Ontological Misrecognition and the Illusion of Compassion:
Abstract
This article offers a psycho-spiritual and ontological critique of the Assisted Dying Bill through the lens of Gurmat, the mystic science of consciousness from Guru Nanak’s paradigm. Unlike biomedical and secular approaches that reduce human identity to physiological functioning, Gurmat affirms the non-dual, eternal nature of consciousness (Jot), viewing embodied life as an opportunity to transcend the cycles of birth and death (ਅਵਗਣ ਭਰੇ ਦਿਨਸੁ ਰੈਣਾਰੇ ॥). Drawing upon Gurbani, Tibetan Bardo teachings, near-death experiences (NDEs), and reincarnation research, this paper asserts that assisted dying reflects a profound misrecognition of life’s ontological reality. The compassion advocated for assisted suicide is exposed as ego-driven relief from witnessing suffering, not true karuna grounded in wisdom. This article affirms human birth as an extraordinarily rare opportunity to overcome haumai and align with Hukam—contradicting the assisted dying narrative and its ethical justifications.
- Introduction
The Assisted Dying Bill, under the guise of compassion and autonomy, invites ethical scrutiny from ontological and consciousness-based traditions. From a Gurmat perspective, this is not merely a question of individual choice, but one concerning the very nature of existence, karma, death, and the human journey of consciousness.
- Gurmat Ontology of Life, Birth and Death
Gurmat is rooted in Ik Oankaar—singular, indivisible consciousness that pervades all. Human birth (manukh dehi) is the culmination of evolutionary consciousness through 8.4 million junis (life forms) and represents the unique opportunity for liberation (mukti).
“ਏਹੁ ਮਾਨੁਖੁ ਸਜਨੁ ਹਰਿ ਮਿਲਣ ਕੈ ਤਾਈ ਆਇਆ ॥”
This human body has been given to you for the purpose of union with the Divine. (Guru Arjan, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 378)
Life in Gurmat is not bound by dualistic definitions of birth and death. The Jiv Atma—a wave in the ocean of non-dual consciousness—is neither born nor does it die, but assumes form due to karmic entanglement.
“ਨ ਜੰਮੈ ਮਰੈ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਕਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਅਪਰਸ ਪਰਮ ਪਦੁ ਪਾਇ ॥”
It is not born, and it does not die; it does not come and go. Nanak’s being has touched the Immaculate One and obtained the supreme state. (Ang 684)
- Karma and the Egoic Complex (Haumai)
Karma, within Gurmat, is not fate but the impression of past volitional acts embedded in the Antahkaran (inner architecture). There are:
- Sanchit karma (accumulated)
- Prarabdh karma (currently unfolding)
- Kriyaman karma (created now)
These are mediated through haumai (ego-complex), which filters reality through self-grasping and aversion. The entangled ego fears suffering, clings to form, and mistakes impermanence as annihilation.
“ਹਉਮੈ ਵਿਚਿ ਜਗੁ ਉਪਜਿਆ ਨਾਉ ਵਿਰਲੈ ਬੂਝਿਆ ॥”
In ego the world was born; only the rare few understand the Naam. (Ang 560)
The decision for assisted suicide often emerges from this egoic avoidance of pain and decay, not from spiritual wisdom or surrender to Hukam.
- The Illusion of Compassion
Modern arguments for assisted dying are couched in “compassion,” but this is typically aversion to witnessing suffering—a projection of ego distress masked as care. Gurmat distinguishes between Karuna (compassion from wisdom) and egoic sentimentality.
This ‘compassion’ may be driven by:
- Emotional discomfort of caregivers or physicians
- Desire to control the unpredictable
- Financial and systemic convenience
- Fear of helplessness, not love
True compassion, in Gurmat, arises from recognizing the dignity of the soul’s journey and supporting consciousness to align with Hukam, not extinguish the body.
- The Dying Process: Consciousness at the Threshold
Death in Gurmat is not an end but a passage—the continuity of the Jiv Atma shaped by karma and consciousness at the moment of death. Gurbani is explicit:
“ਜੈਸੀ ਮੈ ਆਵੈ ਖਸਮ ਕੀ ਬਾਣੀ ਤੈਸੜਾ ਕਰੀ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਵੇ ਲਾਲੋ ॥”
As the Word of the Lord comes to me, so do I express it, O Lalo. (Ang 722)
At the final moment, the state of consciousness determines the post-death trajectory. Assisted dying can induce fear, confusion, and unpreparedness, disrupting natural dissolution.
