Alternative Religion
Jainism, Taoism, Sikhism
Jainism
Founded by Vardhamana Mahavira
According to some sources he was born
in 599 BC, some 32 years before the
birth of the Buddha (567 BC), while
others hold that he was born some 60
years later in 539 B.C.
 Major Scriptures : The Jain Agamas
Siddhantas
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Jainism: Concept of God
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Like Buddhism, Jainism also does not acknowledge
the existence of an universal God who is responsible
for all creation and its maintenance.
" Know that the world is uncreated, as time itself is,
without a beginning and without an end... Uncreated
and indestructible, it endures under the compulsions
of its own nature, divided into three sections- hell,
earth and heaven."
They acknowledge the existence of higher beings
called arhats. The arhats do not take any interest in
the affairs of the world.
The gods on the other hand keep a watch on the
activities of the world.
Sikhism
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Founded in the 15th Century AD by Guru
Nanak.
 Scripture: Adi Granth (Guru Granth Sahib),
Sikhs follow path of japa (recitation) of
hymn, devotional prayers (kirtana) singing
the names of God (e.g., Nam Simran).
 Belief in ten Gurus - spiritual guide who
dispels ignorance and darkness.
Sikhism attributes
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God is creator of the universe and its
existence and continued survival depends on
His hukum (will).
 Monistic or Non-dual, ultimate reality is unity
of all existence,
 Sikh is immersed in God assimilated,
identified with Him. It is the fulfillment of
individuality in which man, freed of all
limitation becomes co-extensive and cooperant and co-present with God.
 Guru Gobind Singh (last living Guru)
organized Sikh tradition of Khalsa (pure one).
Sikhism : Philosophy
Attachment to material objects is the
primary cause of rebirth on the basis of
past karma (action).
 Only way to achieve liberation (mukti)
from the cycle of birth and death is by
being God-conscious (gurmukh).
 Does not believe in incarnation of God
in human form.
 Disapproves asceticism and self
mortification as path to enlightenment.
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Taoism
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The founder of Taoism is believed by many to be LaoTse (604-531 BCE), a contemporary of Confucius.
Tao is the first-cause of the universe. It is a force that
flows through all life.
The priesthood views the many gods as
manifestations of the one Dao, "which could not be
represented as an image or a particular thing."
The concept of a personified deity is foreign to them,
as is the concept of the creation of the universe.
Time is cyclical, not linear as in Western thinking.
Yin (dark side) is the breath that formed the earth.
Yang (light side) is the breath that formed the
heavens.
"The Tao surrounds everyone and therefore everyone
must listen to find enlightenment."