Sikhism

Panth 0Guru Nanak attracted a large number of

followers due to his teachings0He formed the first Sikh community called the

Panth

Gurdwara0Guru Nanak built a special building

for worship called gurdwara 0Represents the central structure

of any particular Sick community 0Means doorway of the Guru0House of worship0Generally contain a kitchen to

prepare food for the needy0Contains the Adi Granth

Adi Granth0 It means first book0Sacred scripture0The Adi Granth seats

on a special seat within the gurdwara

0 It is referred to as Guru

Sikh0 Sikh

0 “learner” or “disciple”0One who learns from the teachings of the Guru

Guru0 A guru is a spiritual teacher.0 The literal meaning of the term

guru is explained by referring to its parts: 0 Gu means darkness0 Ru means enlightenment

0 A guru is one who delivers people from the darkness of ignorance to a state of enlightenment

0 The capitalized term Guru is used in three different ways:

1. The title of Guru Nanak and his successors and the ten historical leaders of Sikhism

2. Adi Granth- sacred scripture 3. It is a name for God- True

Guru

The Khanda0A symbol that represents Sikhism 0There are three different items used in a Khanda,

which have a symbolic meaning: 0A double-edged sword called a Khanda in the

center 0A Chakkar which is circular 0Two single-edged swords, or kirpans, are crossed

at the bottom and sit on either side of the Khanda and Chakkar.

0The Khanda represents knowledge of God, the Chakkar represents the eternal nature of God and oneness of humanity, the two swords represent Miri (political sovereignty) and Piri (spiritual sovereignty)

Teachings/ doctrines

Teachings: God 0God is One, eternal, beyond time, and

formless0God is immanent or indwelling (as opposed

to transcendent or beyond creation)0God dwells within all human beings, and is

actively concerned about their spiritual welfare.

0God is referred to as Guru0 For by revealing himself God delivers humans

from darkness to enlightenment 0The term most often used in the Adi Granth

to denote the nature of God is nim, the divine name0 Meditation on the nim or recitation of the nim is

prescribed as the path to spiritual perfection

Teachings: Humans 0 Sikhs are not opposed to eating meat but

many prefer vegetarianism 0 Humans tend to neglect the need to center

their lives on God0 Rather than being God-centered, humans

are inclined to be self-centered. 0 This human condition is expressed in the

Sikh term haumai0 Haumai= self-reliance, pride, egoism

0 Haumai is human’s insistence on making do on their own rather than acknowledge dependence of God.

0 Haumai and its vices increase the distance between a person and God

Salvation

0The ultimate purpose of life is to attain complete union with God (Moksha) by liberating from Samsara