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Who 2

This is a follow-up to Who.

This is the final installment in a series that began with Was There Ever Nothing?, followed by Something, then followed by Who. The primary points made in those studies are as follows:

1) Absolutely Nothing never existed. If it had, there would still be Absolutely Nothing now. But Something Else exists. You, for example.

2) Since Absolutely Nothing never existed, there was always a time when there was something in existence. This something we can call the Eternal Something. The Eternal Something has no beginning and no end, has no needs that It Itself cannot meet, can do whatever is possible that can be done, and will always be superior to anything It produces.

3) The Eternal Something is not a machine, controlled or programmed by any force outside Itself. And the Eternal Something will not produce out of necessity, since It has no needs. Therefore, if It produces Something Else, It must decide to do so. That means that the Eternal Something has a will; thus, It is personal. Therefore, the Eternal Something must actually be an Eternal Someone (or Someones).

Continuing on, what can we discern about the Eternal Someone, beyond what has been stated already? Since the Eternal Someone has no needs that it cannot fulfill on it's own, it can exist without need of any kind of environment, for it existed when there was nothing else but itself. Any environment could be part of the Eternal Someone, but the Eternal Someone would also be outside of that environment. But all there is, is the Eternal Someone.

It's likely then that the Eternal Someone is transcendent (beyond or above the range of normal or physical human experience). Meaning, the Eternal Someone can exist outside of time and space, since it is bound by neither one. The Eternal Someone exists eternally, thus being outside of time. And the Eternal Someone exists without need of an environment, thus being outside of space.

Being transcendent of time and space, it's possible that the Eternal Someone is what we would call invisible. Only that which takes up space is visible. If something is outside of space, how could it be seen? Just so, the Eternal Someone is likely invisible and can exist without need of any kind of body or form.

For discussion sake, let's say that the Eternal Someone decides to produce Something Else -- or rather, Someone Else. The Eternal Someone chooses to produce Someone Else who is like it in some respects. Like it, the Someone Else will have a self-consciousness, which is a necessary aspect of having will. So the Someone Else is a self and has a will.

What can we determine about this Someone Else? Will this Someone Else be outside of time? No, the Someone Else will not have existed eternally. The Someone Else will have a beginning and thus be bound by time.

Recall that anything the Eternal Someone produces will be inferior with regard to time and space. That cannot be avoided in any way. So, even if the Someone Else were to exist forever in the future, they would still have a beginning in time. Actually, their timeline would fall within the [infinite] timeline of the Eternal Someone.

What about space? Will the Someone Else be bound by space? Yes. Only the Eternal Someone can exist without any kind of environment. The Someone Else will need an environment to exist in, but what? Think of space like time. The Someone Else exists within the Eternal Someone's timeline. In a similar way, the Someone Else will exist within the Eternal Someone's "spaceline."

The Eternal Someone transcends space. Thus, just as It is everywhere in time, It can be everywhere in space. So, when the Someone Else is produced, they will exist within the Eternal Someone's time and space.

So now we've got the Eternal Someone and the Someone Else, but there's a problem. The Someone Else cannot see the Eternal Someone, for the Eternal Someone transcends space. The Eternal Someone does not take up a part of space.

So the Someone Else cannot detect the Eternal Someone. So what must the Eternal Someone do if it wants to be detected by the Someone Else? The Eternal Someone must "untranscend." Some kind of untranscendence is essential. Is that possible?

Remember, anything that can possibly be done can be done by the Eternal Someone. It would be possible for It to make itself detectable by the Someone Else, that is, to "untranscend." How?

We detect the presence of another in our world through sight, smell, touch, taste, hearing. If the Eternal Someone gave the Someone Else the ability to see or hear, for example, then the Eternal Someone could (1) change reality, (2) communicate, or (3) do both simultaneously. These would be ways of untranscending so that the Eternal Someone could be detected by the Someone Else.

