Sunyata or Sunya

Gurmat echoes both Buddhist and Siddha-Nath-Yogi tradition, yet, also presents a further interpretation of Sunya. Sunya is used in a number of contexts in Gurmat, Sunn Samadh (absorption in Samadhi), Sunn Shabd (emptiness of sound vibration), Sunn Mandal (realm of sunyata) and Sunn Sahej which is the fourth state as identified in the Panchakrama of Nargarjuna-pada, Sarva-Shunya (Kohli 1992).

In consonance with Nagarjuna interpretation of Sunyata in Madhyimika sutra, Bhagat Kabir echoes the non-existence of the subject-object duality.

Sunyata represents the state of equipoise (sahej) merged in the Absolute, preconditioned state of awareness (SGGSJ 436).

…sunyata is a provisional heuristic term for the nature of the universe seen without such absolutistic mental constructions. It is a reality without an "illusionary veil" of conceptual formations that impose a conventional view of reality.

Guru Nanak in his dialogue with the Siddhi yogis presents Sunya in the form of Nada (SGGSJ 943).

According to Guru Nanak, Sunya is the One indescribable formless (nirgun) Absolute in its full effulgence. (Kohli 1992). Creation appears when willed by this formless, Akal Purekh (Timeless Consciousness) through the Sunya phase. In Guru Nanaks composition consisting of seventeen Solhe (SGGSJ 1037-1038) gives a vivid description of Sunya and there is considered to be unique in Indian religious literature. (H S Virk 2000)

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