Atman and Deep Sleep

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Jaya Guru Datta,

 

Here is today's saying:

 

“The importance of understanding about the three states of consciousness

(wakeful, dream and deep sleep states) for easy understanding of the phenonema

of Atma was stressed in Lesson 10. Consequently, we discussed in detail about

those staes in the next two lessons. Now, let us try to understand the relation

between the Atma and three states of consciousness.

 

In fact, it is because the three states exist that we are able to appreciate the

fact that Atman is pure. How? In any given state of consciousness, the other

two states do not exist simultaneously. In the wakeful state, dream and deep

sleep states do not exist and so on. But the Atman ('I') remains the witness of

all the three states. It therefore follows that Atman is eternal and does not

undergo any modification.

 

A doubt may arise here.

 

We will have the knowledge of the existence of Atman (the knowledge that I

exist) in the wakeful state and in the dream state. This knowledge is totally

absent in the deep sleep state. Therefore, does it not mean-'I do not exist in

the deep sleep state?' How appropriate then, is it to say that the Atman

remains unaltered in all the three states?

 

One should be very cautious here.

 

A person who wakes up after sound sleep (devoid of dreams) will say, 'I slept so

well that I did not perceive anything.' In other words, he means to say that he

did not have any experience relating to the objective perceptions.

 

Observe carefully. He is saying 'I did not have any objective perceptions' and

not 'I had no knowledge at all.' In fact he has the knowledge that he did not

perceive. If Atman ('I') were not to exist in the deep sleep state, how would

that person have the knowledge that he did not perceive? It means that the

knowledge which is present in the wakeful and dream states is present in the

deep sleep state also because he exists and appreciates the knowledge of

non-perception). It can therefore be said that the same knowledge (that itself

is Atman) exists in all the three states uninterruptedly. We can therefore say

that Atman is eternal and devoid of vikaras (modifications).

 

With the help of proper understanding of the three states, we could appreciate

that the Atman is pure and eternal. It is to facilitate acquisition of this

knowledge that the Almighty has devised the three states of consciousness."

 

Sri Swamiji

Lessons in Vedanta - 13

 

Sri Guru Datta,

Swamiji Says

 

 

 

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