- Tibetan Bardo, NDE Research & Past-Life Evidence
The Tibetan Bardo Thödol details transitional states after death where consciousness navigates illusions based on samskaric impressions. Similar themes arise in NDEs:
- Awareness beyond brain function
- Encounter with light or beings
- Life review
- Continuation of self-awareness
Research by Dr. Ian Stevenson and Dr. Jim Tucker further affirms continuity of consciousness through verified past-life memories.
These findings resonate with Gurmat:
“ਮਰਣੁ ਨ ਜਾਪੈ ਮੂਰਤ ਪਲੁ ਥਿਤੀ ਵਾਰੁ ਨ ਜਾਣੈ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਜਿਤੁ ਮਰਣੇ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ਡਰੈ ਮੈ ਅਨੰਦੁ ਮਰਣਿ ਚਿਤੁ ਲਾਇਆ ॥”
No one knows the time or moment of death. The world fears death, but I joyfully embrace it. (Ang 136)
Ant Kaal – The Final Moment and the Trajectory of the Jiv Atma 
6.1 The Soul (Atma) as Embodied Consciousness
In Gurmat ontology, Atma is not a static “soul” in the Judeo-Christian sense but is best described as embodied consciousness—a dynamic, wave-like expression of the infinite ocean of Ik Oankaar. It is not separate from the Source but appears as individualised due to karmic tendencies and haumai (egoic distortion).
Metaphor:
“ਜਲ ਤੇ ਉਪਜਿ ਤਰੰਗ ਸਮਾਨੀ ॥“
From the water, the waves rise, only to merge back again. (SGGS Ang 1020)
This expresses the ontological relationship between the Jiv Atma (wave) and the Supreme Consciousness (ocean). The wave never ceases to be water—similarly, the soul never departs from consciousness but becomes identified with form, leading to Haumai and bondage.
6.2 The Significance of Ant Kaal (Final Moment)
The Ant Kaal, or last moment, is a spiritually charged threshold. Consciousness, if prepared, has the opportunity to dissolve all remaining egoic clinging and merge into the non-dual state (Mukti). If unprepared, it contracts into vibrational patterns consistent with its final attachments.
“ਅੰਤਿ ਕਾਲਿ ਜੋ ਲਛਮੀ ਸਿਮਰੈ ਐਸੀ ਚਿੰਤਾ ਮਹਿ ਜੇ ਮਰੈ ॥
One who dies while thinking of wealth shall be reborn as a snake. (Bhagat Trilochan Ji, SGGS Ang 526)
“ਅੰਤਿ ਕਾਲਿ ਨਾਰਾਇਣੁ ਸਿਮਰੇ ਐਸਾ ਜਨੁ ਰਲੇਉ ਹਮਾਰੇ ॥“
One who dies remembering the Divine merges with the Eternal. (SGGS Ang 526)
This principle aligns with the Tibetan Bardo and Yogic teachings—the vibrational field at death determines the soul’s trajectory.
6.3 Vibrational Matching: Atma’s Trajectory Post-Death
Every thought-form (vritti) is a vibrational frequency. At death, these vrittis surface in intensified clarity. The Atma, now disembodied, is drawn toward realms resonating with its dominant vibrations:
| Dominant Thought at Death | Post-Death Trajectory |
| Lust | Rebirth in animal/sexual realms |
| Greed (wealth) | Snake or subterranean incarnations |
| Attachment to family | Earthbound ghost-like states |
| Naam Simran | Mukti or higher spiritual realms |
| Haumai | Return to Samsaric cycles |
“ਜੈਸੀ ਮੈ ਆਵੈ ਖਸਮ ਕੀ ਬਾਣੀ ਤੈਸੜਾ ਕਰੀ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਵੇ ਲਾਲੋ ॥“
As the Lord’s Bani flows, so does my expression arise, O Lalo. (Guru Nanak Dev Ji, SGGS Ang 722)
This highlights the non-linear, real-time response of consciousness to Hukam—which is eternally unfolding.
