Please read Fisher’s pages 435-444.
As mentioned in the last class students will be expected to pay greater attention to Guru Nanak (first), Guru Arjun (fifth), and Guru Gobind Singh (tenth) from among the ten Gurus.
You may go to the following websites to read more about the ten Gurus: http://www.sgpc.net/gurus/index.asp
http://www.sikhismguide.org/gurus.shtml
A. Guru Nanak (1469-1539)
1. Guru Nanak was born in 1469. As a young boy he learnt not only the regional languages, but also Persian and Arabic. He was married in 1487 and was blessed with two sons, one in 1491 and the second in 1496.
2. 1496 is also considered as the year of his enlightenment when he started on his mission. His first statement after his communion with God was "There is no Hindu, nor any Muslim." This was an affirmation of solidarity of humans rooted in One God.
3. With this, Guru Nanak began his missionary tours. He preached. He practiced what he preached. He preached against caste distinctions and religious ritualism, which he considered as idol worship.
4. He lived and dined with low caste people, mixing with all people. According to Sikh sources Guru Nanak’s first companion was a low caste Muslim.
5. He generously helped the poor and with rest of the money organized langar, which has become a central aspect of the present Sikh religion.
6. An anecdote: When Nanak’s father asked him what happened to his business, Guru Nanak replied that he had done a "True business", referring to the place where Guru Nanak fed the poor.
7. During his tours for twenty-five years Guru Nanak visited numerous places of Hindu and Muslim worship proclaiming the futility of rituals and ascetic practices.
8. During this time Guru Nanak composed many hymns that has become part of the Sikh Scripture, Granth Sahib. These songs contain answers to the major religious and social problems of his time.
9. These poems also critiques and denounce the religions of his time that he studied. His critique of Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Islam led to the evolving of Sikhism.
10. At the end of his tours Guru Nanak settled as a peasant farmer in a village in the Punjab.
11. In the life and mission of Guru Nanak people sensed “prophethood” and a “mission of God”! Some Sikh’s believe that Guru Nanak himself made such claims.
12. During his conversations with religious leaders and sages of his time he affirmed his mission to help all people with no distinction. And Nanak was called a Guru in his lifetime. [See picture of Guru Nanak’s conversations in page 437 of Fisher’s text!]
13. In Punjabi, the word Guru may mean both God and an enlightener or a prophet. In his lifetime itself disciples gathered around him and a separate community evolved around his teachings.
14. Sikhs believe that it was Guru Nanak who appointed his successor and named him Guru Angad, meaning a limb, announcing the principle of “impersonality, unity and indivisibility of Guruship”, and at the same time to Guru Angad he said, “between you and me there is now no difference”.
15. Here are the main teachings of Guru Nanak:
a. Declaration of the solidarity of humanity – brotherhood/sisterhood of humans. This is the new spiritual gospel Guru Nanak announced – not otherworldly, not divisive, but absolute equality of the humanity. It involved a fundamental doctrinal change because moral life received the sole spiritual recognition and status.
b. In the context and climate of the existing religious systems and the prevailing prejudices, Guru Nanak planned the organisation of institutions that would spread his message to the very centres of the old systems and point out the futile and harmful nature of their religious beliefs and practices while organising his followers and set up for them local centres for their gatherings and worship. His hymns became the sole guide and the scripture for his flock and were sung at the Dharamsalas.
c. Householder's life became the primary forum of religious activity in Guru Nanak’s religious faith and practice. For Nanak human life should not be viewed as a burden but a privilege. Normal day-to-day life became the medium of spiritual training and expression. Householder is the seeker. Guru Nanak’s followers are not recluses but ordinary men and women living in their own homes and pursuing their normal vocations. His system involved morning and evening prayers. Congregational gatherings of the local followers were also held at their respective Guruduwaras. [Sikhs gather for congregational worship on Sundays.]
d. Even after establishing his mission Guru Nanak continued as a cultivator of land, without interrupting his discourses and morning and evening prayers. He was totally involved in the moral and productive life of the community, which became the Sikh model. For Guru Nanak, hence, for Sikhs, idleness is a vice and constructive work a virtue. Guru Nanak chastised the ascetics as idlers and condemned their practice of begging for food at the doors of the householders.
e. Guru Nanak prescribed to all Sikhs the responsibility of confronting evil and oppression. He believed God destroys 'the evil doers'. Hence it should be human responsibility and goal to resist evil and injustice.
f. The Guru expressed all his teachings in Punjabi, the language of the masses in Punjab.
