A Gurmat Perspective on the Ethical, Ontological, and Consciousness Dimensions
The debate surrounding assisted dying continues to evoke deep ethical, spiritual, and psychological inquiries. From a Gurmat perspective, which stems from the wisdom of Sikh philosophy as encapsulated in the Guru Granth Sahib, assisted dying raises significant concerns that transcend mere biological existence. The reductionist approach of mainstream Western paradigms, which often fail to recognize the deeper states and stages of consciousness, karma, and the sacredness of human life, underscores the need for a consciousness-based critique.
Recognizing Assisted Dying as Suicide: A Gurmat Lens
Assisted dying is often framed in terms of compassion—easing suffering at the end of life. However, from a Gurmat perspective, this act is fundamentally seen as suicide, driven by egoic desires to escape dukh (suffering). Gurbani (the sacred Sikh scriptures) emphasizes the divinely ordained nature of life and death, asserting that both sukh (pleasure) and dukh are manifestations of divine will:
“Dukh daroo sukh rog bhaiaa, jaa sukh taam na hoee.” – Guru Nanak Dev Ji (SGGS, Ang 469) (Suffering is the medicine, and pleasure the disease; where there is pleasure, there is no desire for God.)
This shabad highlights that suffering, while challenging, is a profound opportunity for spiritual growth and realization of divine grace. By seeking to escape suffering through assisted dying, individuals deny themselves the karmic lessons and spiritual evolution inherent in their current life circumstances.
The Connection Between Dukh and Sukh
Gurmat teaches that dukh and sukh are interconnected, with one giving rise to the other. The pursuit of sukh often leads to dukh as attachment to worldly pleasures inevitably results in suffering:
“Sukh ke maage dukh.” – Guru Nanak Dev Ji (SGGS, Ang 57) (In seeking pleasure, one invites pain.)
This cycle underscores the futility of pursuing transient joys while ignoring the deeper, spiritual purpose of life. Gurbani urges individuals to rise above this duality:
“Jo sukh ko chaahiye sadaa dukh hoey.” – Bhagat Kabir Ji (SGGS, Ang 329) (Those who long for happiness shall always suffer.)
The Guru Granth Sahib emphasizes living in a state of sehaj (equanimity), where one transcends the dualities of dukh and sukh through divine remembrance:
“Dukh sukh dohu sam kar jaanai.” – Guru Arjan Dev Ji (SGGS, Ang 219) (Consider pain and pleasure alike.)
The Gift of Human Life: A Spiritual Imperative
In Gurmat, human birth is seen as a unique opportunity for spiritual progress and liberation from the cycles of birth and death (reincarnation):
“Bahut janam bichhure the madhau, eh janam tumhare lekhe.” – Guru Arjan Dev Ji (SGGS, Ang 378) (After wandering through countless lifetimes, this human life has been given to you for union with the Divine.)
Assisted dying, by prematurely ending life, disrupts this sacred opportunity. Without resolving karmic debts or fulfilling the divine purpose of existence, the soul remains tied to samsara, the cycle of birth and death, prolonging its journey in lower states of consciousness.
Karma and the Cycles of Reincarnation
A key deficiency in Western paradigms is their materialistic and reductionist worldview, which disregards karma, reincarnation, and the law of cause and effect. Gurmat teaches that suffering is not arbitrary but karmically determined—a result of past actions that must be resolved. Attempting to escape suffering through assisted dying is akin to shirking responsibility, which only perpetuates karmic entanglements:
“Aapay beeje aapay khaae.” – Guru Nanak Dev Ji (SGGS, Ang 705) (As one sows, so shall one reap.)
This understanding is echoed in consciousness studies and reincarnation case studies, such as those documented by Dr. Ian Stevenson, which reveal how unresolved traumas and actions in one life manifest in subsequent lives. By ending life prematurely, individuals potentially carry forward their unresolved suffering into future incarnations.
The Process of Dying and Transmigration in Gurmat
Gurmat places profound emphasis on the “ant kaal” (the last moment of life) as a critical phase that determines the soul’s trajectory. The Gurbani underscores the significance of a conscious and devotional state at the time of death:
“Ant kaal jo lachhmi simrai, aisi chintaa meh jae marai.” – Guru Arjan Dev Ji (SGGS, Ang 526) (At the last moment, those who dwell on wealth or material desires die in that consciousness.)
“Ant kaal Narayan simrai, aisi chintaa meh jae marai.” – Guru Arjan Dev Ji (SGGS, Ang 526) (At the last moment, those who remember the Divine merge into divine consciousness.)
Bhagat Kabir Ji eloquently warns about the consequences of dying with unresolved attachments and desires:
“Jih simrat tan dheer na aavai, tin maran kahaa sukh hoey.” – Bhagat Kabir Ji (SGGS, Ang 1367) (Those who do not remember the Divine cannot find peace even in death.)
The Fate of the Departed Soul 
From a Gurmat perspective, the fate of the departed soul is intricately tied to its karmic account and the state of consciousness at the moment of death. The soul carries forward unresolved desires, attachments, and karmic imprints into the intermediate states described in Bardos and supported by accounts of Near-Death Experiences (NDEs).
“Manmukh maran veechareyaa, janam janam ka dukh.” – Guru Nanak Dev Ji (SGGS, Ang 880) (The self-willed experience the pain of death and rebirth, suffering for lifetimes.)
In the Bardos, or intermediate states described in Tibetan and Sikh metaphysics, the soul encounters realms reflective of its karmic patterns. These realms—whether luminous and angelic or shadowy and hellish—are shaped by the soul’s consciousness and deeds. NDE research by Dr. Raymond Moody and others reveals that individuals often describe encountering divine or infernal experiences immediately after death, supporting this spiritual understanding.
