as a drop the size of a dewdrop on the tip of a balde of grass is enough to constitute a violation. So, having even small glass of wine, even if it does not make one drunk, is a transgression.”[3]

    “It it known that intoxicants even in small amounts can make one less sensitive, heedless and easily swayed by the defilements. As one starts to enjoy getting high on intoxicants, the effect becomes addictive and usage increases.”[4]

    Larangan Arak Dalam Agama Kristian

    Di dalam Perjanjian Lama terdapat banyak ayat mengenai larangan meminum arak:

    a) Imamat 10:9,
    b) Bilangan 6:3,
    c) Ulangan 29:6,
    d) Hakim-Hakim 13: 4,
    e) 1 Samuel 1: 15,
    f) Amsal 20: 1, 31: 4-6,
    g) Yesaya 5: 11, 22: 24: 9, 28: 9,
    h) Mikha 2: 11

    Manakala larangan-larangan dalam perjanjian baru dalam Injil Lukas 1: 15 dan Efesus 5: 18.

    Larangan Arak Dalam Agama Hindu

    Ayat yang melarang meminum arak dalam kitab suci Hindu:

    a) Rigveda buku 8 hymn 2 ayat 12 ,
    b) Rigveda Buku 8 hymn 21 ayat 14,
    c) Athravaveda 6: 70: 1,
    d) kitab Manusmriti 7: 47-50,
    e) Manusmriti: 11: 55,
    f) Manusmriti 11: 91.
    g) Malah di dalam Kitab Manusmriti juga melarang menjual arak dalam Manusmriti 9: 225.

    Di dalam Hindu dibezakan diantara minuman Soma dan juga Sura. Soma ialah minuman yang digunakan untuk ritual keagamaan (zaman Vedik) dan dikatakan ia sejenis minuman memabukkan yang banyak kali disebut di dalam Veda (Rig Veda:1:116:7, 8:2:12, 10:131:4-5) tetapi resepi air ini sudah pupus dan tidak dapat dibuat sekarang. Ada yang mengatakan ia dibuat dari susu dan ada dikatakan ia dibuat dari sebuah pohon yang menjalar di gunung.[5]

    Manakala Sura pula adalah minuman beralkohol sepertimana arak-arak yang sedia ada pada hari ini.[6] Menurut Madhavi Bhaskar Kokhatkar di dalam jurnalnya Review: Surā, The Liquor And The Vedic Sacrifice mengatakan minuman Sura atau arak ini dilarang di dalam agama Hindu.[7]

    Walaupun Veda membenarkan meminum Soma, pada masa yang sama ia juga melarang meminum minuman yang beralkohol (Sura):

    “Minda yang lemah orang yang mengambil daging, minuman keras, dadu di papan judi, lelaki yang ghairah (ni-han) pada seorang perempuan- begitu juga biarkan pikiranmu, wahai yang tak terhindar (aghnya) kuatkanlah anakmu.” (Athravaveda: 6: 70: 1)

    Ini menunjukkan bahawa meminum minuman keras adalah dilarang malah di dalam kitab Manusmriti terdapat banyak larangan mengenai larangan meminum Sura:

    “Killing a Brahmana, drinking (the spirituous liquor called) Sura, stealing (the gold of a Brahmana), adultery with a Guru’s wife, and associating with such (fenders), they declare (to be) mortal sins (mahapataka).” (Manusmriti: 11: 55)

    “A twice-born man who has (intentionally) drunk, through delusion of mind, (the spirituous liquor called) Sura shall drink that liquor boiling hot; when his body has been completely scalded by that, he is freed from his guilt.” (Manusmriti 11: 91)

    Malah tidak menjadi isu apabila ketua Menteri negeri Bihar, Nitish Kumar mengharamkan arak di negeri majoriti Hindu itu pada awal April 2016.

