Sant (religion)

In Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism, a sant is a human being revered for his or her knowledge of "self, truth, reality" and as a "truth-exemplar". In Sikhism it is used to describe a being who has attained spiritual enlightenment and divine knowledge and power through union with God.
Etymology.
"Sant" is sometimes translated as "saint", but this is a false cognate (there is no etymological commonality). "Sant" is derived from the Sanskrit root "sat", which can mean "truth, reality, essence", and saint is derived from Latin "sanctus", which means "holy, sacred", from Indo-European root "sak-", "to sanctify"
Schomer and McLeod explain "sant" as preceptor of "Sat" or "truth, reality", in the sense of "'one who knows the truth' or 'one who has experienced Ultimate Reality', that is a person who has achieved a state of spiritual enlightenment or mystical self-realisation". William Pinch suggests the best translation of "sant" is "truth-exemplar".
Usage.
"Sant" differs from "saint" not merely in the etymological sense but also in usage. The word is used in various contexts: