What Happens After We Die?

[Billo G]

What is the concept of death in Sikhism?

Can you provide verses/ quotes from the Guru Granth sahib?

[singhbj singh]

ਗੂਜਰੀ ॥

Goojaree ||

गूजरी ॥

Goojaree:

1 ਪੰ. ੫

Page:526 Line: 5

ਅੰਤਿ ਕਾਲਿ ਜੋ ਲਛਮੀ ਸਿਮਰੈ ਐਸੀ ਚਿੰਤਾ ਮਹਿ ਜੇ ਮਰੈ ॥

Anth Kaal Jo Lashhamee Simarai Aisee Chinthaa Mehi Jae Marai ||

अंति कालि जो लछमी सिमरै ऐसी चिंता महि जे मरै ॥

At the very last moment, one who thinks of wealth, and dies in such thoughts,

2 ਗੂਜਰੀ (ਭ. ਤ੍ਰਿਲੋਚਨ) ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ : ਅੰਗ ੫੨੬ ਪੰ. ੫

Raag Goojree Bhagat Trilochan Page:526 Line: 5

ਸਰਪ ਜੋਨਿ ਵਲਿ ਵਲਿ ਅਉਤਰੈ ॥੧॥

Sarap Jon Val Val Aoutharai ||1||

सरप जोनि वलि वलि अउतरै ॥१॥

Shall be reincarnated over and over again, in the form of serpents. ||1||

3 ਗੂਜਰੀ (ਭ. ਤ੍ਰਿਲੋਚਨ) ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ : ਅੰਗ ੫੨੬ ਪੰ. ੬

Raag Goojree Bhagat Trilochan Page:526 Line: 6

ਅਰੀ ਬਾਈ ਗੋਬਿਦ ਨਾਮੁ ਮਤਿ ਬੀਸਰੈ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Aree Baaee Gobidh Naam Math Beesarai || Rehaao ||

अरी बाई गोबिद नामु मति बीसरै ॥ रहाउ ॥

O sister, do not forget the Name of the Lord of the Universe. ||Pause||

4 ਗੂਜਰੀ (ਭ. ਤ੍ਰਿਲੋਚਨ) ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ : ਅੰਗ ੫੨੬ ਪੰ. ੬

Raag Goojree Bhagat Trilochan Page:526 Line: 6

ਅੰਤਿ ਕਾਲਿ ਜੋ ਇਸਤ੍ਰੀ ਸਿਮਰੈ ਐਸੀ ਚਿੰਤਾ ਮਹਿ ਜੇ ਮਰੈ ॥

Anth Kaal Jo Eisathree Simarai Aisee Chinthaa Mehi Jae Marai ||

अंति कालि जो इसत्री सिमरै ऐसी चिंता महि जे मरै ॥

At the very last moment, he who thinks of women, and dies in such thoughts,

5 ਗੂਜਰੀ (ਭ. ਤ੍ਰਿਲੋਚਨ) ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ : ਅੰਗ ੫੨੬ ਪੰ. ੭

Raag Goojree Bhagat Trilochan Page:526 Line: 7

ਬੇਸਵਾ ਜੋਨਿ ਵਲਿ ਵਲਿ ਅਉਤਰੈ ॥੨॥

Baesavaa Jon Val Val Aoutharai ||2||

बेसवा जोनि वलि वलि अउतरै ॥२॥

Shall be reincarnated over and over again as a prostitute. ||2||

6 ਗੂਜਰੀ (ਭ. ਤ੍ਰਿਲੋਚਨ) ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ : ਅੰਗ ੫੨੬ ਪੰ. ੭

Raag Goojree Bhagat Trilochan Page:526 Line: 7

ਅੰਤਿ ਕਾਲਿ ਜੋ ਲੜਿਕੇ ਸਿਮਰੈ ਐਸੀ ਚਿੰਤਾ ਮਹਿ ਜੇ ਮਰੈ ॥

Anth Kaal Jo Larrikae Simarai Aisee Chinthaa Mehi Jae Marai ||

अंति कालि जो लड़िके सिमरै ऐसी चिंता महि जे मरै ॥

At the very last moment, one who thinks of his children, and dies in such thoughts,

