Yogic Experience of States of Consciousness

8/7/2019 Yogic Experience of States of Consciousness

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YOGIC EXPERIENCE OF STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS

by Mukesh

CONSCIOUSNESS AS THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF

CREATION

As countless rays emerge from the sun and ripples from the surface of the

sea, so emerge from consciousness infinite worlds including our own.

Consciousness manifests itself in two forms the objective and the

subjective. While the objective is the result of objectification of

consciousness, the subject is the consequence of restoration of consciousness

to itself. The parallelism of the objective and the subjective gets graded into

four as manifest in the four states of human consciousness, namely, thewaking, dreaming, deep sleep and what in the Veda is called the fourth

turiya.

Due to the parallelism of both subjectivity and objectivity and their

coincidence in consciousness, every act of perception presupposes the

corresponding sense organ while the latters perceiving anything has its

source in manas or Mind. Mind in its turns, is dependent on the real cogniserlying behind it and whose nature is consciousness.

In this creation, nothing exists outside consciousness, since its activity is

universal throughout. It is the very nature of the universe consisting of both

actual objects and imagined ones, such as sky-flower, etc.

Every appearance in this cosmos owes its existence to the light of

consciousness and nothing can ever have its existence without that light.

Consciousness experiences itself in the light of consciousness because it is

identical with that light. This is expressed in Ucchusmabhairava:

Oh dear one, as long as there are no knowers, how can there beanything known. In fact, the knower and the known are really

the same principle. Therefore, there is nothing, which is

inherently impure.1

Thus consciousness is the fundamental principle of creation and the entire

creation resides in it and it itself pervades the creation. The paradox is that it

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takes many roles and yet maintains its identity. Consciousness is the whole

of reality because all existents derive their being from It, and in the process

of knowing, the Known gets identified with it. It may be contended that if

the nature of universe is consciousness consisting of empirical selves and

inert matter, then how bondage can be explained. Bondage is nothing but

ignorance of the reality.2

When Consciousness delimits itself in knowledge and form, it gives rise to

the drama of the world. The prologue is formed by the veiling of Its essential

nature. In the prologue, it undergoes the process of involution to the extent

of assuming the form of matter. This process is called the arc of descent. At

the acme of this descent begins the process of evolution resulting eventually

in the emergence of the principles of life and mind. Having thus got evolved,

man questions about his being and gets to know himself in his true nature.

This marks the arc of ascent or evolution.

II. VEDIC DISCOVERY OF STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS

States of consciousness is not the discovery of the Upanishadic period but

goes back to the Vedic Samhitas.

Consciousness as a principle makes an appearance in the Samhita in a

mantra seen by Dirghatamas who states:

Who could have seen the event when the boneless gave birth to

the bony. No doubt, the vital and the physical are born of the

earth but wherefrom the Atman. Who may approach the

knowledgeable to inquire?3

Narayana Rishi in the Atharvaveda describes that this body is the

Brahmapura and the Brahman that resides in it has divided itself into three

cords.4 These three cords represent the three lower states of consciousness

from the point of view of Brahman.

References to Turiya also occur in a hymn seen by Atri wherein it is stated

that by means of the fourth Brahman,Atri found out Surya which was keptconcealed in darkness.5 Sun, as a matter of fact, represents the Self in the

Vedas. This darkness is samudra arnava of the Vedas and susupti of later

texts.

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Another reference to the fourth state of consciousness is found in a mantra

seen by Ayasya, one of the sons of primeval seer Angirasa. The wisdom is

described here as magnificent, seven-horned and as having its origin in Rta

(universal dynamics). The mantra says:

This wisdom, seven horned and born of the universal dynamics

was found out by our father. The fourth, inexplicable, was

discovered by Ayasya out of the universality of his vision in

course of his communication with Indra.6

Universality is a pre-requisite of entry into the fourth state of

consciousness. This is evident from his oneness with Indra which could

not have possibly happened if he had not mastered the annamaya(jagrata),pranamaya (svapna) and the manomaya (susupti).

How Angirasas reached the fourth state of consciousness is narrated in the

next mantra of the same hymn:

Meditating and having communion with the principle of

universal dynamics Rta, the sons of the divine and heroes of

the Mighty, the Angirasas, by virtue of having attained the

position of the enlightened, could come to contemplate on the

status of the initial sacrifice of the Supreme Being.7

According to this mantra, the knowledge of principles of universal dynamics

is necessary for the entry into the fourth state of consciousness apart from

intensive meditation.

