Guru Nanak (1469–1539 CE)
- Guru Nanak was born in a village called Talwandi ((modern
times Nankana Sahib in Pakistan).
- He was
the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten
Sikh Gurus.
- When he was
30 years old, Guru Nanak disappeared for three days during a river bath
and many people thought that he had drowned.
- Upon
returning, Guru Nanak declared that "There is no Hindu, there is no
Muslim" and that humankind should be unified, not divided, by
religious labels.
- This, in
fact, marked the beginning of his life as a spiritual leader, solemnly
affirming the unity of God and, equally so, the brotherhood of man.
- Large-scale travels (Udasis): He traveled across India, Sri
Lanka, Tibet, Afghanistan, and the Arabian Peninsula.
- He wrote
many hymns, which Guru Arjan Dev compiled in the Adi
Granth.
- Ten Sikh Gurus: Guru Nanak, Guru Angad, Guru Amar, Guru
Ram Das, Guru Arjan, Guru Hargobind, Guru Har Rai, Guru Har Krishan, Guru
Teg Bahadur, and Guru Gobind Singh.
- Sikh
scripture, called the Guru Granth Sahib, is referred to as
the Final Guru.
- The concept of Sikhism includes:
- Universal
acceptance of all humanity
- Belief in
one God
- The name
of God is Truth, “Sat Nam”
- Equality
of all persons irrespective of their caste, colour, gender, nationality
and religion
·
Equality of the
sexes is emphasised