7 ਗੂਜਰੀ (ਭ. ਤ੍ਰਿਲੋਚਨ) ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ : ਅੰਗ ੫੨੬ ਪੰ. ੮

Raag Goojree Bhagat Trilochan Page:526 Line: 8

ਸੂਕਰ ਜੋਨਿ ਵਲਿ ਵਲਿ ਅਉਤਰੈ ॥੩॥

Sookar Jon Val Val Aoutharai ||3||

सूकर जोनि वलि वलि अउतरै ॥३॥

Shall be reincarnated over and over again as a pig. ||3||

8 ਗੂਜਰੀ (ਭ. ਤ੍ਰਿਲੋਚਨ) ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ : ਅੰਗ ੫੨੬ ਪੰ. ੮

Raag Goojree Bhagat Trilochan Page:526 Line: 8

ਅੰਤਿ ਕਾਲਿ ਜੋ ਮੰਦਰ ਸਿਮਰੈ ਐਸੀ ਚਿੰਤਾ ਮਹਿ ਜੇ ਮਰੈ ॥

Anth Kaal Jo Mandhar Simarai Aisee Chinthaa Mehi Jae Marai ||

अंति कालि जो मंदर सिमरै ऐसी चिंता महि जे मरै ॥

At the very last moment, one who thinks of mansions, and dies in such thoughts,

9 ਗੂਜਰੀ (ਭ. ਤ੍ਰਿਲੋਚਨ) ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ : ਅੰਗ ੫੨੬ ਪੰ. ੯

Raag Goojree Bhagat Trilochan Page:526 Line: 9

ਪ੍ਰੇਤ ਜੋਨਿ ਵਲਿ ਵਲਿ ਅਉਤਰੈ ॥੪॥

Praeth Jon Val Val Aoutharai ||4||

प्रेत जोनि वलि वलि अउतरै ॥४॥

Shall be reincarnated over and over again as a goblin. ||4||

10 ਗੂਜਰੀ (ਭ. ਤ੍ਰਿਲੋਚਨ) ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ : ਅੰਗ ੫੨੬ ਪੰ. ੯

Raag Goojree Bhagat Trilochan Page:526 Line: 9

ਅੰਤਿ ਕਾਲਿ ਨਾਰਾਇਣੁ ਸਿਮਰੈ ਐਸੀ ਚਿੰਤਾ ਮਹਿ ਜੇ ਮਰੈ ॥

Anth Kaal Naaraaein Simarai Aisee Chinthaa Mehi Jae Marai ||

अंति कालि नाराइणु सिमरै ऐसी चिंता महि जे मरै ॥

At the very last moment, one who thinks of the Lord, and dies in such thoughts,

11 ਗੂਜਰੀ (ਭ. ਤ੍ਰਿਲੋਚਨ) ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ : ਅੰਗ ੫੨੬ ਪੰ. ੧੦

Raag Goojree Bhagat Trilochan Page:526 Line: 10

ਬਦਤਿ ਤਿਲੋਚਨੁ ਤੇ ਨਰ ਮੁਕਤਾ ਪੀਤੰਬਰੁ ਵਾ ਕੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਬਸੈ ॥੫॥੨॥

Badhath Thilochan Thae Nar Mukathaa Peethanbar Vaa Kae Ridhai Basai ||5||2||

बदति तिलोचनु ते नर मुकता पीत्मबरु वा के रिदै बसै ॥५॥२॥

Says Trilochan, that man shall be liberated; the Lord shall abide in his heart. ||5||2||

12 ਗੂਜਰੀ (ਭ. ਤ੍ਰਿਲੋਚਨ) ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ : ਅੰਗ ੫੨੬ ਪੰ. ੧੦

Raag Goojree Bhagat Trilochan Page:526 Line: 10

Source - http://searchgurbani.com/scriptures/ggs_shabad/2012/line/4

[Billo G]

So, basically what this means is that when one dies and our last thoughts are: (and please, correct me if i am wrong on any of the points)

1). wealth- one is reincarnated into a 'serpent' which means basically a sly person, and one who betrays another's trust and abuses it?

