Tattva Bodha - Post 20

DEEP SLEEP STATE

Atha sushupti avasthaa kaa?

                       “Aham kimapi na jaanaami”,             

Iti sushupti avasthaa.

Kaarana shareera abhimaani

aatmaa “Praajna” iti uchyate.

Then what is the Deep Sleep State?

“I do not know anything”,

“A good sleep was enjoyed by me”;

such a state is called Deep Sleep.

Identifying Itself with the causal body,

the Self is called “PRAJNA” in this state.

Sushupti Avastha – Dreamless Sleep 

The third state is the state of sleep. Sometimes this is translated as Deep Sleep to indicate a dreamless sleep. In Sanskrit we call this Sushupti Avastha. 

Mind 

Unlike Jagrat Avastha and Svapna where the mind was fully functional and half-functional respectively, in Sushupti Avastha the mind is fully non-functional and almost zero functional. 

That is why since emotional faculty is not there in sleep, emotions are not there, since rational faculty is not there, no knowledge, and since memory faculty is not functioning, no memory, and since Ego faculty is not functioning, there is not even the sense of ‘I am sleeping’. All these are dormant. 

Nature 

                                                                 

Since sense-organs are not functioning, the external world is not there. 

Since memories are not functioning, internal world is not there. 

Therefore, there is neither external concrete objective world nor internal abstract subjective world. Therefore, it is an experience of blankness. We call it as Ajnaana Anubhavaha – state of total ignorance or blackout or blankness. This is the nature of the experience. 

Medium 

The dominant medium is to be seen now. 

Sthoola Shareeram is not dominantly functioning because sense organs are not functioning.

Sookshma Shareeram is not dominantly functioning because memories are not thrown out. Therefore, what is dominant is the Kaarana Shareeram Pradhana Avastha. A state in which Kaarana Shareeram is dominant when Sthoola Shareeram and Sookshma Shareeram are as though resolved because they are not functional. Whatever is not functioning is as good as resolved. 

During Kaarana Shariram Pradhana Avastha, all our internal and external experiences remain in dormant condition and from that alone they will come back the next day. 

Hence to summarise, when I am associated with Jagrat Avastha, I am called the Waker. When associated with Svapna Avastha, I am called Dreamer. When associated with Sushupti Avastha I am called a sleeper. 

Explanation of the Terms VISWA, TAIJASA and PRAJNA: 

These were the terms used for the ego-self experiencing each of the states described above, namely the waking, dream and deep sleep respectively. 

Because the ego experiences itself differently when it is in the different states, the ego-self is given different names depending on which state it is experiencing. 

i) Visva: This is the normal state of the ego, in the waking state. All three bodies are available to it and hence it is called “Visva”, meaning all-encompassing. 

All the associations related to our physical existence play a role in building up the “Visva” ego-sense. Our family relations, our friends, our enemies, our image in the eyes of the world, our earthly possessions, our ambitions, our bundle of desires, and all our actions in trying to fulfil them – all these are part of our Visva-ego. 

The more identified we are with this world, the thicker is the ego entangling us to it. 

ii) Taijasa: This is the ego of the dream state. The physical body and the senses and intellect are not available in this state. Only the mind (with the memory available to it) to create the dream “stuff”, and the Vasanas to give them some form, are available. 

Because there are no physical restrictions in this state, the mind bursts into expression in all its restless, energetic fervor, giving the name “Taijasa” to this ego. The ego experiences the freedom of having no intellect to keep watch over it, so although what it does in this state may bring no Karma to itself, if we analyze our dream from the point of view of how the ego behaved in it, we would come to some astonishing facts about our own ego. 

iii) Prajna: This is the ego-sense experiencing “nothingness”. It is free from mind and intellect, so it is unoppressed ego. It is quite happy being in this condition, therefore enjoying it as “refreshing, relaxing, being happy,” etc. It is what the wise enjoy consciously in Samadhi. And, indeed, we have to say that everyone, even the most evil-minded, is a saint when in the deep sleep state! Prajna means “the bliss of ignorance”. 

Dear All,

The three states were described lucidly in a small talk in which the author described thus:-

    1) He went to a temple, had a good darshan and came back - WAKING STATE

    2) He had a nice dream – DREAM STATE

    3) Same night, he slept without any dream – DEEP SLEEP STATE

And, he concluded by saying that there was someone, something, who had been witnessing all these three states and conveying to him. This presence of someone/something other than the author is proved beyond doubt when, in the 3^rd state, next morning, he is aware that he had a nice sound sleep without any dream the previous night.

