'I find it difficult' says Dean Inge, 'to distinguish between Religion and Philosophy.' In India, more often than not, religion has been the philosophy of life, and philosophy has been the religion which illumined the minds of great seers and thinkers. When Christian scholars had not properly studied Hindu scriptures seriously and sympathetically, they loudly declared that Hinduism had no philosophy in the Western sense of the word. When Radhakrishnan, Dasgupta, Sri Aurobindo and other Indian scholars revealed the vast storehouse of philosophy in Hindu scriptures, it not only began to be respected but is now studied for various reasons even in Christian seminaries.

There is now a similar misconception about Guru Nanak's contribution to Indian philosophy. Few people believe that Guru Nanak was a philosopher par excellence. The reasons are obviously two. Firstly, Guru Nanak is, in a superficial manner, classed with some medieval Bhaktas, who were no doubt great religious reformers and teacher but, as their writings reveal, they were not in any way speculative thinkers or scholarly poets as Nanak reveals himself to be. Unlike Nanak they avoided encounter with pundits, Muslim theologians and Sufi scholars. Unlike Nanak, they never visited any seat of learning, either Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic or Jain, to provoke speculative discussions. There is not a single incident in the life of Namadeva, Kabir and Ravidas indicating that they deliberately visited some seat of learning and held any philosophical discourse. On the other hand, Guru Nanak visited Multan, Pakpattan, Hardwar, Kurukshetra, Kashmir, Benaras, Gaya, Rajgriha, Puri, Ceylon, Mecca, Medina, Baghdad and Tibet, and not only provoked serious metaphysical, ethical and mystical discussion, but he has even recorded some of his dialogues and comments.

Secondly, although Guru Nanak is believed to have written in the language of the masses, his philosophic poems are written in such a cryptic sutra style, and in each stanza he refers to so many doctrines, scriptures, and thoughts to evolve his own idea in the last two or three lines, that their interpretation has baffled many interpreters. There is, because of this very difficulty, not a single philosophical and theological commentary on the writings of Guru Nanak. There is no such commentary even on Japji. Those who do not study the original try to grasp the depth and mystery of his thoughts through some translations which, however good, cannot convey the real depth of his philosophical and mystical thought.

There is a third misconception that anything written in poetry, and not in the style of Plato's dialogues or Marx's treatise, is not philosophy. When Guru Nanak met the Siddhas in the Himalayan retreat, they asked him over 20 questions on metaphysical and mystical philosophy. Some of the questions were : What are your views about Ultimate Reality, and the beginning of Creation? Where did the Sunya (the Silent eternal or Absolute) reside before creation? What is the spiritual power that pervades everyone? What special technique of Yoga do you adopt for divine experience? How can the stake of death be burnt? How can the abode of the Fearless be attained? From where has the spirit of Man come and where does it go? How can we acquire love of the Divine? What is Shabad? You say that He is the Creator and the Knower; how can this mystery be known? The Yogis felt that Guru Nanak had challenged every vital aspect of the Six Darshanas, and more so Yoga Darshana. They questioned him and received answers which Nanak himself declares gave them understanding, illumination and peace. Before we study Guru Nanak's approach to contemporary schools of philosophy, we must sum up briefly his philosophical outlook. Guru Nanak's philosophy was not the philosophy of matter. Man enjoys a completely different status in the order of values, which far transcends that of material existence. Nor is it a philosophy of ideas, though it is full of speculative and metaphysical ideas. His was also not a philosophy of Essence and Existence, as the phenomenologists and esixtentialists interpret it today. His was also not a philosophy speculating only on economic order or revolutionary processes. His was the philosophy of life and spirit, of Being and Becoming, of Man and God.

