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Vaheguroo Jee Kaa Khalsa, Vaheguroo Jee Kee Phateh!!! |
ABOUT SIKHISM
Sikhism is a religion that began in sixteenth century Northern India with the teachings of Nanak and nine successive human gurus. This system of religious philosophy and expression has been traditionally known as the Gurmat (literally the teachings of the gurus) or the Sikh Dharma. Sikhism comes from the word Sikh, which in turn comes from the Sanskrit root Åihya meaning "disciple" or "learner", or Åikha meaning "instruction."[1][2] Sikhism is the fifth-largest organised religion in the world. The principal belief in Sikhism is faith in one God-VÄhigurÅ -represented using the sacred symbol of Äk ÅahkÄr. Sikhism advocates the pursuit of salvation through disciplined, personal meditation on the name and message of God.
The followers of Sikhism are ordained to follow the teachings of the ten Sikh gurus, or enlightened leaders, as well as the holy scripture-the GurÅ« Granth SÄhib-which includes the selected works of many authors from diverse socioeconomic and religious backgrounds. The text was decreed by Gobind Singh, the tenth guru, as the final guru of the Khalsa Panth. Sikhism's traditions and teachings are distinctly associated with the history, society and culture of the Punjab. Adherents of Sikhism are known as Sikhs (students or disciples) and number over 23 million across the world. However, most Sikhs live in the state of Punjab in India; prior to partition, millions of Sikhs lived in what is now the Punjab province of Pakistan. Sikh religious philosophy has roots in the religious traditions of northern India.[3] The Sant Mat traditions are fundamental to the teachings of Sikhism's founder, Nanak.
Especially important to the connection with Sikhism were the teachings of the saint Kabir. Sikhism is also inspired by the emphasis on devotion to God in the traditions of Vaishnavism, especially through the Bhakti movement, as well as influences of Sufism. However, Nanak's teachings diverge significantly from Vaishnavism in their rejection of idol worship, the doctrine of divine incarnations and a strict emphasis on inward devotion; Sikhism is professed to be a more difficult personal pursuit than Bhakti.[4] The evolution of Nanak's thoughts on the basis of his own experiences and study have also given Sikhism a distinctly unique feature. In Sikhism, God - termed VÄhigurÅ - is formless, eternal, and unobserved: nirakkÄr, akÄl, and alakh. Nanak interpreted VÄhigurÅ« as a single, personal and transcendental creator. The beginning of the first composition of Sikh scripture is the figure "1"-signifying the unity of God.
To achieve salvation, the devotee must develop an intimate faith in and relationship with God.[4] God is omnipresent and infinite, and is signified by the term Ä?k ÅamkÄr. Sikhs believe that prior to creation, all that existed was God and his infinite hukam (will).[5] When God willed, the entire cosmos was created. From these beginnings, God nurtured "enticement and attachment" to mÄyÄ, or the human perception of reality.[6] While a full understanding of God is beyond human beings,[4] Nanak described God as not wholly unknowable. God is omnipresent (sarav viÄpak) in all creation and visible everywhere to the spiritually awakened. Nanak stressed that God must be seen from "the inward eye," or the "heart" of a human being: devotees must meditate to progress towards enlightenment. Nanak emphasised the revelation through meditation, as its rigorous application permits the existence of communication between God and human beings.[4] God has no gender in Sikhism, though translations may incorrectly present a masculine God. In addition, Nanak wrote that there are many worlds on which God has created life.