Individual: Sikhism and Jainism a) Review again the course document entitled “A Framework for Understanding and Comparing Religious Worldviews.” This assignment has two components. i) Component One: Create a framework for understanding and comparing Jainism that does not exceed 250-500 words. ii) Component Two: Create a bullet point summary of the similarities and dissimilarities of Sikhism and Jainism that does not exceed 250-500 words. Sikhism · Gain a working knowledge of the more general beliefs of Sikhism within a consistent comparative framework that facilitates the understanding of Sikhism relative to other religions synopsized in the same manner · Understand Sikhism and Jainism in relationship to one another and to the other major indigenous religions of the Indian sub-continent, Hinduism and Buddhism · Explain the major philosophical differences between Sikhism and the Abrahamic religions Introduction The common thread that runs through the many sects that compose Sikhism is a strict monotheistic belief in the one True God who is mindful of the world and humanity. Believing that all names for the True God are limiting, the True God is usually addressed orally as the True Name. That part of the divine nature that can be known and described is called the saguna (with qualities) and that part of the divine nature that is beyond the comprehension and description of finite beings is called the nirguna (without qualities). The essentials of Sikhism are as follows: 1) There is only one True God. 2) The True God is the uncreated, timeless creator of all things. 3) The True God is without corporeality (form) or gender. 4) The True God fears nothing and hates nothing. 5) All humanity has direct access to the True God. 6) All humanity is equal before the True God. 7) The True God is incomprehensible in the fullness of the True God’s attributes and being. 8) The True God is made known through creation and through sacred text of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahib, also known as the Adi Granth. 9) A good life is lived honestly and exhibits compassion for others within the community. 10) Human rituals and superstitions have no value in increasing humanity’s knowledge of the True God. A Sikh, Punjabi for disciple, is a follower of the True God revealed in the writings and teachings of the Ten Sikh Gurus, the Guru Granth Sahib (so named by the last Guru). Sikhism: A Framework of Comparison What Does It Mean To Be Human? Because the True One is inside of every human, all humans are inherently good and are capable of change, no matter how wicked they might appear. The human soul reflects the image of the True Name and is pure, good, and eternal. All humans are equal because the light of the True Name dwells equally within them, regardless of gender, religion, or caste. What Is the Basic Human Problem? Though the True One’s light dwells equally within all humans, humans gravitate toward vices that distort the light of the True One, entrapping humans in the karmic cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (see Hinduism, Lecture Four). The Five Vices that entrap a human in the cycle of rebirth by erecting a barrier of egoism between the entrapped human and the True One are lust, covetousness and greed, attachment to the material world, anger, and pride. What Is the Cause of the Problem? Egoism, a self-centered pride called haumain in Sikhism, is the leading of a life focused on the fulfillment of worldly desires. This effective worship of the material world rather than the True One within is idolatry. What Is the End or Goal of Transformation? The ultimate transformation is liberation from one’s enchainment in the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. This liberation blends the light of the eternal soul present of the human into the eternal light that is the unfathomable True One. Absorption into the True One is most often a progressive peeling away of the ego barrier over a number of lives.