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The difference is that Sikhism firmly believes in the grace of God as the means to salvation, and its precepts encourage the bhakti of One Lord for mukti (salvation). [125] [128] Sikhism, like the three ancient Indian traditions, believes that body is perishable, that there is a cycle of rebirth, and that there is suffering with each cycle of ...
As a consequence, Sikhs do not actively proselytize, although voluntary converts are generally accepted. Sikhism emphasizes meditation and remembrance as a means to feel God's presence , which can be expressed musically through kirtan or internally through naam japna (lit. ' meditation on God's name ').
The field is seen as beginning around the mid-20th century, during the time of the partition of the Indian subcontinent into two domains: Pakistan and India. [1] Literature in European languages regarding Sikhs and Sikhism has existed since the 18th century but the institutional environment did not exist at that period to further these inquiries and attempts into a proper field of study. [1]
The Sikh gurus have described God in numerous ways in their hymns included in the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of Sikhism, but the oneness of formless God is consistently emphasized throughout. God is described in the Mul Mantar (lit. the Prime Utterance), [4] [5] the first passage in the Guru Granth Sahib:
Sikhs strongly believe in the idea of sarbat da bhala (' welfare of all ') and are often seen on the frontline to provide humanitarian aid across the world. [ 93 ] Sikhs who have undergone the Amrit Sanchar ( ' initiation by Khanda ' ), an initiation ceremony, are known as Khalsa from the day of their initiation and they must at all times have ...
Nanak stresses that God must be seen by human beings from "the inward eye" or "heart" and that meditation must take place inwardly to achieve this enlightenment progressively; its rigorous application is what enables communication between God and human beings. Sikhs believe in a single God that has existed from the beginning of time and will ...
God is beyond birth and death. [5] The famous Savaiya and Dohra from the Rehras Sahib, read daily by devout Sikhs, comes from Ram Avatar Bani. However, it is not to be confused with Sikhs believing or worshipping Raja Ram or Krishan. It is clear from Guru Gobind Singh's verses in Chaupai Sahib, a part of Sikh Nitnem, or daily prayer. [6]
According to Wendy Doniger, the phrase is a compound of ik ("one" in Punjabi) and onkar, canonically understood in Sikhism to refer to the "absolute monotheistic unity of God". [9] Etymologically, the word onkar denotes the sacred sound "om" or the absolute in a number of Indian religions. [9] Nevertheless, Sikhs give it an entirely different ...