The founder of Sikhism made the greatest contribution to the art of living by teaching that wisdom, knowledge and judgement of values are a result of love, enlightenment and deeper and profounder understanding of human existence, and eternal truths embodied in it, Guru Nanak was also perhaps the first to acknowledge the rights of plurality of cultures and civilisations, all of which, in his opinion, were guided by Divine Providence. He was the first to present the concept of Truth, Justice, Beauty, Goodness in a form which transcended the narrow bounds of regional cultures and civilizations. He presented his philosophy and religion as the philosophy of the Word, the Truth, the inner Light. It consisted in the assurance that God and Ultimate Wisdom are present in all human thinking and actions all over the world. Our mode of discovery and our perceptions differ. Human beings err where they accept shadows to be light, and their mental reflections as Ultimate Truth.

Guru Nanak's approach to different religions and philosophies is a remarkable study in itself. Within the limitations of this paper, I will give a brief outline of his approach to various Hindu and Islamic schools of thought. The first noteworthy point is that, however widely Guru Nanak differed from these schools of thought, he showed the greatest respect for the founders of these schools,. After expressing his fundamental difference, he generally blamed the followers of these founders of great religions of philosohic schools for distorting the divine and universal truths embodied in them.

His Approach to Vedas : Guru Nanak uses the word 'Veda' for the historical Hindu scriptures, the four Vedas, and also for all religious scriptures of enlightenment. The Hindu Vedas are considered the Books of highest Wisdom in the past ages, and the only thing, he says, that is relevant in them to our present age is the element of perennial philosophy of life, still capable of inspiring mankind with truth: Vedan mai Nam utam Guru Nanak reinterprets the nature-gods of Rig Veda, and uses innumerable poetic symbols of Rig Veda which are not found in any subsequent literature in such vivid form. Thus, Guru Nanak indirectly appreciated the nature mysticism of the Vedas, and used it for expressing contemporary thought. The Vedas grew in times and in a society where customary morality prevailed. It was called the Satya Yuga. Guru Nanak does not wish the admirers of Vedas to look back, where whole tribes suffered for the sin of one man. Kaliyuga he says is much better. In it there is religious freedom, and man is judged not by his formal actions but by ethical living, Thus he appeals to the students of Vedas to imbibe from this vast historical literature what is relevant to human enlightenment and social welfare of the people at large in the present age and not of a community or tribe or a nation.

His Approach to Upanishads : When one reads Guru Nanak's writings side by side with the Upanishads we find that, not only can some of his metaphysical doctrines be historically traced to the great truths uttered in Upanishads, but some of his verses are an actual translation of the passages in the Upanishads. Out of the countless examples I will quote two :

The Taittiriya Upanishad says :
From fear of Him does the wind blow,
From fear of Him does the sun rise,
From fear of Him do Agni and Indra act,
From fear of Him Death, the fifth doth run. (II.8.I)

Guru Nanak in his Asa-di-Var says
In fear of Him blows the wind,
In fear of Him flow thousand rivers,
In fear of Him works Agni without wages
In fear of Him the earth bears all burdens,
In fear of Him Indra moves head downwards,
In fear of Him Death sits in judgement over all. (IV: I)

The Upanishad's writing about the state of Void before creation :

Verily in the beginning of the world was darkness alone. That was the highest. When impelled by the Highest it moved onto differentiation. (Maitri Upanishad V, 2)

It was not existent, non non-existent. From that emerged darkness, from darkness the subtle elements. (Sabala Upanishads 1:1)

Guru Nanak says :
For many yugas there was chaotic darkness, The Creator remained Self-absorbed within Himself. (Adi Granth N.I.p 1023)

Through countless ages,
Complete darkness brooded,
Over the utter gloom and void.
There was neither night nor day,
Nor the sun nor the moon,
But only God existed in ceaseless trance.
When He so willed, He shaped the universe.
Out of the Unmanifested Unmovable ground of Being.
To us in us, he made Himself manifest. (ibid., Maru p. 1035)

This and innumerable other quotations show that Guru Nanak preserved the age-old truths, redeemed them from the distant past and imbibed them into a living movement. The sporadic metaphysical truths were recast into a coherent metaphysical system, which did not resemble any particular Upanishad, but yet preserved the best in them. Thus when he met scholars of the Vedas, and Upanishads he was able to make clear what he accepted and what he rejected. And he gave reasons for his position. This is how Indian philosophy has developed through the ages.