Besides Angiras and Ayasya, name of Brhaspati, the one of the sons of

Angiras, occurs in the hymn. Brhaspati is represented in the hymn, at times,

as a seer and as well as a god. If Ayasya becomes coincident toprana owing

to his meditation on the vital, Brhaspati becomes the Lord of mantras. His

expertise lies in the formulation of higher experience of mantras after going

through those experiences. This type of meditation, experience andexpression is recounted in the remaining mantras of the hymn in the form of

arduous task of entering into a cave, removing the heavy boulder, taking out

the cows that were kept concealed in the cave besides coming to know of the

dawn, the sun and light as revealed to one as if with a flash of lightning

followed by thunder.8

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III. ANALYSIS OF EXPERIENCE OF STATES OF

CONSCIOUSNESS DESCRIBED IN THE MANDUKYA UPANISAD

The Vedic view of consciousness finds detailed exposition in Mandukya

Upanisad,9 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.10

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 by the mind, by imagination, where

one sees, hears, runs, eats, etc., -- all mentally. In this state, onlyprana and

manas are active.

In deep sleep, the function ofmanas stops, onlyprana 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 ourchanging Is. It is called the fourth in reference to other three and is ever-

present reality and this turiya consciousness always remains as thebackground 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.

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This turiya consciousness is not merely a non-doer witnessing consciousness

( saksi caitanya) of Sankara Vedanta orKaivalya of Patanjali wherein theconsciousness remains in its aloneness or isolation but it is full of

turiyabhoga i.e. rapturous experience of the pure consciousness of Brahman.

Spandakarika also 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 ones natural state of

being the knower or the experient in all the states.11

Waking State of Consciousness

Waking state of consciousness has been described in this Upanisad as

having seven limbs and nineteen mouths or modes of expression. Theselimbs as recounted in Chandogya Upanisad are the heaven, the sun, air,

space, water, earth and a combination of all these put together.12 The mouth,

according to the Upanisad, is nineteen. Shankara interprets them as ten

indiryas, five pranas, manas, buddhi, ahamkara, cittam. In this stateBrahman or Consciousness is called Vaisvanara the Universal Person and

He is the first who feels and enjoys gross objects.

Thus, consciousness in the state of wakefulness is supposed to be capable of

taking in its purview the entire physical universe on account of this serving

as the body of it. In this state, all knowledge obtained by direct contact with

the external world is included when the subject is in contact with the

objective world around him on any plane.13 Gaudapada in his Karika

describes it as Vishwa being the Lord who pervades and is conscious of the

external.14 This state is bound by space-time. In other words, waking state of

consciousness is that in which knowledge is produced in people by means of

external senses, and the objects have a common connotation for all. This is

in reference to a common man.

It is a state of that form of awareness which prevails when the knowingsubjectivity is totally absorbed in the sensations which come to it through

the senses.15 All living beings, gross elements and the words which denote

them manifest outside the subject16 and in which the objects are perceptible

by everybody.17 Since this state arises through the activity of the wakeful

body and senses, the yogis, call it established in the body --pindastha andfor them it is the state of awareness they experience when they concentrate

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one-pointedly (dharana)18 on an object. While those who have gained

insight into reality (jnanin) express its nature in metaphysical terms as

everywhere auspicious (sarvatobhadra) because for them it represents the

state of consciousness manifest as the ubiquitous fullness of objective being

vedyasatta.19

Malinivijaya Tantra20 and Acarya Abhinavaguptas Tantraloka21 describes

varieties of waking state and other states of consciousness with reference to

a yogi. According to it waking state of consciousness has four stages, which

are as follows:

1.Jagrat-jagrat(Waking in waking):

It is state technically called unawakened(abuddha) in which the awareness

of the individual is entirely centred on the body and totally given over toobjectivity prameyabhava. Here the pramata is unconscious of his ownsubjective nature and never asks who he is. Whenever, he sees an object, he

immediately identifies with it and totally forgets himself as the cogniser.

2.Jagrat-svapna (Waking in Dream):

It is called awakened (buddha). This state arises when the subjectiveconsciousness enters into the objective consciousness and looses its

awareness of outer objectivity while continuing to perceive the mental

impressions created by it. This state can be experienced when one finds

himself staring at something absent-mindedly, carried away by his own

thoughts. In this state knowledge pramana of the object is prominent inconsciousness.

3.Jagrat-susupti(Waking in Deep Sleep):

This is a state which one experiences when one looses consciousness of both

the outer physical and inner mental environment. There arises for a moment

complete blankness, totally absent from the present situation. This is theexperience of an ordinary individual.

But for a Yogi, it is a state in which the pramata, the knower or the subject

is prominent in consciousness, for here the yogi rests in this state of

absorption for longer periods of time, enjoying the subtle bliss of unity and

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hence is called well-awakened stateprabuddha. The cogniser is awake in

regard to the subject but asleep to the object.