2). lust (thinking of women)- one is reincarnated into a 'prostitute' does that mean involving one's self in sexual activity, OR sacrificing one's talents for the sake of financial or personal gain? does the same apply for women that think of a man before she dies?

3). thinking of his children- is reincarnated into a 'pig', in other words, become a greedy person?

4). thinks of mansions- is reincarnated into a 'goblin' which is a mischievous person that causes trouble?

5). thinks of God- then one is 'liberated' free from everything and God will stay in his heart. What happens to the soul? Does it drift off somewhere?

Does this mean that God punishes if we are in those last thoughts? What about our entire life? Are we not judged on the good things we have done throughout our lives? For example, like giving to charity, helping the poor, looking after our parents, praying, and so on?

And, where it says 'shall be reincarnated over and over again.....' Does this mean we are not given a chance to rectify our last thoughts as a dying person? Does our entire reincarnated life depend on what our last thoughts are when we die?

I'd like a sincere answer because I'm interested to know about all this,

[kharkusingh1996]

So, basically what this means is that when one dies and our last thoughts are: (and please, correct me if i am wrong on any of the points)

1). wealth- one is reincarnated into a 'serpent' which means basically a sly person, and one who betrays another's trust and abuses it?

2). lust (thinking of women)- one is reincarnated into a 'prostitute' does that mean involving one's self in sexual activity, OR sacrificing one's talents for the sake of financial or personal gain? does the same apply for women that think of a man before she dies?

3). thinking of his children- is reincarnated into a 'pig', in other words, become a greedy person?

4). thinks of mansions- is reincarnated into a 'goblin' which is a mischievous person that causes trouble?

5). thinks of God- then one is 'liberated' free from everything and God will stay in his heart. What happens to the soul? Does it drift off somewhere?

Does this mean that God punishes if we are in those last thoughts? What about our entire life? Are we not judged on the good things we have done throughout our lives? For example, like giving to charity, helping the poor, looking after our parents, praying, and so on?

And, where it says 'shall be reincarnated over and over again.....' Does this mean we are not given a chance to rectify our last thoughts as a dying person? Does our entire reincarnated life depend on what our last thoughts are when we die?

I'd like a sincere answer because I'm interested to know about all this,

refer to Japji Sahib in Guru Granth Sahib (look to the end of the page) http://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gurbani.gurbani?Action=Page&Param=8&g=1&h=1&r=1&t=1&p=0&k=0&fb=0in the end it talks about how your actions/deeds are read out loud in Lord's court and your actions and the amount of naam you did in this life will be evaluated after your death. Your entire life will be evaluated not just your last thoughts. When you die you should be thinking about rejoining with the One not anything else because nothing comes with you after death (important note). There is no eternal hell concept in Sikhi but more like a temporary punishment place and then back into the rebirth cycle if you fail to merge with the One in this lifetime. Sikhs don't believe if your not Sikh you burn in eternal fire or such thing just making that clear.

Those examples that singhbj weren't very specific enough. The basic concept though is that you harvest what you plant in this world so your actions/deeds and naam (doing spiritual devotion to Vaheguru) all go with you after this world. For SIkhs we want to purify our mind and conquer the 5 vices and achieve salvation during our lifetime. That is really are goal and we try to do that by good actions and practicing naam. Sikhs do believe others of different religions can be rewarded afterlife but to us Sikhi is easiest way to merge with Vaheguru with the GGS given to us already.

[Billo G]

In the country/world/place? of modesty, the word is beauty.

Forms without an equal match are constructed here.

