Introduction to Sikhism
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Sikh Philosophy: Sikhism is The
Path of Love: A revolutionary system in which the dichotomy between the
spiritual life and empirical life of man is emphatically broken. Sikhs
believe that God is both Transcendent and Immanent. The moral of the Sikh
philosophy is grounded in spirit of freedom, universal love and emancipation
of man without distinction of caste and creed. Sikhism, not only cherishes
freedom, but also seeks for others. Who is Sikh? : The word 'Sikh' is to know, is the derived
from the Sanskrit word 'Shishya', meaning a disciple or a learner or a
learner, especially a seeker of the truth. Sikhs and
God: ·
Sikhs believe that there is only one
God. God reaches out to humanity through the
word, which is conveyed by the Gurus, or teachers, and which is laid down in
the form of shabads, or hymns, which form the backbone of Sikh worship. ·
God created the universe, and the
universe depends on God's will for its continued existence ·
God has always existed and always
will exist ·
God needs nothing else in order to
continue to exist ·
God has no shape ·
God has no gender ·
God has never taken and will never
take human form on earth. ·
The essence of God is truth. ·
God is without hatred or fear. ·
Equality: Everyone is equal in God's eyes; whatever their caste, creed,
or gender. ·
God is accessible without priests: Everyone can be directly in touch with God. There are no
clergy in Sikhism. ·
Accept other faiths: Sikhs do not believe that any religion has a monopoly on the
truth. They do not regard Sikhism as the only way to God. ·
Live in the world: One should live a responsible life as part of the community.
Withdrawing from the world or becoming an ascetic are not as worthwhile. ·
No ritual for its own sake: Empty ritual is meaningless and should be avoided. ·
Devotion can take the form of action
as well as prayer: Personal devotion includes Nam
simran (meditation on and awareness of God) and Sewa (community service). ·
A good world is just and fair to
all: Social justice is to be supported. The
use of force as a last resort is justified to uphold it. Death is
not the end: Death is
seen as the transition to a life where the joy of being in the presence of
God can be fully realized. Primary duties of an ideal Sikh
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