    Larangan Arak Dalam Agama Sikh

    Dalam kitab agama Sikh Guru Granth Sahib Ji himpunan Guru Gobing Singh terdapat larangan meminum arak menurunkan kecerdasan dan merosakkan fikiran:

    ਜਿਤੁ ਪੀਤੈ ਮਤਿ ਦੂਰਿ ਹੋਇ ਬਰਲੁ ਪਵੈ ਵਿਚਿ ਆਇ ॥

    “Drinking the wine, his intelligence departs, and madness enters his mind” (Sri Guru Granth Sahib: hlm 554)

    Di dalam agama Sikh juga terdapat 5 larangan asas antaranya:

    1) Tidak boleh potong rambut
    2) Tidak boleh berkelakuan buruk
    3) Tidak boleh merokok
    4) Tidak boleh memakan daging yang disembelih
    5) Tidak boleh minum arak

    Larangan Arak Dalam Agama Islam

    Di dalam Islam, jika mahu dibandingkan bilangan dalil larangan minuman keras berbanding agama lain, tidaklah sebanyak terdapat di dalam Bible dan juga kitab-kitab Hindu. Akan tetapi oleh disebabkan muslim itu bermaksud seseorang yang tunduk patuh kepada arahan Allah maka kuantiti bilangan larangan itu bukan perkara utama kerana apa yang utama adalah mereka mengikut segala aturan yang disebutkan di dalam kitab suci. Sebab itu dilihat orang Islam lebih sensetif terhadap larangan ini. Di dalam al Quran terdapat beberapa ayat yang menyebut mengenai larangan arak:

    a) Surah al-Ma’idah: 90,
    b) b) Surah Al-Baqarah: 219,
    c) c) Surah an-Nahl: 97

    Amalan Agama Menggunakan Arak

    Adapun sebahagian agama animisme dan agama penyembah roh, kebiasaannya mereka akan menggunakan arak sebagai ritual keagamaan mereka. Hal ini boleh dilihat sebahagian besar Cult di Afrika dan masyarakat Afrika Amerika yang menggunakan arak di dalam amalan mereka seperti ajaran Candomble, Kumina, Voodoo, Umbanda, Quimbanda, Santeria dan lain-lain.

    Disamping itu juga, terdapat juga ajaran Kristian khususnya yang turut menggunakan arak di dalam ritual mereka. Sebab itu apabila dilihat sebahagian Kristian seperti Black Christ turut menggunakan arak disebabkan sinkretisme amalan masyarakat (animisme) mereka dengan ajaran Kristian yang disampaikan oleh pendakyah Kristian sehingga wujudnya pengambilan arak di dalam agama. Akan tetapi di Malaysia, perkara ini tidak ada dan tidak berlaku. Maka ia tidak boleh menjadi hujah kepada ia adalah anjuran ritual agama.

    Kesimpulan

    Jika dibandingkan antara kebaikan dan keburukkan dari kesan meminum arak nescaya senarai keburukkannya terlalu banyak untuk disenaraikan. Malah dengan pengambilan arak juga manusia boleh terjebak dengan jenayah yang lain-lain kerana akal mereka sudah tidak stabil lagi. Sebab itu terdapat akta mengenai kesalahan memandu dengan pengaruh alkohol di seluruh dunia. Malah jika difikir secara logik, sekiranya seorang individu yang mabuk boleh memberi kesan yang mudharat kepada orang awam apatah lagi sekiranya perkara itu dilakukan secara besar-besaran, pasti impak dan kesan dari orang yang mabuk itu memberi kesan yang lebih teruk kepada orang awam.

    Demikian itu, isu ini tidak relevan hanya dibincangkan di bawah rangka kebebasan beragama kerana tidak ada agama di Malaysia yang ‘membebaskan’ meminum arak. Kedua, isu ini perlu juga dibincang dibawah kesan dan mudharat yang bakal menimpa dari pesta orang ramai yang mabuk boleh memberi impak yang buruk kepada masyarakat. Ketiga, program sebegini tidak menguntungkan masyarakat dan negara malah membawa kepada kerosakkan moral, fizikal dan juga mental masyarakat.

    Oleh itu masyarakat masyarakat muslim, buddhis, kristian, hindu, dan sikh yang benar-benar mengikut ajaran agama perlulah bersatu untuk menjauhi bahana arak yang jelas memberi kesan buruk kepada masyarakat. Nilailah isu ini dari sudut yang luas dan bukan sahaja hanya fikir untuk keseronokkan dan keuntungan penjualan arak sahaja.

