Primary Beliefs and Principles

The Sikh religion has various established beliefs and values that are inherent in the basic philosophy of the faith. A Sikh believes in only one God – This God is the same for all peoples of the Universe and is gender neutral. So when we refer to God, we can call God masculine or feminine. So God can be referred to as ‘He’ or ‘She’. This one God is the God of the Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jews, etc. – of all the peoples. He is formless, fearless, without enemies, self-created, etc. The Sikh Holy Scriptures, called the Sri Guru Granth Sahib explain the various facets of God in substantial detail. This principle leads to the concept of equality amount all human races, sects, gender, social classes, etc. There is a recognised believe that people of other faiths can also reunite with God provided they follow the true path of their own religion. So the Sikh does not believe that they have a monopoly on God or are the ‘chosen’ people.
The Sikhs believe in the evolution of the Soul and the principle of reincarnation. The soul is believed to be a tiny spark of God's light detached from the Almighty. This spark is separated from God and wants to become pure so that it can reunite with God. For this to happen, the Soul has to evolve and purify itself so that this reunification with the Supreme Soul can take place. The law of Karma is another concept central to this faith. Ones actions in this life will have a direct influence on the type of life in your next existence! So to adhere to these principles, the dedicated follower must lead a disciplined personal life and must uphold the moral and ethnical rights of all the peoples of the world. So it is a must to lead a spiritually correct life at all times and to be ready to be subjected to personal sacrifices if the liberty of any weak person(s) is at stake.
Another central tenet of Sikhism is the concept of ‘Chardi kala’ – Positive attitude to life at all times. Graciously and with humility to accept the will of God at all times. Always to lead ones life unattached and untangled with the material world. Not to come under the influence of Maya – the illusionary and transient world around us. To remain detached from this world but to recognise ones duties to God and his creation.
==One God==
There is only ONE God who has infinite qualities and names; S/He* is the same for all religions; God is Creator & Sustainer -All that you see around you is God's Creation; S/He* is everywhere, and in everything; S/He is fearless and with no Enemies; Only God is without birth or death and S/He* has and will exist forever.
Below are quotations from Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) which reinforce the summaries outlined above:
a). There is One God: from SGGS page 45:
For the Original text please follow: SriGranth.org and enter the page number.
b). God the creator ? from page 1036:
==Re-incarnation, Karma & Salvation==
Sikhs believe that every creature has a Soul; on death, the Soul is passed from one body to another until Liberation. The journey of the Soul is governed by the deeds and actions that we perform during our lives. If we perform good deeds and actions and remember the Creator, we attain a better life. On the contrary, if we carry out evil actions and sinful deeds, we will be incarnated in “lower” life forms – snakes, ghosts, animals, etc. The person who has evolved to spiritual perfection attains salvation – union with God.
The following lines from SGGS explain how our deeds and actions (or Karma) have an impact on the future of the soul and reincarnation:
* On Page 4 – Text highlighted in Red
* On Page 31 – Text highlighted in Red
* On Page 19 – Text highlighted in Red
* On Page 13 – Text highlighted in Red
==Remember God==
Love God but also have fear of Him/Her* as well. Only by keeping the Creator in your mind at all times, will you make progress in your spiritual evolution. The Sikh Guru ask the devotees to mediate with single mindedness; dispel doubt; remain focused; subdue their ego; thus glory will be obtained.
The following line from SGGS elaborate on the importance of remembering the Almighty Lord:
* On Page 18 – see Text in Red from line 761
*Those contented souls who meditate on the Lord with single-minded love, meet the True Lord.
* On Page 23 – see Text in Red at line 945
*Those who are imbued with the love of the Name of the Lord are not loaded down by doubt.
* On Page 128– see Text in Red at line 5239
*The pure swans, with love and affection, dwell in the Ocean of the Lord, and subdue their ego.
* On Page 130 – see Text in Red at line 5297
*The Gurmukh remains forever imbued with the Lord's Love. Meeting the True Lord, glory is obtained. ||6||
== Equality & Brotherhood* of mankind (Humanhood)==
Sikhs believe that all human beings are equal. “We are sons and daughters of Waheguru, the Almighty”. Sikhs have to treat all peoples of the world on an equal footing. No gender, racial, social, etc. discrimination is allowed. This is the message of Guru Nanak as taught by the 10 Sikh Masters during the period 1469 to 1708.
Guru Angad stood for a caste-less and class-less society, in which no one was superior to the other and no one, through greed or selfishness, could be allowed to encroach upon the rights of others. In short, he visualized a society in which members lived like a family, helping and supporting one another. He not only preached equality but practised it. To promote the acceptance of human equality, Guru established a community kitchen where all sat together in a row, regardless of caste or status, and ate the same food.