B. Guru Nanak’s Successors
1. Second Guru, Guru Angad (1504-1552) was well known for his healing.
2. Guru Amar Das (1497-1574) was the third Guru. He contributed towards the organizing of the Panth, the Sikh community.
3. Guru Ram Das (1534-1581) was the fourth that founded the Holy City of Amritsar, the major Sikh centre!
4. Guru Arjan (1536-1606) was the fifth Guru. He is the youngest son of Guru Ram Das. Guru Arjan built the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The Temple is built in the middle of the lake. He was well known for building many Gurdwaras. He also collected the hymns of the first four Gurus and his own into a volume called the Adi Granth. Guru Arjan was the first Sikh martyr under the Mogul Emperor Jehangir. He was martyred in 1606 but before his final departure, he sent a message that his son Har Gobind was to become the sixth Guru. He also instructed Guru Har Gobind to bear arms.
5. Guru Har Gobind (1595-1644) was the sixth Guru. He established the Sikh Army.
6. Guru Har Rai (1630-1661) was the seventh Guru.
7. Guru Har Krishan (1656-1664) was the eighth Guru.
8. Guru Tegh Bahdur (1621-1675) was the ninth Guru.
9. Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708), son of Guru Tegh Bahdur, was only nine years old when his father was executed and he had to take on the role of Guru. He was the last human Guru, and probably the most famous. He was a clever linguist and a skilled horseman, archer and hunter. He was also a great poet, and a book of his poems known as the Dasam Granth (the Tenth Collection) ranks second only to the Guru Granth Sahib itself. He made two highly important contributions to Sikhism - he formed the Khalsa, the community of the pure, and elected the Adi Granth (which became the Guru Granth Sahib) to be the final Guru. Guru Gobind Singh died of stab wounds in 1708. In 1669 he instituted the “Five K’s”.
Questions to Explore:
1. Discuss in detail the contribution of Guru Nanak in establishing Sikh religion as a separate religious institution.
2. Explain the contributions made by Guru Arjun and Guru Gobind Singh towards Sikh faith and practice.
3. What are the “Five K’s”? Clarify the importance of this particular institution for the Sikh community.
As mentioned in the last class students will be expected to pay greater attention to Guru Nanak (first), Guru Arjun (fifth), and Guru Gobind Singh (tenth) from among the ten Gurus.
You may go to the following websites to read more about the ten Gurus: http://www.sgpc.net/gurus/index.asp
http://www.sikhismguide.org/gurus.shtml
A. Guru Nanak (1469-1539)
1. Guru Nanak was born in 1469. As a young boy he learnt not only the regional languages, but also Persian and Arabic. He was married in 1487 and was blessed with two sons, one in 1491 and the second in 1496.
2. 1496 is also considered as the year of his enlightenment when he started on his mission. His first statement after his communion with God was "There is no Hindu, nor any Muslim." This was an affirmation of solidarity of humans rooted in One God.
3. With this, Guru Nanak began his missionary tours. He preached. He practiced what he preached. He preached against caste distinctions and religious ritualism, which he considered as idol worship.
4. He lived and dined with low caste people, mixing with all people. According to Sikh sources Guru Nanak’s first companion was a low caste Muslim.
5. He generously helped the poor and with rest of the money organized langar, which has become a central aspect of the present Sikh religion.
6. An anecdote: When Nanak’s father asked him what happened to his business, Guru Nanak replied that he had done a "True business", referring to the place where Guru Nanak fed the poor.
7. During his tours for twenty-five years Guru Nanak visited numerous places of Hindu and Muslim worship proclaiming the futility of rituals and ascetic practices.
8. During this time Guru Nanak composed many hymns that has become part of the Sikh Scripture, Granth Sahib. These songs contain answers to the major religious and social problems of his time.
9. These poems also critiques and denounce the religions of his time that he studied. His critique of Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Islam led to the evolving of Sikhism.
10. At the end of his tours Guru Nanak settled as a peasant farmer in a village in the Punjab.
11. In the life and mission of Guru Nanak people sensed “prophethood” and a “mission of God”! Some Sikh’s believe that Guru Nanak himself made such claims.
12. During his conversations with religious leaders and sages of his time he affirmed his mission to help all people with no distinction. And Nanak was called a Guru in his lifetime. [See picture of Guru Nanak’s conversations in page 437 of Fisher’s text!]
