Human development (Sikhism)

Sikhism may be seen as a movement for reconciliation of Hindu and Islam faiths in the worship of one, formless, God. The aim is liberation from self and union with God as of the lover with the beloved. To be a Sikh implies being a follower of the founder, Guru Nanak, who taught from the basis that God is neither Hindu or Muslim and that the path to be followed is God's. He stressed an egalitarian approach in society with emphasis on human rights and greater equality for women. Birth and family no longer determine caste, all Sikhs being considered kshatriyas - warriors or leaders. The seeker of liberation should seek out a guru, not one who is born a Brahmin but one who is directly commissioned by God; basically, it is God himself who manifests in the teacher or teachings. In practice, this means learning from the teachings of the first leaders of the Sikh religion who were called Gurus, the tenth Guru naming the Adi Granth or teachings as his successor, the [Guru Granth Sahib]

. Although God is not manifest in the form of an avatar he is manifest in speech; and spiritual liberation is achieved by obedient living to the inner voice of God. This is a state of spiritual knowledge or enlightenment which may be experienced by anyone, of whatever intellectual or economic level or background, and arises due to divine grace, not to any merit on the part of the individual. Single-minded devotion to God overcomes the separation caused by the individual's self-centredness and the subsequent build-up of karma. By divine grace, the effects of karma will be worked off so that the spirit, after death, lives in the divine presence. The individual may practice a form of yoga, sometimes called [shabda yoga]

, the yoga of sound, which is based upon meditation on the name of God, [nam simran]

. The mind is stilled, the soul cleansed and the whole being is permeated with an awareness of God, of divine unity, overcoming the illusion of duality.

Despite the emphasis on the individual, there is also place for corporate worship, largely the singing of and listening to passages of the [Guru Granth Sahib]

. There is strict social and sexual equality, and from the very beginning, Sikhism condemned the caste system in India and the exploitation of women. Acceptance of all strata of society is demonstrated in the communal meal - [langar]

- that follows worship. Nor is the way of asceticism encouraged, rather the following of a normal family and business life, serving one's fellows while uncontaminated by lust, greed, attachment, anger or pride. Selfless service to the community - [seva]

- is considered a form of divine worship. In fact it is more genuine prayer than prayer or meditation for one's own spiritual progress or for what one imagines one needs. The duties of a Sikh are to constantly remember the name of God, to earn an honest living and to give to charity.