The principle of human equality is an integral part of Sikh scripture and lived tradition. Statements affirming the inherent equal status of human beings were expressed by the first Sikh prophet-teacher, Guru Nanak (1469-1539), and recorded in the original sacred text of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahib. Guru Nanak was the first in a lineage of ten Sikh Gurus who formulated the principles of religious liberty and freedom of association. He was a radical egalitarian who viewed differences based on birth as irrelevant to the sanctity of the individual. Guru Nanak taught there is one God and one creation, and that inherited differences have no meaning in the relationship between humans and God. In the Sikh religion there is no basis for discrimination in regard to caste, race, sex, religion or socioeconomic standing. Sikhs are enjoined by sacred ideals to assert a high standard of human equality, and be models of fairness and tolerance.

The social context in which the Sikh Gurus taught was thoroughly colored with caste considerations. A hierarchy of caste relations existed in India for several thousand years before Guru Nanak, and this prejudice continues today. The division of society along caste lines was embedded in the social fabric of India as a way of ordering social roles and occupations. It was this social hierarchy that Guru Nanak repudiated. He rejected the notion that status ascribed by birth determines the rank of humans.

In the foremost sacred text of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak decries the existence of the caste system: "Caste is worthless and so is its name. For everyone there is only one refuge." Guru Nanak denied the accepted dogma that only higher castes could achieve spiritual liberation: "Recognize the light, do not ask about caste. Further on there is no caste." Guru Nanak's successors reiterated this anti-caste sentiment. For example, Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru pronounced: "There are four castes and four stages of life, but the one who meditates on God is the most exalted."

The compilation of the Guru Granth Sahib, arranged by the fifth Guru, Arjan, exhibits this non-discriminatory policy. Included in this exalted book are poems by Ravi Das, an outcaste leather worker, and poems by Kabir, a low-caste weaver. Both poets make a significant contribution to the Guru Granth Sahib despite their low social standing.

In practice the Sikhs Gurus endeavored to break down the caste barriers. The early Sikh Gurus established the tradition of a free community kitchen called langar. This practice became an institution at Sikh places of worship. Every person, regardless of social status, is invited to eat the same food with everyone else while sitting side by side. No exclusion is permitted. The principle of human equality is demonstrated at every Sikh gathering through the practice of eating together without any accorded privilege.

The tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh, furthered the principle of equality by establishing the order of the Khalsa. The first five members of the Khalsa came from different caste backgrounds, and three were from lower castes. Though their caste ranking was mixed, Guru Gobind Singh asked them to drink from the same bowl, an act contrary to caste pollution rules. Furthermore, they were all given the same last name, Singh, in place of their family name, which would indicate their caste. Similarly, Sikh women were given the name of Kaur.

The current Sikh Rahit Maryada (Sikh Code of Conduct), which is the standard guide for the Sikh way of life enjoins the Sikhs to eliminate caste considerations: "Reject caste distinctions and untouchability." The Rahit Maryada also states that Khalsa initiation may be received regardless of caste, creed, or nationality. These statements affirm that caste discrimination has no place in modern Sikh society or Sikh ceremonies. Even though caste considerations are often taken into account for marriage among the Sikhs, this practice has no sanction in the Sikh religion.

In Sikh tradition, there is no written or remembered authority, which denies women equal standing with men. This verse by Guru Nanak is the standard marker for gender equality: "Man is born from a woman, conceived in a woman, engaged and married to a woman . . . Kings are born from women, how can women be bad? From a woman, a woman is born. Without a woman, there is no one." In this verse, Guru Nanak is speaking against those who would value women less than men. In regard to current practice, the Sikh Rahit Maryada states there is no office or ceremony from which women are restricted. Although male gender bias survives in Sikh society through a preference for sons, discriminatory practice finds no support from traditional sources of religious authority. The Rahit Maryada also prohibits a cash dowry in return for the marriage of a daughter or son. The continuation of dowry practice has been contested by Sikh activists.

As with caste and gender, the Sikh Gurus regarded the rich and poor with an equal eye. No preference was given to the wealthy over the dispossessed. Every Sikh has the same personal sovereignty, regardless of income. Again, the source is Guru Nanak: "The one who knows God sees equally, like the wind which blows alike over king and poor man." The Sikh community ideal is to create value through work and then give at least one tenth of the proceeds to charity. This is part of Guru Nanak's credo, kirat karo (create worth or earn) and vandh chako (share the results). Though Sikhs vary widely in terms of income, no preferential treatment is permitted for the wealthy in religious observances.

Sikh teachings do not discriminate on the basis of religious affiliation. Universal tolerance is underscored by the inclusion of Hindu and Muslim poets, in addition to Sikh poets, in the Guru Granth Sahib. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, confirmed this attitude of religious equality by stating: "God is in the Hindu temple as well as in the mosque. God is addressed in both the Hindu and the Muslim prayer; all human beings are one though they may appear different . . . They are all of one form and one God has made them all."

In the Sikh understanding, the apparent differences between caste or class, gender, or religion are irrelevant in the realm of the human spirit. To demean someone on the basis of color, creed, sex, or ethnic origin is contrary to the spirit of human fairness and equal judgement that the Sikhs Gurus' wisely envisioned.