SIKHISM

THE RELIGION OF THE SIKHS

• Sikhism - The word Sikh means 'disciple' or 'learner.' The Sikh
religion was founded in Northern India in the fifteenth century by
Guru Nanak Dev Ji and is distinct from Islam and
Hinduism. Sikhism is monotheistic and stresses the equality of
all men and women. Sikhs believe in three basic principles;
meditating on the name of God (praying), earning a living by
honest means as well as sharing the fruits of one’s labor with
others. Sikhism rejects caste and class systems and
emphasizes service to humanity.
 ORIGINS OF SIKHISM :
• The Sikh faith began around 1500 CE, when Guru Nanak Dev Ji began teaching a faith that was quite
distinct from Hinduism and Islam.
• Sikhism was born at a time when there was a growing conflict amongst the two dominating religious traditions
of Hinduism and Islam in India.
• Sikhism developed from the spiritual teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469–1539), the faith's first guru,
and the nine Sikh gurus who succeeded him.
• Guru Nanak Dev Ji got his enlightenment in Sultanpur in 1496. After enlightenment, he travelled extensively to
spread the message of love and brotherhood.
• Guru Nanak Dev ji taught that living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control
and purity" is above metaphysical truth, and that the ideal man "establishes union with God, knows His Will, and
carries out that Will".
The Ten Sikh Gurus:
1. Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469 – 1539) : The first Sikh Guru and the founder of the Sikh religion was Guru Nanak Dev ji. He was born at Talwandi (now
known as Nankana Sahib in Pakistan) on October 20, 1469.
2. Guru Angad Dev Ji (1504 – 1552) : The second Sikh Guru. He was born in 1504. Guru Angad dev ji invented and introduced the Gurmukhi
(written form of Punjabi) script and made it known to all Sikhs.
3. Guru Amar Das Ji (1479 – 1574) : The third Sikh Guru. He was born in 1479. Guru Amar das ji took up cudgels of spirituality to fight against
caste restrictions, caste prejudices and the curse of untouchability. He strengthened the tradition of the free kitchen, Guru Ka Langar (started by
Guru Nanak dev ji), and made his disciples, whether rich or poor, whether high born or low born have their meals together sitting in one place.
4. Guru Ram Das Ji (1534 – 1581) : The fourth Sikh Guru. He was born in 1534. Guru ji founded the city of Amritsar and started the construction of
the famous Golden Temple at Amritsar, the holy city of the Sikhs. He requested the, Muslim Sufi, Mian Mir to lay the cornerstone of
the Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple)
5. Guru Arjun Dev Ji (1563 – 1606) : The fifth Sikh Guru, He was born in 1563 and He was the third son of Guru Ram Das ji. He compiled the Adi
Granth, the scriptures of the Sikhs, and wrote the Sukhmani Sahib. To make it a universal teaching, Guru ji included in it hymns of Muslim saints
as well those of low-caste pariah saints who were never permitted to enter various temples.
6. Guru Har Gobind Sahib Ji (1595 – 1644) : The Sixth Sikh Guru. He was born in 1595. He was the son of Guru Arjan Dev ji and was known as a
"soldier saint," Guru Har gobind ji organized a small army, explaining that extreme non-violence and pacifism would only encourage evil and so
the principles of MIRI – PIRI were established.
7. Guru Har Rai Ji (1630 – 1661) : The Seventh Sikh Guru. He was born in 1630, spent most of his life in devotional meditation and preaching the
teachings of Guru Nanak.
8. Guru Har Kishan ji (1656 – 1664) : The eighth Sikh Guru. He was born in 1656. Guru Har Krishan ji was the youngest of the Gurus. Installed as
Guru at the age of five, Guru ji astonished the Brahmin Pundits with his knowledge and spiritual powers.
9. Guru Teg Bahadur ji (1621 – 1675) : The Ninth Sikh Guru. He was born in 1621 in Amritsar. He established the town of Anandpur. The Guru ji
laid down his life for the protection of the Hindu religion, their Tilak (devotional forehead markings) and their sacred (janeu) thread. He was a
firm believer in the right of people to the freedom of worship.
10.Guru Gobind Singh Ji (1666 – 1708) : The Tenth Sikh Guru. He created the Khalsa (The Pure Ones) in 1699, changing the Sikhs into a saint-
soldier order with special symbols and sacraments for protecting themselves. After the Guru had administered Amrit to his Five Beloved Ones.
 Teachings of Sikh religion :
• God – Sikhism believes in the monotheistic concept of One God, who is Transcendent and Immanent;
Impersonal and Personal; Nirguna and Sarguna.
• Soul – There is an identical relation between God and soul, which is mentioned as ‘the Lord abides in the
soul and the soul in the Lord.’ The aim of man’s life is to rediscover the real nature of the self which is in no
way different from God, but indulgence in mundane aspirations reinforce his ego and strengthens this false
notion of separateness.
• Divine Will – In the Sikh religion, the concept of Divine Will (hukam) as an imperative has a specific
metaphysical significance. Divine Will is all-pervasive and immanent and manifests itself in different ways
which are incomprehensible to the human mind. Not only the creation but also the sustenance of the
universe is in accordance with the Divine Will.
• Divine Grace – It is often referred to in the scripture as kirpa, karam, Prasad, mehar, daya or bakhsis. One
cannot understand God through cleverness, but He can be realized through Grace.
• Salvation – The immortality of the soul is also conceived in the sense of realization of the eternity of values
in the temporal world. Karma and rebirth are closely related to the moral life of man.
THE HOLY BOOK OF SIKHISM : Guru Granth Sahib Ji