    Seorang manusia yang waras dan rasional sudah pasti akan menjauhi arak. Sebuah kisah sebagai penutup yang diceritakan oleh ilmuan Buddhis Master Hsing Yun dalam bukunya The Five Precepts:

    “There once was a man who wanted to “just have a little drink,” but he did not have a dish of food to go with it. Seeing that his next-door neighbour was raising an old hen that was cackling away, he stole the hen and killed it to make a dish to eat while he drank his liquor. Thus he had broken the precepts against killing and stealing in one fell swoop. When the lady of the house next door came home and asked about her hen, the man told her that he had not seen it, thereby breaking the precept against lying. By now the man was a bit drunk, and seeing how beautiful the woman was, he started flirting with her and touching her in an indecent manner.”

    “Consequently, he also broke the precept against sexual misconduct. It was because of consuming intoxicants that all five precepts were broken in one stroke.”

    Dengan hanya bermula sedikit ia boleh menyebabkan manusia melanggar semua hukum hakam dan ia diumpamakan ibu segala kejahatan. Sesuai dengan sebuah hadis mengatakan: الخمر أم الخبائث “Arak itu ibu segala kejahatan” (Silsalat al-Hadith as-Sahiha no: 1854).

    Nota akhir:

    [1] Lihat – (February 2017) Journal National Geographic: The Birth Of Booze Our 9000 year Love Affair With Alcohol, vol 231 no 2, hlm 48-49
    [2] Lihat Aggacita Bhikkhu (2010). The Importance of Being Morally Virtuous, Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuary, Taiping, hlm 65-71 / Lihat Bikhu Dhammavuddho Mahathera, (2011). Pesanan Buddha, Sangha Foundation, Perak hlm 4 / Lihat – (2014). Buddha & Me: For Biginners, Ti-Ratana Buddhist Society, Kuala Lumpur, hlm 41 / Dr. K. Dhammananda, (2002). What Buddhists Believe, Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, hlm 210-211.
    [3] Lihat Veberable Fa Xun (2011). One Life Five Precepts, Shi Faxun, hlm 73
    [4] Lihat Chan Khoon San (2002). Introductory Course in Buddhism, Selangor Buddhist Association, Kuala Lumpur, hlm 89
    [5] Lihat Mark Cartwright (2016). Ancient History Encyclopedia: Soma – http://www.ancient.eu/Soma/
    [6] https://beerinindia.wordpress.com/tag/sura/
    [7] Madhavi Bhaskar Kokhatkar (1999). Surā, The Liquor And The Vedic Sacrifice, D.K Printworld, India, hlm 140

    R&D Team MRM

     

    Source: Firdaus Wong Wai Hung (Official)

  • Epigram Books Illustrated Handbooks On Singapore’s Main Races Received Mixed Responses Online

    Epigram Books Illustrated Handbooks On Singapore’s Main Races Received Mixed Responses Online

    Epigram Books came under the spotlight earlier this month for a series of illustrated handbooks released by the independent local publisher.

    Authored by Edmund Wee, the founder of Epigram Books, ‘The Understanding Singaporeans’ series consists of four illustrated handbooks. Each handbook contains 20 questions, with answers as well as useful tips, to some of the most asked questions young Singaporeans have revolving around the country’s four main races.

    According to Epigram, the four-book bundle, each representing one ethnic community within the country, was produced with one thought in mind – “How do we respond to the most awkward questions children ask?”

    Readers on the publisher’s Facebook page however, pointed out the misrepresentation between the races and its customs.

    One netizen, Sharifah Husin, said, “The titles should be “Why do Hindus dot their foreheads?” and “Why do Muslims avoid Pork?”. However, since the series is meant to focus on practices unique to each of the four races, a clear understanding of the difference between race and religion must be ensured before publishing the books. Incorrect information transmitted will mislead readers, especially children, who would like to learn more. For example, Non-Hindu Indians do not dot their foreheads, while Non-Muslim Malays do not don the Hijab.”

