Above: Sikhism is one of the youngest main world religions - this video explains the religion and it's beginning in more detail.
Belief in reincarnation... People of the religion Sikhism (Sikhs) believe in a process called reincarnation. There are 8.4 million species on Earth, and Sikhs believe that you will ‘wonder’ through these species, possibly all of them, and keep reincarnating after death, until you become ‘one with God’; this freedom for the soul is called Mutki, and the Sikh God is Waheguru. Human form is seen as the closest to Waheguru, and therefore the best chance to become one, or to purify the soul. This is because only humans are thought to know the difference between right and wrong, and this helps them; therefore it is more difficult to reach salvation as another species. Every living creature has a soul, and this soul will live until it is purified, to reach salvation and merge with Waheguru. To purify the soul, you must erase all ego, selfishness and greed; after this, the constant life cycle is removed and you will find peace with God in Heaven. Sikh Gurus believe that nothing is ever born and nothing ever dies, but everything is living and simply changes forms. If a child is born with a disability for example, it is believed that they sinned in their previous life, and this disability may make it more difficult to merge with God, as mentioned previously. In Sikhism, the sacred text of the Guru Granth Sahib uses the idea that the body is only clothing for the soul, and something to discard at death. The soul may go through many changes of this clothing before reaching Waheguru. Everything that happens is because of Waheguru; the ‘will of God’ is known as the word Hukam. Karma is also a concept in Sikhhism – having good karma means doing positive actions, and therefore having positive consequences. Multiple religions believe in karma. |
Heaven and hell are not permanent places in this religion, and it is wrong to crave Heaven for physical pleasures rather than simply being with Waheguru. Heaven and hell are both temporary, and are only to reward and punish good and bad deeds. The real goal is to achieve being ‘one with God’, an analogy often used being droplets of water falling into the ocean (the ocean being God), and being one.
Life without the influences of the above topics of ego, selfishness, greed, and multiple other negative powers, is a major step in achieving this salvation. To avoid these influences, Sikhs devote their lives to selfless service to others as well as have some rules of daily conduct. These rules include remembering Waheguru at all times, getting married, simplicity in life, being humble at all times, believing that the human race is one and banning piercings in the ears or nose. Sikh Death & Funerals... In the event of death, the patient is encouraged by their family to often recite parts of the sacred text of the Guru Granth Sahib, or prayers to Waheguru. Sikhism believes in the soul living on, and therefore there is no mourning at funerals, but rather prayers for the dead to become one with God and be released from reincarnation. The deceased are dressed in traditional Sikh attire, including a traditional kind of underwear called ‘kachera’ and a steel bracelet called ‘kara’. Sikh people are cremated within three days after death, a process which some religions are against. This cremation is attended by family members only, and possibly some invited other guests. Two daily Sikh prayers are recited prior to the cremation of the person. It is advised not to be saddened by death, but to talk of the person’s goodness and life in a positive manner. A Sikh funeral is known more as a completion of life, and opportunity for the deceased to be united with God. |