The Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) asks us not to just look pure on the outside, but also to be pure on the inside.
To be pure both from within and without is not only to know the Truth, but also live It in daily life (Amal-ਅਮਲ).
- ਬਾਹਰਹੁ ਤ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਜੀਅਹੁ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਕਰਣੀ ਕਮਾਣੀ ॥ : Those who have learned the Way of life from the Satguru (True Wisdom) are pure inside as well as pure outside. (sggs 919).
- ਪਵਿਤੁ ਹੋਏ ਸੇ ਜਨਾ ਜਿਨੀ ਹਰਿ ਧਿਆਇਆ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਧਿਆਇਆ ਪਵਿਤੁ ਹੋਏ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਜਿਨੀ ਧਿਆਇਆ ॥ : The life of those ‘Jan’ (Gurmukh, Daas, Bhagat…) who contemplate the divine Naam. Yes, those who contemplated on the divine Naam by becoming the Gurmukh have become pure. (sggs 919).
- ਬਿਸਟਾ ਅਸਤ ਰਕਤੁ ਪਰੇਟੇ ਚਾਮ ॥ ਇਸੁ ਊਪਰਿ ਲੇ ਰਾਖਿਓ ਗੁਮਾਨ ॥੩॥ ਏਕ ਵਸਤੁ ਬੂਝਹਿ ਤਾ ਹੋਵਹਿ ਪਾਕ ॥ ਬਿਨੁ ਬੂਝੇ ਤੂੰ ਸਦਾ ਨਾਪਾਕ ॥੪॥ : (O ignorant fool) You are nothing but ordure, bones and blood wrapped in skin. It is upon this filthy bundle you have based your conceit. ||3|| If you could realize God within, then you would become pure. ||4|| (sggs 374).
Those who look pure only on the outside but not inside are compared with a gambler.
- ਜੀਅਹੁ ਮੈਲੇ ਬਾਹਰਹੁ ਨਿਰਮਲ ॥ ਬਾਹਰਹੁ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਜੀਅਹੁ ਤ ਮੈਲੇ ਤਿਨੀ ਜਨਮੁ ਜੂਐ ਹਾਰਿਆ ॥ : Some people, outwardly appear to be pure but their minds are filthy with vices/Bikaar. Those who are outwardly pure and yet polluted within, lose their lives (just as a gambler loses his money) in the gamble. (sggs 919).