Guru Nanak Dev
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Contents |
Teachings, philosophy
A Contemporary Philosophy
Inder Raj Ahluwalia, Guru Nanak Dev's `Contemporary' Philosophy, Nov 14 2016 : The Times of India
In the 15th century , Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism the world's youngest religion was quietly preaching a gospel in the Indian subcontinent that was new, unique and inspiring.
Amazingly , much of what Guru Nanak said is totally relevant to presentday , contemporary society . Today, the world is acknowledging his wisdom, sagacity and gospel as not being merely divine, but also performing the function of a beacon, a guiding light. One can now measure how effectively his words and actions have shaped thinking and viewpoints of many people, and how important they are in today's turbulent global situation.
Born in 1469, an era of invasions, violence and unrest, Guru Nanak was not only an apostle who propagated dharma and belief in one God, but was also among the greatest philosophers of the modern era. He reached the heights of spiritual enlightenment rarely experienced at any age, and his teachings have paralleled those of any other school of liberal philosophy.
Guru Nanak took extensive land journeys within India and abroad, spreading his universal messages. He travelled with a purpose to contribute towards creating a better world.
Guru Nanak's inherent nature of not accepting what was told and taught, at face value, led him to evolve as an original spiritual thinker.He believed in listening, understanding and acquiring firsthand knowledge before forming his own opinion. He listened to people of all faiths and cultures. He read extensively about Hinduism, Islam and Buddhism, for instance. The best illustration of the Guru's philosophy is through his three fundamental principles: `Kirt Karni' or working for a living; `Naam Japna', remembering God; and `Vand Chakna', sharing one's possessions with the needy. These were the cornerstones of Guru Nanak's teachings, the guiding principles of Sikhs. He said to believe in one God; do selfless service; share and care with the needy; earn an honest living; shed all inequalities; and be compassionate.
Guru Nanak addressed issues that impacted contemporary society . He challenged the caste system; endorsed gender equity and became a pioneer in championing the cause of women's liberation. He promoted education for all by introducing the Gurmukhi script of the Adi Granth, which became accessible to everyone. He believed that integrity , respect and trust between different communities would lead to dignity for all people.
His greatest contribution was the teaching of the `Science of the Word' (Naam), which forms the subject matter of the Adi Granth which was composed and compiled by Sikh Gurus. Naam by communion with the Word (Shabad) shall be attained the personal realisation of God, and salvation.
Guru Nanak earned everyone's love and respect. When he passed on, flowers from both Hindus and Muslims were placed over his body . Kartarpur, where he breathed his last, is a site immortalised by a tomb built over the Muslims' flowers, and a temple built over the Hindus' flowers.
Today , Guru Nanak's teachings are a way of life for millions, and are acknowledged as being highly relevant to contemporary society . Guru Nanak is also referred to as `Baba Nanak' or `Nanak Shah'. The currency of the Empire of The Sikhs established by Maharaja Ranjit Singh was `Nanakshahi'.
The Truth
Guru Nanak's Ecstasy On Discovering Truth
Kulbir Kaur
The Times of India Nov 05 2014
Guru Nanak, while working as a storekeeper in Sultanpur Lodi, was counting the items ordered by customers. As he would reach number 13 ¬ `tera' in Punjabi ¬ he would go into a trance and in spiritual ecstasy could only say , `Tera, Tera, Tera ¬ I am yours, I am yours, I am yours.' He would find it impossible to move to the next number as the whole universe was by then resounding with this sound and he could see the hand of God in everything, even in the numbers he was counting. Guru Nanak conveyed that nothing is ours, for everything is that of the Creator, the only Truth ¬ nirankar or formless.
