Haumai (ego)- False self-representation

Sikhism affirm a psychological self at a conventional level, although false. For the most ultimate perspective ones being, one’s actual nature is without margin, centre or reifiable qualities of any kind. This undermines any intellectual or conceptual grasping of its essence, at the same time, that essential nature is presented as positive, energetic, an open awareness.

Sikh thought identifies deeper instincts, in addition to the Freudian ones of sex and aggression, commonly known as “ignorance” (avidya); this is known as intrinsic reality instinct with Buddhism and Manmukh within Sikhism. This is the tendency to see a false and absolute identity in people and things.

Inclination of the human personality to see things as “something” or “nothing”, the need for the ego to concretize reality so it can be understood and managed, extends to our experience of ourselves, this is ultimately a clinging for certainty.

Of the four parts of the mind, as per Sikh thought, the empirical ego (haumai) is the most dominating. The empirical ego is the sense that “I, exist”, so that it falsely experiences the phenomenal world as its own. (sggs 76)

The ego creates an illusionary and erroneous (avidya or ignorance) sense of separation (duality) from the essence that binds all. The sense of “I” and the experience of separateness from the spiritual self leads to a struggle for existence and permanence. (sggs 226, 538, 466)

According to Sikh thought, the ego is seen in a number of ways, primarily as a chronic disease, as bondage and as “filth” or conditioning of one mind. Yet, the ego is also seen to contain its own cure. (sggs 466)

The ego by its nature falls into the semiconscious state or self-delusion known as maya, deluded in external materialist pursuits believed to be a source of validating one’s existence and the basis of happiness (sggs 75).

The physical body (sareer) is regarded as the vessel for the spiritual self, along with the mind created out of subtle matter and functions with the life-force prana, radiating from the spiritual self. The physical body is regarded as transitory and after death when consciousness and the spiritual formless Self separates, the physical body merges back into the five original elements, ether, air, fire, water and earth (sggs 870).

Sikh world view recognises that a person is not seen as an isolated entity, rather an inter-connected and inter-dependent with one’s family (parvar), social circle (sangat), society (samaaj), kudrat (nature) and operating within the natural laws of creation, Hukam, all unified within the ultimate reality, Ek Ongkar, one cosmological essence that unifies all diversity.

Sikh emphasises that to live a full life, it is essential to be a productive part of society, respect and reverence for nature and maintaining Sabat Surt or complete / authentic form (unshorn hair), making a living through ethical work (kirt kami), sharing both time and resources with others (wand chakna), engage in voluntary activities (sewa) and maintaining the lifestyle of a householder as opposed to becoming a sanyasi or ascetic.