Teachings
Sikhism believes in one supreme being which is real and immanent and only
experienceable in this creation, technically there is nothing in this creation
which is devoid of it and distinct of it. The Sikh school of thought started by
Guru Nanak teaches gender and race equality, sharing, working hard and being
honest, contentment, selfless service, talking sweetly, worshiping naam, good
etiquette, tradition, prayer, meditation on teachings, the concept of miri-piri,
the concept of the saint-soldier/warrior, remembering God all the time in all
actions, keeping in good company, proper sexual conduct, the life of a
householder instead of becoming a celibate monk or rejecting the world,
compassion, faith, justice, mastery, righteous actions, bravery, courage, love
for God, humility, salvation, the afterlife, the law of karma (karma) which is
counteracted by dharma (dharma), charity, and good will to humanity. It also
teaches God's omnipresence, transcendence, omnipotence, and omniscience. It also
revolves around the belief in reincarnation. Emphasis is on ethics, morality,
and values; the Sikh faith does not accept miracles. Actually Sikh people, those
who claim to be Sikhs, does not accept miracle. Otherwise Guru Nanak Dev Ji
stopping a large Stone was a miracle, change the taste of Reethas was miracle,
testing Bhai Lehnna Ji, Baba Budhdha Ji & Mardana by asking to eat flesh but
then turning it into Karah was a miracle, the storm after Guru Arjan Dev Ji's
shaheedi was a miracle, 1699 visakhi was a miracle, Baba Deep Singh Ji fighting
beheaded was miracle, Shaheedi of Bhai Mati Das, Sati Das, Bhai Taru Singh Ji,
Bhai Mani Singh Ji was a miracle. Miracles are prohibitted for Sikh sangat to
stay away from pompus. But biding Guru Sahibaad by this is a folish thing as one
side we are claiming they can do anything, another side saying they cannot do
miracle to save Sikhism. The Sikh school of thought believes in reincarnation
based on the foundation of Karma - hell and heaven is all to be experienced
right here in this life. In fact the 9th Guru Teg Bahadur was beheaded by the
Mughal ruler Aurangzeb as he refused to embrace Islam as well as perform a
miracle to justify his holiness and sanctity as a religious leader.
As well as believing in an omnipresent God(immanent supreme being), there are
numerous references to supernatural beings like angels, demons, and demigods as
well as references to otherworldly planes of existence in the Siri Guru Granth
Sahib.[36]
Devout Sikhs say 5 prayers(they are strictly not prayers but actually lessons)
in the morning between 1am-6am (the 5 prayers can be said in succession within 1
hour for the well-versed) (Japji, Anand Sahib, Jaap Sahib, Tav-Prasad Savaiye,
Chaupai and Ardas), 1 prayer in evening from 5-7pm (Rehras and Ardas) and 1
before sleeping, around 8-10pm (Kirtan Sohila and Ardas).
Sikh scriptures teach the concept of moderation, exhorting followers to eat
little, sleep little, talk little, consume as little as possible (not to
extremes, but in the middle way) and to live pious saintly lives as well as the
life of a warrior (understanding the greatest battle is within). Sikhism teaches
a person to remove (the Five Evils): (kaam (kam) or Lust), krodh or wrath, lobh
or greed, moh or ignorance and ahankar or ego), \, and to oppose hedonism as
well as materialism and indulging one's appetites.
Guru Nanak sought to improve the status of women by spreading this message:
"From woman, man is born; within woman, man is conceived; to woman he is engaged
and married. Woman becomes his friend; through woman, the future generations
come. When his woman dies, he seeks another woman; to woman he is bound. So why
call her bad? when she gives rise to nobility. From woman, woman is born;
without woman, there would be no one at all. O Nanak, only the True Lord is
without a woman." (page 473). In so doing, he promoted women's rights and
equality, a remarkable stance in the 15th century which was actually brought
into practice by Guru Nanak and following 9 Gurus.
Sikhism teaches the Hierarchy of the master and the student as one and the same:
a great student is the master's master, an idea which was in place in the
western world after the French Revolution. This concept of a democratic society
was in place in Sikhism as early as the 17th century.
Sikhism teaches that all of humanity was created by the same God, which is
addressed by many names and understood differently. Sikhism teaches to respect
all other religions (tolerance) and that one should defend the rights of not
just one's own religion, but the religion and faith of others, as a human right.
At the end of every Sikh prayer is a supplication for the welfare of all of
humanity.
Sikhism believes in the concept of a human Soul (Self (spirituality) or
consciousness or spirit or astral body). Sikhs believe they can unite and become
one with God in this life, as the consciousness merges with God (Supreme
Consciousness) through truthful living and actions and is only a matter of
realization. Sikhs always greet each other with the words "Sat Sri Akaal" which
literally means "Truth is Time-less being". Truth, truthful living, equality,
freedom and justice are the core principles of Sikh philosophy.
Guru Gobind Singh infused a new spirit into the community by creating the Khalsa
brotherhood - or the "pure brotherhood". Khalsa Sikhs do not cut their hair kes,
this being covered with a turban: the idea is that humans are made in the image
of God, to honor God. Thus a person's intact hair is a symbol of honor,
warriorhood, saintliness and radiance/aura and an acceptance of the natural form
of our bodies, allowing believers to be at peace with themselves at all times
and to get rid of vanity relating to outward appearance.
Wearing a turban and a distinct identity also made the Sikhs very easily
recognizable and in periods of extreme religious persecution by the Mughal
rulers, Sikhs were repeatedly massacred in large number. Sikh history is built
on examples of brave men and women who defended an ideology built on the
fundamentals of human rights and equality of all human beings. For more than 300
years the Sikhs were persecuted endlessly. The Sikh human rights struggle
morphed into a political struggle which was one of the dominant causes of the
fall of the Mughal empire in India and led to the formation of the strongest
kingdom in India before being annexed by the British in 1849. Yet at the peak of
their political power the Sikhs under the great Maharaja Ranjit Singh had a
large powerful kingdom centered in Lahore which was also secular and
egalitarian.
An example of Sikhism's commitment to tolerance is the fact that the foundation
stone of the holiest shrine of the Sikhs—Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar also known as
the Golden Temple—was laid not by the many eminent Sikh leaders or the 4th Sikh
Guru Ramdas who was the leader of the Sikhs at that time, but by a Sufi by the
name of Sain Mian Mir.
The Sikh movement started during turbulent periods in the history of empires of
India, one of which was the Mughal empire which projected Law and order from an
Islamic viewpoint onto a majority Hindu Society where the existence of Buddhism
had been wiped out. Sikhism has parallels with the Bhagati (Bhakti) movement,
mysticism and Sufism.[citation needed]
Khalsa code of conduct strictly forbids the use of intoxicants, drugs, alcohol,
cigarettes, narcotics and any other foreign substance which disrupts the body,
sexual relationship out of marriage, consuming sacrificial meat, cutting of
hairs.
The Sikh religion also teaches human life is very valuable, described as more
precious than a diamond which comes after great spiritual deeds and merits are
done, to have gone through 8.4 million life cycle of incarnations before human
life was attained. Therefore the meaning of life from Sikh teachings is to unite
with the supreme being referred to as God