Lecture delivered at Guru Arjun Dev Martyrdom Seminar organised by Prof. Atamjit Singh, Chair of Punjabi studies in San Jose University, Cal. during May, 2005. Concept of SUNN is unique to Buddhism and Sikhism; while Buddhist Philosophers have written wonderful Commentaries, our Sikh scholars failed to comprehend its import in Sikh Religion and its Scripture SGGS.

1. Concept of Sunn in Sukhmani
and Big-Bang Cosmology
Hardev Singh Virk
Professor Emeritus, Indian Institute of Science &
Religion, Pune
Delivered in San Jose University (May 2005)

2. Sunn – Is It Nothingness?
 ‘Sunn’ is generally considered as ‘Nothingness’ by
rationalists and scientists. On the other hand many
theologians consider Sunn equivalent to God. In fact,
‘Sunn’ is the state of equipoise where Absolute Entity
exists in Primodial Trance before the creation. There,
the essence of Enlightenment and the Ultimate
Reality are hidden and inscrutable in the realm of
celestial peace and bliss, called sunya samadhi.
 According to the Punjabi-English Dictionary, Sunn
means Nothingness, non-existence, emptiness,
absolute silence, without thought and feeling.

3. Nothingness Theory of KAUP
 According to this theory there is no thing, which can be called
‘Nothing’ or ‘Nothingness’. When we say a thing is colder than
the other that means it has relatively less heat than the other. In
fact it is not absence of heat. Therefore, ‘Nothingness’ does not
mean ‘without anything’. In fact the thing is there but it is in a so
small volume that it appears to be ‘Nothingness’. According to
the ‘Big Bang Theory’ the energy was in such a small volume
that has been termed as ‘Nothingness’ by some scientists. This
‘Nothingness’ as described by Kaup actually is the pinnacle of
perfectly symmetrical uniformity of matter, space, energy and
time.
 This ‘Nothingness’ has been already termed as sunn by Guru
Arjun Dev in Sukhmani , and by Guru Nanak Dev in Maru Solhe
and Siddh- Goshit.

4. Concept of Sünn in Indian Tradition
 According to Ananda Coomraswamy, the term Sunn does not exist in
Rg Veda. However, it has been used by Aryabhatta to denote Zero. It is
purely a Buddhist concept. During the second century BC, Buddhist
teachers in India emphasized the 'emptiness' as a basic description of
the nature of existing things. They were known as 'teachers of
emptiness' or sunyavadins in Mahayana Buddhism.
 Nagarjuna interprets Sunyata in his treatise, Madhymika sutras, and
accepted it as the fundamental principle underlying creation. The
doctrine of the void is a method of rejecting all attachments because
things have no 'self', that is, they are empty. 'Void' is not nothingness
conceived in negative terms. This positive concept of 'void' is often
compared with emptiness inside a vase. The state of Sunyata, or void
is one in which all polarity, all subject – object differentiation or duality
of any kind has ceased to exist. Sunyata is the negation of all views and
is itself not a view!

5. Sünn in Siddh-Nath-Yogi Tradition
 It is said that sunn is so transcendental that it is neither in the
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body nor is it out of the body. In the Hathyogic and Tantrik cults,
Nada or Sabda Brahman had been accepted as the original
cause of the cosmos. In the Siddh-Natha cult, sunn was
considered as a synonym of Sabda or the absolute Nada, which
is nothing but a trait of Absolute Reality.
In Gorakh Bani, there is a mention of one Sunyadvara in the
gaganmandal where in complete darkness lightning flashes and
the nectar trickles. The Siddha attains this stage by yoga
practices. In the Siddh-Natha literature, the word sunn has
been used in the following contexts :
Supreme Reality (Nada), Supreme knowledge or Supreme
nature.
Brahmanrandhra, Dasamdwara, Sahsrara chakra, or
gaganmandal.
Siva-loka.