Guru Angad said, “He Himself creates, O Nanak; He establishes the various creatures. How can anyone be called bad?. There is One Lord and Master of all; He watches over all, and assigns all to their tasks. Some have less, and some have more; no one is allowed to leave empty.” – Guru Angad Dev
Furthermore, the guru stressed the importance of adopting a uniform way of praising God and the utility of a social organization based on equality. He established a holy congregation, or Sangat, where people of different beliefs and varying social status sat together to hear the Master's singing of hymns and to be inspired to lead a noble life. 
The following lines from SGGS explain about the importance of treating every person as an equal:
==Uphold personal rights of all==
Everyone has a right to live according to their beliefs and religion
The Sikh Gurus have defended, safeguarded, fought and sacrificed to uphold the rights of others no matter what their religion, caste, gender or race. The message promoted by the Guru is to allow all to live freely without undue interference and restrictions. No one is to be forced into a different belief system under threat of force. This philosophy was vigorously defended by all the Sikh Gurus]] but came into sharp focus when the ninth Sikh master, choose to sacrifice his life for the defence of the Kashmiri pandits who were being persecuted by the Mughal government during that time.
==Personal Sacrifice==
The Gurus have left a legacy for the Sikhs to follow. To uphold high moral standards and to undertake personal sacrifice to protect and guard these high principles. The prime candidates in understanding this principle is realised by examining the lives of Guru Arjan Dev (5th Guru), Guru Tegh Bahadur (9th Guru) and Guru Gobind Singh (10th Guru).
Guru Tegh Bahadur sacrificed his life to save the Kashmiri Pundits from persecution by the Mughal rulers of the time. When these Pundits came to ask for help from the Guru, the Guru did not flinch from his responsibility to protect the weak and in so doing, paid the ultimate price. The tyrant Emperor Aurangzeb beheaded the Guru for not converting to Islam. But this sacrifice, the Guru's determination and sacrifice showed the rulers the solid resolve of the masses and thus the persecution of the masses subsided. 
By carrying out this ultimate sacrifice, the leader of the Sikhs showed them the way to challenge oppression. Oppression and Tyranny had to tackled with a strong and unwavering resolve. Many other examples like this can be found in the History of the Sikhs.
On page 1377 of SGGS the Guru tells us:
“Kabeer, if you desire to play the game of love with the Lord, then cut off your head, and make it into a ball. Lose yourself in the play of it, and then whatever will be, will be. ||239||
Kabeer, if you desire to play the game of love with the Lord, play it with someone with commitment. Pressing the unripe mustard seeds produces neither oil nor flour. ||240||”
So can play this game of love with commitment and sacrifice.
==Many Paths lead to God==
The Sikh Gurus tell us that salvation can be obtained by following various spiritual paths. Therefore, Sikhs do not have a monopoly on Salvation – “Many Spiritual paths lead to God” – Sikhs do not therefore consider themselves as having a monopoly on God or a “superior” right to salvation. The Sikhs do not consider themselves as the “chosen people of God”. However, the Sikh scripture is probably the only known holy book that advances this message of “religious equality” and offers advise for Muslims to be better Muslims and for Hindus to be better Hindus. Christian, Hindus, Muslim, Jews, etc. all have the same right to liberty as a Sikhs.
The following lines from SGGS explain about the importance of treating every spiritual path as an equal and valid path to God and salvation:
* On Page 142 – Look for Text highlighted in Red
*“One who recognizes that all spiritual paths lead to the One shall be emancipated. One who speaks lies shall fall into hell and burn. In all the world, the most blessed and sanctified are those who remain absorbed in Truth. One who eliminates selfishness and conceit is redeemed in the Court of the Lord. ||9||”
* On Page 885 – Look for Text highlighted in Red
*“Some read the Vedas, and some the Koran. Some wear blue robes, and some wear white. ||3|| Some call themselves Muslim, and some call themselves Hindu. Some yearn for paradise, and others long for heaven. ||4|| Says Nanak, one who realizes the Hukam of God’s Will, knows the secrets of his Lord and Master. ||5||9||”
* On Page 1083 – Look for Text highlighted in Red
*“Practice within your heart the teachings of the Koran and the Bible; restrain the ten sensory organs from straying into evil. Tie up the five demons of desire with faith, charity and contentment, and you shall be acceptable. ||4||”
* On Page 1350 – Look for Text highlighted in Red
*“Do not say that the Vedas, the Bible and the Koran are false. Those who do not contemplate them are false. You say that the One Lord is in all, so why do you kill chickens? ||1||”
* On Page 464 – Look for Text highlighted in Red
*“By His Power the Vedas and the Puraanas exist, and the Holy Scriptures of the Jewish, Christian and Islamic religions. By His Power all deliberations exist.”
==Positive Attitude to Life==
Chardi Kala This term is an important expression used in Sikhism for a mind frame that a Sikh has to accept and practise. It loosely means a “positive, buoyant and optimistic” attitude to life and the future. Always be – in "high spirits", "ever progressive", "always cheerful", etc. are some other terms used to describe this phrase.
