Tattva Bodha - Post 18

AVASTHA TRAYAM

Avasthaa trayam Kim

Jagrat-Svapna-Sushupti avasthah

What are the three states

Waking, dream and deep sleep - These are the three states

             

WAKING STATE

Jaagrat avasthaa kaa?

Shrotra aadi jnaana indriyaih,

shabda aadi vishayaih cha,

jnaayate iti,

yaa jaagrat avasthaa.

Sthoola shareera abhimaanee aatmaa “Vishwa” iti uchyate.

What is the Waking State?

By the organs of perception like the ears, etc,

the sense objects like sound, etc,

are perceived thus,

that state is called the waking state.

Identifying Itself with the gross body, the Self is called “VISHVA” in this state of experience.

Jagrat Avastha – Waking State 

This refers to waking state of experience. Avastha means a state of experience and Jagrat Avastha means waking state of experience. Now in this state of experience, first we will find the condition of the mind or to be precise, the internal organs – Antah Karanam.

Mind 

In the waking state, the mind or the inner organ is fully functional or operative which means that all faculties are functioning – the emotional, rational, thinking, ego, memory faculties are all functioning and open.

And since all these four faculties are functional, all these four experiences will also be there – emotions, thinking, discrimination, gathering fresh knowledge, gathering fresh experience. 

Nature 

The second factor to study is the nature of experience in Jagrat Avastha. In Jagrat Avastha we experience a world which is external to ourselves, our body-mind complex. 

And since it is an external universe, it is a concrete tangible world of experience. We can very clearly tangibly feel it because it is made out of tangible matter. Therefore, it is external, it is concrete and is available for all other people also. 

It is a common public world and hence is an objective experience. We will know the significance of each adjective when we compare with dream experience. Here objective means – commonly available for all people. 

I experience the world with the help of the sense organs in the form of Shabda, Sparsha, Rūpa, Rasa and Gandha and the consequent pleasure and pain and other responses. 

So the four adjectives to be remembered are: 

- External,

- Concrete,

- Objective and, 

- Sense Organ

... based experience. This experience involves both ways of transaction. The transaction involves receiving experience and it also involves responding to the world. I function both as a Bhokta as well as a Karta – receiver and contributor. 

Medium 

The dominant medium involved in the waking state. To experience the waking state, we are making use of the sense organs. This is a sense-organ based experience. And, to use the sense organs, we require a physical body because every sense organ has a physical location. 

Three aspects of the waking state: There are three aspects of the first, or most external level of reality: 

1) the Waking state of consciousness, 

2) the Conscious state of mind, and 

3) the Gross realm of manifestation. 

These three are all operating at the same level of reality or existence. 

The Waking state of consciousness: The waking state is the most external of the three states of consciousness. It is the state where the Conscious mind is active, and in which awareness is most often directed towards either one's own Conscious thought process, or towards the external or Gross world. 

The Conscious aspect of mind: The conscious mind is the most external of the three states of mind. It is the dominant aspect here, where one is also in the Waking state, and where one is most often aware of the objects that are in the Gross world. The Unconscious and Subconscious are usually operating invisibly, behind the scenes. 

The Gross realm of manifestation: The gross realm is the most external of the three stages of manifestation. Its objects are usually the focus of attention for the Conscious mind, that is used in the Waking state of consciousness. While the Subtle and Causal realms are existent in the same moment, these are usually not seen at this level of mind and consciousness. 

Our experience of the world and of ourselves is subject to the limitations of the physical space and time.

We feel that everything that is not perceived by the senses and affected by our karma indriyas (the mouth that speaks,  feet walking, sex organs that generate life and excretion) is not part of our reality.

The majority of the humans believe that all that they see/do in their waking state is what life is all about.

Swami Sivananda roars,

"You dream that you are a king. You enjoy various kinds of royal pleasures. As soon as you wake up, everything vanishes. But, you do not feel for the loss because you know that the dream-creatures are all false. 

Similarly, even in the waking consciousness if you are well established in the idea that the world is a false illusion, you will not get any pain. 

When you know the real Tattva (Brahman), the waking consciousness also will become quite false like a dream. Jagrat state is only a long dream (Dirgha Svapna). 

The state of waking consciousness does not exist either in dream or sleep. Therefore, it is illusory. 

Reality always exists in all conditions or states. 

Wake up and realize, my child!"

Love.