4.Jagrat-turiya (Waking in Turiya):

When the Yogi is completely well-awakened, he experiences the fourth state

when awake and continues to perceive and function in the midst of diversity,

maintaining an awareness of his true conscious nature. In this state of

consciousness, there is predominance of consciousness as such pramiti and

is known assuprabuddha orperfectly awakened state.

Dream State of Consciousness

Instead of taking it as the playground of unconscious, the Upanisadic sage

regards this state as that of consciousness itself and very much akin to itsstate of wakefulness. What differentiates it from that of waking state is that

it is shorn of active participation of the outer senses in its operation but is

taken over by inner senses. In this state of consciousness, mental

modifications and discernments continue to operate as they are operative in

the waking state with certain variations in its spatio-temporal status. This is

due to the autonomy of the space and time the dreaming consciousness is

placed in. It perceives inward and has the same limbs and mouths as that of

waking state. Being distinct from the waking state, it is called Taijasabecause there is absence of sensory data; its proceedings are dominated by

the innate luminosity of consciousness.

Brhadaranyaka Upanishad gives a detailed exposition of this state of

consciousness when King Janaka places before the Sage Yajnavalkya, a

query regarding the light helping us in seeing things. The king begins his

query with the source of light in which normally we see things and finally

the query centres on that source of light, if one, put in such a situation, were

dumb and mute. Sage Yajnavalkya suggests the self as the centre of

consciousness as the ultimate light.22

With the introduction of consciousness as the ultimate light, he expatiates

the states of consciousness. He explains the self as the essence of the

personality which, while remaining itself, moves from the waking to the

beatific taking a pause in the state of dream. While staying in the state of

dream, Yajnavalkya observes that the self has the privilege of observing this

world of the waking state on the one side and the beatific one on the other.

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He further observes that in the state of dream, the self, having withdrawn

itself from its involvement in the affairs of the world, comes to itself and

starts operating in the light of its innate consciousness. This consciousness

gets concentrated well within itself and becomes highly creative, as is

evident from the fact, according to Yajnavalkya, there are neither chariots

nor horses nor even roads actually in the perspective of the dreamer lying in

his bed and yet in his dream he is prone to become aware of presence of all

these without any doubt about their reality at the moment. So is the case

with a world of other images coming to him on other occasions, which may

be familiar or unfamiliar, connected or disconnected with one another.

Yajnavalkaya explains the appearance of these images as the creativity of

the self which, having delegated the responsibility of taking care of the

physical world to the pranas, and thus made itself free of its physical

involvements, moves around in its psychic environment resulting in thecreation of these images.23

It is a state that obscures the true nature svarupa of the individual by

constant emergence of thought constructs each of which performs its own

functions and whose contents are diversely manifest forms such as towns,

mountains, forests, etc., generated inwardly in the absence of external

objects and independently of them when the waking state ceases. The

subject is not a perceiver but one who thinks and turns on himself, reflects

(vimarsati) on the mental impressions (samskaras) previously formed in hisconsciousness by outer objects and orders them into thought constructs

(vikalpa). Therefore, this state of consciousness24 occurs not only while we

are asleep, but also during the phase of perception in which the external

object25 is represented mentally. Here the impurity of Karma (karmamala)

persists only as a latent trace while the objects so perceived inwardly are

illusory creations of the consciousness generated in the individual subjects

mind and hence not perceivable by all.

The practice of dhyana, in which the object of meditation is represented

mentally in such a way that the yogi achieves absorption, is said to takeplace in the dream state. Here the yogiss prana and all his ideas are then

drawn together into one place in which his awareness is firmly established,

Thus, they call the dream state as established in one place (padastha) and

from their point of view, it is a higher and subtler level of consciousness

than the waking state and hence it is easier to rise from it to a state of

absorption. Those who tread the path of knowledge, jnana, call this state

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pervasion (vyapti) due to its correspondence to autonomous cognitive

awareness which is not conditioned by the object of knowledge and is free to

pervade everywhere.26

Like the four states of waking consciousness, the dream states of

consciousness also has four states:

1.Svapna-jagrat (Dreaming in Waking):

This state is experienced when one mistakenly believes that his mental

projections are actual objects appearing before him. In this state of

consciousness, such a person is caught in the flux of objective perceptions

and at other times by the waves of his own mental impressions without

being able to distinguish between them and is constantly coming and going

from one sphere to the other. It is the world ofvikalpas (ideations). It alsogives the experience of clear, precise and stationary dreams. Malinivijaya

Tantra calls it gatagata or coming and going. Here the movement ofpranaand apana are prominent.

2.Svapna-svapna (Dreaming in Dreaming):

In this state of consciousness, the entire dream-phenomena appear to be

hazy, vague and disorderly. The individuals awareness is here carried hither

and thither by the mental images which arise within him without his being

aware of either their cause or purpose and he is in a world where one thing

may be transformed into another without seeming strange. The individual

has little control over what he sees, despite the fact it is a creation of his own

consciousness. It is called the state ofsuviksipta or well-dispersed.