• The Guru Granth Sahib Ji (the holy book of Sikh) is made up of teachings and
wisdom for Sikhs to follow.
• It contains 5867 sacred hymns or Shabads.
• It has 1430 pages and every copy is identical.
• The Guru Granth Sahib Ji includes the words spoken by the living gurus - known
as Gurbani.
• The language the Sikh holy book is written in is called Gurmukhi.
• ‘Ik Onkar’ is the first line of the holy book of Sikh which translation means ‘there is
only one god’.
• The Guru Granth Sahib Ji is kept in the Sikh place of worship, the Gurudwara.
TEACHINGS OF THE HOLY BOOK: Guru Granth Sahib Ji
• All Peoples of the World are Equal – Guru Granth Sahib Ji promotes the message of equality of all beings. Discrimination of all
types is strictly forbidden.
• Women as Equals - In the 15th century, Guru Nanak Dev Ji established Sikhism, the first religion to advocate emphatically the
equality of all people, especially women.
• "From woman, man is born; within woman, man is conceived; to woman he is engaged and married.
• One God for All - Sikhism is strictly monotheistic in its belief. This means that God is believed to be the one and sole Reality in
the cosmos, and no god or goddess or power like Satan or Ahirman or any other has reality such as God’s. God alone is worthy
of workship, and the highest end of existence, that is mukti or liberation can come through Devotion to God alone
• Speak and Live Truthfully - Human beings must be truthful, whether one is Hindu or Muslim or of any other religion. Self-
recognition is very important for truthful living. Body impured by falsehood cannot be purified by taking a bath in holy rivers or
by visiting holy places. Purity of mind is essential. Impurity of mind leads to many other vices such as anger, lust, attachment,
ego, and greed.
• Live in God's Hukam - A Sikh or person of God should live and accept the command of God easily and without too much
emotional distress. Live in contentment and in Chardikala (positive attitude)
• Practise Humility, Kindness, Compassion, Love, etc
The very first verse written in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji and found at many other places before
other hymns in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
Also Known as the Mul Mantra

Ik Onkar (God is One)

Sat Nam ( His name is True)
Kartaa Purakh (He is the Creator)
Nirbhau (He is without fear)
Nirvair (He is inimical to none)
Akal-murat (He never dies)
Ajooni (He is beyond births and deaths)
Saibhang ( He is self illuminated)
Gurprasaad (He is realized by the kindness of the True Guru)
Jap (Repeat His Name)
CREATION OF THE KHALSA :
The creation of the Khalsa in 1699 on Vaisakhi is important to Sikhs because it was then that Sikhs were given their distinct outward identity. They were also
blessed with the names of Singh (meaning Lion, for men) and Kaur (meaning Princess, for women) signifying that they were all equals in a casteless fraternity.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji uplifted the politically downtrodden. He created an army of Saint-Soldiers who would not be afraid to stand up against oppression. Even
though Sikhs do not live in the same political climate today, they still honor the notion that they have a responsibility to stand up against injustice.
The Khalsa were blessed with five gifts from the Guru to keep constantly on the body. These are called the five Kakaars and Dastaar.

The Five Ks are:

•Kesh: Kesh refers to uncut hair, which is considered a symbol of Sikh devotion and respect for the natural form
given by the Creator. Sikhs believe that hair is a gift from God and should be kept intact as a sign of acceptance of
God's will.

•Kanga: Kangha is a small wooden comb that Sikhs use to maintain their hair. It represents cleanliness and
discipline. Keeping the hair tidy and untangled signifies the importance of order and discipline in one's life.

•Kara: A Kara is a steel bracelet worn on the wrist. It symbolizes eternity and unity with the Divine. The circular
shape of the Kara represents the unending nature of God and the Sikh's commitment to the teachings of Sikhism.

•Kachera: Kachera refers to a specific type of undergarment, similar to shorts, worn by Sikhs. It serves as a
reminder to lead a life of modesty, self-restraint, and purity. The Kachera also symbolizes the Sikh's readiness for
physical activity and readiness to defend justice.

•Kirpan: The Kirpan is a ceremonial sword or dagger carried by initiated Sikhs. It represents the Sikh's duty to stand
up for truth, protect the oppressed, and uphold justice. The Kirpan is not a weapon of offense but a symbol of the
Sikh's commitment to righteousness and defense of the weak.
THANKYOU