The basic teaching of Sikhism is an uncompromisimg belief in monotheism. God or Sat Nam has no form or substance, but His grace can be invoked by faith and righteous living. Sikhism believes with Hinduism in the doctrines of the immortality of the soul and transmigration. The Name, uttered not mechanically, but with faith and meditation, is the best form of worship. Besides meditation on God and utterance of the Name, the disciples should follow the Guru's instructions, and chant his hyms.
Truth is above everything, but higher still is true living.
It is neccesary to conquer the five deadly sins- lust, anger, greed, attachment, and egoism. We can love God only when we cease to love ourselves. We must first destroy the ego. Sikh relgion is opposed to austere asceticism and emphasizes the ideal of achieving saintliness, as a memeber of socity. Abide in God amid the impurities of the world, thus shalt thou find the way to salvation.