Comparison of Sikhism and Shinto
Introduction
Sikhism and Shinto are two religions from completely different cultures and origins, yet they share a belief in supernatural existence and spiritual nourishment, like many of the world’s major religions. In this presentation, we will discuss these two religions and elaborate on their similarities and differences.
Shinto
Shinto is a religion that was founded in primitive Japan in the late fourth century. It has no record of its founder or leader who oriented it, but it has been passed down as tradition through families (Alan B & Andrew L, 2001).
Shintoism was the religion that existed in Japan before Buddhism was introduced from Korea and China. It accommodated a strong following of believers.
Shinto is a religion that emphasizes the importance of being in harmony with nature and the spirit of Kami, which represents their God as a spiritual entity. Its followers worship Kami, who are native deities that include former heroes, emperors, mythical objects, and spirits of nature. (Alan B & Andrew L 2001)
Shinto is divided into four main groups:
Koshitsu refers to Shinto practices performed by the imperial house, specifically those carried out by the emperor. Shuha is a slightly deviated form of mainstream Shinto, often practiced by commoners and similar to Jinja Shinto. Lastly, Jinja Shinto involves worship at shrines and altars. (Alan B & Andrew L 2001)
Shinto is a unique religion that centers around one commandment: respecting and being loyal to your ancestors. Initially, the Shinto religion was primitively naturalistic, with people practicing spiritism, tatenism, and worship of nature. However, it has since evolved intellectually and ethically. Despite having a major god known as the sun god Amaterasu in Japanese folklore, this religion is known for having an excess of gods – historians estimate that there are over 800,000.
The Shinto religion is a collection of many faiths, which do not have any known written creed or list of commandments. This is because the religion was relayed through expression by actions, rituals, or behaviors. The believers in Shinto strongly suggest that God cannot be explained by words; thus, they avoid writing about their gods like many major religions despise idolatry (Alan B & Andrew L 2001).
Shinto believes that purification, which brings one back to their pure state before birth, is achieved through the worship of spirits. This is done through silent prayers and simple rituals conducted at shrines and altars in their homes.
Sikhism
This religion originated in the northern end of India around the 15th century by a man known as Nanak and his teachings, as well as those of nine successive gurus. Nanak had an interest in religion and started Sikhism after being lost for three days and coming back saying that Islam and Buddhism were not true (Alan B & Andrew L 2001).
This religion has grown significantly and is now the fifth largest in the world, with over twenty-three million followers. Most of these followers reside in the Punjab province of Pakistan, which was formerly part of India’s Punjab province.
Sikhism is a religious philosophy and form of expression. It was initially known as Gurmate, which means counsel of Gurus. It is also referred to as Sikh Dhama. (Alan B & Andrew L 2001)
The name of this religion is Sikhism, which comes from the word Sikh”. In the Indian language, “Sikh” is derived from the Sanskrit root “Sikya”, and it means disciple, learner or follower.
The name Sikhism was derived from the word Sikh,” which means “instruction” in an Indian language.
The main belief in Sikhism is their unbound faith in Vahiguru, who is their God and also considered the universal God. What sets Sikhism apart from other religions is their unique interpretation of God as the universe itself.
Their teachings state that salvation comes through personal, disciplined meditation on their God and His message to us on earth (Alan B & Andrew L, 2001).
Followers of the religion Sikhism are known as Sikhs. They strictly adhere to the teachings of the ten Gurus and follow their scriptures from the holy book, Guru Granth Sahib. This book contains works from many devoted Sikhs about the various ways in which they should follow Sikhism. It was decreed by Gabind Singh, who was both the tenth and last Guru of Khalsa Parth. (Alan B & Andrew L 2001)
The second guru was the most influential, as he emphasized the salvation of people. During his time, the religion grew tremendously and acquired its now strong following. Like Christians or even Muslims, Sikhs believe that God is infinite and omnipresent.
According to Sikh beliefs, God was the only existence until deciding to create life on its planet and others. Unlike other religions portraying God as male, Sikhs see God as a genderless Supreme Being with ultimate power over the universe and creator of life.
Characteristics:
Although the two religions came from completely different peoples, cultures, and social backgrounds, they shared some similarities as well as differences.
Both Shinto and Sikhism have a main God they believe in. However, the difference lies in the fact that Shinto believes their god is the ancestor of the royal family, a daughter to a holy couple. On the other hand, Sikhs believe their God has no gender and is infinite, encompassing the universe itself (Alan B & Andrew L 2001).
Secondly, Shinto believed that their gods were spirits, just like the Sikhs. However, the difference lies in the fact that Shinto had hundreds of thousands of gods while Sikhs only had one god.
Both religions believe in the purification and salvation of humans to be holy and pure. However, in Sikhism, this is achieved through meditating on God’s name and message. On the other hand, Shinto achieves this through actions such as silent prayers and certain rituals performed in their shrines (Alan B & Andrew L 2001).
Conclusion.
Religion is a form of expression. The Japanese formed Shinto to express their beliefs, while Nanak formed Sikhism to express his own spiritual beliefs. But one thing is true: religion all depends on the individual. If someone accepts it, then they believe it works. Therefore, there should not be any religious segregation but rather a need for understanding. This ends the discussion on the major aspects, characteristics, and functions of these religions – so different but also alike in other ways.
References
Alan Brown and Andrew Langley authored the book What I Believe: A Young Person’s Guide to the Religions of the World,” which was published in 2001 by Millbrook Press.