Remember, the Someone Else is produced. Thus, the Someone Else is bound by time and space. Whatever Eternal Someone's makeup (nature) is, it will be detectable in time and space. Therefore, all the Eternal Someone has to do be part of whatever form it has created or given to the Someone Else. That is one way to make itself detectable.

But here's a question: if the Eternal Someone is part of Someone Else in order to be detected, is that the whole of the Eternal Someone? No! There would be more to It that It had not made known. Though the Eternal Someone could divulge much about itself, the whole of It -- that is, in its transcendence -- could not be fully known or understood by the Someone Else.

Interestingly, the scenario described above is exactly what we see in Sikhism and the Sikh scriptures from over 400 years ago. We are like the Someone Else. We are bound by time and space. God, however, is the Eternal Someone. And God untranscended in the Gurus. To find out more, see below...


1. God is the Eternal Someone. God has always existed and will continue to do so.

ਤੂ ਸਦਾ ਸਲਾਮਤਿ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ॥੧੬॥
Ŧū saḏā salāmaṯ nirankār. ||16||
You (God) are the Eternal and Formless One! ||16||

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Nanak, Ang 3

ਮੇਰੇ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਪੂਰੈ ਤਖਤਿ ਅਡੋਲੁ ॥
Mere ṯẖākur pūrai ṯakẖaṯ adol.
My Lord and Master is Perfect; God's throne is eternal and immovable.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Nanak, Ang 17

ਤਿਸੁ ਸਰਣਾਈ ਸਦਾ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਕਰਤਾਰੁ ॥੧॥
Ŧis sarṇā▫ī saḏā sukẖ pārbarahm karṯār. ||1||
In God's Sanctuary there is eternal peace. God is the supreme one, the creator. ||1||

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Arjan, Ang 45

ਜੋ ਆਇਆ ਸੋ ਚਲਸੀ ਅਮਰੁ ਸੁ ਗੁਰੁ ਕਰਤਾਰੁ ॥
Jo ā▫i▫ā so cẖalsī amar so gur karṯār.
Whoever comes must also go. Only the Guru and the Creator are Eternal.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Nanak, Ang 63

ਆਇ ਨ ਜਾਈ ਥਿਰੁ ਸਦਾ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦੀ ਸਚੁ ਜਾਣੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Ā▫e na jā▫ī thir saḏā gur sabḏī sacẖ jāṇ. ||1|| rahā▫o.
God does not come or go; God is eternal and permanent. Through the word of the Guru's Shabad, God is known as True. ||1||Pause||

ਚਿਤਿ ਆਵੈ ਓਸੁ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਤਾ ਨਿਹਚਲੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਰਾਜੁ ॥੨॥
Cẖiṯ āvai os pārbarahm ṯā nihcẖal hovai rāj. ||2||
if you then come to remember the Supreme God, you shall obtain the eternal kingdom. ||2||

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Arjan, Ang 70

ਆਦਿ ਸਚੁ ਜੁਗਾਦਿ ਸਚੁ ॥
Āḏ sacẖ jugāḏ sacẖ.
True In The Primal Beginning. True Throughout The Ages.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Nanak, Ang 1

ਹੈ ਭੀ ਸਚੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਹੋਸੀ ਭੀ ਸਚੁ ॥੧॥
Hai bẖī sacẖ Nānak hosī bẖī sacẖ. ||1||
True Here And Now. O Nanak, Forever And Ever True. ||1||

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Nanak, Ang 1

ਆਗੈ ਆਪਿ ਇਹੁ ਥਾਨੁ ਵਸਿ ਜਾ ਕੈ ॥
Āgai āp ih thān vas jā kai.
God alone exists hereafter; this place is in God's power.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Arjan, Ang 200

2. God is invisible.

ਅਗਮ ਅਗੋਚਰ ਅਲਖ ਅਭੇਵਾ ॥
Agam agocẖar alakẖ abẖevā.
God is Inaccessible, Incomprehensible, Invisible and Inscrutable.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Arjan, Ang 98

ਜਪਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਅਲਖ ਵਿਡਾਣੀ ॥੫॥
Jap Nānak parabẖ alakẖ vidāṇī. ||5||
Meditate, O Nanak, on God, the invisible, the wonderful! ||5||

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Arjan, Ang 286

ਅਲਖੁ ਲਖਾਇਆ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਪਾਇਆ ਨਾਨਕ ਇਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਚੋਲ੍ਹ੍ਹਾ ॥੩॥੫॥੧੪੫॥
Alakẖ lakẖā▫i▫ā gur ṯe pā▫i▫ā Nānak ih har kā cẖolĥā. ||3||5||145||
The Invisible God is seen through the Guru; O Nanak, this is the wondrous play of God. ||3||5||145||

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Arjan, Ang 407

ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰੁ ਅਲਖੁ ਹੈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪ੍ਰਗਟੀਆ ॥
Nirbẖa▫o nirankār alakẖ hai gurmukẖ pargatī▫ā.
The Fearless, Formless God is unseen and invisible; God is revealed only to the Gurmukh.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Amar Das, Ang 516

ਪ੍ਰਭ ਅਵਿਨਾਸੀ ਅਲਖ ਅਭੇਵਾ ॥੧॥
Parabẖ avināsī alakẖ abẖevā. ||1||
God is imperishable, invisible and incomprehensible. ||1||

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Arjan, Ang 805

3. God can be everywhere, yet God is still distinct from us.

ਵਾਸੁਦੇਵ ਸਰਬਤ੍ਰ ਮੈ ਊਨ ਨ ਕਤਹੂ ਠਾਇ ॥
vāsuḏev sarbaṯar mai ūn na kaṯhū ṯẖā▫e.
The all-pervading God is in all places. There is no place where God does not exist.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Arjan, Ang 259

ਅਲਖੁ ਵਰਤੈ ਅਗਮ ਅਪਾਰਾ ॥
Alakẖ varṯai agam apārā.
The Invisible, Inaccessible and Infinite is pervading everywhere.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Amar Das, Ang 113

ਗੋਵਿੰਦੁ ਅਲਖ ਅਪਾਰੁ ਅਪਰੰਪਰੁ ਆਪੁ ਆਪਣਾ ਜਾਣੈ ॥
Govinḏ alakẖ apār aprampar āp āpṇā jāṇai.
God is invisible, infinite and unlimited. Only God know itself.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Ram Das, Ang 448

4. Anything that can possibly be done, can be done by God.

ਜੋ ਤੁਧੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸਾਈ ਭਲੀ ਕਾਰ ॥
Jo ṯuḏẖ bẖāvai sā▫ī bẖalī kār.
Whatever pleases you (God) is the only good done,

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Nanak, Ang 3

ਵਡਾ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਵਡੀ ਨਾਈ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾ ਕਾ ਹੋਵੈ ॥
vadā sāhib vadī nā▫ī kīṯā jā kā hovai.
Great is God, great is God's name. Whatever happens is according to God's will.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Nanak, Ang 5

ਜੋ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੋਈ ਕਰਸੀ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਨ ਕਰਣਾ ਜਾਈ ॥
Jo ṯis bẖāvai so▫ī karsī hukam na karṇā jā▫ī.
God does whatever God pleases. No order can be issued to God.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Nanak, Ang 6

ਜੋ ਦੀਸੈ ਸੋ ਵਿਣਸਣਾ ਮਨ ਕੀ ਮਤਿ ਤਿਆਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Jo ḏīsai so viṇsaṇā man kī maṯ ṯi▫āg. ||1|| rahā▫o.
Whatever is seen, shall pass away. Abandon the intellectualizations of your mind. ||1||Pause||

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Arjan, Ang 50

5. It is possible for God to be within us, God can be part of us all.

ਆਪੇ ਮੇਲਿ ਮਿਲਾਵਹੀ ਸਾਚੈ ਮਹਲਿ ਹਦੂਰਿ ॥੨॥
Āpe mel milāvahī sācẖai mahal haḏūr. ||2||
God itself unites us in union with itself; the true mansion of God's presence is close at hand. ||2||

