03/09/2018 We Are Neither The Body Nor The Mind | Gurbani Blog | ਗਰਬਾਣੀ ਬਲਗ

ਪਿੜਐ ਨਾਹੀ ਭਦ ਬਿਝਐ ਪਾਵਣਾ : Not by reading (religious books), but through Understanding, is the Mystery Realized. - sggs, 148

GURBANI BLOG | ਗਰਬਾਣੀ ਬਲਗ

Understanding the Gurbani Through the Gurbani

You are here: Gurbani Blog » We Are Neither The Body Nor The Mind

We Are Neither The Body Nor The Mind

by T Singh

All forms are a result of the play of the five elements or Maya, including the human body. With the form of the body,
false ego-sense appears. All human sufferings begin after this psychological construction called false ego-sense
(Haumai) has arisen.

We are not the body

Simply put, false ego-sense means accepting this gross body as oneself.

The Gurbani Teaches us the body-consciousness or “I-am-the body” idea is erroneous – mistaken identity. This
error arises out of love or attachment to gross body-frame, which is indicative of hunger for Maya (ਮਾਇਆ ਦੀ ਭਖ),
Haumai (false ego-sense), Bharam (doubts), Bikaar (lust, anger, greed, etc.)…

Hence, body-consciousness is Maya-consciousness, for according to the Gurbani, the gross body is nothing but
Maya!

ਇਹ ਸਰੀਰ ਮਾਇਆ ਕਾ ਪਤਲਾ ਿਵਿਚ ਹਉਮ ਦਸਟੀ ਪਾਈ : This body is the puppet of Maya. The evil of egotism is within it
(sggs 31).

Due to material conditionings, the consciousness mistakenly attaches itself to the body, and, in this body identity, it
then works through innate tendencies, attributes, dispositions or Maya. In this ignorance, we take our physical body
as the base point and see ourselves existing in time and space.

ਕਾਇਆ ਿਮਟੀ ਅਧ ਹ ਪਉਣ ਪਛਹ ਜਾਇ : The body is (just) the blind dust (ignorant, inert in itself, etc.), go and ask the
soul. (sggs 511).

Therefore, the Gurbani has painstakingly explained the need to understand the difference between one’s external
body (“ਿਬਦਹੀ”-Bidehee; Pindaa-ਿਪਡਾ…), and one’s Soul that is Formless, Immortal, and Undying (“ਦਹੀ ਗਪਤ”-Gupat
Dehee; Inner Kaaiaa, subtle body…). The external body has a temporary existence, and is visible to the physical
eyes (“ਿਬਦਹੀ ਦੀਸ”). To the contrary, the Gupat Dehee or Kaaiaa (“ਦਹੀ ਗਪਤ”) cannot be seen with the physical eyes
of the external body.

ਦਹੀ ਗਪਤ ਿਬਦਹੀ ਦੀਸ : Dehee (ਦਹੀ – subtle body within) is hidden; Bidehee (ਿਬਦਹੀ – gross, external body) is
seen (sggs 900).

Opposite of the body-consciousness is the Shabad-Consciousness (Shabad-Surti).

ਸਰਿਤ ਸਬਿਦ ਭਵ ਸਾਗਰ ਤਰੀਐ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮ ਵਖਾਣ : O Nanak! With consciousness focused on the Shabad, one
crosses over the terrifying world-ocean (of Maya). (sggs 938).

We are even not the mind

The mind is a phantom! In fact, all religions exist because there exists this phantom called the mind.

The Spiritual Knowledge (Brahm-Giaan) of the Gurbani is meant to annihilate body-consciousness (Mayaic-mind,
Haumai…) and jolt the mind into abiding in its Mool (Source, Origin, True Nature, Joti…).

But this will not happen until we gain insights into the disorder created by the conditioned thinking (Soch) of the
conditioned or “Pardaesee” mind (strange, wandering, alien, outsider…).

http://www.gurbani.org/gurblog/we-are-neither-the-body-nor-the-mind/ 1/3
03/09/2018 We Are Neither The Body Nor The Mind | Gurbani Blog | ਗਰਬਾਣੀ ਬਲਗ
ਮਨ ਪਰਦਸੀ ਜ ਥੀਐ ਸਭ ਦਸ ਪਰਾਇਆ ॥੭॥: If the mind becomes a stranger (to its Mool, within), then all the world
becomes a stranger to him. ||7||(sggs 767).

The river is characterized as fast, turbulent, slow, calm, clean and muddy if the water in the river is fast, turbulent,
slow, calm, clean and muddy, respectively. Similarly, the mind is said to be agitated, worried, anxious, stressful,
vulgar, clean, pure and calm if the thoughts are agitated, worried, anxious, stressful, vulgar, clean, pure and calm,
respectively.

