Doctrines and beliefs

The "seed mantra" — the opening words of the Guru Granth Sahib, understood to be a summary of the whole scripture.

One God (ik onkar), formless (nirguna), the Creator (Akal Purukh), without fear or enmity, beyond birth and death, self-existent, and known through grace.

In the Guru Granth Sahib, which is understood as the living presence of God among God's people.

The divine spark within a person. It passes to another living being unless mukti has been achieved, in which case it enters the sach khand.

Five stages: dharam khand (duty), gian khand (knowledge), saram khand (effort), karam khand (grace) and sach khand (truth). A person may reach the third by practice; grace carries them beyond.

God's will, in accordance with which everything happens. The guide says Sikhs nevertheless have a responsibility to practise nam japna, kirat karni and vand ke chakna and to be gurmukh.

Haumai, ego-centredness, and maya, delusion. Doing the three duties is how a Sikh conquers them.

The Sikh code of conduct, written over twenty years by a committee of spiritual and knowledgeable Sikhs and published in the twentieth century. The concept dates from Guru Gobind Singh's time.

God the Creator — the Timeless Being. The universe and everything that happens in it accords with God's hukam.

Either during a person's lifetime or at death — and only through gurprasad, God's grace.

Consult the Guru Granth Sahib for all spiritual matters, and consult the Khalsa for temporal matters.

Differently by different Sikhs: some take it to mean the SGPC, others the management committee of their own local gurdwara.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, based in Amritsar, which manages all gurdwaras in Punjab and surrounding states under Indian secular law, and which published the Rahit Maryada.

A priesthood and jurists. The line of human gurus bequeathed authority to the Guru Granth Sahib instead.

One who reads the Guru Granth Sahib — a role the Rahit Maryada opens to anyone, with no sacramental function that depends on who performs it.

Holy men and women, named by the guide among the sources of authority. They are recognised for spiritual standing rather than appointed to office.

Khalsa Sikhs have taken amrit and keep the five Ks and the Rahit Maryada; sahajdhari Sikhs follow the Gurus' teaching without initiation, and in many communities are the majority.

A convert movement made up mostly of North American and some European Sikhs — notable because Sikhism does not encourage conversion.

Because it imports a Christian shape. Sikhs form one panth with variation inside it, all holding the same Guru Granth Sahib as Guru.