Virtues of Sikhism (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A): Revision Note

What are the Sikh virtues?

• Sikhs believe that, throughout their lives, people should develop different virtues through their actions

• These virtues are as follows: 

  • Truth and truthful living

  • Compassion and patience

  • Contentment

  • Humility

  • Self-control

  • Love

  • Wisdom

  • Courage

• These virtues are important characteristics of a person that will help them reach mukti

How do the virtues influence everyday living?

• Sikhs believe that Waheguru is truth, so truthful living will enable them to get closer to God

  • Sikhs will try to lead an honest life and make sure injustice in the world is dealt with

• Compassion is a virtue that involves love and care for others

  • Waheguru cares for all of creation, so Sikhs believe that it is their duty to be compassionate towards others

• Sikhs believe that everything is Hukam

  • This means that they should be content with their lives as given by Waheguru

  • They believe that they should focus on Waheguru and not on the desire for material possessions

• Self-control, or temperance, is important to Sikhs because it allows them to focus on Waheguru

  • Sikhs believe that they can show self-control through regular prayer and meditation (Nam Simran), which can lead to humility

  • It reminds them that everyone is equal and that no one is more important than another being

• Sikhs believe that Waheguru is omnibenevolent and loves all creation

  • This means that Sikhs should also be full of love and treated with respect and dignity

• To have wisdom is to have knowledge; therefore, for Sikhs, it is vital to understand the importance of keeping their mind on Waheguru at all times

  • Wisdom is a virtue that is developed through living a good life

  • Sikhs can live a good life if they learn about Waheguru and key Sikh beliefs

Why are the virtues so important to Sikhs?

• The virtues are very important to all Sikhs for many different reasons

  • First, the importance of the virtues is mentioned within scripture

• The virtues reflect God’s qualities because Waheguru has all these virtues

  • Sikhs try to be more like God by developing them

• They help to overcome the Five Evils

  • The virtues help Sikhs fight against lust, anger, greed, attachment and pride, which can block spiritual growth

• The virtues help Sikhs live a spiritual life

  • Developing virtues allows Sikhs to follow the Gurmat and reach mukti 

• The virtues encourage Sewa, which is very important to Sikhs

  • Living with compassion and humility encourages Sikhs to help others, especially the poor and vulnerable

• The virtues support equality and justice

  • Sikh virtues, such as love and truth, lead to fair and equal treatment of all people, which are key teachings in Sikhism

What are karma and rebirth in Sikhism?

• Sikhs believe in karma, which means that both positive and negative actions will have consequences in the next life

  • Good karma results from moral, kind and positive actions

  • Bad karma arises from immoral, negative or harmful actions

• Every human has an atman

• The journey of the atman through samsara is shaped by karma

The cycle of samsara

• The atman is given to humans and animals by Waheguru

  • It is also recognised as the divine spark, which is a part of Waheguru within them

• At death, the atmans of both humans and animals are reborn into a new body as part of the cycle of rebirth

  • The body that the atman is born into is determined by the karma gained in its previous life

• The cycle of samsara repeats itself until the atman has been liberated from the pattern and is reunited with Waheguru in mukti

  • A soul’s future experiences are either improved or worsened based on the actions taken in previous lifetimes

  • Positive karma can help an atman to be reborn in a higher form, such as a human being, which is the highest form of rebirth

  • Negative karma can cause an atman to be reborn in a lower form, such as an animal

  • This process reflects the soul's progress on the path to mukti

Liberation (mukti)

• Sikh teachings stress that humans have the potential to move closer towards liberation by accumulating good karma

  • This is achieved through living a virtuous life

  • There are specific actions that Sikhs undertake to build good karma, such as the following:

    • Kirat Karna — Earning an honest living through hard work and righteousness

    • Wand Chakna — Sharing with others, particularly by helping those in need or giving to charity

    • Nam Japna — Repeating the name of Waheguru (God) through meditation to remain focused on the Divine and cultivate spiritual awareness

Karma and scripture

• Belief in karma is supported by the Guru Granth Sahib, which states the following:

• This verse emphasises that the actions performed in this life will determine the soul's future and experiences, reinforcing the idea that karma is a process of actions and consequences

What are the five stages of liberation in Sikhism?

• Sikhs believe that they have to go through several stages (khands) to reach mukti, when the soul is free to find and become one with God

• These stages are like the stages of a long journey, so they usually do not happen in one lifetime, but over several lifetimes

  • As Sikhs progress through these stages, they become closer to understanding truth and therefore closer to Waheguru

• Sikhs believe that being around others is important in order to focus on Waheguru

  • They believe that the community, or sangat, plays a very important part in the development of humans

  • They believe that God created humans to be with other people and so it is part of daily life that Waheguru is revealed

• The five khands (stages) of liberation are as follows:

  • Piety

  • Knowledge

  • Effort

  • Grace

  • Truth

Piety (Dharam khand)

• This is the first stage that all Sikhs are born into

  • During this stage, they meet with God through commitment and dedication

  • Sikhs begin to devote their lives to Waheguru during this stage

Knowledge (Gian khand)  

• During the second stage of knowledge, Sikhs gain knowledge of Waheguru by dedicating their lives to God

  • During this stage, the person comes to better understand Waheguru and the importance of the world

  • They realise that there is much more to know about life, and they become spiritually aware of Waheguru

Effort (Saram khand)

• The third stage brings the previous two stages together

  • During this stage, Sikhs develop their intelligence as much as possible and understand how they can become closer to Waheguru

  • At this time, Sikhs realise the importance of the three foundations of Sikhism (Kirat Karna, Wand Chakna and Nam Japna)

  • They also become disciplined in their daily acts of worship

Grace (Karam khand)

• The fourth stage is only reached when Waheguru takes a part in the development of the individual

• Grace is a blessing from God that is given and not earned

  • Sikhs only reach this stage once they have overcome the vices and made the virtues habits

Truth (Sach khand)

• This final stage is when Sikhs find and understand the truth about Waheguru

  • This stage cannot be described, only experienced

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What is a Gurmukh within Sikhism?

• “Gurmukh” means “God-centred” or “facing the Guru”

• A Gurmukh is someone who follows the teachings of the Gurus and lives according to Waheguru’s will (Hukam)

• The opposite of a Gurmukh is a Manmukh, someone who is self-centred, follows their own ego and desires and ignores God

Qualities of a Gurmukh

• Certain qualities are associated with being a Gurmukh; these include:

  • Honesty and truthfulness

  • Being humble (Nimrata)

  • Spiritual awareness

  • Devotion to Waheguru through Nam Simran (remembering God's name)

  • Performing Sewa (selfless service)

  • Avoiding the Five Evils: lust, anger, greed, attachment, and pride

Why is being a Gurmukh important to Sikhs?

• It is important to be a Gurmukh within Sikhism for many reasons:

  • Sikhs believe that being a Gurmukh leads to spiritual growth

    • A Gurmukh lives a life of virtue, building good karma and becoming closer to Waheguru

  • Being a Gurmukh means that Sikhs are on the path to mukti (liberation)

    • By living a Gurmukh life, Sikhs can escape the cycle of reincarnation and reach Sach khand

  • Being a Gurmukh fulfils the teachings of the Gurus

    • The Sikh Gurus taught that the true purpose of life is to connect with God and serve others, not to follow ego or selfish desires

  • When Sikhs act as Gurmukhs, the community improves

    • Gurmukhs live honestly and serve others, which helps create equality, justice and compassion in society