Sikh History

Question 3: What is the Sikh idea of the reality of the universe?

The universe comes into existence through God's creative power (Maya) and it ceases to exist at His will. All that He has created is perfect according to His laws and has been created and recreated time and again. Nothing, except Him, is eternal, though the duration of the existence of some matter is inconceivably long as understood with the limited faculties of the human beings. According to Guru Gobind Singh it is 'a play' and exists only until He brings 'the play' to an end. Since the universe is created by the true Lord, we can say that it is a real expression of His supreme reality and is real. But as it comes and vanishes at His Will, it has no infinite or independent existence. It is like the shadow of a cloud or the bubble on the surface of water. Too much involvement in the creation rather than the creator is a sin because it turns human beings away from the service of God. Involvement in the service of self in turn produces egoism. There is no devil in Sikhism but too much involvement in God. It is a human failing and therefore unlike the legendary devil can never challenge God's omnipotence.