(a) Describe the philosophy and teachings of Kabir. OR (b) Describe the philosophy and teachings of Guru Nanak

Question 23 of 33

Q. (a) Describe the philosophy and teachings of Kabir.

(OR)

(b) Describe the philosophy and teachings of Guru Nanak Dev.

CBSECBSE Class XII Board 2024Subjective· 8mImportance★★★★★

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Part (a)Concept understanding — Comparative Religious Ethics

Comparative Religious Ethics: A First Look

Imagine you're sitting with friends from different backgrounds. One says, "It's wrong to lie, always." Another says, "Sometimes a lie saves a life — that makes it right." A third says, "It depends on your intention." You realise none of them is being careless. Each is drawing from a deeper moral framework — a way of deciding what is good and why.

That's where comparative religious ethics begins. It is the study of how different religious traditions answer the same fundamental questions: What should I do? What kind of person should I be? Why?

What it actually means

Comparative religious ethics is not about ranking religions as "better" or "worse" morally. It is about understanding how each tradition builds its moral reasoning — its sources of authority, its methods of judgment, and its vision of a good life.

The NCERT textbook (Class 11, Understanding Society, and related humanities texts) treats this as part of understanding how societies create and sustain moral order. Different religions may agree on a rule (e.g., "do not steal") but arrive at it through completely different paths — one through divine command, another through karma and rebirth, another through the pursuit of inner peace.

Note

The word "ethics" here means systematic reflection on moral conduct. "Comparative" means you look at two or more traditions side by side — not to judge, but to see patterns, differences, and underlying principles.

Why it matters for a commerce/humanities student

You might think ethics is only for philosophers or priests. But consider:

Business ethics often draws on religious ideas of fairness, honesty, and stewardship.
Public policy debates — on charity, justice, or environmental responsibility — are shaped by religious moral frameworks.
Understanding your own values becomes sharper when you see how others reason about right and wrong.

Comparative religious ethics gives you a toolkit: you learn to spot why someone holds a moral position, not just what they hold. That is useful whether you are negotiating a deal, writing a policy brief, or simply trying to understand a neighbour.

How it works in practice

When you study a topic like "truthfulness" across traditions, you might find:

Hindu ethics (dharma) — truth is tied to cosmic order; speaking truth maintains harmony, but there are exceptions in times of crisis (apad-dharma).
Buddhist ethics — truthfulness is a precept, but the key is intention (cetana); a lie told with good intent may be treated differently.
Christian ethics — truth is rooted in God's nature; lying is a sin, but some traditions allow for "mental reservation" in extreme situations.
Islamic ethics — truthfulness (sidq) is a sign of faith; lying is forbidden except in specific cases like reconciling people or in war. …

Part (b)Concept understanding — Comparative Religious Ethics

Comparative Religious Ethics: A First Look

What it actually means

Note

Why it matters for a commerce/humanities student

You might think ethics is only for philosophers or priests. But consider:

Business ethics often draws on religious ideas of fairness, honesty, and stewardship.
Public policy debates — on charity, justice, or environmental responsibility — are shaped by religious moral frameworks.
Understanding your own values becomes sharper when you see how others reason about right and wrong.

How it works in practice

When you study a topic like "truthfulness" across traditions, you might find:

Hindu ethics (dharma) — truth is tied to cosmic order; speaking truth maintains harmony, but there are exceptions in times of crisis (apad-dharma).
Buddhist ethics — truthfulness is a precept, but the key is intention (cetana); a lie told with good intent may be treated differently.
Christian ethics — truth is rooted in God's nature; lying is a sin, but some traditions allow for "mental reservation" in extreme situations.
Islamic ethics — truthfulness (sidq) is a sign of faith; lying is forbidden except in specific cases like reconciling people or in war. …

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Part (a): Kabir preached devotion to one formless God, rejected ritual, idol worship and caste, sought Hindu-Muslim harmony, and taught in simple vernacular verse.

Part (b): Guru Nanak preached one formless God (Ik Onkar) through remembrance of the Name, honest labour and sharing, rejected ritual and caste, upheld equality, and founded the sangat and langar.

Both Kabir and Guru Nanak belonged to the medieval Bhakti movement, which emphasised loving devotion to God as the path to salvation rather than elaborate rituals, and which challenged caste, priestly dominance and religious formalism. They preached in the language of the common people and stressed the unity of God and of humanity.

Part (a)

Kabir was one of the most influential saints of the Nirguna (attributeless, formless) stream of Bhakti. His teachings can be summarised thus:

Nirguna monotheism: Kabir worshipped one supreme, formless God without shape or image. He called this one God by many names - Ram, Rahim, Allah, Hari, Govind, Khuda - to show that different faiths address the same reality, which dwells within every human heart. He therefore rejected the worship of idols and anthropomorphic deities.
Rejection of ritual and dogma: He strongly condemned external ceremonies - idol worship, pilgrimage, ritual bathing in holy rivers, fasting and formal prayers - as empty show if the heart is impure. He criticised the hypocrisy and arrogance of both Brahmins and mullahs.
Equality and communal harmony: Born into a weaver (Julaha) family, Kabir attacked the caste system and birth-based superiority, preaching the equality and brotherhood of all. He sought to reconcile Hindus and Muslims by pointing to their shared humanity and one God.
The true guru and inner path: While rejecting external authority, he stressed the need for a true guru to remove ignorance and ego, and taught that liberation comes through inner purity, truthfulness, compassion and love of God - attainable in this very life. …

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Q.(a) Describe the philosophy and teachings of Kabir.

Part (a)

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