This ecstatic feeling of `tera', the meditative mystical stage of union with the Divine, also contains wonder that reflects the very presence of the Creator. In his bani, `Suhi ki Var', Nanak asks: `Kauna taraju kavanu tula tera kavanu saraphu bulava' ¬ `What scale, weights, and what assayer shall I call for You, Lord?' He chose to address the Almighty with the magical `Waheguru' implying wonder at the Divine Light having the power to eliminate darkness. Wah Guru ¬ Hail the Lord ¬ whose name eliminates spiritual darkness. In `Asa di Var', the opening lines convey this feeling of wonder and trance: `Wondrous is the sound, wondrous the wisdom.' The mystery of the cosmic order can be unravelled only through guru's grace to be realised through Naam-simran or remembrance of the Shabad of the guru ¬ one of the cardinal, moral principles of Sikhism. The others are kirat karni or honest labour and vand chhakna or sharing with the needy. This simple philosophy presented a perfect balance between a worldly and spiritual life. He denoun ced renunciation and advocated salvation while still following a householder's life.
According to Guru Nanak, `Asceticism doesn't lie in ascetic robes or in ashes... It doesn't lie in mere words. He is an ascetic who treats everyone alike.Asceticism doesn't lie in burial places or in wandering about and bathing at places of pilgrimage. Asceticism is to remain pure amidst impuri ties.' The religion he preached was practical in nature and based solidly on work ethics.
Guru Nanak was addressed by his followers as Baba, Pir, Shah Faqir and Sachcha Padshah. He rejected idolatry and pro pounded a simple idea of monotheism. Wherever he went, he would wear a combination of styles worn by both Hindu and Muslim holy men. Not surprisingly, he was often asked whether he was Hindu or Muslim.
When asked about the true way to attain God, Guru Nanak would say: `There's one God and there is only His way to attain Him, not another. Invoke Him who is eternal and is contained in the whole Universe.' He emphasised the unity and uniqueness of the Supreme Being in his hymns, especially through the Mool-mantra, the preamble of Sikh philosophy: `There is but One God, the only Truth, the Creator, without fear, without enmity , everpresent and free from the concept of beginning and end, Self-existent ¬ free from the cycle of birth and rebirth and He can be realised with His grace only .' Naam-simran and sadhsangat along with seva (service) is the only way to achieve His grace which finally leads to the ultimate stage of bliss.That's why every Sikh prays and wishes for `Nam Khumari Nanaka Charhi Rahe Din Raat ¬ May I ever be imbued with the Name (Shabad) of Guru Nanak.'
In 2014 the Prakash Utsav of Guru Nanak was on November 6.
Liberal Philosophy
The Liberal Philosophy Of Guru Nanak
Inder Raj Ahluwalia The Times of India Nov 06 2014
Kirt karni, working for a living; Naam japna, remembering God and vand chakna, sharing one's possessions these formed the cornerstone of Guru Nanak's thinking and philosophy. The founder of Sikhism, the world's youngest religion, Guru Nanak was not only a supreme apostle who propagated dharma and belief in one God; he was also among the greatest philosophers of the modern era, having reached heights of spiritual enlightenment.
Among the western world's philosophers, Galileo's belief that planets orbit the sun, led to his arrest. Prince Machiavelli's acute understanding of the human nature was regarded the work of the devil. William Gilbert, Vesalius and Francis Bacon shaped their generation's thinking, and Martin Luther, John Knox and John Wesley are credited with awakening the stupefied spirit. At about the same time, Guru Nanak was shaping thinking in the Indian subcontinent. His projection of earth's distance to the moon corresponds to what scientists tell us today. He also disclosed that there are multiple universes, spheres and planets.
While Christopher Columbus was voyaging the seas, Guru Nanak walked the land, spreading his teachings in the same manner as had Jesus some 1,400 years before. Going by recorded accounts, Guru Nanak spent a lot of time travelling the world. He is believed to have travelled over 28,000 kilometres in his five major tours between 1500 and 1524, leaving a great impact on everyone he encountered. What's significant is the fact that he travelled with a purpose to contribute towards creating a better world.
The Guru gave his attention to almost all issues that impacted society and contemporary existence. He challenged the Indi existence. He challenged the Indian caste system, promoted women's rights, championing the cause of women's liberation. He promoted education for all men, women and children by introducing the Gurmukhi script of the Adi Granth, which became accessible to all.He introduced an agenda of reconciliation and community cohesion to create an inclusive society and just world.He believed that integrity , respect and trust between different communities would lead to dignity for all people. His greatest contribution was the teaching of the `Science of the Word' (Naam), which forms the subject matter of the Adi Granth which was com posed and compiled by the Sikh Gurus. The gift of Naam was the ultimate gift of the Sikh faith and has a pure and special message for the whole world by communion with Shabad, the Word, shall be attained the personal realisation of God, and hence, the sure way to salvation.
