[Advaita-l] Waking and Dream States - II

[kuntimaddi sadananda]

PraNAms to all.

This is a continuation of the precious post on the waking and dream states.
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3. Microcosm and Macrocosm:

If you examine closely the manDukya mantras 3 and 4 that describe the waking and dream states, they run almost parallel. Mantra 3 says: 
jaagaritasthAno bahiprajnaH| saptaangaH| ekonavishatimukhaH| sthuulabhRigvaisvaanaraH| prathamaH paadaH|| 
and Mantra 4 says: 
svapnasthaano anthaH prajnaH| saptaangaH| ekonavishatimukhaH| praviviktabhuktaijasaH| dvitiiya paadaH||

The two aspects that are common are – saptaangaH| and ekonavishatimukhaH|  From the point of the waking state, BMI (body, mind and intellect) it is called bahiprajnaH as the waking world is external to the waker’s mind; and the dream state is ‘antaH prajnaH’ internal to the waker’s mind. The reference point here is quite clear since Vedic teaching is for a waker not for a dreamer. 

As we discussed, it is the suppressions or oppressions –or subtle impressions - in the waking mind that form the cause for projection of the dream world. While explaining the difference between the waking and dream states, Shankara leaves the comment on the mantra 4 with the statement that the rest is similar to the waking state or mantra 3, where he has explained the significance of the two terms – saptaangaH and ekonavimshati mukhaH| 

This is where the macrocosmic and microcosmic aspects are brought into a single scoop using parallel statements both in the description of the waking and dream worlds.  In this aspect it is easier to follow for a seeker the dream experience that everyone is very much familiar with and look at the problem, and then relate to the parallel statement applicable to the waking state using the scripture as pramANa.  Thus we have Shruti statements supported by individual dream experience helping us to resolve the issue. The clear understanding of the two becomes a saadhana for both upaasana and jnaana. 

Parallelism of the two: In this we will first look at the creative cause for the two worlds to appreciate the parallelism – also emphasize the Vedic vision in bringing out the parallelism in emphasizing the unifying principles in the micro and macro cosmic visions. 

The cause for the creation of the dream world is the suppressions and oppressions in the waking mind as it goes through the waking-world experiences. Immediate as well as some deeper impressions form the basis for the dream world. We can expresses this in a generic form that there is a (dream) sanchitakarma (total suppressed or oppressed desires, fears, anxieties, or lingering vaasanaas, etc) parts of which (dream-praarabda karma) that are ready to germinate and form the basis of the particular dream world of creation. For dream projection, the waker’s intellect is at its low level (lack of clear discrimination of what is real and what is the mind’s projection – similar to nitya-anitya vastu viveka) and there appears to be no will or freewill to act.  Therefore we do not accumulate new account (dream aagaami karma) to be deposited for waker’s mind. Dream is only a clearing house for the (waker’s) mind. I do not have any control on the praarabda
 karma – as the seeds are already there to germinate which expresses in the dream world of creation and experience.  Therefore waker’s mind supported by consciousness is a creator of the dream world and the vaasanaas provide the basis for the creation. For those vaasanaas that are ready for exhaustion, the dream field (kshetram or loka) is provided.  Thus the previous karmas or previous samskaara provides the basis for the dream creation. Creative power of the mind with consciousness behind is the maayaa shakti – that power which makes one to appear as many. What is the proof of the existence of maayaa shakti? The very fact that one mind has become many is the proof.  What is the proof for the existence of any force? – the fact that object at rest is start moving is the direct proof that there is a force that causes that motion – in fact that is how a force is defined. Similarly the maayaa is defined as the creative force that rests with the
 conscious entity behind the waker’s mind. 

In the dream there are varieties of objects as well as many subjects, i.e. beings with various types of anatomies, while one total mind permeates all those chara and achara or movables and immovables.  Another interesting aspect of the dream is not only the whole world of plurality of beings and non-beings are created, I, the waker also project myself as one tiny subject, a seer or experiencer of the dream world of plurality.  The dream world that I perceive is different from me, who became one of the dream subjects in my own dream that are distinctly different from the other dream subjects and the inert matter.  Scripture confirms that like a waker, I, who is the one of the dream subjects in the dream, also have nineteen gates (ekonavimshati) or nineteen outlets to experience the dream world (mantra 4). 