“Jam ki haath na laagai, jis ant kaal hari gun gaai.” – Guru Arjan Dev Ji (SGGS, Ang 297) (Death’s messengers do not touch those who sing the praises of the Divine at the final moment.)
For souls bound by egoic desires and ignorance, the transmigration process entails a return to samsara. Gurbani warns of being trapped in cycles of suffering:
“Pher ke garabh jon val val aavahi.” – Guru Nanak Dev Ji (SGGS, Ang 115) (Again and again, they are sent into the womb to be reborn.)
On the contrary, those who engage in naam-simran (divine remembrance) and live in alignment with hukam (divine will) achieve liberation (mukti) and merge with the Infinite:
“Gurmukh mukat sadaa sukh paaiaa.” – Guru Nanak Dev Ji (SGGS, Ang 125) (The enlightened are liberated and forever experience peace.)
Consciousness as the Essence of Human Life
Gurmat identifies consciousness as the fundamental essence of human existence. The Guru Granth Sahib repeatedly highlights the divine nature of the soul (atma), which is a reflection of the Supreme Consciousness (Parmatma):
“Aatma Ram ke antarjaaamee.” – Guru Arjan Dev Ji (SGGS, Ang 1153) (The soul is the indwelling Lord.)
“Mann tu jot saroop hai, apna mool pachhaan.” – Guru Amar Das Ji (SGGS, Ang 441) (O mind, you are the embodiment of divine light; recognize your origin.)
This understanding aligns with findings in consciousness studies, which suggest that human awareness transcends physical death and continues its journey in subtle realms, shaped by karmic imprints and spiritual development.
Understanding Samsara and Post-Life Transmigration
Samsara, as articulated in Gurmat, represents the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth driven by karma and maya (illusion). The unresolved components of haumai—egoic desires, attachments, and ignorance—fuel this cycle. The soul (atma), as an embodied consciousness, carries forward these unresolved karmic imprints into subsequent incarnations:
“Pher ke garabh jon val val aavahi.” – Guru Nanak Dev Ji (SGGS, Ang 115) (Again and again, they are sent into the womb to be reborn.)
In the Bardos, or intermediate states described in Tibetan and Sikh metaphysics, the soul encounters various realms reflective of its karmic patterns. Research into NDEs (Near-Death Experiences) by Dr. Raymond Moody and Bardos teachings corroborates that post-death states are not mere voids but are deeply shaped by the consciousness carried at death. Gurmat wisdom underscores that only by transcending egoic desires through naam-simran (divine remembrance) can the soul escape samsara.
Egoic Desires and Human Birth as a Missed Opportunity
The human birth offers a rare opportunity to transcend the egoic complex and realize one’s divine nature. Gurbani repeatedly reminds us that failure to utilize this opportunity results in prolonged entanglement in samsara:
“Manukh janam dulambh hai, naam bina birtha sabh jaae.” – Guru Arjan Dev Ji (SGGS, Ang 12) (Human life is precious, but without divine remembrance, it is wasted.)
When individuals pursue assisted dying, they effectively surrender to the ego’s fear of suffering, bypassing the spiritual growth that such suffering could facilitate. Instead, they carry these unresolved fears and desires into future incarnations, prolonging their karmic cycles.
Suffering as a Karmic and Spiritual Catalyst
Gurmat does not romanticize suffering but recognizes it as an essential dimension of human experience that can catalyze spiritual awakening. This perspective is poignantly illustrated in the life of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, who endured immense suffering with equanimity, demonstrating the power of naam (divine remembrance) and acceptance of divine will.
“Tera keeaa meetha laagae.” – Guru Arjan Dev Ji (SGGS, Ang 394) (Your will is sweet to me.)
This stance underscores the transformative potential of suffering, which Western paradigms often view merely as a problem to be eliminated rather than a vehicle for higher consciousness.
The Absence of Consciousness Awareness in the West
Mainstream Western paradigms predominantly focus on the biological and psychological dimensions of life, neglecting the ontological and metaphysical realms. Gurmat, along with other wisdom traditions, offers a nuanced understanding of states and stages of consciousness, such as those articulated in the Japji Sahib:
“Paatala paatal lakh agasa agaas.” – Guru Nanak Dev Ji (SGGS, Ang 5) (There are countless realms beneath and above.)
The lack of awareness of these spiritual dimensions in Western approaches to assisted dying leads to decisions based on incomplete understandings of existence. Consciousness studies, including findings from contemplative traditions and modern neuroscience, suggest that the mind and soul endure beyond physical death, further challenging the finality implied by assisted dying.
Impact on Families and Communities
Assisted dying affects not only the individual but also families and communities. From a Gurmat perspective, the spiritual ignorance underlying such decisions can perpetuate cycles of suffering for all involved. Families, in particular, may inherit unresolved karmic burdens and trauma, further entangling them in maya.
Conclusion
The Gurmat perspective on assisted dying invites us to transcend the reductionist paradigms of Western thought and embrace a consciousness-based understanding of life and death. By recognizing the sacredness of human life, the karmic purpose of suffering, and the profound spiritual opportunities inherent in each moment, we align with divine will and progress toward liberation.
“Maran likaai mandal meh aae.” – Guru Nanak Dev Ji (SGGS, Ang 469) (Death is preordained; it comes when it is time.)
Through the wisdom of Gurmat, we are reminded that true liberation (mukti) lies not in escaping suffering but in embracing it with surrender, love, and awareness of divine presence. This ontological shift offers profound insights for individuals, families, and policymakers grappling with the ethical and spiritual dimensions of assisted dying.
© D S Panesar 2025
Introduction to Gurmat Psychology Series