These forms cannot be described.

One who tries to speak of these shall regret the attempt.

The one that feels that to be true even without conscious reasoning, understanding with an open- mind, and understanding of the mind are shaped there.

The consciousness of the spiritual warriors (this term is used in Buddhism meaning one who gets rid of the universal enemy of self- ignorance which is the ultimate source of suffering according to Buddhist ideology), and the siddhas (a wise person that achieved enlightenment), the beings of spiritual perfection, are shaped there.

In the place of karma, the word is power.

No one else dwells there,

Except the warriors of great power, the spiritual heroes (Jesus, Gautama, Krishna, Muhammad, etc)

They are totally satisfied, and inspired with the idea of God’s presence.

In the sea of ‘sitas’ (sita is the wife of Rama, the Hindu model of an ideal man) they are peaceful in their impressive beauty. Does this refer to them as the beauty of gods and goddesses? Or referring to them being peaceful in the impressive beauty around them, in other words, in peacefulness of God’s creation? Or does this refer to a righteous woman ‘sitas’ in the world that are living for the pleasure of God only?

Their beauty cannot be described. Are there not specific descriptions of the beauty? For example, IF they are referring to the beauty of God’s creation, such as the Earth, the heavens, birds that are flying in the sky, mountains, trees, winds, the clouds and rain?

Neither death, nor deception comes to those,

Within those minds the lord abides. Does this mean we are immortal beings?

The devotees of many worlds dwell there. Is that referring to heaven? Or referring to the peacefulness that one feels within themselves?

They ‘celebrate’ in other words they are happy that their minds are in connection with the True Lord?

In the world of truth, the formless lord observes.

Having created the creation, He watches over it. By His glance of grace, he puts something better in its place.

There are planets, solar systems and galaxies.

If one speaks of them, there is no limit, no end.

There are worlds upon worlds of His creation. Does this mean that there are other beings among us? Such as jinns and angels?

As He commands, so they exist.

He watches over all, and thinking about the creation, He feels joy.

Nanak, to describe this is very hard.

Let self- control be the furnace, and patience the person who makes gold?

i couldn't finish reading the entire passage because I found it to be very poetic as though it's Nanak's account of his relationship with God. If the Guru Granth Sahib is God's words, shouldn't God be describing in a clear cut way, so that it is made clear to people?

[singhbj singh]

Check out

http://www.sikhanswers.com/principles-and-concepts/what-is-the-sikh-attitude-towards-death/

http://www.sikhanswers.com/principles-and-concepts/conquer-death/

http://www.sikhanswers.com/god-and-his-universe/after-death/

[Billo G]

Ok thanks for those links,

I'd like to ask some questions, if you can answer it, please?

1). The soul lives on and we have 8.4 billion lives that is recycled (if that's the right word) into another living thing, such as an animal, another human being, etc. Does this mean our souls are immortal? What happens to our bodies? Does this mean that the Earth will live for eternity? If God created our bodies, with such precision from the way our heart beats and pumps blood around our body, to the way our brain functions, and I mean the brain is the most complicated organ, and the way we think and feel things (emotions) etc, we are such complicated species, so doesn't our bodies matter? If God spent so long to creating our complicated bodies with such such detailed precision, is that not counted for? By saying that our souls live on and we have 8.4 billion lives, does this mean that God is creating more bodies as we speak, and does this mean that God is working on improving his creation? What if we never get rid of the five thieves and our 8.4 billion lives are finished? What happens to our soul? This means that we have been on this planet for approx. 4.54 billion years (that's how old Earth is), so we have 3.86 lives left?

2). In the video, it says we should see death from a third person perspective? How could we do that if we are just human beings? What does that mean exactly to see death from a third person perspective? IF it says in the GGS, that we cannot even comprehend how God had created this world, then how can we imagine it from a third person perspective? We cannot even understand how complex God's design is, and if we were to do that, wouldn't that contradict the verse in the GGS: 'These forms cannot be described. One who tries to speak of these shall regret the attempt.'

