The Purpose Of Life
Sikhism accepts the idea of reincarnation. Life as a human being is considered the last step before realizing God. Whether or not one attains union with God depends on that one person's actions in this life.
Guru Amar Das, the third Sikh prophet writes:
He who sings His praises and does good actions
Will merge into Him.
Guru Arjan, the fifth Sikh prophet, explains the purpose of life when he writes:
Having gained a body this time, A rare opportunity you have got;
This is your chance to meet God.
Your other pursuits will be of no avail at the end.
Seek the company of holy men, And learn to meditate on God.
Set your mind on crossing the sea of life;
Life is being wasted away in pursuits of sensual pleasures.
The Cycle of Reincarnation
Essentially, according to Sikh philosophy, human beings should free themselves from the cycle of reincarnation (births and deaths) by abandoning self-centeredness and embracing God-centeredness. In Sikhism, God is metaphorically known as Truth. With this in mind, a human being who embraces God-centeredness is living a life devoted to the fulfillment of Truth.
Furthermore, Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh prophet states that:
God is just, And honors the truthful.
In Sikhism, surrendering to the Will of God implicitly requires that man abandon ego.
Guru Nanak makes this point clear when he addresses God, saying:
Where ego is, Thou are not;
When thou art within me,
Then I am not.
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