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The Five
Evils
- Kaam : refers
to lust and illegitimate sex. It is one of the greatest evils that
tempts people away from God. It makes an individual weak-willed and
unreliable. Normal sexual relationhip as a house-holder is not
restricted in any way in Sikhism. But sex outside marriage or sex
against the will of the partner is taboo, as it can cause unlimited
sorrows.
- Krodh : is
anger and needs to be controlled. A person overcome by 'krodh' loses
his balance of mind and becomes incapable of thinking. According to
Sikhism, 'krodh' takes a person away from God as hatred has no place
in religious practise.
- Lobh :
means greed, a strong desire to possess what rightfully belongs to
others. It makes an individual selfish and self-centred. It takes a
person away from his religious and social duties. A person can become
blind with greed if an effort to control the desire for unlimited
possessions is not made.
- Moh :
refers to the strong attachment that an individual has to worldly
possessions and relationships. It blurs the perspective of a human
being and makes him narrow minded. It deviates a person from his moral
duties and responsibilities and leads him towards a path of sin.
- Ahankar :
means false pride due to one's possessions, material wealth,
intelligence or powers. It gives an individual a feeling that he is
superior to others and therefore they are at a lower level than him.
It leads to jealousy, feelings of enmity and restlessness amongst
people. Sikhism requires that a person serves the society and
community with humility. Hence, the practise of cleaning the footwear
of visitors to a Gurudwara is followed by many devout Sikhs.
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8 VIRTUES TO COMBAT THE 5 EVILS
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- Wisdom (gyan)
: is the complete knowledge of a set of religious principles.
It can be achieved by hearing good, thinking good and doing good. A
man of wisdom tries to achieve a high moral standard in his life and
interaction with others. According to Sikhism, the first steps to
wisdom is to consider oneself as an ignorant person who has to learn a
lot in life.
- Truthful
Living (sat) : This is more than 'truth'. It means living
according to the way of God i.e. the thoughts should match the words
that a person speaks and his actions should also match his
words. Truthful living brings a person closer to God.
- Justice (niaon)
: means freedom and equal oppurtunities for all. Respect for
the rights of others and strict absence of attempts to exploit a
fellowbeing. Sikhism forbids the desire to loot anothers property. It
also strictly instructs the Sikhs to show respect even for the women
and children of an enemy.
- Temperance
(santokh) : means self control which has to be developed
through meditation and prayers. A Sikh has to banish evil thoughts
from his mind by constantly repeating Gods name and reciting prayers.
Torture to the body to develop self-control is not advocated in
Sikhism.
- Patience
(dhiraj) : implies a high level of tolerance and empathy for
others. It requires control over ones ego and willingness to overlook
anothers weakness or mistakes. It requires that a Sikh should be
strongwilled, but kind hearted.
- Courage (himmat)
: means bravery i.e. absence of fear. It is the ability to
stake ones life for ones convictions and for saving others from
injustice or cruelty.
- Humility
(namarta) : is a deliberate denial of pleasure at one's own
praise and admiration. It means underplaying ones own strengths and
respecting the abilities of others. It is the antidote to 'ahankar'
- Contentment
(sabar) : means refraining from worldly fears and submitting
oneself to the will of God. The typical worldly fears can be fear of
death, poverty, disrespect and defeat. It is this virtue that has
given the Sikhs the moral strength to withstand the various atrocities
committed on their community in the last three centuries.
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