6. Concept of Sünn in Sikh Tradition
 In Siddh-Goshit, Guru Nanak rejected the Hatha-Yoga cult of
Siddhas and condemned the path of renunciation of the world
followed by them. He advocated adoption of house-holder's life
in this world and preached Sahaj-Yoga or Nam-Yoga, the Sikh
way of life. The term Sunn occurs in Siddh-Goshit when
Siddhas pose a question to Guru Nanak :
 Q:- What about the pre-cosmos state ? Prior to it where the Lord
of void abide ?
A:- The very thought of the pre-cosmos state lands one in a
state of wonder. In the profound stillness of the Sunn , the
formless one pervaded in continuum then.
 Awid kau kvnu bIcwru kQIAly suMn khw Gr vwso ]
Awid kau ibsmwdu bIcwru kQIAly suMn inrMqir vwsu lIAw ]
(AGGS, M 1, p. 940)

7.  Siddh-Goshit in AGGS is a remarkable debate
on the beliefs, practices and and the other by
Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh doctrines of
the two systems; one propounded by the
Siddhas faith. Philosophical questions
concerning the origin of cosmos, life and mind,
potency of Sabda, need for the Guru, nature of
Supreme Reality and the liberation for human
soul are answered by Guru Nanak from the
Sikh view-point.
 The concept of Ideal Man (Gurmukh) is
propounded by Guru Nanak demolishing the
concept of world renunciation practiced by
Siddhas.

8. Concept of SUNN in SUKHMANI
 sloku ] srgun inrgun inrMkwr suMn smwDI
Awip ]
Awpn kIAw nwnkw
Awpy hI iPir jwip ]
 AstpdI ] jb Akwru iehu kCu n idRstyqw ] pwp
puMn qb kh qy hoqw ] jb DwrI Awpn suMn
smwiD ] qb bYr ibroD iksu sMig kmwiq ] jb ies
kw brnu ichnu n jwpq ] qb hrK sog khu iksih
ibAwpq ] jb Awpn Awp Awip pwrbRhm ] qb
moh khw iksu hovq Brm ] Awpn Kylu Awip
vrqIjw ] nwnk krnYhwru n dUjw ]1] {pMnw
290-291}

9. An Echo of Buddhist Philosophy
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We have an echo of Buddhist philosophy in the Sikh scripture.
According to Guru Arjun, there was no duality in the Sünn phase
of existence of God:
He possesses all qualities, He transcends all qualities;
He is the formless Lord, He Himself is in Primal (samaadhi)
trance.
When there was no creation,
Whence was the need for virtue and vice ?
When the God was in Primordial trance (Sunn samaadhi),
Whence was the need for enmity or jealousy ?
When God was not in Its manifested form,
Thence who could suffer pain or feel happy ?
When God was in Its Transcendental Entity,
Thence who was lured by attachment or by doubt ?
(AGGS, M.5,p.290-91)

10. Interpretations of Sünn in AGGS
 Various interpretations of Sünn doctrine exist in AGGS. Sünn is
not equated with void or emptiness in AGGS. Rather, it
represents the state of equipoise where Absolute Lord exists in
primordial trance called sünn samaadhi :
 The Yogi, the Primal Lord, sat within the celestial sphere of
deepest trance (samaadhi)
suMn mMfl ieku jogI bYsy ] ( AGGS, M 1, p. 685)
 In consonance with the Buddhist philosophy of sunyata, subject
– object differentiation or concept of duality does not exist in the
sunn state as enunciated by saint Kabir in AGGS :
 No life or death, no pain or pleasure is felt there.
There is only the primal trance of samaadhi, and hence no
duality.
jIvn imrqu n duKu suKu ibAwpY
suMn smwiD doaU qh nwhI ] (AGGS, Kabir, p. 333)

11.  Absolute Reality or God is omnipresent and
exists in the present, past and future. The truth
of primordial existence of God before the
creation of time and space is also explained by
Guru Nanak in Japu:
 Awid scu jugwid scu ] hY BI scu nwnk hosI BI
scu ] 1 ]
(AGGS M. 1, p. 1)
 Existed before the beginning of time and space;
Existed throughout the various ages in the past;
Exists in the present; and
Will exist in the future.