3.Svapna-susupti (Dreaming in Deep Sleep):

It is a state of coherence because here subjectivity (pramatrbhava) is

intensely felt so that the dreamer establishes a clear connexion between one

dream object and another. At that time, he realises that the objects beforehim are not really a part of the external world and that he must be dreaming.

The dreamer enjoys full, peaceful sleep without feeling any incongruity

among his dream objects. He, as the subject, is able to experience a subtle

touch of universal consciousness while dreaming. Thejnanins call this state

assamgata or consistent.

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4.Svapna-turiya (Dreaming in the Fourth):

When the dreamer experiences the Fourth State while dreaming, in the

susamahita or attentive state, he is completely awake to himself as thedreamer and can rise directly from the dream state to that of contemplation.

It is a state in which the dreamer does not lose his self-consciousness despite

entire phantasmagoria of his dream state and knows that he is only

dreaming. This state is called svapna turiya. It is a state in which the

dreamer is fully integrated individual.

For a common man, the dream state is just a svapna or dream state in which

he views the various vikalpas of his dream without any contact of theexternal world. But a Yogi includes all these four states in one blanket term

calledpadastha, because he, by means of yoga, abides in thepada or state ofhis own Self in all these conditions.

State of Consciousness in Deep Sleep

The third is that state of deep sleep which is distinct from the dream

inasmuch as though in a state of sleep. Here the individual concerned does

not see any dream nor does he have any desire for anything. This is a state of

perfect slumber.27 Desirelessness with the state of deep sleep bears out that

desires are fundamental cause of dreams. Unfulfilled desires of the past give

themselves expression in the form of dreams while desirelessness of the

deep sleep is due to the self returning to its subjective being without having

left any trace of its projection in objectivity. This state of the self is

recounted in the Brhadaranyaka Upanisad through an analogy of an eagle or

falcon:

But just as there in the aerial space a falcon or an eagle after having

flown about, gets tired, folds together its wings and proceeds to a

squatting or crouching position, so also the self hurries to that state in

which, while asleep, it experiences no desire any more and sees no dreamimages.28

It is the essential form of the same, in which, raised above the desires it is

free from evil and is devoid of fear because just as one, embraced by a

beloved woman, has no consciousness of that which is outside or inside,

so also the self, embraced by consciousness of the self has no

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consciousness of what is outside or inside. That is the essential form of

the self in which it is one with all its desires appeased or fulfilled, one

desiring its own self, one without desires and free from desire.

Then the father is not the father and the mother is not the mother, the

worlds are not the worlds, the gods are not the gods, the Vedas are not

the Vedas; then the thief is not the thief, the murderer is not the murderer,

Candala is not the Candala, .the ascetic is not an ascetic, the performer

of austerities is not the performer of austerities, because in this state,

consciousness is unaffected by good and unaffected by evil, since it

transcends all the torments of the heart.29

It shows that the state of deep sleep is not absolutely shorn of consciousness

and joy. The joy of this state is of a higher order than one normally has in

the state of waking or dream. This is why Mandukya Upanisad describes thisstate as one of self-contained consciousness, blissful within, inclined to

awareness and yet completely ignorant.30

This deep state of consciousness also has four stages:

1.Susupti-jagrat (Deep sleep in the Waking):

In this state of consciousness, emptiness of deep sleep rises up to obliterate

all objective consciousness. But when the subject awakes from this state of

consciousness, he remembers nothing except that he was completely asleep

in which he had lost all sense of himself and the world. It is a state in which

the entire objective world is in a latent form. Thus, it is called udita or

emergentstate.

2.Susupti-svapna (Deep sleep in dreaming):

This state is known vipula or extensive because in this state latent

impressions begin to proliferate and mature. The subject orpramata is more

aware of his nature. Subtle traces of perceptions appear within him at onewith his own nature and he rises closer to the state of universal

consciousness.

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3.Susupti-susupti (Deep sleep in Deep sleep):

It is a state in which the subject experiences a subtle, uninterrupted,

awareness of his own subjectivity at rest within itself and when he awakens,

he remembers this state as being one of spiritual bliss. Every time he regains

it, it becomes more intense, until he reaches the deep sleep in the Fourth

state. Insusupti-susupti the residual traces of objective experience becomessubdued and tranquil. Therefore, this state is calledsanta orpeaceful.

4.Susupti-turiya (Deep sleep in Fourth State):

This state is calledsuprasanna orblissfulwherein an individual continues toabide in that state, fully aware of his own subjectivity and of its blissful

nature. This becomes samadhi for a yogi who on the collapse of thisconsciousness, enters into the Fourth state of consciousness.

