Awareness

[Guest guest]

Hi Lewis and Anders,

Ordinary language tries to distinguish between awareness

and consciousness but the boundries are permeable. Raja Yoga with its

graded meditations starts with a gross object and ends with the objectless,

immaterial. In this view is of things, you become aware of something, you

notice something. They would reject as imprecise the expression 'he

recovered consciousness'. This allows them to accept consciousness in deep

sleep but not awareness. Awareness would be linked to 'vritti' or mental

modifications and the general shape of these vrittis would be determined by

the sort of sense modalities that the human has. These are a sub set of

what are sometimes called upadhis or forms of limitation. They are species

specific. The forms of limitation are forms of limitation (limiting

adjuncts) of Pure Consciousness and as that retain its nature of immediate

self consciousness. This nature is the key to the self-inquiry of the jnana

marg.

 

Using an analogy of material identity, awareness is considered to be like

the bangles, bracelets, rings that are made out of the gold of

consciousness. Waves, billows, foam are all alike ocean/water etc. Usually

the distinction is marked by the contrast between (lower case)consciousness

and (upper case) Pure Consciousness.

 

Lewis, as you know, there are those who reject the idea of Consciousness and

accept awareness. There are even those who covertly impugn awareness and

affect to puzzlement re self consciousness. The Tenth Man story may be

relevant here. Certainly it is an important juncture in the seeker's life

to hear from a wise bystander - That thou art.

 

Michael