Reincarnation redefined

By Asia Samachar Team | OPINION |

More than 100 billion people have lived and died before us. Not a single one of them have come back and filed a report on the reincarnation cycle, says a Sikh thinker.

“Yet reincarnation is presented as a religious fact and religious truth. It is presented as a reality of life, believed by millions and accepted by millions more,” argues Karminder Singh Dhillon in the latest (5/12) series of his video discussion entitled Sikhi Concepts. Click here.

In this segment, he explains how pre-existing spiritual concepts are re-defined within Gurbani. He explores the REDEFINING of the concept of REINCARNATION or aavaa gaaun in Gurbani.

“A vast majority of Sikh mistakenly think, and accept, that reincarnation and aavaa gaavaa is the narrative of Gurbani. Nothing can be further from the truth.”

“The first thing Gurbani does is to debunk the notion that reincarnation of the soul is the outcome of the judgment of deeds of the soul after death,” he says.

He then refers to some verses (shabads) from a Guru Granth Sahib to discuss the Sikh narrative of reincarnation.

This is one of the shabads discussed:

jab kach na sio, tab kya karta, kavn karam kar aiya. apna kheyl aap kar deykhay, thakur rachan rachaiya – SGGS, 748

Dr Karminder believes that the shabad shreds the concocted theory of reincarnation and throws it out of the spiritual window.

“Logic has a force of its own. This is very powerful logic presented by Guru Arjan Ji,” he says.

“If a Sikh thinks for himself or herself, this one verse alone is enough to debunk the whole concocted theory of judgment, 8.8 million, aavaa gaavan and reincarnation. That is how powerful Gurbani is. One verse is enough to debunk an entire theory.”

He then refers to a number of other quotations from SGGS before moving forward to discuss the objective of the ‘aavaa gaaun’ as understood in Gurbani.

Karminder, a retired Malaysian civil servant and a regular speaker on the Sikh faith, is author of five recently released books on Sikhi, including The Hijacking of Sikhi.

THE FIRST FOUR PARTS:

Guru Nanak’s Canvas, Death, After Life & Chauraasi Lash (8.4m Lives)

Part 1 of the 12-part series titled GURU NANAK’S CANVAS tells us why understanding the re-defining is necessary to appreciate the messages of Gurbani. It can be viewed here: https://sikhivicharforum.org/2020/11/…

Part 2 of the 12-part series explores the concept of DEATH in Gurbani – how it is first REALIGNED then REDEFINED in accordance with Guru Nanak’s canvas of Spirituality for the Here and Now. It can be viewed here: https://sikhivicharforum.org/2020/11/…

Part 3 of the 12-part series explores the concept of AFTER LIFE in Gurbani – how it is REDEFINED in accordance with Guru Nanak’s canvas of Spirituality for the Here and Now. It can be viewed here: https://sikhivicharforum.org/2020/12/…

Part 4 of the 12-part series explores the concept of 8.4 million in Gurbani – how it is REDEFINED in accordance with Guru Nanak’s canvas of Spirituality for the Here and Now. It can be viewed here: https://sikhivicharforum.org/2020/12/…

RELATED STORY:

Chauraasi lakh or 8.4m. What do they mean Gurbani-wise? (Asia Samachar, 21 Dec 2020)

Revisiting death (Asia Samachar, 5 Dec 2020)