Robyn Lebron key distinctive feature of Sikhism is a non-anthropomorphic concept of God, to the extent that one can interpret God as the universe itself The followers of Sikhism are ordained to follow the teachings of the ten Sikh gurus, or enlightened leaders, as well as the holy scripture entitled the ó ¢ Nanak disapproved of many religious beliefs and practices of his time Sikhism believes in equality of all humans and rejects caste system For Sikhs, initiation into the Khalsa strengthens their identity and also signifies the Sikh teaching of equality The Sikhs are required to follow the teachings of their guru and serve him under all circumstances.11 Sikhism does not attach any importance to asceticism as a means to attain salvation but stresses on the need of leading the correct life According to Sikhism, the goal of life for a person is to progress on a spiritual scale from self-centered to God-centered, which implies the qualities of humility, selfless service, adhering to the teachings of guru, and not being a recluse According to the guru, moral life is not a matter of a few commandments or a code or a ritual, but the fruit of a life directed toward spiritual quest involving incredibly hard discipline The essence of Sikh teaching is summed up by Nanak in these words: “Ǥ .” Nanak stressed that a Sikh should balance work, worship, and charity and should defend the rights of all creatures, and in particular, fellow human beings They are encouraged to have an optimistic view of life Sikh teachings also stress the concept of sharing through the distribution of free food at Sikh ǡ giving charitable donations and working for the good of the community and others Sikhs focus their lives around their relationship with God and being a part of the Sikh community The Sikh ideal combines action and belief To live a good life, a person should good deeds as well as meditate on God Sikhs believe that human beings live through cycles of birth, life, and rebirth These beliefs are common for other faith practices of the region, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism As with these other faiths, karma is an integral part of their belief system The quality of each