[Advaita-l] A Perspective - 7

[Sunil Bhattacharjya]

Dear Anbuji,

While hailing your excellent note, which includes the following para,  may I make a suggestion?

/////   The intellect is absent during dream time but the 'small mind' that presents
the world of objects to the "i" is present.  Because of the absence of the
intellect during dream time the world of objects are convoluted and this
confounds the "i".  This confusion is recorded by the chittha.  Thus in the
dream state only the three parts of the 'big mind' viz. the 'small mind',
the "i" and the Chittha are present.  ////

Should we say that the Intellect rests or is mostly inactive during the dream state but it does participate at times? Probably that is why it is said that the early-morning dreams are useful as it shows the things to come? Probably at a certain vibration rate of the brain, and it could be the alpha state (friends will correct me if I am wrong) it does participate.

Regards,

Sunil K. Bhattacharjya


--- On Mon, 11/23/09, Anbu sivam2 <anbesivam2 at gmail.com> wrote:

From: Anbu sivam2 <anbesivam2 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] A Perspective - 7
To: "A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta" <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
Date: Monday, November 23, 2009, 12:57 AM

(continued from the previous posting)

Now let us try to understand the 'mind' in two ways viz.

(i) the 'big mind' which comprises of (a) the 'small mind', (b) the
intellect, (c) "i" the ahamkara and (d) the chittha the memory and

(ii) the 'small mind' that presents the world of objects to the "i" the
ahamkara.  The world of objects is indeed body galore!

The intellect is present only during the waking state and its function is to
straighten out the world of objects presented by the 'small mind' in time
and space in a neatly fashioned way.  This is its role of determination. The
"i" is the one to which the world of objects is presented to and this "i"
'experiences' the world of objects.  The chittha records these experiences
of the "i" constantly.  Thus in waking state all the four parts of the 'big
mind' are present.

The intellect is absent during dream time but the 'small mind' that presents
the world of objects to the "i" is present.  Because of the absence of the
intellect during dream time the world of objects are convoluted and this
confounds the "i".  This confusion is recorded by the chittha.  Thus in the
dream state only the three parts of the 'big mind' viz. the 'small mind',
the "i" and the Chittha are present.

In deep sleep state both the intellect and the 'small mind' are absent.
That leaves only the two entitites viz. the "i" and the chittha to be
present.

*The "i" knows itself by identifying itself with a body presented to it by
the 'small mind'.  This is its self-awareness.* In deep sleep the mind is
absent and so there is no body presented to be identified with.    Thus,
even though "i" is present during deep sleep its self-awareness is not
there.  "Both the world and "i" are not there" is its experience! Such
experience is recorded by the chittha.

*But this chittha also records the 'Ananda' experienced by the "i"!*   This
'Ananda' was not apprehended by the "i" because of lack of self-awareness.
The Vedas bring it the attention of "i" of the existence of this 'Ananda'.

In summation, the "i" is a saakshi for it is present in all the three
states.  Because of its self-awareness is linked to a body that it
identifies itself as "i" it considers itself as kartha and bhoktha in waking
and dream states and non-existent during deep sleep.  However being part of
the 'big mind'it is part of the world of karma and thus it is inert.  Karma
kim param?  Karma thajjadam exclaims Bhagavan Ramana.  Jadam indeed has no
self-awareness.

Yet the awareness was ever present despite the jadam nature of the "i".
That indeed was revealed by the experience of 'Ananda'.  This is first
postulated as the True Saakshi (as in the Geetha verse quoted), however when
the false 'big mind' is rejected by the self-inquiry the survivor is known
as the "I" the True Saakshi that has nothing to witness! Yes, the True
Saakshi is beyond anubhava!  It is pure Ananda.



On Sun, Nov 22, 2009 at 5:08 PM, Anbu sivam2 <anbesivam2 at gmail.com> wrote:

>
> Quote: "The one who was awake even in the deep-sleep state cannot be
> called as pramaata, since the status of pramaata comes with tripuTi with
> prameyam and pramANa present. In the deep-sleep state, I am pure saakshii,
> the witnessing consciousness, witnessing ‘nothing or no-thing’.  In fact
> Vedanta says I, as witnessing consciousness, am present all the time, in the
> waking, dream and deep-sleep states. ‘tvam’ in the ‘tat tvam asi’ refers to
> that pure witnessing consciousness.  All the states of experience come and
> go; I am ever present and ever awake as saakshii. Krishna says that saakshii
> is the universal consciousness, the ever present, knower of all fields,
> KshetrajnaH; Kshetrajnam ca api maam viddhi sarva kshetreShu bhaarata; and
> that forms the mahaavaakya."
>
> The "i" who, in deep sleep, experienced nothing (of the world of
> multiplicity) did experience the Ananda of the Self for that was the only
> thing that kept his company and so he recalls this experience when awake in
> the words "I slept happily".  That was his pure positive bhogam.   While
> dreaming and while awake he experiences the bhogam in the form of misram,
> that is both positively and negatively.  While awake he claims that he is a
> karmi for the mere fault of being pressured into doing karma which is always
> painful while in other two states he is merely a bhogi.  This 'experiencing'
> is suggested as being a witness.  This is vaachyaartham.  In vaachyaartham
> 'i'-who claims to be kartha and bhoktha- is part of the mind which in the
> ultimate analysis is found to be false.  Therefore the 'i' of the
> vaachyaartham is false.
>
> The Kshethragnya is the Self that keeps his company in all three states and
> the suggestion is that He is the true Witness.
>
> The jeeva in ordinary course would not know of the Kshethragnya and that
> would make him conclude that he is merely a kartha and a bhoktha
> alternatively, who is born and dead either for one time or to repeat in
> endless cycles.  It is to the credit of Prasthaanathrayam that brings to his
> attention of the existence of the Kshethragnya that sends him into the fresh
> enquiry on the relation between him and the Kshethragnya.
>
> Addvaitins contend that the Jeeva is the Kshethragnya in lakshyaartham and
> if indeed he achieves his lakshya by the Grace of his Guru he is sure to
> find that there was never a kshethra in the first place!
>
> The suggestion is: Know the true Witness (the 'one who was awake even in
> deep-sleep' as Sadanandaji put it) and that true Witness is none other than
> you!
>
_______________________________________________
Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita

To unsubscribe or change your options:
http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l

For assistance, contact:
listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org