Key beliefs in SikhismMukti

Mukti means ‘liberation’. It is the ultimate goal for many Sikhs, as they wish to be reunited with Waheguru. In order to reach mukti, a Sikh must rid themselves of all bad karma and focus on gaining good karma.

Mukti is ineffable, which means it cannot be explained. This is because no one can describe what it would be like to be united with and within Waheguru. It can only be experienced.

Mukti can be achieved while someone is alive. This is known as jivan mukti.

Negative and positive aspects of mukti

There are two aspects of mukti. These are either a positive (virtue) or negative (evil) aspect.

The negative aspect of mukti considers what a Sikh must ‘get rid of’ in order to reach mukti. This means that, to be reunited with Waheguru, Sikhs must remove all the barriers to mukti. The barriers they must remove are:

• The five evils:
  • pride (ahankar)
  • anger (krodh)
  • lust (kam)
  • greed (lobdh)
  • attachment (moh)

• The illusion that things in this world that are temporary and unimportant (such as material possessions) are permanent and valuable. This is known as maya.
• Being egotistic. This is known as haumai.
• Being self-centred. This is known as manmukh.

Sikhs are encouraged to focus on removing these barriers. They should also try to avoid temptations in life that will lead them to move further away from Waheguru.

The positive aspect of mukti focuses on the true realisation of a person. It is the true understanding that there is only one God, that the material world is just an illusion and that the soul is free to find God and be complete with him. It is everlasting peace with the Eternal God and removal from the cycle of samsara. To reach this, Sikhs must:

• work towards and develop the virtues of:
  • truth and truthful living
  • compassion and patience
  • contentment
  • humility and self-control
  • love
  • wisdom and courage
• perform the three foundations of Sikhism:
  • Kirat Karna
  • Vand Chakna
  • Nam Japna
• be gurmukh
• perform sewa