Mehar Singh Dhillon was a Sikh, and he subscribed to basic principles of
Sikhism. With approximately 2 million practicing Sikhs in the world, the
religion is a monotheistic faith. It recognizes God as the only One, as He who
is not subject to time or space, and as He who is the Creator, Sustainer, and
Destroyer of the Universe. In Sikhism, ethics and religion go together. The
inculcation of moral qualities and the practice of virtue in everyday life is a
vital step towards spiritual development. Qualities such as honesty,
compassion, generosity, patience, and humility can be built up only be effort
and perseverance. The lives of the Gurus illustrate that they lived their lives
according to their code of ethics. Sikhism is a modern, logical, and practical
religion. It believes that normal family life (Grasth) is no barrier to
salvation. It believes that it is possible to live detached in the midst of
worldly temptations and ills.
A devotee must live in the world and yet keep his head above the usual tensions and turmoils. He must be a soldier, scholar, and saint for God. Sikhism also places much emphasis on discipline. Sikhism is well suited to the needs of modern life. It believes in the individual and his right to develop his personality to the maximum extent possible. According to Guru Nanak, every man has power or merit; he is a part of the divine. He is not a useless weakling, a mere product of the chain reaction of Karma. The Sikh is essentially a man of action with an overwhelming sense of self-reliance. He should invoke the Guru’s blessing at every step in his life and ask for his Divine Favor or Grace. Sikhism is both modern and rational. It does not foster blind faith.
Guru Nanak exposed the futility of meaningless ritual and
formalism. He questioned the superstitious practices of his time and he brought
about a revolution in the thinking of his people. In Sikhism, women have equal
status with men. They have social equality and religious freedom. Sikhism
insists on a practical kind of faith. Just as one cannot swim without getting
into the water, Sikhism believes that one cannot know spirituality unless one
believes in God. Sikhism enjoins faith in the Fatherhood of God and brotherhood
of man. Sikhism enjoins us to love God. We cannot love God if we love ourselves.
Ego is at the root of all evil and our sufferings. If we concentrate on God and
on singing his praises, we subordinate and even drive ego out of our minds.
Only then can we acquire those great qualities and virtues which we associate
with God.
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