For a growing religion that’s the ninth largest in the world and counts over 27 million followers, Sikhism is still little understood by most in the West. First arriving with Indian immigrants to Europe and the Americas in the 1800s, this system of beliefs is also one of the youngest, having only existed for the last 500 years. While it is relatively new, some of its tenets have roots in older beliefs. Those seeking to understand their Sikh neighbors, coworkers and friends may desire a basic overview of this spiritual path.
How Did Sikhism Start?
According to the late author Patwant Singh, the Sikh faith is based on the spiritual teachings of Guru Nanak, born in 1469 to merchant caste Hindus in what is now the province of Punjab in present-day Pakistan. Tradition holds that he disappeared when he was around 30 years old, and he was presumed dead until he returned three days later with an astonishing statement: “There is neither Hindu nor Mussulman [Muslim], but only man. So whose path shall I follow? I shall follow God’s path. God is neither Hindu nor Mussulman and the path which I follow is God’s.” Guru Nanak then told a story of his encounter with the Divine and began teaching principles conveyed to him during his three-day absence. Those core beliefs were the building blocks from which Sikhism derives is primary tenets and practices.
What Does This Faith Teach?
Sikhism values several basic concepts as taught by Guru Nanak and continued by the gurus succeeding him. The BBC’s information page about Sikhism revealed that it is panenthestic in nature, which means that its followers see God as a divine entity that is part of every aspect of the universe, existing unbound by space or time. They see the Divine force as having no form or gender, directly accessible by anyone who reaches out to it.
Moreover, Sikhism rejects discrimination based on caste, creed or gender and insists that all people are not only equal before God but also have God inside them, no matter how righteous or wicked they appear. Finally, this way emphasizes practicing kindness and peace in one’s everyday life to become closer to God, as opposed to performing empty rituals.
Roots in Other Faiths
The central principles of Sikhism, as well as its views of the spirit, the universe and the material world, can trace their roots back to some concepts from earlier faiths on the Indian subcontinent. For instance, its view of the human existence in a cycle of birth, life and rebirth is shared with Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. It also refutes the presence of a heaven or hell, proposing instead that through rebirth cycle and living good lives, everyone will eventually become reunited with a timeless divine force known as Akal.
Like Hinduism, it warns of the trap of becoming too focused on maya, or illusion. However, the Sikh faith teaches that maya is made up of vices such as ego, anger, greed, attachment and lust instead of simply being an unreal state as many versions of Hinduism teach. Similar to Islam, Sikhism is monistic in that it purports God to be a single force or entity and believes that divine messengers can be sent to humanity.
A Unique Religion
While Sikhism is an unfamiliar faith to many in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, it is a spiritual path held dear by millions of people in the Indian subcontinent and around the globe. Distinctive in its view of God and its set of philosophies, Sikhism asks its followers to value equality, kindness and peace. Additionally, its view of the afterlife contrasts with the traditional heaven-and-hell view present in some mainstream faiths. As more Sikhs join Western societies, the influence of their faith may prove to be a positive force.