13. In Punjabi, the word Guru may mean both God and an enlightener or a prophet. In his lifetime itself disciples gathered around him and a separate community evolved around his teachings.
14. Sikhs believe that it was Guru Nanak who appointed his successor and named him Guru Angad, meaning a limb, announcing the principle of “impersonality, unity and indivisibility of Guruship”, and at the same time to Guru Angad he said, “between you and me there is now no difference”.
15. Here are the main teachings of Guru Nanak:
a. Declaration of the solidarity of humanity – brotherhood/sisterhood of humans. This is the new spiritual gospel Guru Nanak announced – not otherworldly, not divisive, but absolute equality of the humanity. It involved a fundamental doctrinal change because moral life received the sole spiritual recognition and status.
b. In the context and climate of the existing religious systems and the prevailing prejudices, Guru Nanak planned the organisation of institutions that would spread his message to the very centres of the old systems and point out the futile and harmful nature of their religious beliefs and practices while organising his followers and set up for them local centres for their gatherings and worship. His hymns became the sole guide and the scripture for his flock and were sung at the Dharamsalas.
c. Householder's life became the primary forum of religious activity in Guru Nanak’s religious faith and practice. For Nanak human life should not be viewed as a burden but a privilege. Normal day-to-day life became the medium of spiritual training and expression. Householder is the seeker. Guru Nanak’s followers are not recluses but ordinary men and women living in their own homes and pursuing their normal vocations. His system involved morning and evening prayers. Congregational gatherings of the local followers were also held at their respective Guruduwaras. [Sikhs gather for congregational worship on Sundays.]
d. Even after establishing his mission Guru Nanak continued as a cultivator of land, without interrupting his discourses and morning and evening prayers. He was totally involved in the moral and productive life of the community, which became the Sikh model. For Guru Nanak, hence, for Sikhs, idleness is a vice and constructive work a virtue. Guru Nanak chastised the ascetics as idlers and condemned their practice of begging for food at the doors of the householders.
e. Guru Nanak prescribed to all Sikhs the responsibility of confronting evil and oppression. He believed God destroys 'the evil doers'. Hence it should be human responsibility and goal to resist evil and injustice.
f. The Guru expressed all his teachings in Punjabi, the language of the masses in Punjab.
B. Guru Nanak’s Successors
1. Second Guru, Guru Angad (1504-1552) was well known for his healing.
2. Guru Amar Das (1497-1574) was the third Guru. He contributed towards the organizing of the Panth, the Sikh community.
3. Guru Ram Das (1534-1581) was the fourth that founded the Holy City of Amritsar, the major Sikh centre!
4. Guru Arjan (1536-1606) was the fifth Guru. He is the youngest son of Guru Ram Das. Guru Arjan built the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The Temple is built in the middle of the lake. He was well known for building many Gurdwaras. He also collected the hymns of the first four Gurus and his own into a volume called the Adi Granth. Guru Arjan was the first Sikh martyr under the Mogul Emperor Jehangir. He was martyred in 1606 but before his final departure, he sent a message that his son Har Gobind was to become the sixth Guru. He also instructed Guru Har Gobind to bear arms.
5. Guru Har Gobind (1595-1644) was the sixth Guru. He established the Sikh Army.
6. Guru Har Rai (1630-1661) was the seventh Guru.
7. Guru Har Krishan (1656-1664) was the eighth Guru.
8. Guru Tegh Bahdur (1621-1675) was the ninth Guru.
9. Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708), son of Guru Tegh Bahdur, was only nine years old when his father was executed and he had to take on the role of Guru. He was the last human Guru, and probably the most famous. He was a clever linguist and a skilled horseman, archer and hunter. He was also a great poet, and a book of his poems known as the Dasam Granth (the Tenth Collection) ranks second only to the Guru Granth Sahib itself. He made two highly important contributions to Sikhism - he formed the Khalsa, the community of the pure, and elected the Adi Granth (which became the Guru Granth Sahib) to be the final Guru. Guru Gobind Singh died of stab wounds in 1708. In 1669 he instituted the “Five K’s”.
Questions to Explore:
1. Discuss in detail the contribution of Guru Nanak in establishing Sikh religion as a separate religious institution.
2. Explain the contributions made by Guru Arjun and Guru Gobind Singh towards Sikh faith and practice.
3. What are the “Five K’s”? Clarify the importance of this particular institution for the Sikh community.
