1. The document discusses key concepts in Indian philosophy and Sikh philosophy specifically. 2. It outlines different classifications of philosophies in India including Vedic, shramanic, and bhakti types. 3. It analyzes how Guru Nanak approached philosophical concepts like Sat, Nam, and Shabad in a way that addressed temporal problems and united the transcendental and temporal realms.

1. Dr. N. Muthu Mohan
Centre on Studies in Sri Guru Granth Sahib
Guru Nanak Dev University
Amritsar
Mail: m_uthumohan@yahoo.co.in

2. 1. The term “Indian Philosophy” ought to be understood in a
Broad Sense
2. India is a Country of Continental Dimensions: Multi-
linguistic, multi-cultural, multi-religious and of multiple
philosophies
4. Indian Philosophy is not limited to Sat-Darshanas. Indian
Philosophy is neither limited to Ancient India. India in
Space and Time must be recognized.
5. Medieval Indian Thought is nearer to Contemporary India.
Bhakti in various regions of India marks the emergence of
Regional Cultures

3. 1. Two Popular Methods in Indian Philosophy
2. Reduction or Regressive Method: Reducing
every new development into the Earlier one.
For Ex. Vedanta: Everything comes from
and goes back to Brahman. Sanatana.
3. Recognizing the New: For Eg. Vaisesika:
Visesa (the Specific) or Identity or “Secret”
of the entity is recognized

4. 1. Fertility Type - Indus Religion, Folk
Religions of India
2. Vedic Yajna Type - Brahmanism
3. Shramanic Self-elevating and Self-
transformative - Buddhism, Jainism, Yoga
4. Bhakti or Devotional Type - Saivism,
Vaishnavism

5. 1. Guru Sikh Relations are at the Centre of
Sikh Community
2. Sri Guru Granth Sahib as the Living Guru
(Different from the Scripture of Semitic
Religions) is at the Centre of Sikh
Religion
3. Guru is not an Avtar, not a Prophet and
not the Son of God

6. 4. Sikhs are not Bhagats, but are Learners
5. Sikhism contains the component of
Teaching and Learning, and Practice of
Values, a social commitment
6. The Institution of Guru organically unites
the Transcendental and Temporal. This is
Philosophically New in Sikhism.

7. 1. Guru Nanak makes the Indian Metaphysical
Concepts address the current temporal problems
2. Sat as Rta, the unchanging reality. Sat as Nirgun
Brahman. Its opposite is Asat, later Maya. In Post
Upanishad Literature, Sat-Chit-Anand
3. In Guru Nanak: Sat, a metaphysical concept is
made to speak against falsehood of everyday life.
Power, Caste, Wealth and ethical Corruption as
Falsehood

8. 4. The Guru makes his concepts encompass
the two realms of reality organically. He
deconstructs Indian Metaphysics and its
seclusion.
5. The Guru demystifies the old
philosophical concepts and make them
attend the actual problems of life

9. 1. Nam: Upanishads say that Nama and Rupa as
attributes of Temporal and Transient things, and
Knowledges of phenomenal world
2. For Guru Nanak, Nam is the True Name of God,
the first manifestation of God
3. In Vaisesika, Nam is the Visesa of Padartha (a
thing or phenomenon), the secret meaning of a
Word
4. The Guru takes a term of the phenomenal world
and makes it to represent the Divine

10. 1. The Primary Cosmic Sound of OUM is called
Sabda Brahman
2. OUM is the primary, basal and elongated sound
equated to Nirgun Brahman in Upanishads. In
terms of stages of life, it is parallel to Asceticism.
3. Shabad-bani is not Sabda Brahman. Guru
Nanak’s mode is Music. Gurbani as music
harmonizes multiple sounds, the polyphonic
individualisms transformed into a Community

11. 1. The Bhakti movement failed to construct a
Community due to the encroachment of Casteism
2. The Siddhas were ethical but much Individualistic
3. The Ideal of the Gurus was a casteless and
classless Community
4. The Gurus transformed a simple peasant
community into a Dynamic Sangat, an agency of
Social Transformation

12. Thank you!