Approach to the Six Hindu Systems : Before a Sikh goes to bed he reads a short prayer : 'Six are the systems, six their teachers; each teacher gives a different message. These six systems are like the seasons while the Guru's Wisdom is like the Sun which reflects its light in all.' At times the six systems are severely criticised for hair-splitting differences, and the arsenal of inter-system criticism. Reflecting on this aspect of the six systems which completely ignored social and cultural life, and concentrated mainly on the niceties of metaphysical reflections and logic, Guru Nanak says, 'Diseased are the six systems (darshanas). Dogmatic and garbed in illusionary words are they.' (Nanak Bhairon, Asht 1, : 5 p. 1153)

The six systems dealt with the fundamental problems of Indian philosophy. Guru Nanak took up those problems, and even the terminology of the Six Darshanas, and redefined them in the light of his own thoughts and experiences. He accepted the concept of prakriti and purusha, but he introduced the Akalpurusha which is different from the Samkhya purusha, thereby transcending dualism. Karma, Maya, Atma, Self and other concepts of the various schools are discussed and developed and redefined.

The Hatha Yogis had corrupted and distorted the Yoga of Patanjali. Guru Nanak calls God the first and supreme Yogi and not Shiva, who is a creation of his Adi Nath, God. He does not quarrel with terms, but redefines them in the light of truth. In contrast to Hatha Yoga he develops his Sahaja Yoga, which again differs from the Sahajya of the Tantric and Buddhist cults. With all these differences, which are purely doctrinal, Guru Nanak and the Sikh apostles maintained profound respect for the philosophers of the six Darshanas.

The word 'Gurmukh' is used for enlightened men who are jivan-muktas. Even though Bhai Gurdas, who made the first attempt to systemise Sikh philosophy, expressed doctrinal differences, with every one of the six systems, he calls Gautama, Kapila, Patanjali and other sages Gurmukhs. The thinker is profoundly respected and praised for his wisdom; the doctrinal differences are expressed to stress a different outlook and philosophy, which has traditional kinship with it.

Approach to Islam : The only difficulty Guru Nanak had in his encounter with Muslim saints, scholars and sages was that most of them would not believe that a non-Muslim, and particularly a man born in a Hindu family, could be an enlightened man of supreme revelation. But as soon as they come to know that he was a stauncher monotheist than any Muslim or Jew, and he did not believe in idolatry, their attitude changed, and most of their differences disappeared.

When he went to Pakpattan, a disciple of Sheikh Ibrahim, the Sajjadanashin of Sheikh Farid informed him that Nanak a great Saint was singing of one God, and he appeared to be a perfect (kamal) saint. Sheikh Ibrahim said, 'If he is a Hindu, then it is not possible that he has achieved the light of God, and if he has acquired the supreme enlightenment then he is not a Hindu.' So he sent him a question :

There is one God,
But two paths, Hinduism and Islam
Which one is acceptable?
Which one is rejected?

Guru Nanak replied:

God is one,
The Path is one
Accept the Path of Truth
Reject all other ways.
(Janam Sakhi Mani Singh)

This was his approach to those who wanted to label him either a Hindu or a Muslim. He refused to be labelled and he accepted kinship with both, and established human and spiritual bonds with both. Just as Guru Nanak took Upanishadic terminology, he took from the Quran and Sufi literature a good many terms and symbolic expressions, like sidak, sabar, hukam nadar mehar, karam (grace), jalal, jamal, etc. The striking resemblance between some of the utterances in the Quran and his writings shows that he had studied Islamic source books thoroughly. He tells us how one should be a true Muslim, and what is shariat and kalma for him. I will point out only one striking resemblance between the utterance of a great sufi and that of Guru Nanak, which in my opinion is not incidental.