3). Basically, death is a form of transition, which we move from one body to another. Does this mean that God is making new creations (human beings) for us? Doesn't this mean that God is always trying to find ways to improve us? This means that IF I am still sitting here, I haven't reached liberation yet, so I have roughly, another 3 billion lives left?

4). Quote taken from the GGS: 'Dying while your still alive' He explains the concept of 'jeevan mukti' which means liberation from the humanly life IOW, liberation from Maya, this world? The five thieves known as: ego, anger, greed, attachment and lust are a distraction from the path of God. Is the only practical solution of getting rid of these five thieves to meditate on God's name? In my opinion, that's really difficult because we have so many difficulties in life. For example, the poor people that dying in countries from starvation, the wars that have gone on, the amount of people that have died from the effects of wars, and the these thieves are what makes us a human being. We are only human beings and not created to become something magnificent in this life, otherwise God wouldn't create suffering and put us through trial after trial, What is the point of all that?

5) 'We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are Spiritual beings having a human experience' - Is this quote from the GGS? ? The speaker said it's his favourite quote that he 'heard' Doesn't this confuse the entire concept of what a human being is? By saying that, isn't he saying we were created as spiritual beings and then came on earth to experience human life? This very quote is taken by the French, Catholic Priest called, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a 'mystic philosopher.' I'm not understanding the correlation between Sikh idelogy and the speaker quoting from a 'Mystic Philosopher,

Sorry if this is all so long, but I have one more question,

What makes us Sikh? Is it that we are born into a Sikh family, or are we Sikh from birth?

Also, if we have 8.4 billion lives, and let's say, for example, some of us have used roughly 5 billion lives and we have 3 billion lives left, how come Guru Nanak received his revelation from God only say, roughly 5 centuries ago? Where was God at the start of the universe? Because the Earth is much much older. How come we had many different religions before that, from the beginning of time?

[harsharan000]

I'd like to ask some questions, if you can answer it, please?

I will try my best.

1). The soul lives on and we have 8.4 billion lives that is recycled (if that's the right word) into another living thing, such as an animal, another human being, etc.

Does this mean our souls are immortal?

There is no doubt, that the soul is immortal, as being a drop of that Infinite Ocean Satnam.

What happens to our bodies?

Our bodies desintegrate into the five elements of which the whole creation is made, and each element merges into its origin...like water into water, earth into earth, air into air and so forth

Does this mean that the Earth will live for eternity?

No, the earth is perisahble, just as the rest of the creation, made out from the 5 elements.

If God created our bodies, with such precision from the way our heart beats and pumps blood around our body, to the way our brain functions, and I mean the brain is the most complicated organ, and the way we think and feel things (emotions) etc, we are such complicated species, so doesn't our bodies matter?

Who said, God is doing all this?

It can be, that an Emperor in His empire, has given the authorization to an architect to design and build a city; but not necessarily that He himself does that job of constructing.

In His empire, there are doctors, judges, police, lawyers, etc....each one playing his own role in its own assigned place He set the creation into motion out of His will, then designated and architect, who was willing to design and construct; but that also does not mean, that the architect is the owner of the city created by him, he was just authorized and carried out the orders from a higher point of view.

That archtect, has no powers of his own, In the end, it is all His hukum channelized through several vias.

Like:

1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

And so forth, but in the begining was One, now is also One, and shall always remain One.

Our Bani starts with :Ikonkar.

No duplicity, no trinity, no multiplicity, but only One.

Whatsoever multiplicty we see, it is nothing, but His will, His Mauj, His Hukum. But inspite of all that He is always One.

If God spent so long to creating our complicated bodies with such such detailed precision, is that not counted for? By saying that our souls live on and we have 8.4 billion lives, does this mean that God is creating more bodies as we speak, and does this mean that God is working on improving his creation?

These questions somehow are also answered above

What if we never get rid of the five thieves and our 8.4 billion lives are finished?

