Gurmukh
How Sikhs live to please God
Sikhs believe that life is a gift from WaheguruSikhs believe in one God called Waheguru which means ‘Wonderful Lord’ or ‘Wonderful Teacher’.. They try to live a God-centred life (gurmukhGod-centred, living by the Gurus' teachings.). The path of life from birth to death gives Sikhs a chance to move from being self-centred (manmukhSelf-centred.) to being God-centred. To do this, Sikhs must get rid of their ego (haumaiRefers to the pride or ego that make a person too self-centred to see God.) through living according to the will of God (Hukam The order or command of God, referred to as Waheguru.).
Being God-centred (gurmukh)
Becoming gurmukh means getting rid of haumai, which is selfishness, ego and pride. Sikhs believe that haumai conceals the divine sparkThe soul, the part of Waheguru (the Sikh word for God) in each person. of God in a person.
To get rid of haumai, a person must stop being manmukh (which translates literally as ‘facing me’) and become gurmukh (which translates literally as ‘facing God’). Rituals won’t help. Instead, Sikhs must live a life of virtue - a God-centred life.
Living a God-centred life
Sikhs believe that they can live life that is gurmukh by doing the following:
- accepting God’s grace and love
- having their mind always focused on Waheguru (Naam SimranMeditation on the divine name, using passages of scripture.)
- meditating on Waheguru’s name (Naam JapnaRepeating and remembering God's name.)
- earning an honest living (Kirat KarnaTo work in an honest way.)
- giving to charity and helping others (Vand Chhako (Vand Chakna)The sharing of what somebody earns or the fruits of their labour, generosity; the giving of charity. It is one of the three main pillars of the teachings of Guru Nanak.)
- performing selfless service (sewaSelfless service to the community.)
The path to being a good Sikh depends on both human effort and divine will. People are not puppets and so need to act for themselves. However, they cannot make progress without divine grace (gur prashadGur prashad translates as ‘the grace of the Guru’. It means that God gives enlightenment as a gift – the initiative comes from God.).
One who performs selfless service, without thought of reward, shall attain his Lord and Master.
Question
What do Sikhs believe stops someone from living a God-centred life?
Sikhs believe that haumai, or self-centredness, keeps someone turned towards themselves instead of turned towards God.
