Gufateh
Perhaps we need to look at these definitions of Guru Mukh and Manmukh within the context of Gurbani from a psychological prepective and not an exoteric view.
Many of us are confused and ignorant about what the mind is. We too have been so heavy influenced by the philosphy of descarte and shankya, that we see all through the eyes of dualism, mind and matter, etc.
To keep things simple, we should look at the following terms:
Sikh - Learner ( who learns? what facility within you or I actually learns?)
The basis of Gurbani is to allow one to EXPERIENCE an INNER transformation, NOT an external transformation.
If we conducted a simple experiment of just closing our eyes. What do we see? No matter what you see, you notice that there is a "seer" within that is experiencing the experience of black or darkness. Try and find this "seer".
No matter how hard you look, there is always the "seer" or observer trying to observe itself.
I would define the darkness that the seer experienced as the content within the mind, and the seer, the consciousness that is aware of the content.
Manmukh is when we identify with Content of our mind, i.e thoughts, emotions, feelings etc while Gurmukh is idetifying ourslves with the seer of the content.
Gur = that which takes you from darkness (ignorance or not knowing) to a state of knowing. What inside YOU allows you to experience the experience of knowing? You will find that its the "seer" or observer that resides within your mind.
There are many references from Gurbani that illustrate this, Maan tu Jot saroop hai, apna mool pacha. or Antar Gur Ardana .....etc.
It is only though introinspection that one discovers that Gurmukh and Manmukh are infact opposite ways of self identity.
This require refined thought and is contrary to our normal concept of the term Gurmukh and Manmukh. If anyone wishes to explore this further, please feel free.
I have included a recent article I wrote that contains some refrences to Consciousness:
Prof Devinder Singh Chahal writes ..."However, it is very clear that
consciousness is the result of collective action of millions of neurons
and reactions of some chemicals produced in the brain"
I would like to contest the statement above, consciouness is does not
appear to be a by product of chemical nor neuroactivity in the brain. Even within this particular disipline of science, the problem of Qualia
cannot be addressed. It is akin to the work of Crick and watson re DNA,
the many have discovered the nature of DNA, yet were unable to
discover "life" within those chemical.
Additionally, although every individual experinces their own self,
including scientist, in the study of mind, brain and psychology
consciouness was not acknowledged and actively dismissed as having "no
place in the study of mind, brain and psychology", in the pursuit of
science!.
my reason for contesting is that such generalised statements may
mislead us in the pursuit of "truth" and prevent us from learning, i.e.
being a Sikh.
As the beautiful Zen story illustrates,
Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a
university professor who came to inquire about Zen.
Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor's cup full, and then kept on
pouring.
The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain
himself. "It is overfull. No more will go in!"
"Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and
speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"
There is NO clear undersanding about consciouness, in fact, the Hard
problem of consciouness does not seem to go away. (David Chambers). The
hard problem being the Qualia of experience. The hard problem of
consciousness was formulated by Chalmers in 1996, dealing with the
issue of "how to explain a state of phenomenal consciousness in terms
of its neurological basis" What determines the quality of experince,
the depth, the understanding, etc.
I would suggest that consciouness is beyond the grasp of man, i.e.
science.
Perhaps the understanding and in particular our "emotional attachment"
to this concept should be explored.
If Guru is understood to be a process of moving from a state of not
knowing to a state of knowing, Gu (Darkness, ignorance) Ru (Light,
knowing, knowledge), then perhaps we can explore what within us is
moved into a state of knowing?
What "knows" within us?
Being conscious implies to know.
Those who may have had experinces of mystical states would recognise
that one quality of such a state is "timelessness" and "Complete
Awareness". By complete I mean, contentless, yet clear & pure.
jis tay sojhee man pa-ee mili-aa purakh sujaan.
Through them, understanding has entered my mind, and I have met the All- knowing Lord God. Guru Arjan Dev p 43
tooN daanaa beenaa saachaa sir mayrai.
You are All-knowing, All-seeing and True, O my Supreme Lord. Guru Nanak Dev
antarjaamee parabh sujaan.
God is All-knowing, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. Guru Arjan Dev
There are numerous references that illustrate "God" as being all
knowing, i.e. Conscious -
It is the notion of "I" hau-mai - referencing-self, an illusionary
identity that is "lost" leading to such states, leaving a sense of
knowing without sujectivity, objectivity and experince as being
distinct, but synthesised in ONE.
'Consciousness is not an object. It is hereness itself. Our minds are
usually involved with an object that appears and disappears in the
hereness, and because of that, we overlook the nature of hereness. Pure
consciousness is what these words appear in, what all bodies appear in.
It infuses all words and bodies, and it is conscious of itself, and it
is you. In your recognition of yourself as pure consciousness, you
awaken to yourself. Normally, when we speak of consciousness, we are
referring to particular states of awareness - being aware of something
or not being aware of something - rather than the awareness itself.'
It appears that our (Sikhs) emotional attachment to the understanding
of Guru, prevents or hampers us in gaining a deeper understanding of
both the process and qualitative experince of Akal. Should one change,
develop, deconstruct, reconstruct their understanding it allow one
to "experince" Karta-Purkh ( Creative consciouness)
Some references that may assist in moving this discussion forward.
sabh meh jot jot hai so-ay.
Amongst all is the Light-You are that Light.
Guru Nanak Dev p 13
panch bhoot sach bhai ratay jot sachee man maahi.
The body of the five elements is dyed in the Fear of the True One; the
mind is filled with the True Light.
Guru Nanak Dev p 20
jah daykhaa tah rav rahay siv saktee kaa mayl.
Wherever I look, I see the Lord pervading there, in the union of Shiva
and Shakti, of consciousness and matter, Guru Nanak Dev, p 21.
jotee jot milaa-ee-ai surtee surat sanjog.
When one's light merges into the Light, and one's intuitive
consciousness is joined with the Intuitive Consciousness,
Guru Nanak Dev p 21
tab lag mahal na paa-ee-ai jab lag saach na cheet.
As long as Truth does not enter into the consciousness, the Mansion of
the Lord's Presence is not found.
Guru Nanak Dev
gur charnee sadaa chit laa-i-aa.
I focus my consciousness on the Guru's Feet forever.
Guru Amar Das
gur parsaadee ko virlaa boojhai cha-uthai pad liv laavani-aa. ||1|| By Guru's Grace, a few come to understand; they center their
consciousness in the fourth state. ||1||
Guru Amar Das p 129
a-ukhaDh mantar mool man aikai jay kar darirh chit keejai ray. O mind, there is only the One medicine, mantra and healing herb -
center your consciousness firmly on the One Lord.
Guru Nanak Dev p 156
