3. Analysis of Experience of States of Consciousness Described in Mandukya Upanishad
6:15 AM Edit ThisThe Vedic view of consciousness finds detailed exposition in Mandukya Upanisad (Man.Up. 1-12),proposing identity between Brahman, the Absolute and consciousness of the world, and Atman, the source of all. The Upanisad conceives of consciousness as fourfold, namely, wakefulness, dream, deep sleep and the fourth – turiya (Man.Up.2).
Our states of consciousness of wakefulness, dream and deep sleep are interrupted. When one is in the waking state, dream state does not exist; when one is in the dream state, there is no awareness in that state of our waking state, and when one is in the state of deep sleep, there is no awareness of waking and dreaming states.
Each state is due to certain conditions which are present in the other – in the waking state, the body, prana, senses and manas are active while in dream state of consciousness, the eye, ear, touch, etc., do not work, the function of senses stops and their function is taken up by the mind, by imagination, where one sees, hears, runs, eats, etc., -- all mentally. In this state, only prana and manas are active.
In deep sleep, the function of manas stops, only prana functions. This state is altogether a separate one.
Now a question rises before us, whether there remains something which remains the same in all these three states. And the answer is yes, there is, the fourth state – turiya consciousness which although not involved in all the three states, yet it remains ever-present as the witnessing consciousness in all the three. Even the three states of waking, dreaming and deep sleep could not have been experienced as three different states without a witnessing consciousness – the knower that knows all the three. This fourth state is the pure consciousness, immortal, deathless, ceaseless that witnesses everything and every act. It is the changeless permanent ‘I’ that witnesses all our changing ‘I’s’. It is called the fourth in reference to other three and is ever-present reality and this turiya consciousness always remains as the background of all but people ordinarily remain unaware of it in their normal life. Therefore, yogic disciplines are required to bring this consciousness in the forefront in all the states of consciousness.
This turiya consciousness is not merely a non-doer witnessing consciousness (saksi caitanya) of Sankara Vedanta or Kaivalya of Patanjali wherein the consciousness remains in its aloneness or isolation but it is full of turiyabhoga i.e. rapturous experience of the pure consciousness of Brahman. Spandakarika expresses the same idea in the following verse:
"Even during the occurrence of different states of consciousness like waking, etc., the consciousness of the fourth state continue to be the same, one never departs from one’s natural state of being – the knower or the experient in all the states." (Spandakarika Verse 3)
Our states of consciousness of wakefulness, dream and deep sleep are interrupted. When one is in the waking state, dream state does not exist; when one is in the dream state, there is no awareness in that state of our waking state, and when one is in the state of deep sleep, there is no awareness of waking and dreaming states.
Each state is due to certain conditions which are present in the other – in the waking state, the body, prana, senses and manas are active while in dream state of consciousness, the eye, ear, touch, etc., do not work, the function of senses stops and their function is taken up by the mind, by imagination, where one sees, hears, runs, eats, etc., -- all mentally. In this state, only prana and manas are active.
In deep sleep, the function of manas stops, only prana functions. This state is altogether a separate one.
Now a question rises before us, whether there remains something which remains the same in all these three states. And the answer is yes, there is, the fourth state – turiya consciousness which although not involved in all the three states, yet it remains ever-present as the witnessing consciousness in all the three. Even the three states of waking, dreaming and deep sleep could not have been experienced as three different states without a witnessing consciousness – the knower that knows all the three. This fourth state is the pure consciousness, immortal, deathless, ceaseless that witnesses everything and every act. It is the changeless permanent ‘I’ that witnesses all our changing ‘I’s’. It is called the fourth in reference to other three and is ever-present reality and this turiya consciousness always remains as the background of all but people ordinarily remain unaware of it in their normal life. Therefore, yogic disciplines are required to bring this consciousness in the forefront in all the states of consciousness.
This turiya consciousness is not merely a non-doer witnessing consciousness (saksi caitanya) of Sankara Vedanta or Kaivalya of Patanjali wherein the consciousness remains in its aloneness or isolation but it is full of turiyabhoga i.e. rapturous experience of the pure consciousness of Brahman. Spandakarika expresses the same idea in the following verse:
"Even during the occurrence of different states of consciousness like waking, etc., the consciousness of the fourth state continue to be the same, one never departs from one’s natural state of being – the knower or the experient in all the states." (Spandakarika Verse 3)
To Be Concluded...
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