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Sikhism. Panth. Guru Nanak attracted a large number of followers due to his teachings He formed the first Sikh community called the Panth. Gurdwara. Guru Nanak built a special building for worship called gurdwara Represents the central structure of any particular Sick community
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Panth • Guru Nanak attracted a large number of followers due to his teachings • He formed the first Sikh community called the Panth
Gurdwara • Guru Nanak built a special building for worship called gurdwara • Represents the central structure of any particular Sick community • Means doorway of the Guru • House of worship • Generally contain a kitchen to prepare food for the needy • Contains the Adi Granth
Adi Granth • It means first book • Sacred scripture • The Adi Granth seats on a special seat within the gurdwara • It is referred to as Guru
Sikh • Sikh • “learner” or “disciple” • One who learns from the teachings of the Guru
Guru • A guru is a spiritual teacher. • The literal meaning of the term guru is explained by referring to its parts: • Gu means darkness • Ru means enlightenment • A guru is one who delivers people from the darkness of ignorance to a state of enlightenment • The capitalized term Guru is used in three different ways: • The title of Guru Nanak and his successors and the ten historical leaders of Sikhism • Adi Granth- sacred scripture • It is a name for God- True Guru
The Khanda • A symbol that represents Sikhism • There are three different items used in a Khanda, which have a symbolic meaning: • A double-edged sword called a Khanda in the center • A Chakkar which is circular • Two single-edged swords, or kirpans, are crossed at the bottom and sit on either side of the Khanda and Chakkar. • The 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: God • God is One, eternal, beyond time, and formless • God is immanent or indwelling (as opposed to transcendent or beyond creation) • God dwells within all human beings, and is actively concerned about their spiritual welfare. • God is referred to as Guru • For by revealing himself God delivers humans from darkness to enlightenment • The term most often used in the Adi Granth to denote the nature of God is nim, the divine name • Meditation on the nim or recitation of the nim is prescribed as the path to spiritual perfection
Teachings: Humans • Sikhs are not opposed to eating meat but many prefer vegetarianism • Humans tend to neglect the need to center their lives on God • Rather than being God-centered, humans are inclined to be self-centered. • This human condition is expressed in the Sikh term haumai • Haumai= self-reliance, pride, egoism • Haumai is human’s insistence on making do on their own rather than acknowledge dependence of God. • Haumai and its vices increase the distance between a person and God
Salvation • The ultimate purpose of life is to attain complete union with God (Moksha) by liberating from Samsara