Just as a drunkard person sees objects moving, the ignorant one sees movement in this world and sees diversity in
the unity. Thus, the mind is able to veil the All pervading, Infinite Consciousness and confound it with the inert
physical body-frame. Once so confounded with the limited body consciousness, the Soul can no longer express its
omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence.

ਮਾਇਆ ਡਲ ਬਹ ਿਬਧੀ ਮਨ ਲਪਿਟਓ ਿਤਹ ਸਗ : Maya wavers many ways, the mind clings to this (Maya, also wavers
many ways). (sggs 258).

The mind’s True Nature

The SGGS reminds the mind of its True Nature — “Joti Saroopu-ਜਿਤ ਸਰਪ”.

ਇਉ ਕਹ ਨਾਨਕ ਮਨ ਤ ਜਿਤ ਸਰਪ ਹ ਅਪਣਾ ਮਲ ਪਛਾਣ ॥੫॥: Thus says Nanak – O mind! Your “Saroopu” (nature,
identity…) is “Joti” (Divine Light). (O mind!) Recognize your Mool (Source, Jot, Origin…) ||5|| (sggs 441).

The Gurbani asserts One “Joti” (Light, Source, Reality…) is the True Base (Adhaar) or Substratum for everything
visible or invisible, sentient or non-sentient. As ocean is the base of the wave, similarly, the This One Reality is the
Substratum of our ego-consciousness and all subsequent manifestations. Ocean is the metaphor for the one’s True
Self, and the wave is the metaphor for the false ego-sense arising on the True Self. Our body is the food for this
false ego-sense without which the manifestation or Maya is not present. When the wave subsides, only ocean
remains, which was there before the wave. Similarly, when the false “I” consciousness subsides, only the “Joti
Saroopu-ਜਿਤ ਸਰਪ ” remains, which was present prior to the appearance of the physical body or the rise of the false
ego-sense (Haumai).

ਜਿਤ ਜੀਅ ਅਸਖ ਦਇ ਅਧਾਰ ॥੫॥: “Joti” is the Base (Substratum, Support…) of innumerable beings. ||5|| (sggs
1190).

Simply put, the mind is the separation from its Mool (Jot, Root, Source, Origin, Hari, Raam, Gobind, Allah…). Wider
the gap of this separation, denser the mind — thicker the Haumai or false ego-sense. Hence, the mind happens to
us, we don’t happen to the mind!

However, instead, the Gurbani says the mortal thinks himself as ego-center (Haumai). That is, the majority of us
mistakenly confound our Mool with the body-mind-intellect personality. The fire of this ego-center (lust, anger,
greed, attachment, pride, stubbornness, enviousness, etc.) burns within and keeps our doubt-ridden and Maya-
driven mind separated from its Mool (Source…).

ਕਬੀਰ ਪਰਦਸੀ ਕ ਘਾਘਰ ਚਹ ਿਦਿਸ ਲਾਗੀ ਆਿਗ : O Kabeer! The kilt (of sense-organs) of this alien (i.e., mind-“ਮਨ
ਪਰਦਸੀ”) has caught fire on all four sides (i.e., fire of Bikaar – lust, anger, greed, etc.). (sggs 1366).

Immediate knowledge of mind’s True Nature — “Joti

Saroopu-ਜਿਤ ਸਰਪ”
“Joti” simply means Light. The word “Saroopu” (or Saroop, etc.) is made of two words, namely “Sa” or “Sva” and
“Roopu“. The first part “Sva” means “your own”, and the second part “Roopu” means “true state, true image, true
embodiment, etc.”. The SGGS asserts we are That “Joti-Saroopu” — the true image or true state of the Divine prior
to the movement of the false ego-sense (Haumai).

As indicated in the Gurbani, the steps for realizing one’s “Joti-Svaroopa” entail eradicating the false ego-sense,
renouncing the crooked ways of the objective world, and transcending the three Gunas of Maya. To accomplish this
task, the conviction that “we are the Joti-Svaroopa and not the physical body” is must.