    While others appreciated the efforts put forth by Epigram Books on “opening a dialogue between races”, some also echoed Sharifah’s sentiments, pointing out that not all Indians are Hindus, and only Hindu women wear ‘bindis’ on their forehead.

    Epigram Books was quick to issue a response, clearing the air and explaining their choice of words for the titles and questions asked from the four-series book.

    Since the beginning of their promotions for the book series, Epigram has been receiving queries about their choice of titles, the publisher explained.

    “To be honest, we had very much the same concerns while debating the merits of these titles. To alleviate those concerns, we made sure to run through the books’ content through various focus groups sourced from representative ethnic communities and associations to ensure that any sensitivities are adequately addressed,” Epigram said, in a post.

    They had picked the titles that best represented “what our children can best relate to and most likely ask, not to mention that they would also grab the attention of adults enough to spark a much-needed conversation on race and religion”.

    Epigram agreed that the book, meant for children between 5- to 8-year-old, can only “scratch the surface of an otherwise complex topic” but they hope that it would be an opportunity for adults to address these “awkward” questions with more confidence.

    “We’d like to ask that you see the Understanding Singaporeans series with the eyes, mind and innocence of a child, so that you can understand how children might come up with these questions in the first place,” Epigram added.

    The series of illustrated books can be purchased from Epigram Books website.

     

    Source: www.theonlinecitizen.com

  • Malaysian Celebrity Criticises Racist Stereotyping Question In Moral Examination

    Malaysian Celebrity Criticises Racist Stereotyping Question In Moral Examination

    A primary school was today criticised by a celebrity over its decision to typecast the country’s ethnicities in a moral examination question.

    In a post on the Instagram photo-sharing service, actress Sarah Lian shared a picture of a moral test paper apparently from a national school in Petaling Jaya that asked students to associate names to different houses of worship.

    The names were Devi, Hock Lee, Kamal, and Steve. Students were required to write the appropriate name under pictures of a church, a Hindu temple, a Chinese temple, and a mosque.

    In the photograph, the student — a daughter of Lian’s friend — linked Devi to the church, Steve to the Hindu temple, Kamal to the Chinese temple, and Hock Lee to the mosque.

    The examiner marked all four answers as wrong.

    “My friend’s 7yr old daughter apparently scored badly. And you wonder who makes kids racist and stereotypical???

    “Well, here’s your answer! A horrible approach to stereotyping people into names races and religions. I’m so furious at this form of racism. How archaic and racist! This is so sad! #shame,” Lian wrote on her Instagram post.

    Malaysian naming conventions, particularly the patronymic system used for Malay names, are regularly used to infer a person’s religious identity.

    Such assumptions have led to problems, particularly in East Malaysia, where non-Muslim natives who use “bin” and “binti” are sometimes wrongly documented as Muslims by authorities.

     

    Source: www.themalaymailonline.com

  • Deepavali vs Diwali Debate Explains Singaporean Tamils’ Unhappiness With Foreigner Influx

    Deepavali vs Diwali Debate Explains Singaporean Tamils’ Unhappiness With Foreigner Influx

    A Channel NewsAsia’s Deepavali special got my attention today for two reasons. One the news presenter said: “Deepavali also known as Diwali”, and secondly because the presenter also referred to Deepavali as a “Hindu New Year”.

    (You can view the entire segment here: http://bit.ly/2e3oc2T)

    Just like a friend who commented on my Facebook post on the topic, I too have an issue with our national broadcaster needing to translate Deepavali (as it is said in Tamil) into Diwali.

    My friend said: “Tamil is one of our National Languages. I would rather they stick to Deepavali. I am not Tamil myself but grew up with it. I know many don’t see it the way we do and that is their right, But i would like the media to stick with Deepavali.”

    I think my friend is absolutely right when she added: “I don’t think the sudden use of Diwali has anything to do with the considerations of the Singapore bred North Indians…It has to do with the new citizens from North India who have come here.”

