Jainism and Sikhism

• 10 gurus total
• Guru Nanak
• 1469-1538CE
• Sought to bring peace and harmony between Muslims and Hindus
• Founder
• Guru Angad
• Devised new script
• Compiled scripts
• Guru Argan Dev
• Began the compilation of the official scriptures, the Adi Granth
• Guru Gobind Singh
• last of the gurus
• 1675-1708
• Organized and prepared the Sikhs for self-defense & war
• Developed elite class of Sikhs, Singhs "Lions"

Turning Points and Events

Sikhism

Literature Examples

Jainism

Major events of Sikhism:

• Nanak founded Sikhism
• Akal Takht attack
• Sikh symbols
• The Great Test
• Where they proved their ultimate love for their religion
• Started by Guru Gobind Singh
• Creation of Adi Granth during the time of Guru Arjan Dev
• Creation of the Singh division of Sikhs by Guru Gobind Singh

• Jainism symbols
• Mahavira decided to practice a more severe asceticism but then practiced ahisma (noninjury of life) and went on his own path
• 2 protests in India against Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism
• Jain festivals
• Paijusana: August/September, 8 days where each Jain fasts and attends special worship. Jain laity are encouraged to live as a monk for at least 24 hours. They perform acts of penance to begin each year with a fresh start
• Divali: November, remembrance of the liberation of Mahavira by the lighting of lamps

In both the Sikhism and Jainism religions they had written word of how to live their lives out to the fullest.

Sikhism

Jainism

Sikhism used the Granth as sacred scripture.

Arjan Dev began the Adi Granth or the Granth based of the teachings of Nanak. it was a collection of hyms comtaining about 3,384 hyms. Later on it was added to by Gobind Singh took on the leadership guru of the Sikhism and established the Granth as the final words for the Sikhs. After this the Granth took place of all gurus and there were no more.

Both Jainism and Buddism wrote an alternative to Hinduism. Both stories are very similar speaking of a man, in the case of Janism Mahavira, not content with his life and spending time in thought conditions to finally achieve release. People were supposed to do as Mahavira did to find release but it was supposedly extremely hard and most followers did not succeed or even try.

Basic Beliefs and Location of development and spreading

Leaders and Important people

Refer to Shyhiem

Sikhism

Jainism

Divisions

Difficulty determining precise origin but there is

• Nataputta Vardhamana also known as Mahavira "great hero"
• He was last in a long line of founders
• 23 figures before him
• 24 including Mahavira are called Tirthankaras or "crossing builders"
• Believed to be ideal persons who forged a bridge between this life and Nirvana

In both religions they were split up into three sects. Both varying greatly.

Jainism

Sikhism

Sikhism is divided into three main groups

1.Udasis- these are the holy men who are monks their only possession is a begging bowl and they go around as missionaries trying to spread their religion

2.Sahajdharis- they reject the characteristics of modern day Sikhism and prefer to be clean-shave.

3.Singhs- accepts the teachings of Nanak, uses Granth as sacred scripture, and accepted ten gurus as leaders of their faith.

By 80BCE Jainism was split into two sects divided by what they thought was the true meaning of the religion then in 1473 another sect came up.

1.Svetambara- translated as "the white clad" because they have their monks wear white robes instead of nothing. Also allowed women into their religion and monasteries because they believed that women could achieve release.

2.Digambara- translated as "the sky clad" followed mostly older rules and made their monks wear almost no clothing. Also believed women had no chance of achieving release and so they were not allowed in monasteries or temples.

3.Sthanakavasi- opposed to temples and idols also accepted thirty-three Agamans or teachings as authoritative and others accepted up to eighty-four

Jainism and Sikhism