The first Gurus
Sikhism was established by ten human Can mean God, teacher or guide. Usually means a teacher of religion. In Sikhism, it also refers to the ten human messengers of God.. These Gurus created and defined Sikhism from one to the next through their words, hymns, writings and actions. By living a spiritually pure life, they taught people in India the importance of equality and the belief that all religions worship the same one true God.
Guru Nanak
Guru Nanak founded Sikhism. He was born to a Hindu family over 500 years ago in the Punjab (an area that is now in Pakistan, but at the time, it was part of India). When he was 13 years old, he rejected the The Sacred Thread is a ceremony for boys in some Hindu communities to confirm they are of an age to take on religious responsibility., which is the initiation ceremony that Hindu boys go through when they are initiated into the Hindu faith.
Throughout his life, Guru Nanak experienced key events that led him to:
- reject the The anglicised term for varna; originally a Hindu social order of higher and lower class. Also followed by some Sikhs. system within Hinduism
- teach that everybody is equal through the belief in the oneness of humanity
- teach the The Three pillars of Sikhism, also called the three duties: Nam Japna (meditating on God’s name), Vand Chakna (helping others through sewa) and Kirat Karna (earning an honest living).
| Key event in Guru Nanak’s life | Importance | How this influences Sikhs today |
| Guru Nanak rejected the Sacred Thread ceremony when he was a young boy. | This shows that Guru Nanak rejected using rituals and physical items to remember God. Using pictures and objects to remember God is known as idolatry. | Sikhs today do not have pictures to represent Waheguru. Although there might be pictures of the Gurus in gurdwaras and homes, there are no pictures to represent God. The only symbols Sikhs use are the Khanda and Ik Onkar. |
| Guru Nanak’s father tried to teach him to help with his business. He sent him to the market to buy food and then sell it for a profit. Instead of selling the food, Guru Nanak gave it to the holy men he met at the side of the road. They were meditating and had very little. Guru Nanak’s father was unhappy with him as he hadn’t learned about profit. | Guru Nanak understood the importance of helping others who had nothing. He wanted to help people and felt that profit was not important. He started teaching others the same principle. | Sikhs follow the three foundations of Sikhism. They work hard and earn an honest living, which is called Kirat Karna. They also help and support others through sewa and by offering dasvandh (10% of their income) to charity, which is called Wand Chakna. And they meditate on God’s name, which is called Nam Japna. |
| Guru Nanak went to the river Bain to wash, as normal, and did not reappear for three days. On his return, Guru Nanak explained his revelation of God. He is said to have declared, “God is neither Hindu nor Muslim”. | Guru Nanak began teaching the importance of the equality of all people, regardless of their caste, religion or gender. He taught that everyone is created by God’s will and therefore we must all be treated equally and with respect. | Today, Sikhs follow this teaching. They welcome all beings into the gurdwara and offer food from the langar. They perform sewa and treat everyone with respect and dignity. |
| Guru Nanak travelled across North India teaching about the oneness of God, the equality of men and women, the rejection of idolatry and the importance of labour and hard work (which was what the people of lower castes typically did). He gathered many followers. | Guru Nanak’s teachings placed importance on equality. His teachings about the importance of labour and hard work showed that he rejected the idea of the caste system. They also showed that hard work is equally as important as all other jobs. | Sikhs today reject the caste system. They follow the actions of Guru Nanak by treating men and women equally, giving both genders equal roles in the gurdwara. |
| Guru Nanak established the langar. On his travels he invited all people to sit and eat with him. He offered free food to all. | This shows the importance Guru Nanak placed on actions as well as teaching. Everyone is important and therefore everyone must be treated equally. | Sikhs today follow these teachings by performing sewa in the langar and offering free vegetarian food to all. |
| Key event in Guru Nanak’s life | Guru Nanak rejected the Sacred Thread ceremony when he was a young boy. |
|---|---|
| Importance | This shows that Guru Nanak rejected using rituals and physical items to remember God. Using pictures and objects to remember God is known as idolatry. |
| How this influences Sikhs today | Sikhs today do not have pictures to represent Waheguru. Although there might be pictures of the Gurus in gurdwaras and homes, there are no pictures to represent God. The only symbols Sikhs use are the Khanda and Ik Onkar. |
| Key event in Guru Nanak’s life | Guru Nanak’s father tried to teach him to help with his business. He sent him to the market to buy food and then sell it for a profit. Instead of selling the food, Guru Nanak gave it to the holy men he met at the side of the road. They were meditating and had very little. Guru Nanak’s father was unhappy with him as he hadn’t learned about profit. |
|---|---|
| Importance | Guru Nanak understood the importance of helping others who had nothing. He wanted to help people and felt that profit was not important. He started teaching others the same principle. |
| How this influences Sikhs today | Sikhs follow the three foundations of Sikhism. They work hard and earn an honest living, which is called Kirat Karna. They also help and support others through sewa and by offering dasvandh (10% of their income) to charity, which is called Wand Chakna. And they meditate on God’s name, which is called Nam Japna. |
| Key event in Guru Nanak’s life | Guru Nanak went to the river Bain to wash, as normal, and did not reappear for three days. On his return, Guru Nanak explained his revelation of God. He is said to have declared, “God is neither Hindu nor Muslim”. |
|---|---|
| Importance | Guru Nanak began teaching the importance of the equality of all people, regardless of their caste, religion or gender. He taught that everyone is created by God’s will and therefore we must all be treated equally and with respect. |
| How this influences Sikhs today | Today, Sikhs follow this teaching. They welcome all beings into the gurdwara and offer food from the langar. They perform sewa and treat everyone with respect and dignity. |
| Key event in Guru Nanak’s life | Guru Nanak travelled across North India teaching about the oneness of God, the equality of men and women, the rejection of idolatry and the importance of labour and hard work (which was what the people of lower castes typically did). He gathered many followers. |
|---|---|
| Importance | Guru Nanak’s teachings placed importance on equality. His teachings about the importance of labour and hard work showed that he rejected the idea of the caste system. They also showed that hard work is equally as important as all other jobs. |
| How this influences Sikhs today | Sikhs today reject the caste system. They follow the actions of Guru Nanak by treating men and women equally, giving both genders equal roles in the gurdwara. |
| Key event in Guru Nanak’s life | Guru Nanak established the langar. On his travels he invited all people to sit and eat with him. He offered free food to all. |
|---|---|
| Importance | This shows the importance Guru Nanak placed on actions as well as teaching. Everyone is important and therefore everyone must be treated equally. |
| How this influences Sikhs today | Sikhs today follow these teachings by performing sewa in the langar and offering free vegetarian food to all. |
Guru Nanak died in 1539.