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Nanak, Ang 20

ਸਚੁ ਵਖਰੁ ਧਨੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੈ ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਗਹਿਰ ਗੰਭੀਰੁ ॥
Sacẖ vakẖar ḏẖan nām hai gẖat gẖat gahir gambẖīr.
The Naam is the true merchandise and wealth; in each and every heart, God's presence is deep and profound.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Nanak, Ang 22

ਜੋ ਕਛੁ ਕਰੀ ਸੁ ਤੇਰੈ ਹਦੂਰਿ ॥
Jo kacẖẖ karī so ṯerai haḏūr.
Whatever I do, I do in your presence.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Nanak, Ang 25

ਘਰ ਹੀ ਵਿਚਿ ਮਹਲੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦੀ ਵੀਚਾਰਿ ॥੨॥
Gẖar hī vicẖ mahal pā▫i▫ā gur sabḏī vīcẖār. ||2||
Within the home of their own inner being, they obtain the mansion of the God's presence, reflecting on the Guru's Shabad. ||2||

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Amar Das, Ang 30

ਤਿਨ ਕਉ ਮਹਲੁ ਹਦੂਰਿ ਹੈ ਜੋ ਸਚਿ ਰਹੇ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਇ ॥੩॥
Ŧin ka▫o mahal haḏūr hai jo sacẖ rahe liv lā▫e. ||3||
Those who remain lovingly absorbed in the True One see the Mansion of God's presence close at hand. ||3||

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Amar Das, Ang 35

6. While God is in the Universe, this is not the whole of God, and yet it is still God.

ਜਿਹ ਧਿਰਿ ਦੇਖਾ ਤਿਹ ਧਿਰਿ ਮਉਜੂਦੁ ॥੧॥
Jih ḏẖir ḏekẖā ṯih ḏẖir ma▫ujūḏ. ||1||
Wherever I look, there I see God's Presence. ||1||

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Nanak, Ang 84

ਆਪੇ ਦੇਵੈ ਸਦਿ ਬੁਲਾਏ ॥
Āpe ḏevai saḏ bulā▫e.
God itself sends out the call, and God summons us to God's presence.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Amar Das, Ang 127

ਮਨਮੁਖੁ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੀ ਮਹਲੁ ਨ ਜਾਣੈ ਖਿਨੁ ਆਗੈ ਖਿਨੁ ਪੀਛੈ ॥
Manmukẖ ahaʼnkārī mahal na jāṇai kẖin āgai kẖin pīcẖẖai.
The egotistical, self-willed manmukh does not know the mansion of the God's Presence; one moment God is here, and the next moment God is there.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Amar Das, Ang 314

ਹੈ ਹਜੂਰਿ ਹਾਜਰੁ ਅਰਦਾਸਿ ॥
Hai hajūr hājar arḏās.
God is the presence ever-present; offer your prayers to God.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Nanak, Ang 352

ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਇਕੁ ਵਰਤਦਾ ਏਕੋ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਇ ॥
Sabẖ mėh ik varaṯḏā eko rahi▫ā samā▫e.
The One God permeates all. The One God is pervading everywhere.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Amar Das, Ang 27

ਐਸਾ ਮੇਰਾ ਰਾਮੁ ਰਹਿਆ ਭਰਪੂਰਿ ॥
Aisā merā rām rahi▫ā bẖarpūr.
Such is my God, who is all-pervading everywhere.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Ram Das, Ang 165

ਨਾਨਕ ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਰਵਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਥਾਨ ਥਨੰਤਰਿ ਸੋਇ ॥੧॥
Nānak sabẖ mėh rav rahi▫ā thān thananṯar so▫e. ||1||
O Nanak, God is pervading everywhere; God is contained in all spaces and interspaces. ||1||

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Arjan, Ang 260

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