Turiya State of Consciousness

Against the background of these three states, is the fourth one called turiya.

According to Mandukya Upanisad, it concerns the Supreme Being directly

and has been clearly distinguished from these three. The Upanisad

distinguishes this state of consciousness from the waking, dream and deep

sleep. It is a state which cannot be categorised as it transcends all opposites.

It is inconceivable, it surpasses mind and expression, is sublime and

profound and no mundane comparison can give idea of this state of

consciousness. It is pure consciousness because it is the cessation of all ideas

and is the causes of bliss and beatitude. In the words of the Upanisad:

He who is neither inward-wise nor outward-wise, nor both inward and

outward-wise, nor wisdom self gathered, nor possessed of wisdom, nor

unpossessed of wisdom. He who is unseen and incommunicable,

unseizable, featureless, unthinkable, and unnameable, Whose essentiality

is awareness of the Self in its single existence, in Whom all phenomenadissolve, Who is Calm, Who is Good, Who is the One than Whom there

is no other, Him they deem the fourth: He is the Self, He is the object of

Knowledge.31

Thus, being distinguished from the three states of consciousness, the fourth

state of consciousness is imperceptible, free of involvement in behaviour,

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incapable of being grasped by the intellect, shorn of properties of inference,

unthinkable, inexpressible and confined only to the experience of non-

duality between the individual self and the Ultimate Reality, absolutely

away from diversity or duality.

It is also distinct from the third state of consciousness. While the third state

is characterised as prajna orprajnaghana, that is consciousness in its

aloneness or lump of consciousness, the fourth is distinguished by exclusion

as neither a lump of consciousness nor consciousness in its aloneness, nor

intensively conscious or devoid of consciousness.

Like all the three lower states, turiya also has four states which include the

state ofturiyatita. They are as follows:

1. Turiya-jagrat(Turiya in Waking):

In this state, the mind as we know it, retires completely and its function

ceases and the unmana orsupermindbecomes. It is called manonmana.

2. Turiya-svapna (Turiya in Dreaming):

It is that state in which a Yogi crosses all boundaries of limitations of

knowledge and enters into the region of unlimitedness. This state is,

therefore, called ananta orunlimited.

3. Turiya-susupti (Turiya in susupti):

The experience of this state of the Fourth is called sarvartha because in this

state everything appears as a form of divine Sakti.

The common man simply calls it turiya because it is beyond the three known

states of waking, dream and deep sleep and he has no experience of the

turiya state. The Yogis call this state as rupatita because in this state

common form of both the object and the subject is transcended. The jnaninscall itpracaya orcollectivity for they experience in this state that everything

is steeped in the divine delight.

4. Turiyatita:

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It is that state which is full of uninterrupted divine rapture of Consciousness

and there is no question of phases of this state since it is a state of complete

realisation and once in this state of consciousness, Yogi no longer requires

any Yogic practice. The jnanins call this state mahapracaya. In it all

distinction between the transcendent and the immanent disappears.

It may also be mentioned that the discovery of five kosas by Bhrgu, namely,

annamaya kosa, pranamya kosa, manomaya kosa, vijnanamaya kosa and

anandamayakosa are nothing but the fives states of consciousness jagrat,svapna, susupti, turiya and turyatita.

IV. ROLE OF FIVE PRANAS

IN THE DIFFERENT STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS

State of deep sleep is characterised by the absence of outer physical andinner mental activity. It is one of silence (tusnibhava) in which there isneither object nor means of knowledge.32 According to Utpaladevacarya in

his Isvara-pratyabhijna-karika, in this state the absence of object of

knowledge characterises the sunya pramata, who is nothing more than not-being ofBuddhi, etc. and who experiences subjectivity as I, which is

related only to the vague and absolutely formless residual traces. In this

sunya resides the power which sets prana, etc., in motion and is the internalactivity of the senses (indiryas). This power is called life (jivana). Another

view of life is that it is nothing but self-consciousness, identified with the

prana which is identical with the group of eight (puryastaka). Thus, deep

sleep consists in the rest of self-consciousness in sunya orprana and is like

the state of dissolution resembling the world situation during cosmic

dissolution. Deep sleep (susupti) is of two kinds (i) that in which the

objective consciousness persists and (ii) that in which there is no objective

consciousness. In the former, the subject has the impurity of Maya, but inthe latter, one is free from it.33

Susupti is also a state of potentiality said to be the seed of the

universe34where everything is merged within the subject in the form of latentimpressions (samskara) which give rise to the world of differentiated

perceptions when the individual wakes up. Thus, it is the microcosmic

equivalent of universal destruction (pralaya)35 where tattvas or the

categories of experience in the realm of diversity dissolve. Though the same

cognising subject that is present in the waking and dream states persists in

this state of consciousness but he appears to be absent because the object

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and the means of knowledge, with which he formerly identified, are no

longer present.36

In this state of consciousness, impurity of individuality (anavamala)

continues to operate which contracts consciousness and deprives it of its

awareness and freedom and is therefore not supported by the other

impurities, thereby leaving the subject in a state of emptiness (sunya).