Sikhism dictates that Sikhs believes in the Will of God and that God is without enemies and is always merciful. Hence acceptance of his Will is in the interest of and for the benefit of His Creation, even if at times one suffers severe hardship. 
This attitude of "Chardi Kala" is to allow one to sail through the ups and downs of life with as little harm as possible to the individual.
To join and help others in their hour of need is part of this “Chardi Kala” spirit.
==Must not engage in meaningless rituals==
The Sikh faith condemns empty and . The practice of blind rituals, worshiping of idols and inanimate objects, participating in religious fasts, pilgrimage to holy places, offering of food to sadhus (religious leaders), or believing in any other such rituals, superstitions or fads, will not bring one closer to God or make one a better human being. In all societies round the world, through fear and uncertainty, members undertake in ritualistic and worthless behaviour at times of worry, uncertainty or trouble. These poor people, wrongly believe that undertaking these empty customs and penances will bring them special assistance from Waheguru or some other higher power. 
The reliance on these blind customs appears to increase at time of stress in human existence. For example, In 1989, Susan Starr Sered conducted fieldwork among women who has just had a baby on the maternity ward of a Jerusalem hospital. The women who she interviewed reported having performed close to two hundred different religious and secular rituals during pregnancy, birth, and the immediate post-partum period. So, it is clear that ritualism has not faded but may be on the increase.
 is an irrational belief arising from ignorance or doubt. Many people all around the world are gripped by various superstitions and they live their lives in fear and uncertainty. Most of these fears are irrational and superfluous but they still cannot unbind themselves from these evil and false notions. Some common and well-known examples of superstitions are:
* "When a black cat crosses one's path, something will happen if one crosses the line where the cat passed. To "undo" either wait for someone who didn't know about the black cat to cross the path or think of another route."
* "If you wash your hair on the first day of the month you will have a short life."
* "13 in the western world is considered an unlucky number. This double-digit represents , who was the guest at the Last Supper who betrayed . As a result it is also thought to be unlucky to have a dinner party with 13 guests. Many hotels are missing a thirteenth floor or have omitted the number from their room doors. Friday the 13th of any month is said to be an unlucky day."
But the SGGS says "The mind is diseased with doubt, superstition and duality." and also "High and low, social class and status - the world wanders lost in superstition." . Superstition is like a disease for the mind it brings confusion and fear and takes you away from reality.
==Disciplined Life==
Upon baptism, must wear the Sikhs Five Ks (5Ks); strict recital of the 5 prayers Banis, etc.
==No Special Worship Days==
Sikhs do not believe that any particular day is holier than any other.
==Conquer the 5 Thieves==
It's every Sikh duty to defeat these 5 thieves: Lust (Kam), Anger (Krodh), Greed (Lobh), Attachment (Moh), and Ego (Ahankar). Within each person live these 5 thieves and it's the duty of every Sikh to subdue and control the behaviour of these emotions and enemies.
The following lines from SGGS explain about the dangers of these negative energies and how they lead to pain and suffering:
* On Page 182 – Look for Text highlighted in Red
*“All of my companions are intoxicated with their sensory pleasures; they do not know how to guard their own home. The five thieves have plundered them; the thugs descend upon the unguarded village.||2||.”
* On Page 600 – Look for Text highlighted in Red
*“Within this body dwell the five thieves: sexual desire, anger, greed, emotional attachment and egotism. They plunder the Nectar, but the self-willed manmukh (ego minded person) does not realize it; no one hears his complaint. The world is blind, and its dealings are blind as well; without the Guru, there is only pitch darkness. ||2||”
* On Page 1201 – Look for Text highlighted in Red
*"All the sins of that humble being are taken away, all the pains are taken away, all diseases are taken away; sexual desire, anger, greed, attachment and egotistical pride are taken away. The Lord drives the five thieves out of such a person of the Lord. ||1|| Chant the Name of the Lord, O Holy Saints of the Lord; meditate on the Lord of the Universe, O Holy people of the Lord. Meditate in thought, word and deed on the Lord, Har, Har. Worship and adore the Lord, O Holy people of the Lord."
==Attack with 5 Weapons==
A Sikh must always be armed with the following virtues: 
Humility (Nimrata) Compassion (Daya), Truth (Sat), Contentment (Santokh), and Love (Pyar)
== See also==
* Important values of Sikhi
* Primary Beliefs and Principles
* Naam japo
* Kirat Karni
* Wand kay Shako
* Dasvandh
* Karma
* Transmigration
* Mukti
* Sikh Women
* Equality of women
* Sikh Beliefs
* Sikh Religious Philosophy 
* Introduction to Sikhism
* Sikh, 
* Sikhism 
* Sikh Pages
Category:Sikhism
Category:Glossary of Sikh Terms
Category:Sikh belief