If we do not get rid of the 5 thieves and remain in the cycle of births and deaths, it is only our fault, nobody is to blame for it.

Then whenver, Parlay or Mahaparlay take place, means He decides to stop the play, naturally all souls shall merge in Him, there is no other way. From Him they emerged, and in Him they shall merge.

But why to delay our stay here? We are moorakhs, manmukhs. The Bani is clearly open for us, but even then, we pay attention only to what we want to see and hear, the rest though very true, we are afraid to listen and think about, and if anybody comes and reminds us, we tell them, you are frauds, and abuse them verbally or physically; when their only intentions are, to tell us the real meaning and value of the teachings left by our Guru Sahibans in the Bani ...

We are all blind, and all trying to guide each other...naturally in that state, the end is pitfall.

All this is not being said to scare anyone, but to remind, that we sholud read and understand each and every ang, anmol Bachans of the Bani .

Sikhee is much more than a set of rules and regulations, if followed properly, it is the key to liberate us, and unite us with our Father Wahiguru Akal Purukh.

What happens to our soul?

Well, our soul stays for some time in some astral plane depending on our karmas, but then definetely comes back to this earth, to reap the fruit of the seeds of karmas planted here.

And this goes on and on, as everytime we incurr in new karmas; the creation has been designed by the architect in such a way.

This means that we have been on this planet for approx. 4.54 billion years (that's how old Earth is), so we have 3.86 lives left?

Saints tell us, many many parlays(dissolutions) and mahaparlays(grandissolutions) have taken place. It is not necessary to go through all lives in a particular order, it all depends on our karmas. If they are very bad, we shall fall in the bottom of the well...so it totally depneds on us.

But why to think like that, why not take the best of this our human birth, and get out of this dark and profound well of the perishable creation? We have everything in our favour.

Please read the Shabad of Sachay Patshah Guru Arjun Dev in Raag Aasaa: Bhaee paraapat manukh dey hureeya.

3). Basically, death is a form of transition, which we move from one body to another.

Yes, that is correct

Does this mean that God is making new creations (human beings) for us?

No, God is not doing anything as such, it is totally only our karmas which fashion our future and existence.

Doesn't this mean that God is always trying to find ways to improve us?

As long as we are not one with Him, nature always gives us oportunities after oportunities, to go back and merge in Him. It is we who create and put obstacles and barriers, with our manmukhta ...

This means that IF I am still sitting here, I haven't reached liberation yet, so I have roughly, another 3 billion lives left?

No, there is no guarantee, if in the human life you do not do the needful to do the real job, then who knows?

By wasting such a golden oportunity, it may take a long time to get it again.

This is like, one is in the boat, and one wants to reach the seashore which can easiily be done, but rather we say,

what if I had fallen in the water, how would I reach the shore? We may laugh at this, but this is our pitiful sitaution. That what we have in our hands now, we do not value nor considere it, but rather we are complicating things and getting away from our goal....

4). Quote taken from the GGS: 'Dying while your still alive' He explains the concept of 'jeevan mukti' which means liberation from the humanly life IOW, liberation from Maya, this world?

Dying while living, means, we have to meditate on Him, do His bhajan bhandagee, His dhyan. And this means, shun ourselves from the world and stop running after its false shadows, and hold tight to His Lotus Feet and get out of this mayavee creation, through His Simran. This means, while being dead to the illusory world, we are awake and full conscious about the worlds and planes within us...

The five thieves known as: ego, anger, greed, attachment and lust are a distraction from the path of God.

Yes that is true. These 5 thieves are creation of our mind. And the mind gets nurtured through them, mind by itself has no power.

Is the only practical solution of getting rid of these five thieves to meditate on God's name?

Yes, it the only medicne to eradicate these diseases.

In my opinion, that's really difficult because we have so many difficulties in life.