Consciousness is present here as sunyapramatrorvoid subjectwhich is the

source from which the powers of the senses and the prana spring when onerises from this state.

This state of consciousness presents itself in two forms in an individual

one is totally without object in which an individual recalls when he awakes

and thinks I knew nothing at all. This type of experience is called

apavedyasusupti.

The second type of experience is that of impurity of maya (mayiyamala)which continues to function in a subtle way and has some objective content.

This is known when an individual awakes from this state and thinks I slept

well. This state is calledsavedyasusupti.

For Yogis this state of deep sleep is closer to the state of universal

consciousness than the waking or dreaming, for in this state of

consciousness, the subject alone exists and the yogis call it established inform (rupastha) since, here the cogniser is the creator of forms rupayati andis therefore in pure form.37 For the average man, it is an experience of

inconscient sleep but for the yogis, deep sleep is samadhi in which he is in a

state of transcendental aloofness, free of the awareness of distinction

between the subject and the object. But for the seeker of knowledge, this

state is the state ofgreat pervasion (mahavyapti) because, established in

subjectivity of consciousness, they are free of the restrictions imposed by the

object.38

Utpaladevacarya is of the view that the trinity of these states of

consciousness have to be given up because of the supreme importance itgives toprana (the animating life-force) and the secondary place it allots to

the Ultimate Nature pure Consciousness and also because of the

occurrence of pleasure, pain, and so on, which represent precisely its rise

and fall.39 The purpose behind this is that the body, the mind, and the system

of breathing, as well as the void-like awareness, attain particular importance

for human beings in the waking, dream and deep sleep states of

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consciousness whereby the pure Consciousness is pushed into the

background of human awareness with the result that this Consciousness is

suppressed and forgotten leading to experiences of pleasure and pain, among

others, tend to dominate. Therefore according to him, these three states of

animated awareness should be given up and the fourth state turiya, isworthy of being awakened since it is pure divine Consciousness and is the

supreme master of all knowing and doing in accordance with its free will.

He further adds that the principle of life,prana, manifests itself primarily as

inhaling (prana) and exhaling (apana) in the waking and the dream states ofconsciousness. While in the state of deep sleep, prana is called samanawhich suspends both the earlier forms ofprana. Therefore,samana is called

visuvat.40Samana is like the time, and is characterised by the equality of themovement ofprana and apana and the rest of the principle of life in the

cavity of heart i.e. neither moving to the right or to the left for a while;exactly as the time.41

Finally, in the state of turiya, prana moves through the mid-passage

susumna and as such it is called udana. In it, the dissolution of the objectiveworld starts. While prana in the form of vyana is present in the state of

turiyatita state of consciousness42 which is nothing but the climax of the

turiya.

Abhinavagupta in his commentary on verse 3.2.20 of the above mentioned

karika, states thatprana means the being of the principle of consciousness

cidarupa as prana and apana, the characteristic of life and is essentially

nothing more than the universal motion (samanyaparispanda) that bringsconsciousness to the inconscient body. When the freedom (svantarya), self

is imposed on it, it is apprehended as I. This very beingofcit, manifesting

itself in the particular forms of movement such as those ofprana, etc.,assumes five different forms and shows in itself the particularity ofpranaand that ofapana in succession in the form of inhaling and exhaling. These

two movements are very clear in the waking state because here the prana

proceeds from the body and rests on the external object and from therecomes back to body and rests on the internal object. Therefore, prana and

apana are distinctly cognised.

In the dream state of consciousness, both are present because the cogniser

clearly sees prana and apana in the form of inhaling and exhaling of aperson who is asleep and the sleeping person also realises their existence in

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the form of leaving and coming back to the heart. So the principle of life,

Prana, has two movements inhalation and exhalation in the waking state aswell as in dream state. But when, this state grows very strong then there is a

subject in deep sleep, susupta, and it is of two types and both the types are

characterised by the possession of the principle of life called samana. In the

savedya susupta, the movement ofprana and apana is perceptible, yet in

reality, deep sleep consists primarily in the rest of the principle of life in

between the two movements in which the hrdayasadana, -- the spatial point,which is beyond the reach of the senses.

Thus, the suspension of activity ofprana and apana, for a while, is the

feature ofsamana whose primary function is to produce equality in the vital

fluids in the higher as well as the lower animals and is responsible for the

digestion of food, because it brings about the opening of the lotus of the

heart and is like the time called visuvatbecause it is equality ofprana andapana which are like day and night and rest in the cavity of the heart for awhile.

