Weekly Definitios- Turiam

[Guest guest]

Hare krishna, Namaskarams.

For a seeker of knowledge who wants to know what is Turiam, Mandukya

Upanishad reveals in its 1st chapter, 7th mantra, its central theme

/pramana vakym-Turiam

 

7th Manthra: Turiam is not that which is conscious of the inner world

(subject), nor that which is conscious of the outer world (objective),

nor that which is conscious of both, nor that which is a mass of

consciousness. It is not simple consciousness nor is it

unconsciosness. It is unperceived, unrelated, incomprehensible,

uninferable, unthinkable and indescribable. The essence of

consciousness manifesting as the self [in the three states], it is the

cessation of all phenomena; It is all peace, all bliss, and non dual.

It is what is known as the fourth (turiam). This is Atman. and this

has to be realized.

 

Unlike the first three states Turiam is not associated with any state

but always available in all the states. It is neither identical nor

different from the three states. It is like talking about gold as

different from the ornaments bangle, chain, ring etc made of gold.

Remove the changing properties of Viswa, Taijasa and Pragna, what

remains is Turiam. " I am " is Turiam. It is the negation of every

attribute of oneself to realize it as " tat tvam asi " . Turiam, the pure

consciousness is like crystal colourless and the attributes are purely

errors in the mind that lends colour like the flowers to the crystal.

The confusion is always in the mind/intellect and the solution is also

intellectual where one realizes that the crystal is colourless and

there is no need to remove the flowers.

 

Removal of thoughts that the crystal is seen as coloured one is

Sadhana. One doesn't have to do anything or remove all avasthas (all

thoughts) that becomes a struggle but understand the appearance as

Viswa-a mistake, that the gunas belong to upadhis/sarirams and realize

that all the time you are Turiya. seen in different states like the

crystal-flower combination. In Yoga removal of thoughts is prescribed

and in Vedanta removal of errors is prescribed, since as long as you

are in Samadhi you are in Turiam but you have to comeback to the other

avasthas as long as you live –to samsara again.

 

The knowership is an attribute of Viswa and Taijasa and in Turiam you

are not the knower. Hence Viswa alone has to recognize by vichara that

Turiam is your own self " Aham Viswa-Aham Brahma Asmi. " The realization

is only in the waking/jagrat state since intellect, knowledge, guru,

anthahkaranam are available in jagrat avasta. Samadhi may give

concentration/rest but jagrat avastha is the only state available for

knowledge.

It is the mind which is extrovert during jagrat avastha and introvert

in swapna that mistakes the states as attributes to Turiam.

 

Turiam is neither the knower nor jadam. It is neither perceptible to

panchendriums nor grasped by karmendriyams. It has no clues/lingams

and cannot be inferred. It is beyond conception-be thought

of-achintyam. It is beyond description and not even available for

sabda pramanam. It is beyond all vyavaharas, gnana, karma, language

etc, for it is the adhishtanam/substratum.for all transactions. The

nearest indication of Turiam is the " I " thought – " aham thuriam asmi. "

since aham is the constant factor in all the experiences. What I

experience varies but that I experience doesn't vary- that `I' is

there all the time right from childhood to old age. It is ever

santham/tranquil. Since all vyavaharas are gone it is-sivam,

mangalam/ananda. It is advaitam for all the three stages are negated

as mithya and what remains is Turiam that is sathyam. As long as the

struggle to know Turiam, retention of the knower hood remains and on

realization removed like a scaffolding used for buildings. There is no

need to remove vyavahara, thoughts and mind can continue but

understand them as mithya. It is like experiencing the colours of sky

and sea and the sun rise but know that the sun stays at a place and

the sky and sea are colourles. –the satyam. During vyavahara

understand that " I am Turiam " and that you are playing the false role

Viswa, Taijasa and Pragna-not giving them reality conforming the

ignorance.

 

If Turiam is Chathurtahm how does it become Advaitam? It is only we

who consider it as Chathurtham counting it out of ignorance along with

the three states that are to be known as Mithya, where as it is only

one and as such there is no Chathurtham. It is not the 4th quarter of

Atma; It is the atma, the Chaitanyam/ Brahman. The three upadhis are

to be understood as mithya as in the crystal-flower example. The

conclusion is I am advaitam/sathyam, and I have three upadhis which

are mithya. Because of the upadhis I have three false appearances

Viswa, Taijasa and Pragna which are also mithya. Experience of Dwaitha

is not denied but only the reality of Dwaitham. The whole samsara, the

world etc. is a drama in which every one plays a role. The sukam,

dukkam, profit and loss does not affect the person who has the

knowledge that he is Turiam all the time. Dismissing the attributings

is only in understanding and the question of removal are meaningless

since " I " the Turiam like crystal does not take the attributes. It is

the correction of erroneous thinking that I am Viswa, Taijasa, and

Pragna and the correction is done by the Guru in jagrat avastha.

 

Baskaran

 

P.S. the above is the edited version from my notes on Mandukya

Upanishad lecture by Swami Paramarthananda. Any mistakes in the edited

version are due to my limitations otherwise credit goes to swamiji's

presentation in the class. Sri Gaudapada's karika/commentary on this

7th mantra also can be edited and posted if members are interested

after reading this.

[Guest guest]

Dear Baskaran-ji,

 

 

 

An excellent description, summarizing much of the wonderful explanations of

Swami Paramarthananda in such a short space!

 

 

 

A couple of general points, though for other members, as well as yourself.

Firstly the idea of the weekly definitions is that we have one per week!

Having had such difficulty persuading anyone to help earlier in the year, I

suggested in response to shrImatI bhagini_nevaditaa that we have

paramArtha-vyavahAra next week and I would post one for bAdha this week. And

I asked members to offer other definitions direct to me and I would schedule

them. Now we are getting them all at once!

 

 

 

The other point is that the intended purpose of these definitions is to

provide simple explanations for beginners of commonly used terms in advaita.

Your 'definition' attempts to explain probably the most complex verse in the

entire scriptures (and succeeds very well!) but inevitably contains many

other words that have not yet been defined.

 

 

 

A third point actually, while I remember, is that because these are for

beginners, it is essential that Sanskrit words are few (and already defined)

and are correctly represented in ITRANS format, so that readers are not

confused by different spellings.

 

 

 

So thanks again but beginners should recognize that this description is

rather for advanced seekers!

 

 

 

Best wishes,

 

Dennis

 

 

 

advaitin [advaitin ] On Behalf

Of baskaran42

30 September 2007 08:23

advaitin

Weekly Definitios- Turiam

 

 

 

Hare krishna, Namaskarams.

For a seeker of knowledge who wants to know what is Turiam, Mandukya

Upanishad reveals in its 1st chapter, 7th mantra, its central theme

/pramana vakym-Turiam