Sikhism
From the Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can change
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion, or a religion that believes in one God. The followers are called "Sikhs", and their holy book is the Guru Granth Sahib. 20 million people are followers of sikhism, that makes it the fifth largest religion in the world. It is most popular in Asia.
Sikhism was started in 1469 by Guru Nanak Dev, the first of the "Ten Gurus". It took on a distinct identity in 1699, celebrated by Vaisakhi. This is when Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth guru, started the baptism with Khande di Pahul, and the sikhs were to required to keep the 5 K's. This is also called the birth of the Khalsa.
Contents |
[change] Beliefs
[change] Some basic beliefs
- There is only one God. He is the creator of everything.
- The goal of life is to focus on being at one with God. This is attainable by meditating, and being in the company of others who share a similar goal.
- Women are equal to men.
- Mediatation, Working honestly and Sharing.
[change] God
Sikhism teaches that God, or Waheguru, lasts forever, can't be seen, and has no body. It is taught that he created the universe, can destroy it, and keeps it running. He is considered to be infinite, or he always existed and always will. Sikh's worship him, and meditate on his name. They believe everything is a part of god.
[change] Salvation
Members are all trying to reach salvation, meaning they are trying to break the process of rebirth and become one with god. The thing that is keeping people from reaching union is bad karma. Bad karma is taught to be caused by pride, anger, greed, attachment and lust. Followers try to stay away from these things.
[change] The ten gurus and religious authority
The term guru comes from the Sanskrit gurū, which means teacher, guide, or mentor. The traditions and philosophy of Sikhism were established by ten specific gurus from 1469 to 1708. Each guru added to and reinforced the message taught by the previous, and this resulted in the creation of the Sikh religion.
| # | Name | Date of Birth | Guruship on | Date of Death | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nanak Dev | April 15 1469 | August 20 1507 | September 22 1539 | 69 |
| 2 | Angad Dev | March 31 1504 | September 7 1539 | March 29 1552 | 48 |
| 3 | Amar Das | May 5 1479 | March 26 1552 | September 1 1574 | 95 |
| 4 | Ram Das | September 24 1534 | September 1 1574 | September 1 1581 | 46 |
| 5 | Arjun Dev | April 15 1563 | September 1 1581 | May 30 1606 | 43 |
| 6 | Har Gobind | June 19 1595 | May 25 1606 | February 28 1644 | 48 |
| 7 | Har Rai | January 16 1630 | March 3 1644 | October 6 1661 | 31 |
| 8 | Har Krishan | July 7 1656 | October 6 1661 | March 30 1664 | 7 |
| 9 | Teg Bahadur | April 1 1621 | March 20 1665 | November 11 1675 | 54 |
| 10 | Gobind Singh | December 22 1666 | November 11 1675 | October 7 1708 | 41 |
And the eternal Guru is the Guru Granth Sahib, which is a book.
[change] 5 K's
The 5 K's are the things Sikhs wear at all times. They are:
- Keeping their turban always on. This is considered the most important of the 5 K's. This is called Keski
- Having a wooden comb in their hair. This is called Kangha.
- Having an iron bracelet. This is for protection and physical reminder that a Sikh is bound to the Guru. This is called Kara.
- They wear cotton underwear that does not always have to be used as underwear. This is called Katchera.
- And a sword. This is worn to defend one's faith and protect the weak. This is called Kirpan.
[change] Holy Books
[change] Guru Granth Sahib
 |
An expert on the subject should have a look at article or section. Please help recruit one or improve this article yourself. See the talk page for details. |
[change] Other websites
- Sikhs.org
- Sikh Missionary Society (UK) — Non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the Sikh religion, culture and history
- Religious Tolerance
- BBC
- Siknet
- Sikh Wiki