Finally, Abhinavagupta states that when the activity of the principle of life

abandons the left and right passages and follows the upward central path,

then that movement brings about melting away of all duality like that of

melted Ghrta and produces a state that is characterised by unity. In this state

of consciousness, prana is called udana. It is technically called turiya. But

when duality completely disappears, the activity of the principle of life

(pranavrtti) assumes the form ofvyana inasmuch as it operates in the body,

consisting of the mass of elements and worlds, which constitute the entire

sphere of objectivity. This is known as turiyatita state. It is the UltimateReality, which is essentially the cause as well as whole universe itself. Thus,

the subject is nothing more than the principle of life pranarupa that

assumes the forms ofprana, apana, udana,samana, and vyana.

Although in the states of turiya and turiyatita, the principle of life exists,

otherwise there would be no rise from them as there is destruction of duality

in these states ofturiya and turiyatita and are characterised by rest on unity,therefore, there is no variety of pleasure and pain in them. These two states

of consciousness are states of the highest bliss, characterised by perfect rest

on the Self. Hence, they are ought to be acquired.

Thus, the Ultimate Reality whose body is the whole universe appears as

prana, apana, udana,samana, and vyana.43

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V. ANALYSIS OF STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE

TRADITION OF ZEN

Acarya Vasubandhu in his Trimsikavijnapati-karika describes the turiyastate of consciousness as the fifth stage of attainment of final realisation

bodhi, which means abiding in anuttarasamyaksambodhi supreme

enlightenment. A yogi gets out of veils and attains complete enlightenmentand is capable of striving for transformation of all sentient beings until the

end. The verse states:

Such pure dhatu is unimaginable, good and eternal. It is a state

of bliss, an emancipated body, called the famous law of thegreatsakyamuni.44

This is called pure dhatu (anasravadhatu) because it destroys all evils ordefilements; is not a sphere where vices and passions can attach themselves;

by nature it is immaculate (suddha) and is complete and luminous, sublime

and infinite. The Mahabuddha possessed of supreme qualities of muni(silence) is called Mahamuni. This svabhavikakaya (pure dharmadhatu) is

absolutely real, eternal, blissful, supreme and pure. It is free from all

impurities and is the support of all that is good and is possessed of

unconditioned qualities; hence it has neither the characteristics nor the

activity ofrupa, citta and caitta. It is for the personal benefit because it is peaceful, blissful. It is also for the benefit of others because it is the

sovereign condition which causes the sentient beings to obtain well-being

and happiness.

It further adds that consciousness is exclusively internal while objects are

both internal and external. Apprehending that people may admit the reality

of the external objects, Buddha, therefore, teaches vijnaptimatrata. Since the

ordinary human being misunderstands and becomes attached to artha, and

produces klesas and karman. He is sunk in thesamsara and exercises efforts

to obtain deliverance by the contemplation the mind. Therefore, Buddhateaches vijnaptimatrata to help them to attain liberation from samsara by

contemplation of mind and it does not mean that internal objects are

absolutely non-existent like the external objects are. Therefore, it recognises

only consciousness itself. Internal objects have consciousness itself as their

essential nature. Tathata is the real nature of consciousness and therefore,there is no dharma outside consciousness.

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Boddhidhrma in hisLankavatara Sutra,in the dialogue between Buddha andMahamati, says that everything is Mind only. When Mahamati asks about

the nature of existence, Buddha says again and again to his disciple

Mahamati, Mahamati, this is only Mind. Hell is Mind. Heaven is Mind.

The world is Mind. Enlightenment is Mind.

Mahamati asks again and again, Just Mind? Just Mind? Even nirvana orenlightenment is just Mind?

And Buddha says, Just Mind, Mahamati.

Here mind stands for that state of consciousness which is beyond all

opposites and is the cause of the entire manifestation. This could only be the

fourth state of consciousness. In it there is no desire and the whole worldwhich was seen earlier in pair of opposites is like a magical world, a city of

Gandharva. As if a magician has created it, everything appears to be there,

but it is there only because of the thought form.

Similar view is held by of Lin-Chi, founder of famous Rinzai school of Zen,

that the human being is bound by sequential cognition, a persistent tendency

of one thought to the next. Whether a particular sequence is a rambling or a

result of a vigorous logical exegesis, all these streams of discursive

consciousness hide the real man behind it. He also held that whether the

mind is involved, dabbles in an endless series of gross pleasures, or

ambition, or seeks power, or fame, or pursues sublime spiritual doctrines,

these chains of discursive thoughts veil the truth.

Wisdom, according to him, is not the product of some kind of discursive

mentation but is the sundering of the chain, the stopping of the process.

Thus, enlightenment will always appear suddenly, even though it involves

long and careful preparation before it but it will always happens suddenly.

