From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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on Monday, 9 June 2008
Sikhism is the fifth largest
organised religion in the world .
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Sikhism (IPA: ['siːkɪz(ə)m] (help·info) or ['sɪk-] (info); Punjabi: ਸਿੱਖੀ, sikkhī, IPA: ['sɪk.kʰiː] (info)) is a religion that began in fifteenth century Northern India with the teachings of Nanak and nine successive Gurus. This system of religious philosophy and expression has been traditionally known as the Gurmat (literally the teachings of the Gurus) or the Sikh Dharma. Sikhism comes from the word Sikh, which in turn comes from the Sanskrit root śiṣya meaning "disciple" or "learner", or śikṣa meaning "instruction."[1][2] Sikhism is the ninth-largest religion in the world, and is generally considered the fifth largest organised religion, depending on how one defines an "organised religion".[3]
The principal belief in Sikhism is faith in one God — Vāhigurū — represented using the sacred symbol of ik ōaṅkār. Sikhism advocates the pursuit of salvation through disciplined, personal meditation on the name and message of God. The followers of Sikhism are ordained to follow the teachings of the ten Sikh Gurus, or enlightened leaders, as well as the holy scripture — the Gurū Granth Sāhib — which includes the selected works of many authors from diverse socioeconomic and religious backgrounds. The text was decreed by Gobind Singh as the final guru of the Khalsa Panth. Sikhism's traditions and teachings are distinctly associated with the history, society and culture of the Punjab. Adherents of Sikhism are known as Sikhs (students or disciples) and number over 23 million across the world. However, most Sikhs live in the state of Punjab in India; prior to partition, millions of Sikhs lived in what is now the Punjab province of Pakistan.
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