| |
|
 |
What do Sikhs believe?
|
 |
|
At the heart of the Gurdwara is the sacred book Guru Granth Sahib |
One God
Sikh basic beliefs are summed up in the words of the Mool Mantra, the first hymn written by Guru Nanak:
There is only one God. Truth is his name. he is the Creator. He is without Fear. He is without hate. He is timeless and without form. He is beyond death, the Enlightened One. He can be known by the grace of the Guru.
When Sikhs speak of the Guru they are referring to God, the Great Teacher. God, the unknowable, becomes the teacher who reveals God to those who follow. God created everything, so all life is good, but attachment to material things leads to reincarnation and the sufferings of birth and death. The goal of Sikhism is to end the cycle of rebirth and be united with God.
Service and devotion
Sikhs emphasise two primary aspects of daily life: service and devotion to God. Service means honest work and service to the community, in which all are equal regardless of caste, creed, race or gender. Sikhism stretches that we must look to the full equality of all human beings and that we we need to look to the well-being of the wider society. Devotion is cultivated by singing devotional hymns and by meditation on the holy name of God.
The Gurdwara
Sikhs gather for worship in the Gurdwara, home of the Guru Granth Sahib, where they listen to the scripture and sing hymns. An important aspect of community life is the tradition of the langar – the free community kitchen which is found every Gurdwara. Here Sikhs feed anyone who comes, regardless of their faith.
Sikhism and Nature
Sikh scriptures say that God is reflected in nature. The words of Tennyson: "I see him in the showering of the stars, I see him in the flowering of the fields," reflects a Sikh attitude to nature. At one time Sikhs had to flee to the forest because they were persecuted, and they found God there. For more on this, link to Sikh Gardens: a BBC radio programme produced by Mary Colwell on location in Khalsa Wood.
LINKS
News on Sikh Environmental Projects
|
|
|
|
|
|
|