To that end, the Gu-Shabad is the indispensable aid — dipping the mind in the Shabad-Vichaar. For the Gur-
Shabad is like ice (“ਿਹਵ ਸੀਤਲ ਸਬਦ”) that cools the mind with Aatam-Giaan (Gurmat, Teaching of the Gurbani,
Wisdom or Divine Knowledge of the Gurbani…).

http://www.gurbani.org/gurblog/we-are-neither-the-body-nor-the-mind/ 2/3
03/09/2018 We Are Neither The Body Nor The Mind | Gurbani Blog | ਗਰਬਾਣੀ ਬਲਗ
ਅਤਿਰ ਅਗਿਨ ਸਬਲ ਅਿਤ ਿਬਿਖਆ ਿਹਵ ਸੀਤਲ ਸਬਦ ਗਰ ਦੀਜ : The powerful fire of Maya (desires, Bikaars…) is raging
greatly within (Jeeva-individual beings); (O Raam!) Give (me) the ice-cold Gur-Shabad (so that the raging fire of
Maya may be quenched). (sggs 1325).

The Shabad-Vichaar bestows the Divine Wisdom, which makes the mind stable (“ਿਨਹਚਲ”) and helps transcend
Maya and recognize the Truth. The Shabad-Vichaar insures Jeeva’s constant “Vigaasu-ਿਵਗਾਸ” (growth of Aatam-
Giaan, Divine Knowledge, Inner Blossoming …).

ਿਜਉ ਮਦਰ ਕਉ ਥਾਮ ਥਮਨ ਿਤਉ ਗਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦ ਮਨਿਹ ਅਸਥਮਨ : As a buiding is supported by its pillars, so does the
Gur-Shabad supports the mind. (sggs 282).

Because — according to the Gurbani — it’s only the Divine Knowledge (Aatam-Giaan, Spiritual Wisdom…) that can
stabilize the doubt-ridden mind. In nutshell, without Shabad-Vichaar, true understanding of the Spiritual Wisdom of
the Gurmat cannot be realized and the mind cannot be annihilated (conquered …).

ਮਨ ਸਮਝਾਵਨ ਕਾਰਨ ਕਛਅਕ ਪੜੀਐ ਿਗਆਨ ॥੫॥: To instruct the mind (to raise Consciousness to Higher Dimension,
one) ought to study Divine Knowledge to some extent. ||5|| (sggs 340).

Hence, the Gurbani urges us to go beyond Maya or body-consciousness (“Basai Thaani Oochai-ਬਸ ਥਾਿਨ ਊਚ”) by
inculcating the outgoing mind (“ਮਨ ਸਮਝਾਵਨ”) with the Wisdom or Bibek-Budh of the Gurbani obtained through ts
constant churning (Shabad-Vichaar). Because, according to the Gurbani, the mind can only be annihilated by
Spiritual Wisdom of the Gur-Shabad (“ਿਗਆਨ ਕਾ ਬਧਾ ਮਨ ਰਹ”).

In nutshell, the Gurbani reminds this fickle mind of its True or Original Nature — “Joti Saroopu-ਜਿਤ ਸਰਪ”.

Therefore, if we have to think, the Gurbani teaches us to think “I am Joti Saroopu-ਜਿਤ ਸਰਪ”
(Unconditioned Consciousness, Pure  Awareness …).

The SGGS provides us with this immediate Knowledge (Aatam-Giaan) of that which already exists — “Joti-
Svaroopaਜਿਤ ਸਰਪ ”. This Divine Knowledge is the only means of realizing the Mool!

ਬਹਮ ਿਗਆਨੀ ਕਾ ਭਜਨ ਿਗਆਨ : Spiritual Wisdom (ਉ ਚੀ ਸਮਝ, etc.) is the food of the Brahm Giaanee – the knower
of Truth. (sggs 273).

The nature of the Gurmukh (Bhagat, Daas, Jan, Brahm-Giaanee, Jeevanmukta...) is the Nature of Aatmaa (“Joti
Saroopu-ਜਿਤ ਸਰਪ ”…) or Pure Awareness and there are no external features by which such an individual can be
identified. Only such Gursikhs (learners of the Wisdom of the SGGS) solve the Riddle!

Clearly, since the SGGS is the Giaan-Guru, the Way of the Gurbani is the Way of Understanding. Because, as the
Gurbani indicates, one is sure to get plundered due to lack of  Wisdom (Giaan Ratan)!

ਿਗਆਨ ਿਵਹਣਾ ਿਕਛ ਨ ਸਝ : Without Spiritual Wisdom, (one) understands nothing at all (sggs 1044).

Share This Post:

f t in

Filed Under: Body Consciousness, Giaan, Wisdom, Ignorance, Gurbani, Joti-Svaroopa, Awarenrss, Mind, Body, Intellect
Tagged With: body, giaan, Jot Saroop, mind, true nature, wisdom

© 1993 - 2018 GURBANI.ORG - REFLECTIONS ON GURBANI

http://www.gurbani.org/gurblog/we-are-neither-the-body-nor-the-mind/ 3/3