Guru Nanak was an embodiment of love. People of all faiths loved and respected him, and on his death, flowers from both Hindus and Muslims were placed over his body . According to legend, the claim to his body was to go to the community whose flowers remained fresh the longest. The following morning, both groups of flowers remained fresh but the body was missing! Thanks to Guru Nanak's wisdom, Sikhism with its monotheistic outlook shared a common bond with Islam, and with its Indian cultural identity , a cultural one with Hinduism and Buddhism. Sikhism was to be the common meeting ground between these three cultural streams. This gives meaning to the decision of Guru Ram Das to invite a Muslim saint to lay the foundation stone of the Golden Temple, which was intended to be a symbol for a future confluence of world cultures.
Guru Nanak's teachings of love, compassion, mercy , kindness, tolerance and mutual respect flowed from his teachings of love for God.
Universal Spirituality
The Times of India, Nov 25 2015
M N Kundu
Guru Nanak's melody of universal spirituality
An experience of Alakh Niranjan, the Absolute and cosmic harmony in creation, as an expression of a single eternal Spirit shaped the non-sectarian precepts and mystic ideals of Guru Nanak who revealed the secret of spiritual communion in beholding all in One and One in all. His spiritual melody is expressed in the Japji and Gurbani where he says that to enable us to experience oneness we have to place right living and right deeds above bookish creeds and religious rituals. The way to God is the way of sacrifice, the way of self-effacing love for God in all and abandoning all delimiting sense of divisiveness. Nanak Dev stood for spirituality beyond religious rituals and humanism beyond manmade factionalism.When the priests of Baghdad asked him about his sect he said, “I belong to no sect and adore but one God. I see Him in the earth below and in the heavens above and in all directions.“ He added that greatness of God becomes invisible due to pride of man and vanity of knowledge. When the priests of Haridwar asked him about his caste he said, “My caste is that of wood and fire and I came from a town from where come both day and night.“
When the true spirit of religion got shrouded by external ritualism and utmost divisiveness, Nanak Dev appeared with his humble, experiential, non-sectarian spiritual wisdom for unification of humanity beyond caste, creed and religion. He said, “I have searched through the vedas and books of Islam and they are dull; speechless in the presence of the mystery of the Infinite.“ Guru Nanak said, “No one is Hindu and no one is Muslim these are our names for the masks behind the mask search for the light within.“ He spread the religion of compassion and as such his emphasis is not on scriptures, ceremonials or rituals but on life and living, on love for God and right action.His all-time dear companion Mardana was a Muslim. He said, “He is true to his faith who loveth God and man seeing all, abideth in God.“
Nanak Dev noticed the deep tragedy of the world caught in the mire of materialism, factionalism and hence, suffering and pain. He found solutions in rising above these to attain God through service, love and Omkara.
He prescribed meditation on the word of God with eightfold exercise or sadhana: purity of body and mind, silence, concentration of mind, realisation of the meaning of mantra, patience and contentment, faith, satsang or association with pure and holy ones, and living the mantra in daily life. Without meditation, merely doing good deeds with ego are spiritually fruitless. The disciple, whose mind and heart are focussed on God, is Gurmukhi; progressing on the path to God. Those whose mind is entangled in material prosperity and enjoyment of the world are Manmukhi, and this leads them to suffering and pain. Without a boat there is no way to navigate the ocean and the eternal advice of the guru is the boat which takes us across.
Nanak Dev travelled far and wide to spread the message of true spirituality suited to entire humanity . The keynote of his universal melody is that selfish ego is the root cause of sin and suffering and the remedy lies in renouncing self with humble service, sharing proceeds of efforts and sustaining self-effacing love for God. (November 25 is Guru Nanak Jayanti.)