He used to warn his students against the subtle tricks of the discursive mindand the Ultimate Reality, according to him, is neither subjective nor

objective but chains of thoughts attempt to make it one or the other. The real

man or the universal mind, however, is beyond both. He held that Mind-

reality is universal and omnipresent and each human being is that mind-

reality in an individual locus.

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The human nature hides the truth as much as it reveals the same. This means

that the human being is both the universal mind-reality and the concrete

person simultaneously. This is the paradox.

To realise that which witnesses everything in each individual, and that which

is seen, the nothingness of the pure seeing without I or the whole process

of an I seeing the world is to gain illumination.

For Lin-Chi, Mind-reality is not a metaphysical doctrine, or an article of

faith or a goal to be attained. It is a fact in Nature and in Man. Nothing else

is real. To understand it, is to experience it, and to experience it, is to live it.

He says that one cannot think about it, for doing so, one objectifies what is

not objective. Nor can one simply deny it for that subejctivises what is not

subjective. Rather one has to be simple.

The true Man, according to him, is the man of no rank. The mind-reality is

lost through conditionality and qualification as soon as one thinks about it

and to give this Buddha Nature a form, or to associate it with an image is to

impose conditionality, rank, etc. on the Mind-Reality. By doing so, is to

confine and limit it within the shrunken thought of discursive consciousness.

He says, Followers of the Way, this thing called mind has no fixed form; it

penetrates all the ten directions. In the eye we call it sight; in the ear we call

it hearing; in the nose it detects odours, in the mouth it speaks discourse; in

the hand it grasps, in the feet it runs along. Basically it is a single bright

essence, but it divides itself into these six functions. And because this single

mind has no fixed form, it is everywhere in a state of emancipation

To sum up in the words of Seng-tsan, the Third Chinese Patriarch who

refers to a state of consciousness which is akin to the Fourth turiya.According to him it is eternal, blissful and is of the nature ofprakasa and

vimarsa as well as beyond all polarities. Though it creates these polarities, it

is beyond both. He says:

The Great Way is not difficult for those not attached to

preferences. When neither love nor hate arises, all is clear and

undisguised.

If you wish to know the truth, hold no opinions for or against

anything. To set up what you like against what you dislike is the

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disease of the mind. When the fundamental nature of things is not

recognised, the minds essential peace is disturbed to no avail.

The Way is perfect as vast space is perfect, where nothing is

lacking and nothing is in excess. Indeed, it is due to our

grasping and rejecting that we do not know the true nature of

things. 45

He also states that one should neither live in the entanglements of outer

things nor in ideas or feelings of emptiness but one should be serene and at

one with things and erroneous views will disappear by themselves. If one

tries to stop activity to achieve quietude, he says, the very effort fills one

with activity. Thus, one will not be able to know Oneness.

If we deny the reality of things, he says, we shall miss their reality sincetheir reality is dependant on that One Reality. According to him, the entire

phenomena of the world are contained in this One Reality and are

experienced when the discursive mind ceases to exist. So does the thinking

subject. The arising of the other gives rise to the self and giving rise to self

generates others. One should know these seeming two as facets of the One

Fundamental Reality. He further adds that when all things seen without

differentiation, the One Self-essence is everywhere revealed. This is realised

through non-duality, he asserts.

Finally, he says:

Each thing reveals the One,

the One manifests as all things.

To live in this Realisation,

is not to worry about perfection or non-perfection.

To put your trust in theHeart-Mindis to live without separation,

and in this non-duality you are one with your Life-Source.

Words! Words!

The Way is beyond language,for in it there is no yesterday,

no tomorrow,

no today.46

The Heart-Mind of Hsin-hsin Ming is hrda manisa of the Veda.

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References:

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1yaavanna vaodka eto tavaWoVa: kqaM iP`ayao.vaodkM ovaoVmaokM tu t


24/24

AdRYTmavyavahaya-magaàh\yamalaxaNamaican%yamavyapdoSyamaoka%maPà%yasaarM PàpHcaaoSamaMSaantM iSavamaWOtM catuq-aM manyanto sa Aa%maa

sa iva&oya:..Mandukya Upanisad, 7.32Tantraloka, 10.258

33SaUnyao bauwtaaVBaavaa%manyahntakt-Rtapdo.AsfuTapsaMskamaai~iNa &oyaSaUnyata..13..

saaxaaNaamaantrI vaRikayaao|saaO Qamaa-#yaao|yaM

mahamaunao:..Trimsikavijnapti-karika of Vasubandhu, verse 30.45Hsin-hsin Ming: Verses on the Faith-Mind by Seng-tsan, Third Chinese Patriarch Translated fromChinese by Richard B. Clarke.46Ibid.

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Yogic Experience of States of Consciousness