The Gurmat Model of Person

The Gurmat model of person is a multi-layered one, starting with Atma – the spiritual self (SGGSJ 441). However, this spiritual self is not an individual soul or self, but part of the cosmic essence that unifies all diversity, Atma can also be translated as Breath. The spiritual self and Ek Oankaar (One pervasive unchanging Presence ever-existent, unfolding through the impermanence of creating, sustaining and destruction, beyond time, fear, hate, birth & self-existing) are indistinguishable.

These layers in descending order are: Consciousness (Jot, Purekh, Surt) consisting of four different states, the awake state (jagrat), the dream state (supan), dreamless sleep state (sushupti) and the fourth state (Turiya avasta) (Kaur 1985); hidden records (chitr gupt); Surti is directed awareness.

Chitr gupt, are the hidden records are regarded as the unconscious sphere, which store cognitive-behavioural impressions (sanskar) accumulated throughout the cycle of transmigration (Sandhu). These impressions are created through mental (mansakh), verbal (vaashakh) and physical (sareerakh) acts, and become the "filth" (maal) or conditioning through which the individual thinks, feels and behaves. As a result, the individual is bound by habitual behavioural consequences or karma (SGGSJ 252). This condition is described as a Manmukhi or ego facing.

The next layer is the Mind (antahkaran) which consists of sensory-perceptions (manas), memory (chit), intellect (buddhi) and the empirical ego, (ahamkar).

Gurmat distinguishes between two types of intellect. The intellect can either exercise acute ethical (bibek buddhi) or self-centred (aham-buddhi) discrimination.

References

Source: Sikh.co.uk