On Chidabhasa... Reflected Consciousness !

[Guest guest]

My friend Durgaji has asked Sri Rishiji ( Brahmarishiji - smile! )

to pen some thoughts on 'reflected consciousness' ... we will of

course wait for his elaborate and lucid response to Durgaji's

questions on this topic. Meanwhile may i please take the liberty of

posting the follwing passage frrom Swami Krishnananda on this

subject ?

 

" The body is illumined by a twofold consciousness in the same manner

as a wall, for example, can be illumined by two types of light. Just

as a wall can be lighted up directly by the sun as well as by the

reflection of the sun through a mirror, and we can observe the

natural sunlight on the wall existing in the middle of the different

patches of reflected light, so also we can observe the natural

consciousness of the Atman between different thoughts and feelings,

in the short span of time when one thought subsides and another

thought has not yet arisen. Generally speaking, the human mind gets

attached to certain objects, and its perception is always coloured

by the nature of the object to such an extent that there is no time

left for the mind to contemplate the Consciousness as it is in

itself, unconnected with the objects. It is possible by careful and

thorough investigation and psychological processes to differentiate

between the factors that belong to the object and those that belong

to Pure Consciousness. In the waking, the dreaming, as well as in

the deep sleep states, it is possible to make this analysis by which

we are enabled to dissect consciousness from the object. An object

is known by the mind with the assistance of Chidabhasa-chaitanya

(consciousness reflected through the intellect, or the psyche), and

it is by this that we know there is such a thing as an object or a

form, but the Consciousness behind the 'I', which is at the

background of even the object consciousness is Brahma-chaitanya

(Absolute Consciousness), designated here as Kutastha (internal

Self). The knowledge, " This is a body " is brought about by the

Chidabhasa, and the knowledge, " I know the body " has its reference

to Kutastha. Even the knowledge of the absence of an object is based

on the Consciousness of the Kutastha, and it is this very

Consciousness that enables, later on, the particular form of

perception in relation to an object. As an arrow may be sharpened

with a pointed steel-head for the sake of hitting objects, the

Buddhi, or the intellect, has in itself the projecting form of

Consciousness of the Chidabhasa. It is when this Chidabhasa begins

to act that we have object-consciousness; otherwise there is

ignorance of it, the Consciousness not being particularised. Both

the unknown and known conditions of an object are, thus, finally

rooted in Brahman-Consciousness, as Kutastha-chaitanya. The

intellect by itself cannot know an object, because it is, after all,

a modification of Prakriti (cosmic matter). Just as matter cannot

know matter, the intellect cannot know an object. What is known is

material and what knows is Consciousness. The freedom of the

Consciousness lies in its Self-realisation that it is independent

and absolute and is not really tainted by the nature of any object

at all. (Verses 1-9)

 

Durgaji and others if you are interested, please visit this link to

read these wonderful chapters from Panchadasi !

 

http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/panch/panch_08.html - 27k

 

Durgaji, may i leave you with these words from Yoga Vasishta to

contemplate on ?

 

While in Vasistha Yoga, Vasistha tells Ram, the following:

 

" During the cosmic dissolution the entire objective creation is

resolved into the infinite being, which is variously designated as

Atma, Brahman, Truth, etc by the wise, to facilitate communication

and dialogue. This same infinite self conceives within itself the

duality of oneself and the other. Thence, mind arises, as a wave

arises when the surface of the calm ocean is disturbed. But, please

bear in mind that just as a bracelet of gold is but gold (and though

gold exists without bracelet, bracelet does not exist without the

gold or other metal), the qualities and the nature of the created

and potentiality of creation are inherent in the creator. The mind

is non-different from (has no existence independent of) the infinite

self. "

 

Happy Tamizh New Year !

 

love and regards !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

advaitin , " Durga " <durgaji108 wrote:

>

> Namaste Rishi,

>

> In message # 35527 you said, in reference

> to Sri Ranjit Maharaj's teachings,

>

> " I personally found some of those teachings

> helpful in clarifying some specific concepts,

> such as the distinction between the

> reflection of conciousness and the Self

> (which is a topic that he seems to dwell on a

> lot compared to most Vedantic teachings). "

>

>