12. Sünn and Creation of Universe
 The most original contribution of Sikh scripture is in the field of
cosmology. Before the creation of the universe, Absolute Reality or
God existed in the Sünn phase, called adi sach by Guru Nanak. When
the creation starts, both time and space are also crated and this phase
corresponds to jugad sach. In Maru Solhe composition in AGGS, the
process of creation is explained in a scientific manner corresponding to
Big Bang cosmology. The primordial state of existence of God or adi
sach is synonymous with the Sünn phase as epitomised in AGGS :
 Billions of years ago,
There was nothing but utter darkness,
There was neither earth nor sky,
And the will of God prevailed.
There was neither day nor night, nor moon nor Sun;
God sat in primal, profound trance (in Sunn).
(AGGS, M. 1, p. 1035)

13. Big-Bang Cosmology in AGGS
 Arbd nrbd DuMDUkwrw ] Drix n ggnw hukmu Apwrw ]
nw idnu rYin n cMdu n sUrju suMn smwiD lgwiedw ]1]
KwxI n bwxI paux n pwxI ] Epiq Kpiq n Awvx jwxI ]
KMf pqwl spq nhI swgr ndI n nIru vhwiedw ]2] nw qid
surgu mCu pieAwlw ] dojku iBsqu nhI KY kwlw ] nrku
surgu nhI jMmxu mrxw nw ko Awie n jwiedw ]3]
bRhmw ibsnu mhysu n koeI ] Avru n dIsY eyko soeI ]
nwir purKu nhI jwiq n jnmw nw ko duKu suKu pwiedw
]4] nw qid jqI sqI bnvwsI ] nw qid isD swiDk suKvwsI ]
jogI jMgm ByKu n koeI nw ko nwQu khwiedw ]5] jp qp
sMjm nw bRq pUjw ] nw ko AwiK vKwxY dUjw ] Awpy
Awip aupwie ivgsY Awpy kImiq pwiedw ]6] nw suic
sMjmu qulsI mwlw ] gopI kwnu n gaU guoAwlw ]
qMqu mMqu pwKMfu n koeI nw ko vMsu vjwiedw ]7]

14.  krm Drm nhI mwieAw mwKI ] jwiq jnmu nhI dIsY
AwKI ] mmqw jwlu kwlu nhI mwQY nw ko iksY
iDAwiedw ]8] inMdu ibMdu nhI jIau n ijMdo ] nw qid
gorKu nw mwiCMdo ] nw qid igAwnu iDAwnu kul Epiq
nw ko gxq gxwiedw ]9] vrn ByK nhI bRhmx KqRI ]
dyau n dyhurw gaU gwieqRI ] hom jg nhI qIriQ nwvxu
nw ko pUjw lwiedw ]10] nw ko mulw nw ko kwjI ] nw
ko syKu mswieku hwjI ] reIAiq rwau n haumY dunIAw
nw ko khxu khwiedw ]11] Bwau n BgqI nw isv skqI ]
swjnu mIqu ibMdu nhI rkqI ] Awpy swhu Awpy vxjwrw
swcy eyho Bwiedw ]12] byd kqyb n isMimRiq swsq ]
pwT purwx audY nhI Awsq ] khqw bkqw Awip Agocru
Awpy AlKu lKwiedw ]13] jw iqsu Bwxw qw jgqu
aupwieAw ] bwJu klw Awfwxu rhwieAw ] bRhmw
ibsnu mhysu aupwey mwieAw mohu vDwiedw ]14]
ivrly kau guir sbdu suxwieAw ] kir kir dyKY hukmu
sbwieAw ] KMf bRhmMf pwqwl ArMBy gupqhu prgtI

15.  Guru Arjun, the fifth Nanak, describes the primordial
trance of God before the creation process starts as a
manifestation of God :
 For countless days, He remained invisible.
For countless days, He remained absorbed in Sünn
For countless days, there was utter darkness, and
Then the Creator revealed Himself.
 kyqiVAw idn gupqu khwieAw ]
kyqiVAw idn suMin smwieAw ]
kyqiVAw idn DuMDUkwrw Awpy krqw prgtVw ]
(AGGS, M. 1, p. 1081)

16.  suMn klw AprMpir DwrI ] Awip inrwlmu Apr
ApwrI ]
Awpy kudriq kir kir dyKY suMnhu suMnu
aupwiedw ] 1 ]
 pauxu pwxI suMnY qy swjy ] isRsit aupwie
kwieAw gV rwjy ]
Agin pwxI jIau joiq qumwrI suMny klw
rhwiedw ] 2 ]
 suMnhu bRhmw ibsnu mhysu aupwey ] suMny
vrqy jug sbwey ]
iesu pd vIcwry so jnu pUrw iqsu imlIAY Brmu
cukwiedw] 3 ]
 suMnhu spq srovr Qwpy ] ijin swjy vIcwry Awpy ]
iqqu sq sir mnUAw gurmuiK nwvY iPir bwhuiV
join n pwiedw ] 4 ]
 suMnhu cMdu sUrju gYxwry ] iqs kI joiq iqRBvx