Bayazid of Bistun, a great sufi mystic says :

For twelve years I was the smith of my soul. I put it in the furnace of austerity; and burnt it in the fire of combat; I laid it on the anvil of reproach and smote it with the hammer of blame until I made my soul mirror. Then for a year I gazed in contemplation. On my waist I saw a girdle of pride and vanity and self-conceit. I laboured another five years more until that girdle became worn out. I professed Islam anew. Without intrusion of creatures, through God's help alone, I attainted unto God. (Muslim Saints and Mystics: Tadhkiral-al-Auliya by Farid-al-Din Attar, translated by A.J. Arberry)

And in the light of his own philosophy this is exactly how Guru Nanak maps out the paths of ethical and spiritual discipline in Japji to attain God through His grace alone :

In the forge of continence
Let patience be the goldsmith,
On the anvil of understanding , Let him strike with hammer of Knowledge.
Let fear of God be the bellows
Let austerities be the fire,
Let the love of God be the crucible
Let the nectar of life be melted in it.
Thus in the mint of Truth
A man may coin the Word.
This is the practice of those
On whom God looks with favour.
(Japji, 38)

Even while accepting the universal truths of Islam, Guru Nanak had the courage to reject the Islamic belief that Mohammed was the last prophet, and to assert the theory of rebirth, imbibed from the Upanishadic tradition. He was once asked in his Middle East itinerary, who is greater, Mohammed or Ali, highlighting another implied question, who are more enlightened, sunnis or shias. Guru Nanak replied. 'In wisdom and enlightenment Mohammed was great; in wielding the sword Ali was great. Both were perfect souls. The Light of God was shining in full illumination in both.' (Janam Sakhi Mani Singh, p. 281)

A question arises, where was so much Islamic literature available to Guru Nanak. Guru Nanak worked as the Modi (Granary Officer) of Daulat Khan Lodhi, governor of Punjab at Sultanpur, for over ten years. Here was available to him the library of Daulat Khan's son, Ghazi Khan, a young man of very scholarly taste. This was at that time the biggest library in India housing very rare manuscripts on Islamic literature, and scholars came from far and near to consult rare books. Guru Nanak had access to this library for all the years he lived in Sultanpur. That accounts for his profound knowledge of Islamic history and doctrines.

To sum up, Guru Nanak for the first time introduce oecumenism in philosophy and religion; and he brought closer to each other, not only the religions and philosophies of Vedic origin, but also the religions of Semitic origin. He rightly puts it when he says, that just as the Philosopher's stone (paras) transmutes by its touch eight metals into gold, so also his philosophy transmutes the four Vedic traditions and the four Semitic traditions into the gold of truth. In Ceylon he praised the Hinayana Buddhists for giving up caste prejudices but urged their leader to accept belief in God. To the Christians he would say : 'The New Testament is the fulfilment of the Old Testament. I give you the third Testament which is the the fulfilment of the Gospels.' Guru Nanak ushered an oecumenical epoch with the whole world as its base. He showed us how the Churches of East and West can, not only come close to each other, but can also unite in the spirit of Justice and Truth, and create a unity in diversity.

The most remarkable thing in this oecumenical epoch is that even though the Sikh movement came into serious political conflict with the ruling powers and the sixth and tenth Gurus had to fight many battles with the Moghul rulers, they did not fight a single ideological battle. They fought the battles for freedom, justice, and the right to exist as equals. Innumerable Muslims were fighting on their side while many selfish and greedy Hindu princes were on the side of Moghuls. The Sikh Gurus never made religion either the instrument or the cause of any warfare. Guru Nanak believed in changing human minds and not in eliminating the faiths of others. His approach was constructive and tried to bring other schools of thought in closer co-operation and spiritual unity in the Cathedral of Truth.