    Responding to my post, another friend asked if it was offensive to say ‘seng jia jiu yi’ instead of ‘xing nian kwai le’ (Happy Chinese New Year). I think it is different.
    2Yet another friend chimed in and said that CNA did mention ‘Deepavali’ as well as ‘Diwali’ and so it is ok. He said that if an organisation totally replaces ‘Deepavali’ with ‘Diwali’ it would be wrong and that Jurong Point Shopping Centre has done precisely that.

    Considering that Jurong has Tharman Shanmugaratnam as its anchor-Minister for the constituency, I am surprised that Jurong Point Shopping Centre has done that.

    Some in the Singaporean Tamil community have felt unhappy and sidelined by the non-inclusion of Tamil in certain prominent spaces (like the Changi Airport), which has also made international news. CNA’s production has got to be called out at least for that – because if we keep quiet then it may be accepted as a norm.

    My friend Gangasudhan writing on the same topic last year said that he felt like a second class citizen in his own country.

    “In recent days, many in the Tamil community have had their panties in a bunch because some shopping centres and even Changi Airport have started putting up Christmas decor even though Deepavali is right around the corner – in other words, not a single F was given for this festive occasion. While there is good reason to feel marginalised by this callous attitude in multiracial Singapore that champions racial harmony – complete with a special day each year to wear ‘costumes’ and ‘celebrate’, I am surprised that anyone is surprised by this.”

    The larger issue of course is how uninformed the majority in Singapore is despite 50-years of the Government promoting multi-racialism and multiculturalism. If the national broadcaster can be confused if Deepavali is a Hindu New Year, is it any wonder that local websites like The Smart Local will try and tease a laughter out of its audience by comparing laddoo (a popular Indian sweet) to diarrhoea?

    Yes CNA, Even if the Marwari, Gujarati, and Nepali of the Indian community celebrate their new year around Deepavali they are not the majority even in India.

    Deepavali is not a Hindu New year.

     

    Source: http://theindependent.sg

  • ME3 Silvakumar S/O Utharapathy – Signals Specialist Is Serangoon Road Hero

    ME3 Silvakumar S/O Utharapathy – Signals Specialist Is Serangoon Road Hero

    Seen the reports (http://ebx.sh/2eB9o9I) on how a group of men returning from a ceremonial procession helped administer CPR to an unconscious elderly man on Sunday?

    Meet ME3 Silvakumar s/o Utharapathy! The 58-year old Signals specialist was on his way to the temple for a fire-walking ceremony when he came across the elderly man lying on the ground at a Shell station along Serangoon Road. Instinctively, he stepped forward and helped to resuscitate him before the SCDF ambulance arrived.

    ME3 Silvakumar’s act of kindness embodies the Soldier Strong spirit, and we salute him for his selflessness! We caught up with him today to find out more.

    ME3 Silvakumar shared that he had learned CPR in the Army back in 1982 and is a skill that he keeps refreshed constantly. However, he highlights that learning how to perform CPR was one thing, but deciding to act when the moment required it was a different thing altogether. He adds, “I hope people will learn to not be afraid of helping others in public, especially when a life is at stake, because sometimes it might be too late waiting for the authorities.” Ultimately, ME3 Silvakumar is humbled by the inadvertent publicity garnered, but hopes that through this incident, people will be inspired to step forward when they know that they can make a difference.

    When asked to describe her father in a word, Ms Aishwaryaa Kumar (left), daughter of ME3 Silvakumar, said “selfless”. His tendency to go above and beyond self was not isolated to this incident, and she described various other occasions during which he demonstrated such courage. A significant incident occurred in 2009 when ME3 Silvakumar rushed into the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta shortly after it was bombed by terrorists. He was near the hotel when he heard an explosion and saw the smoke, and within minutes, he was on his bicycle racing over. He ran into the hotel and eventually brought out two injured victims and sent them to the hospital.

    Of his selflessness, Ms Kumar adds, “He doesn’t ask for anything in return. He reminds us that it doesn’t matter if we are unappreciated; what matters most is that it doesn’t stop you from helping and making a difference to someone’s life.”

    Well done, ME3 Silvakumar!

    #SoldierStrong
    #SGSecure

    Photos by: REC Tan Jit Jenn (Army News)

     

    Source: The Singapore Army