6.4 Ontological Flowchart: Trajectory of Atma According to Gurmat
The diagram above visualizes the progression of the soul from birth, through karmic formation and egoic development, to its decisive moment at Ant Kaal. The post-death trajectory—liberation or transmigration—is determined by the vibrational imprint at the moment of death.
6.5 NDEs, Rebirth, and Gurbani Alignment
Near-Death Experience (NDE) research shows consciousness persists beyond brain death. Subjects often describe:
- Hyper-real perception
- Life review with moral and emotional feedback
- Encounters with non-physical beings or Light
- A sense of timelessness and being “called back”
These align with:
“ਮਰਣੁ ਨ ਜਾਪੈ ਮੂਰਤ ਪਲੁ ਥਿਤੀ ਵਾਰੁ ਨ ਜਾਣੈ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਜਿਤੁ ਮਰਣੇ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ਡਰੈ ਮੈ ਅਨੰਦੁ ਮਰਣਿ ਚਿਤੁ ਲਾਇਆ ॥“
No one knows their time of death. The world fears death, but I focus on dying in bliss. (SGGS Ang 136)
6.6 Assisted Dying: A Psycho-Spiritual Interruption
Assisted suicide is an ontological rupture:
- It denies the Atma a conscious exit and reorientation.
- Sedatives dull awareness at the most critical spiritual juncture.
- The illusion of “compassion” hides egoic avoidance, not karuna.
- It may result in karmic carryover, earthbound entrapment, or forced rebirth.
6.7 Psycho-Spiritual Preparation for Ant Kaal
| Practice Element | Gurmat Approach |
| Simran | Internal repetition of Naam for vibrational purity |
| Saakshi (Witnessing) | Cultivating awareness of thoughts/emotions |
| Surrender to Hukam | Letting go of resistance to suffering/death |
| Physical Posture | Upright, stable, no sedation if possible |
| Environment | Naam-filled, loving, non-chaotic |
- Sacredness of Human Birth
From Gurmat’s view, human birth is exceedingly rare, not to be squandered through choices stemming from pain-avoidance or delusion:
“ਬਹੁੜਿ ਨ ਹੋਵੀ ਜਨਮੁ ਹਮਾਰਾ ॥”
Never again will we get this human birth. (Ang 1144)
Ending one’s life prematurely not only cuts short karmic resolution but forfeits the opportunity for realization, Naam, and spiritual ascent.
- Hukam, Suffering and the Role of the Witness
Suffering is not punishment but an alchemical process. It exposes attachments, dissolves arrogance, and opens portals to grace. The role of Saakshi (witness-consciousness) is central. Assisted dying often denies this sacred unfolding.
Gurmat Therapy teaches that Suffering = Egoic resistance to Hukam.
To aid someone in dying is to rob them of their final spiritual classroom.
- Ethical and Ontological Conclusion
Assisted suicide is not a solution; it is a symptom of modernity’s spiritual bankruptcy and fear of non-control. Gurmat’s ontological paradigm reorients the meaning of death and compassion by affirming:
Gurmat rejects the fear-based, ego-driven response to suffering that promotes assisted dying. Instead, it offers an ontological pathway rooted in awareness, Naam, and surrender. The final moment—Ant Kaal—is not merely a biological event but a psycho-spiritual inflection point. Only when understood as such can true karuna—rooted in awareness and not avoidance—be practiced.
- Consciousness is eternal
- Suffering is transformative
- Compassion is wisdom, not sentiment
- Death is a spiritual transition, not an end
References
- Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (Ang references throughout)
- Stevenson, I. (2001). Children Who Remember Previous Lives. University of Virginia.
- Tucker, J. (2013). Return to Life. St. Martin’s Press.
- Moody, R. (1975). Life After Life. Mockingbird Books.
- Sogyal Rinpoche. (2002). The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. HarperCollins.
- Deikman, A. (1982). The Observing Self. Beacon Press.
- Panesar, D. (2024). Ontological Health and Gurmat Therapy. GMS Journal.
- Greyson, B. (2000). “Near-death experiences”. The Lancet.
Author: Davinder Singh Panesar 2025
Gurmat psychology Series