Eternal Life And Sikhism

[Embers]

Apologies Ambersji, I assumed you were a bhaji but indeed you're keeping that info to yourself! My bad.

I will paste a link to a really good thread about ego, where our SPNadmin (currently on sabbatical!) pointed out to me that although the word haumai is usually translated into English as 'ego', it is in fact a compound word meaning me/you and if you read this word as meaning 'separation' (from God) it can make more sense - the aim then is not to destroy ego (which Vouthon bhaji rightly said would be impossible and it is part of this human being in hukam), but to destroy the sense of separation from God which creates a false ego/Maya entrapment.

I will post the link asap.

Ishna Ji, no need to apologise. I wasn't able to turn on the male icon beside the name earlier. I tried various times and just figured it out today, my profile reads "male" if viewed. I am considering to request my name is changed to help reduce this issue as it has been happening since I enrolled. I assume I may need to wait for the SPNadmin to return? :grinningkaur:

Thanks a lot for the link and the explanation. This makes much more sense to me. Below is a quote from the Bhagavad Gita which is one reason I personally feel the ego does not die. I appreciate this is not Sikhi scripture, but hope no one minds it being quoted as it might add to the discussion:

Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind,
Intellect, ego-principle:
These are the eight divisions of
My prakriti, O Arjuna. 7.4

Such is my lower prakriti,
Yet know my higher prakriti
Sustains all beings that exist
And the whole cosmos, Mighty Armed. 7.5

Here Lord Krishna informs Arjuna that his lower prakiri, or nature includes the ego-principle. So although it is subject to change and prakriti itself it is in fact a part of God (or God's prarkiri).

The soul, in my opinion, can be known. It can be known as unchanging and it does not have any personality traits. Consequently it is intuitively known as that which pervades all and is unchanging and eternal.

The Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji appears to point to this in my opinion:

Page 1405, Line 5
ਅਬਿਨਾਸੀ ਅਚਲੁ ਅਜੋਨੀ ਸੰਭਉ ਪੁਰਖੋਤਮੁ ਅਪਾਰ ਪਰੇ ॥
अबिनासी अचलु अजोनी स्मभउ पुरखोतमु अपार परे ॥
Abẖināsī acẖal ajonī sambẖa▫o purkẖoṯam apār pare.
The Eternal, Imperishable, Unmoving and Unchanging, Unborn, Self-Existent, Primal Being of the Soul, the Infinity of the Infinite,
Bard Bala-y

Page 862, Line 18
ਆਇ ਨ ਜਾਵੈ ਨਿਹਚਲੁ ਧਨੀ ॥
आइ न जावै निहचलु धनी ॥
Ā▫e na jāvai nihcẖal ḏẖanī.
The unchanging Lord does not come or go.
Guru Arjan Dev

Page 743, Line 7
ਜੀਵਤ ਮਰਤ ਨਿਹਚਲੁ ਪਾਵਹਿ ਥਾਉ ॥੨॥
जीवत मरत निहचलु पावहि थाउ ॥२॥
Jīvaṯ maraṯ nihcẖal pāvahi thā▫o. ||2||
In life, and in death, you shall find your eternal, unchanging home. ||2||
Guru Arjan Dev

Page 640, Line 6
ਕਰਨੀ ਸੁਣਿ ਸੁਣਿ ਜੀਵਿਆ ਭਾਈ ਨਿਹਚਲੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਥਾਉ ॥
करनी सुणि सुणि जीविआ भाई निहचलु पाइआ थाउ ॥
Karnī suṇ suṇ jīvi▫ā bẖā▫ī nihcẖal pā▫i▫ā thā▫o.
Listening with my ears, I hear and so I live, O Siblings of Destiny; I have obtained the unchanging, unmoving state.
Guru Arjan Dev

Page 272, Line 18
ਆਤਮ ਰਸੁ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਗਿਆਨੀ ਚੀਨਾ ॥
आतम रसु ब्रहम गिआनी चीना ॥
Āṯam ras barahm gi▫ānī cẖīnā.
The God-conscious being knows the nature of the soul.
Guru Arjan Dev

Page 342, Line 11
ਇਹੁ ਅਰੁ ਓਹੁ ਜਬ ਮਿਲੈ ਤਬ ਮਿਲਤ ਨ ਜਾਨੈ ਕੋਇ ॥੩੮॥
इहु अरु ओहु जब मिलै तब मिलत न जानै कोइ ॥३८॥
Ih ar oh jab milai ṯab milaṯ na jānai ko▫e. ||38||
When this soul and that Lord are blended, then, having been blended, they cannot be known separately. ||38||
Devotee Kabir

Page 468, Line 12
ਸਚੁ ਤਾਂ ਪਰੁ ਜਾਣੀਐ ਜਾ ਆਤਮ ਤੀਰਥਿ ਕਰੇ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥
सचु तां परु जाणीऐ जा आतम तीरथि करे निवासु ॥
Sacẖ ṯāʼn par jāṇī▫ai jā āṯam ṯirath kare nivās.
One knows the Truth only when he dwells in the sacred shrine of pilgrimage of his own soul.
Guru Nanak Dev

Sat Siri Akaal.