Transcript Jainism and Sikhism - Mr. Farrell's Social Studies Classes

JAINISM AND SIKHISM
RELIGIONS OF INDIA
Aside from Hinduism
and Buddhism, what
traditions exist in India?
JAINISM
JAINISM OVERVIEW
• Jains are followers of the Jinas, “spiritual
conquerors”
• Jinas are also known as tirthankaras, “ford
builders”-teachers who build bridges across the
river of samsara to spiritual freedom
• The tirthankaras help achieve release of the
soul, jiva, from existence in this material worldknown as karma
• Formed in the 6th century BCE
BELIEFS
• Jains, like Buddhists, do not believe God or gods
are supreme
• Jains recognize the “Five Supreme Beings”
•
Jinas/Tirthankaras/Arhats- “Worthy Ones”
•
Siddhas-The souls liberated from karma
•
The spiritual teachers of the monks and nuns
•
The scriptural teachers of the monks and nuns
•
The monks and nuns
PRACTICES
• Many Jains are ascetics, those who go to extreme
lengths to deny themselves
• Jain ascetics take the Mahavratas, the Great Vows
•
Ahimsa-Nonviolence
•
Satya-Speaking the truth
•
Brahmacharya-Abstaining from sex
•
Asteya-Not taking anything that is given
•
Aparigraha-Detachment from persons, places, and
things
• Jain laypeople take the anuvratas, or lesser vowsless strict versions
SIKHISM
SIKHISM OVERVIEW
• Sikh means learner, a follower of the one God,
Sat Guru (True Teacher), and a follower of the
ten Gurus who reveal his teachings
• The religion was born out of a conflict between
Hindus and Muslims in India
• “There is no Hindu or Muslim, so whose path
shall I follow? I shall follow the path of God.”Guru Nanak, founder of Sikhism
• Guru Nanak appointed a Guru to follow him
BELIEFS
• God is the creator of all things, and all is
dependent on God’s will (hukam)
• God does not become manifest in the world
(unlike in Hinduism), so His will becomes known
through the Gurus
• “God is One, whose name is truth, the
immanent creator, without fear, without
hostility, immortal in form, unborn, selfsustaining, known by the grace of the Guru.”
LIFE CYCLE
• Sikhs believe in reincarnation and karma, which
to them is the moral law of cause and effect
• God gives Prasad, grace, to help them move
through the five stages
• From manmukh, wrong-doer, to gurmukh,
devoted to the Guru, to sachkand, beyond
rebirth and utter bliss
PRACTICES
• “The Five Ks”
•
Kesh-Uncut hair, showing acceptance of God’s will
•
Kangha-Carrying a comb, a symbol of controlled
spirituality
•
Kirpan-A steel dagger, showing determination to
defend the truth
•
Kara-A steel bangle worn on the wrist
•
Katchera-An undergarment showing moral strength
• Sikhs wear turbans
• Community is very important to Sikhs-They cook
and distribute vegetarian meals for free, spend
time at temples, etc
• The Guru Granth Sahib is the Sikh holy book