In that deep sleep, as explained earlier in the post, none of the 3 equipments - his body, his mind and his intellect was active. That means, there was some witness existing even while the BMI was non-existent, which conveys to him that he had a nice sleep previous night.

We shall take up more on this eternal witness in some later post/theme.

Love.

Tattva Bodha - Post 19

DREAM STATE

Jaagrat avasthaayaam, yad drishtam, yad shrutam,

tat janita vaasanayaa

nidraa samaye yah prapanchah prateeyate

saa svapna avasthaa

Sookshma shareera abhimaanee aatmaa “Taijasa” iti uchyate.

In the waking state, whatever is seen or heard,

from the impressions formed from that,

that world which, at the time of sleep, is projected –

that is the dream state.

Identifying Itself with the subtle body, the Self is called “TAIJASA” in this state.

Svapna Avastha – Dream State 

This is also called the Dream State of experience. In Sanskrit it is called Svapna Avastha. And with regard to Svapna Avastha also, we have to see the three factors. 

Mind

During Svapna or dream, our memory faculty alone is functioning. Whatever experiences we have been gathering in the Jagrat Avastha, they all get registered in the memory-slab of the mind. 

Whatever emotions we experience in dream, are not freshly received emotions but are only replaying the recorded emotions experienced in our waking state. 

Therefore, in dream state, everything that happens in dream is only from memory and hence, the other faculties are not functioning: 

- The Manaha or emotional faculty for gathering fresh emotions 

- Rational faculty does not function 

- Ego faculty does not function. Even the ego experienced in the dream is the memory based ego and the fresh ego is not functioning. 

Nature

In dream, we experience a world which is internal. Because this world is generated out of my own personal private memory and therefore it is not something existing outside, there is no connection between the dream objects that I have and the surroundings that I have. I may be sleeping in a place but my dreams may be connected to another place. 

In dream, the world available for me is not accessible to other people. This is a subjective universe. 

Sometimes we may get a doubt – 'Sometimes I experience a rare dream that I have not experienced in the waking state'. If you say so, there are only a few possibilities: 

- One is, you create a new dream by combining various things experienced in the Jagrat Avastha. New objects cannot be created. This is because objects are memory-based or thought-based, and thought being highly fluid the objects are highly fluid in Svapna Avastha. Therefore, since they all get jumbled up, we get mixed dreams. 

- Sometimes whatever we imagine in the Jagrat Avastha, they get registered and they can be thrown out. Whatever is fantasized or imagined or read in books or seen in movies leading to imagination, they all can come in Svapna. 

- Sometimes even if I have not experienced in this Janma, the experience of the previous Janma also can come. 

Three aspects of the second level: There are three aspects of the second level of reality: 

1) the Dreaming state of consciousness, 

2) the Unconscious state of mind, and 

3) the Subtle realm of manifestation.

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

The Dreaming state of consciousness: The second of the three states of consciousness is the state where the Unconscious mind is most active. The Conscious mind has receded and awareness is directed toward the seemingly endless stream of images and impressions of the Unconscious or the Subtle realm. 

The conscious control of attention available in the Waking state is less available here, where attention is easily drawn into the streams of images and impressions flowing in the Unconscious field of mind, or coming from the Subtle realm. 

The Unconscious aspect of mind: The second of the three states of mind is the Dreaming state, where one is aware of objects from the internal stream of thought patterns or the images and objects of the Subtle world. The Conscious aspect of mind has receded while the Subconscious is providing a constant flow of impressions to feed into the Dream process. 

The Subtle realm of manifestation: The second of the three stages of manifestation is the Subtle realm. Its endless stream of alluring or fearful objects is the focus of attention for the Unconscious mind, used in the Dreaming state. 

Swami Sivananda roars,

"Learn to be the witness of your thoughts in the waking state. You can be conscious in the dream state that you are dreaming. 

You can alter, stop or create your own thoughts in the dream state independently. You will be able to keep awake in the dream state. If the thoughts of the waking state are controlled, you can control the dream thoughts also.

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. 

Do not allow the mind to run into the sensual grooves. Fortify yourself by developing the intellect through enquiry of Brahman, reflection and contemplation. 

When you know the real Tattva, Brahman, the waking consciousness also will become quite false like a dream. 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.

Wake up and realize, my child!"

Love.

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.