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something of a cross between Islam and Hinduism with some special features of its own. Sikhs seek enlightenment and a way to God through working and service. They have temples, meditate and pray. They do not worship idols, images or icons, but maintain the Hindu ideas of transmigration of souls and kharma. Apart from the One God they accept the existence of lesser gods. We would probably call them angels. They follow the teachings of Gurus. They have their Holy Book.
Buddhism

Buddhism is the religion propounded by Buddha. It arose about 500 BC as a reaction against Hinduism. There were reckoned to be 320 million Buddhists in 1997. The Buddhists have their own Scriptures. There is no real God in it. It is really religion without God. However, as is well known, there are statues of the Buddha before which his adherents sit to meditate. A Buddhist salvation is one attained by man through such things as meditation which leads to altered states of consciousness. It is all a subjective matter. There is nothing given to or received from God. God is not looked to in any way and does not receive thanks, praise or worship. In Christianity the true God is to be worshipped and called upon. Our lives are to be God centred; our religion is not simply to be a matter of producing certain feelings, though if we are right with God we shall get right feelings. Buddhism originated in India but is almost entirely practised today in other Eastern countries. There are Buddhist monasteries and in this the Romish Church follows in its footsteps. Islam to its credit rejects monasticism. If Hinduism and Jainism look externally to self punishment for salvation; Buddhism looks internally and seeks it in the contemplative life. Morality, wisdom and concentration are advocated and it is maintained that according to how one has lived one will get one’s just desserts after death. The value of prayer and sacrifice are denied. Philosophically it is opposed to materialism. Just as in Christianity there are sects, there are sects in Buddhism. One of them the so-called True Pure Land Sect advocates salvation by faith in the celestial Buddha Amida. It is really faith in one that cannot save.

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