Gurmat Ontology: Bridging Science and Spirituality Through the Mool Mantra
The Mool Mantra, fo
undational to Sikh philosophy (Gurmat), offers a profound ontological framework for understanding the nature of reality. It presents a worldview that integrates subjective experience with observable phenomena, bridging science and spirituality. Guru Nanak Dev Ji articulated this mantra not as a mere theological assertion but as an experiential guide to life and existence, grounded in both the personal and the universal.
At its core, the Mool Mantra reveals reality as non-dual and interconnected, emphasizing the unity of existence. It provides insights into human conditioning, consciousness, and the vibratory nature of creation, offering a transformative and holistic perspective on life and well-being.
Mool Mantra: The Gateway to Ontological Reality
“Ik Oankar Sat Naam Kartaa Purkh Nirbhau Nirvair Akaal Moorat Ajooni Saibhang Gurprasad”
This mantra encapsulates the essence of reality in its various dimensions:
- Ik Oankar: The singular, ultimate reality expressed as a continuous vibrational process.
- Sat Naam: Truth as the unchanging essence, the eternal presence of existence.
- Kartaa Purkh: The conscious creative force within creation, simultaneously the knower, witness, and participant in the unfolding of nature (Kudrat).
- Nirbhau and Nirvair: Fearlessness (absence of future projection) and freedom from hate (absence of past conflict), qualities of timeless presence.
- Akaal Moorat: The timeless form, not confined by birth, death, or linear time.
- Ajooni and Saibhang: Unborn and self-existent, the self-sustaining source of all.
- Gurprasad: The grace of awareness, the experiential realization of this truth.
The Ontology of the Mool Mantra
Consciousness as the Ground of Reality
In Gurmat, consciousness (Paratama) is the ultimate substratum of existence. This consciousness is not external or separate but immanent, permeating all creation. Guru Nanak describes it as the unstruck vibration (Anhad Naad), the source of all being:
“ਸੁੰਨ ਮਹਿ ਸਚੋ ਸਚੁ ਰਖਿਆ।”
(Within the primal void, the True Lord established the eternal reality. – SGGS 1037)
The Mool Mantra begins with Ik Oankar, signifying the singularity of existence. This oneness reflects the interconnectedness of all phenomena, resonating with modern scientific concepts like quantum entanglement, which reveal a reality where separation is an illusion.
Vibrational Reality: Ongkaar and Creation
The term Ongkaar represents the vibrational essence of existence, encompassing creation, preservation, destruction, and recreation. This vibratory process, described as Ongkaar, aligns with the scientific understanding of energy as the foundation of matter and life. Guru Nanak emphasizes this continuous process:
“ਏਕਾ ਮਾਈ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਵਿਆਈ ਤਿਨਿ ਚੇਲੇ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ।”
(The One Divine Mother manifested creation through vibrational wisdom, and all beings are its reflections. – SGGS 7)
Modern physics reveals that all matter is, at its core, energy vibrating at various frequencies. Similarly, Gurbani teaches that this vibrational interplay is the essence of reality, manifesting as Naam—the unfolding presence of existence.
Fearlessness and Love: Transcending Time
The Mool Mantra presents timelessness as the essence of reality. Fear (Nirbhau) arises from projecting the mind into the future, and hate (Nirvair) is rooted in unresolved past experiences. In the eternal present, there is no past or future, only the now. Guru Nanak teaches:
“ਜਿਨੀ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇਆ ਗਏ ਮਸਕਤਿ ਘਾਲਿ।”
(Those who meditate on Naam transcend time and space through their labor of love. – SGGS 8)
By anchoring in the present moment, one transcends the dualities of time, experiencing life as an unfolding continuum of love and awareness.
Self-Existence and Creativity
Akaal Moorat, Ajooni, and Saibhang describe reality as timeless, unborn, and self-sustaining. These concepts resonate with fractal geometry and self-organizing systems in science, where patterns emerge and sustain themselves without external intervention. Reality, as described in Gurmat, is a self-aware, self-existent continuum.
Guru Nanak calls this the divine play (Leela) of Kartaa Purkh, where consciousness manifests as creation itself:
“ਤੂੰ ਕਰਤਾ ਸਚਿਆਰੁ ਮੈਡਾ ਸਾਂਗੁ।”
(You are the Creator, the True One; I am merely your instrument. – SGGS 1)
Bridging Science and Spirituality
- Vibration and Energy: The Mool Mantra‘s emphasis on vibrational creation mirrors scientific concepts of electromagnetic waves and quantum fields, where energy manifests as matter and vice versa.
- Timelessness and the Present Moment: Akaal Moorat aligns with Einstein’s theory of relativity, where time is not absolute but relative, and the present moment is the only experiential constant.
- Interconnectedness: Ik Oankar resonates with ecological and quantum systems, emphasizing the interdependence of all phenomena.
- Conscious Awareness: Modern neuroscience recognizes the centrality of consciousness in shaping reality, echoing Gurmat’s view of consciousness as both the observer and creator of experience.
Transformative Living: From Self-Realization to Self-Sovereignty
The Mool Mantra is not just a philosophical assertion but a guide to living. By engaging with it, one moves through stages of transformation:
- Self-Realization (Aatam Gyaan): Recognizing one’s unity with the infinite consciousness.
- Self-Actualization (Jeevan Mukti): Manifesting this realization in daily life through ethical living, compassion, and service.
- Self-Sovereignty (Miri-Piri): Achieving mastery over inner awareness and outer action, integrating spiritual and temporal responsibilities.
Conclusion: A New Ontological Experience
The Mool Mantra offers an ontological model that is both personal and universal. It transcends dualistic notions of “God” to reveal existence itself as sacred. Life is the prayer, and living in awareness of the Mool Mantra becomes the pathway to holistic well-being.
In bridging science and spirituality, the Mool Mantra provides a framework for understanding reality not just intellectually but experientially, enabling a new way of being that is grounded, timeless, and interconnected. It transforms life into an ecstatic dance of vibrational energy, anchored in the eternal now.
(c) Davinder S Panesar 2024