Jainism and Sikhism emerged at very different times in India and share certain characteristics with Hinduism, such as a belief in karma and rebirth. Each took divergent paths and developed in opposition to certain Hindu views or practices, and each represents a move toward greater religious simplicity. Jainism emerged as a historical religion about the same time as Buddhism with the appearance of Mahavira. He is said to be the twenty-fourth great person or, "crossing maker," to reach perfection in the present cycle of the universe. Mahavira's life story has many parallels with the Buddha's. Both engaged in extreme asceticism and practiced meditation that led to an experience of liberation from bondage to the ordinary world.

Jainism explicitly rejects belief in a creator-God or in the possibility of receiving blessings from higher beings. It sees the universe as eternal but continually changing and going through regular great cycles of rise and fall. All parts of the universe are composed of both spirit and matter, and everything is full of life and is capable of suffering. Human beings are unique in their awareness of their dual nature and can overcome limitations and bondage of the material world and the body through insight, austerities, and kindness. Jains practice five ethical recommendations that are adjusted to particular life situations. Profound nonviolence, or ahimsa, is the foundation of Jain ethics, which also include nonlying, nonstealing, chastity, and nonattachment. Jains seek to purify themselves and perfect their characters. They see all life as a preparation for the liberation of the spirit from the body, and so have often valued an intentional "holy death" at the end of a long life of virtue and detachment.

Sikhism emerged in the fifteenth century in a region of India with a long history of conflict between Hindus and Muslims. It began with Nanak's powerful religious experience of the oneness of God beyond all human names and conceptions. He believed Hindus and Muslims really worshiped the same God, that he simply called the "True Name," which signified that all names and terms applied to God are limited. Nanak and his friend Mardana traveled throughout northern India preaching and seeking converts. Nanak blended Hindu and Muslim elements in his clothing, composed and sang devotional songs, and preached strong social responsibility as a religious obligation. Nanak disdained Hindu polytheism and devotion to images of various gods and goddesses. He taught that God was beyond personhood, yet had personal qualities such as knowledge, love, a sense of justice, and compassion.

Sikhs revere ten gurus, beginning with Nanak and ending with Gobind Singh. The final, permanent guru is believed to contain the living spirit of Nanak and his successors. It is the Adi Granth, the sacred book of the Sikhs, which contains hymns and poems composed by the gurus and saints. Responding to Muslim persecutions during the time of the gurus, the Sikhs became increasingly militant. Gobind Singh began a special military order called the Khalsa. Today Sikh males are recognized by the five practices originally adopted by the Khalsa. These include uncut hair and beard, hair comb, special underwear signifying willingness to fight at a moment's notice, the sword, and a bracelet of steel. Sikhs are known for their values of self-reliance, strength, and endurance. Worship services are held in temples that are open to non-Sikhs. The most famous is the Golden Temple of Amritsar, a popular Sikh pilgrimage site.