17.  However, the most beautiful elaboration of Sunn doctrine is given by
Guru Nanak in Raga Maru Solhe (Number 17,with 17 stanzas) and
there is no parallel in Indian religious literature to the spiritual vision
of Guru Nanak. We may quote only a few reflections from this
vision :
 In the Sünn (Primal void), the infinite Lord assumed his Power.
 He Himself is unattached, infinite and incomparable.
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From the Sünn, He created air and water.
He created universe and the man in the fortress of body.
From this Sünn, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva issued forth.
From this Sünn, the moon, the sun and the earth were created.
They were created from Sünn, and they will merge into the sünn.
From the Sünn, the five elements became manifest.
From the True Guru, contemplative meditation is obtained.
And then, one dwells with the True Lord
In His celestial home, in deepest samaadhi of sunn.
O Nanak, the immaculate sound current of the Naad
And the music of the Sabad, resound;
One merges into the True Name of the Lord.
(AGGS, M.1, p. 1037)

18. Types Of Sunn(Siddh-Goshit)
 AMqir suMnµ bwhir suMnµ iqRBvx suMn
msuMnµ ]
 cauQy suMnY jo nru jwxY qw kau pwpu n
puMnµ ]
 Git Git suMn kw jwxY Byau ]
 Awid purKu inrMjn dyau ]
 jo jnu nwm inrMjn rwqw ]
 nwnk soeI purKu ibDwqw ]51]
(AGGS, M1,P.943)

19. Gurmukh-Yogi of Guru Nanak
 suMno suMnu khY sBu koeI ]
 Anhq suMnu khw qy hoeI ]
 Anhq suMin rqy sy kYsy ]
 ijs qy aupjy iqs hI jYsy ]
 Eie jnim n mrih n Awvih jwih ]
 nwnk gurmuiK mnu smJwih ]52]
(AGGS, M1, P.943)

20. Quantum physics allows the Universe to appear
out of nothing at all, as a so-called vacuum
fluctuation. Quantum Uncertainty allows creation
of bubbles of energy or pair of particles (e + & e-)
momentarily before they disappear. Size of the
bubble was considered to be equal to Planck
length (10-35 m). Chaotic inflation led to the
sudden expansion of the Universe out of a
quantum fluctuation. The seed of the Universe is
considered to be a ‘Magnetic Monopole’,
according to a new version of inflation theory.
Hubble Telescope may provide useful data to
clinch the issues in Big-Bang Cosmology.

21. Some Interesting Facts about the
Universe
 Size of Universe = 80 billion light year
~ 1million billion billion km (0.76x1024 km).
 Universe contains 100 billion galaxies, each
having million-billion stars in it.
 Virgo Cluster has 1000 galaxies inside, some
of them are colliding.
 Black holes are present in the centre of
galaxies.
 A star has a tendency to become a Black
Hole if its mass exceeds 5 Solar masses.

22. Conclusion
 The concept of Sünn as introduced by Guru Nanak in AGGS has
theoretical linkage with Indian philosophy as it developed during the
Buddhist era. Guru Nanak re-interpreted it and hence its import in Sikh
metaphysics.
 When Siddhas ask Guru Nanak: "Who are they, who are attuned to this
Absolute Sünn"? Guru Nanak answers: "They are the Gurmukhs
(Guru-oriented), like the God, from whom they originated." While Sünn
doctrine was used to promote renunciation and monasticism by its
Buddhist advocates known as sunyavadins, Guru Nanak condemned it
and advocated the life style of a Gurmukh, the house-holder who faces
the challenges of worldly life.
 Thus theoretical implications of Sünn doctrine may be identical in both
Buddhism and Sikhism but empirical meanings are different in the two
systems. In the Sikh metaphysics, Sünn represents the pre-creation
stage of our cosmos when God or Absolute Reality was absorbed in
itself and realm of duality was non-existent.