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THE DOCTRINE OF LIBERATION IN INDIAN RELIGIONS
A true Sikh or gurmukh is an ideal man who is an embodiment of truth, goodness and spiritual peace. The follower of gurmat is called a gurmukh; gurmat is the path of Guru, the ideal path for God-oriented Sikhs to follow. Every gurmukh must practise the following cardinal virtues for the realization of God: truth (sac), contenment (santokh), reflection (vicar), compassion (daya), righteousness (dharma), charity (dan), faith (sidak), tolerance (sabar), restraint (sañjam), forgiveness (khimā), humility (garibi), service (sevā), love, knowledge (giān) and work (krit).42
According to Guru Nānak, a gurmukh enjoys eternal peace and freedom i.e. mukti, but a manmukh, who is a self-centred and selfwilled man, is bound by lower passions. He has no regard for spiritual values but is mainly concerned with the enjoyment of bodily pleasures. The gurmukh is a divinely enlightened man having unflinching faith in the existence of God and the guru. A gurmukh enjoys freedom and bliss whereas a manmukh perishes in the cycle of birth and death.
A morally perfect gurmukh is viewed as a jīvanmukta, liberated in this very life; he radiates moral virtues like truth, purity, devotion and love. He is considered greater than a yogi who leads ascetic life without understanding the meaning of holy life. According to Guru Nānak, liberation can be attained while living the life of a householder by the practice of truth, moderation in all the activities and by meditation on God. The external symbols of a yogi like patched cloak, begging bowl, matted hair and a grass mat etc. are useless because one cannot control one's animal passions with these external symbols. One's mind must be trained and disciplined with a view to concentrating on guru's word and God's order.
DIMENSIONS OF RELIGIOUS PRACTICE
Guru Nānak in his Japu seems to analyse the course of religious practice into five parts. The term used by him is khand which has been understood differently by different writers. The word khand means part, fragment, section or chapter. The order in which the five parts or sections occur in the Japu is as follows :
1. dharam-khand 2. giān-khand
42.
Trilochan Singh, 'Guru Nanak's Religion in Guru Nanak, His Life, Time and Teachings, p. 97.
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