Guest guest Posted June 11, 2002 Report Share Posted June 11, 2002 A Critical Examination of Deep Sleep State from the point of a Waker! I tried to follow the discussion of Prof. V.K. and Dennis. Here is my current understanding. First we neeed to recognize the fact that any logical analysis of the deep sleep state can and is being done at the waking state by the waker's mind which was not there in the deep sleep state. Hence from the waker's mind point any conclusions that can be arrived at can only be inferential. If one examines critically even Shankara's response to a student quenstion - say in Vivekachuudamani - "I was conscious of nothing in the deep sleep state - Hence I was there present to know the absence of everything that includes time and space, - or " I slept well' - and sleep is an intensive pleasurable experince and I have to be there to sleep well' etc all are indeed inferential statements made in the waking state by the inquiring mind which was not there in the deep sleep state. Whether I was there in the deep sleep state or not is question that cannot be resolved factually other than by inference by the waker's mind - whether it is our mind or Shankara's mind is not important here but by the mind that was not there in the deep sleep state is the point. >From the point of just waker's mind - I will put this qestion - whether I was there in the deep sleep state or not- is unresolvable and hence I consider it is an indeterminate problem. Any conclusion that one can arrive at just based on logic alone is inferential and questionable. The pramana for my existence in deep sleep is not loukika anumaana - that is logic based on say objective sciences which can only be inferential - but shaastriiya anumaana - that is based on the logic of shaastra - hence the importance of shastra as pramaana. Existence - which is consciousness - alone was there in the beginning - sat eva soumya - ekameeva advitiiyam - tad aikshata etc statements of ChaDukya U. establishes that existence-consciousness and infiniteness - satyam-j~naanam - anantam- alone was there before creation. That which exists can never cease to exist and that which is non-existence can never come to exitence - naasato vidyate bhaavo naabhaavo vidyate sataH - Bg Geeta - establishes that I am which is conscious (I) and existent entity (am) can never cease to exist - is shaastriiya anumanaana - Hence the inferencial statement of the waker that I was there to sleep well and I was conscious of nothing etc - the intellectual statements of the waker's mind is fully supported by the scriptual statement that I cannot cease to exist and I am conscious and existent entity ever present - this are further backed by Mandukya Up. declarations. Conclusion: 1. Staement of waker's mind that I was there and I slept well - by themselves are inferential and waker's mind cannot catogorically determine "I existed in the deep sleep state' and was conscious (of nothing) is an indeterminate problem. 2. The problem gets resolved correctly only if we bring Scriptual pramana. Hari OM! Sadananda - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup http://fifaworldcup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 12, 2002 Report Share Posted June 12, 2002 Existence or the pramanas relating thereto have never been questioned. The attempt (at least from my side) was to conclude that "I slept" need not be considered inferential knowledge as it is direct knowledge lighting up to me right at this moment of wakefulness with all required substantiating "add-ins" like any other knowledge. It is, therefore, not necessary to think that I really underwent the sleep experience, then call it memory, pratyabhigna, recall, inference etc. and look for pramanas to confirm that I necessarily existed at the time of the experience although my mind was absent. According to advaita, I am an ever-present present which contain and reflect all the worlds. What is reflected is not within the "limited me's" capacity to demand, dictate or change. That I slept is one of the things reflected in that unchanging "now". The enjoyment of sleep is, therefore, direct knowledge in this "now" and not in a `mindless' past. Madathil Nair ___________________ advaitin, kuntimaddi sadananda <kuntimaddisada> wrote: > A Critical Examination of Deep Sleep State from the > point of a Waker! > Conclusion: > > 1. Staement of waker's mind that I was there and I > slept well - by themselves are inferential and waker's > mind cannot catogorically determine "I existed in the > deep sleep state' and was conscious (of nothing) is an > indeterminate problem. > > 2. The problem gets resolved correctly only if we > bring Scriptual pramana. > > Hari OM! > Sadananda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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