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"Truth is the highest of
all virtues, but higher still is truthful living."
Sikhs believe that God can't
be understood properly by human beings, but he can be experienced through
love, worship, and contemplation.
Sikhs look for God both inside themselves and in the world around them. They
do this to help themselves achieve liberation and union with God.
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Getting Close to God
When a Sikh wants to see God,
they look both at the created world and into their own heart and soul.
Their aim is to see the divine order that God has given to everything, and
through it to understand the nature of God.
Most human beings can’t see the true reality of God because they are blinded
by their own self-centered pride (Sikhs call it "human") and concern for
physical things. |
God Inside Us
Sikhs believe that God is inside every person, no matter how wicked they
appear, and so everyone is capable of change.
"Just as fragrance is in the flower, and reflection is in the mirror,
in just the same way, God is within you."
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God Beyond Ourselves
Sikhs believe that God’s
message can be found in several ways outside ourselves.
 | The message is written in the whole of creation; look at it with open
eyes and see the truth of God, for creation is the visible message of God
Sikhs believe that most of us misunderstand the universe. We think that it
exists on its own, when it really exists because God wills it to exist,
and is a portrait of God’s own nature
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| The message has been shown to us by the Gurus in their lives and in
their words
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| The message is set down in the teachings of scripture
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Living a Good Life in This World
Sikhs don't think it pleases
God if people pay no attention to others and simply devote themselves
slavishly to religion.
Sikhism doesn’t ask people to turn away from ordinary life to get closer to
God. In fact it demands that they use ordinary life as a way to get closer
to God.
A Sikh serves God by serving ("seva") other people every day. By devoting
their lives to service they get rid of their own ego and pride.
Many Sikhs carry out chores in the Gurdwara as their service to the
community. These range from working in the kitchen to cleaning the floor.
The Langar, or free food kitchen, is a community act of service.
Sikhs also regard caring for the poor or sick as an important duty of
service. |
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