Now we can ask the question - is the dream world external or internal? It is internal from the point of the waker’s mind but it is also external from the point of the dream subject that I have become in the dream.  Hence one has to be clear from what reference the statements are made. Just as I have body, mind and intellect associated with the tiny (not physically tiny but tiny in relation to the rest of the dream world) entity in the dream, there are other subjects who have their own tiny bodies, minds and intellects. My mind in the dream is different from the others minds that are operating in the dream world. I am a microcosmic entity in my own dream which differs from the rest of the cosmos in the dream. Looking from the waker’s mind, it forms the Hiranya garba for the dream world, the total mind that constituting all the minds of all the jiivas in the dream world put together. One can also visualize total gross body or matter that is made up of
 all the matter in the dream world put together that forming the viraat purushaH of the dream world who has the saptaangaH –the seven limbs  - of the total purusha of the dream world.  Since waker’s mind is all pervading it is the total mind in all the diversified minds of the all the subjects in the dream.  Every object that is perceived or perceivable that exists in the dream universe is a creation from the point of the waker’s mind. No object in the dream world can exist without the knowledge of the waker’s mind. But from the point of the 'I', the dream subject, I have to use essentially the ekonavishati – the 19 gateways  to experience the world outside the dream subject that I am. I, the dream subject, will be operating the pramANa or means of knowledge to establish the existence of the objects in the dream, while I the waker’s mind know exactly what are all objects in the dream world that exists. Hence from the point of the dream, the
 waker’s mind is sarvajnaH or and from the point of dream subject, I am only alpajnaH – or only knows the existence of those that I know. 

By emphasizing the parallel aspect of the two worlds in the two mantras, 3 and 4 of ManDukya, the Upanishad provides us the inconceivable perception (divya dRishTi) of the total world of the waking state in relation to the tiny world that I perceive through my 19 gate ways of the subject that I am as a waker. The waking world can be conceived using the dream world as an example that we experience everyday. There are verities of objects or inert materials constituting galaxies and galaxies away as well as other 13 lokas that we can only from the scriptures that constitutes this universe as well as various living beings in various anatomies, all part of the total projection of one mind that pervades the whole universe as both the efficient, instrument as well as the material cause of the universe. No object in this universe can ever exist without the knowledge of that total mind. Consciousness identified with the total mind is called Iswara of the
 creation. He cannot be inside or outside the creation – He is the creation itself. The total subtle body of all the jiivas put together can form Hiranya garba of the waking world, as the creator that has all the knowledge of the creation. He is the sarvajnaH, all knower, of the waking world. Just as in the case of the dream, the total mind itself becomes a so-called tiny BMI of the waking world. Hence looking from the tiny BMI, the individual that I am, I am having the 19 gate ways to experience the total world in front of me. On the other hand  looking from the total BMI of all the beings put together, I become Viraat swaruupa of the waking world with – seven limbs – saptaangaH.  In just two simple looking mantras, the whole creation brought in total perspective from the point of micro and macro cosmic aspects in both waking world and the dream world. 

Just as for the dream world, the vaasanaas form the basis for the individual dream world, the total vaasanaas of all jiivas put together form the samashTi vaasanaas that from the basis for the creation of the total universe. The blue print for the creation of the dream world come from the vaasanaas of the individual and blue print for the creation of the waking world comes from the samashTi vaasanaas of the all jiivas put together. The creative power (maayaa shakti) manifests with Iswara when those part of the total vaasanaas are ready to germinate in the cycle of creation. What is the proof for maaya shakti? One becoming into many itself is the very proof for maaya – He visualized, let me become many and He became many – is the essence of how the creation of one becoming into many – the power of creation to become many is inherent in the very becoming – just as in dream. The blue prints for this creation is provided by the vaasanaas or karma
 (sancita karma) of the previous creation cycle; and for the previous one, previous to previous – this is beginning-less as creation-sustenance-dissolution is a cyclic process. 

The dream is not real – declares the waker. So is the waking world says scripture since it has beginning – sustenance – and dissolution – what is there is that all pervading waker, who is not the dream creation nor the dream subject but a waker that transcends the dream objects and subjects. In the same way what is there is only that all pervading reality that does not undergo any changes in all the changes that is occurring and that remains as eternal – pure existence-consciousness – limitless; and that you are – tat tvam asi – says the scripture and that is the turiiyam that is described in the 7th mantra of the ManDukya. 

Any claims that one is more real than the other is also invalid from the point of absolute but only relatively valid from the point each reference frame. Each one is only a paada or part of the four paadas that scripture defines. The fourth one is actually not a paada although people call it to differentiate it from the other three (caturtam manyante) – it is the essential truth that permeates all the three, which is adivatam sa aatma sa vijneyaH – the one without a second and that is the self – the existence – consciousness that you are.  

Thus the parallelism that the scripter points out between the waking and dream world has to be understood using our experience, logic and the scriptures; not necessarily in that order. 

Hari Om!
Sadananda