Yes, life is a constant struggle and difficulties, mainly created by us, but remember, His Infinite Grace is also with us. And if He is with us, there is no power to stop us, neither the architect or designer of the city.

For example, the poor people that dying in countries from starvation, the wars that have gone on, the amount of people that have died from the effects of wars, and the these thieves are what makes us a human being. We are only human beings and not created to become something magnificent in this life, otherwise God wouldn't create suffering and put us through trial after trial, What is the point of all that?

Remember only one thing, nothing, can absolutely happen without the karmas created by us. The Bani says: aapay beejeh, aapeh khae.

The point of all and everything in the end, is to see the Him as the only reality, and stop doing anything as such to remain here, thus making ourselves worthy, and pure as He Himself is, in order to merge and become one with Him. That´s it.

5) 'We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are Spiritual beings having a human experience' - Is this quote from the GGS?

No. And it is true. Spiritual beings, means we are souls. And human experience means, we are reaping and sowing karmas on this plane. But that does not matter. What is important, is to understand that we are aliens here, this is not our land, our land is Sach Khand, our zaat, our paat, is Satnam.

The speaker said it's his favourite quote that he 'heard' Doesn't this confuse the entire concept of what a human being is? By saying that, isn't he saying we were created as spiritual beings and then came on earth to experience human life? This very quote is taken by the French, Catholic Priest called, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a 'mystic philosopher.' I'm not understanding the correlation between Sikh idelogy and the speaker quoting from a 'Mystic Philosopher,

Please do not name any philosophers in terms of ruhaniyat or spirituality, as they deal with the mind, that is their highest reach, but not beyond it.

Rather, read, pay attention to what the Bani says, and then put that into practice and into action.

It is this parctice alone which brings salvation to one´s soul. Not mere desiring to become one with Him. The thirst is only quenched by drinking water. If the bottle is near you, but you do not pour the water from it into the glass and drink it, no mattere how many times you keep repeating water water water....one´s thirst can never be quenched. So it is the action of drinking actually the water, which satisfies one´s thirst

Sorry if this is all so long, but I have one more question,

Please do not feel sorry, you are most welcome to satisfy your mind, because only then can one take the right steps to walk on the path leading to Him, with faith, love and devotion.

What makes us Sikh? Is it that we are born into a Sikh family, or are we Sikh from birth?

Sikh means to follow implicitly the reachings of our Guru Sahibans, not what we think to be Sikhee, which is manmat created by us.

The real sikh is the soul not the body, just as also the True Guru or Master is not the body, but that Anhad Shabad manifested in the Gurmukhs, Sadh Janas or Guru Sahibans. Because, it is the imperishable soul who has to take the journey back to it´s Father´s Houes, not the body. Hence it is clear, that it is the soul, the real sikh, the real disciple, who catches hold of that Shabad Satguru, and merges in Him

The Bani says: Nanak, Sadh, Prabh, bhed na paee. Har Jee baseh Sadh he hirday... Har Jee baseh sadh kee rasna....

The teachings of our Guru Sahibans say:

Vin Naavai, Ko Mukath N Hoe

But without the Name, no one is liberated

Raag Gauri Guaarayree Guru Amar Das

Also, if we have 8.4 billion lives, and let's say, for example, some of us have used roughly 5 billion lives and we have 3 billion lives left, how come Guru Nanak received his revelation from God only say, roughly 5 centuries ago?

Guru Nanak, was Wahiguru´s embodiment in the human form. Nanak was His sargun swaroop, while He is always Nirankaar, means: Alakh, Agam, Anamee. Oouch Apaar Beant Soami.

Where was God at the start of the universe? Because the Earth is much much older. How come we had many different religions before that, from the beginning of time?

God or Wahiguru acording to the Bani, in the begining was in His Shabad swaroop.

Jug Chaarae Naam Outham, Sabadh Beechaar

Throughout the four ages, the Naam is the ultimate; reflect upon the Word of the Shabad

Raag Gauri Guaarayree Guru Amar Das

Waheguru.