Tattva Bodha

Hari Aum

Prostrations to Guru. Prostrations to All.

Avasthythrayam Kim?

What are the three states of experiences?
JaagratSwapnaSushupthi Avasthaaha

They are: the waking, the dreaming and the deep sleep state

Jaagradavasthaa Kaa?
What is Jaagradavastha (waking state)?

SrothoraadhiJnaanaindriyaihi ShabdhaadhiVishayiashcha Jnaayatham Ithi Yath Saa JaagrathAvasthaaha. Sthoola Shareeraabimaani Athma Vishwa Ithyuchathae

The state of experience in which the organs of perception perceives its sense objects is the waking state. The Self identifying itself with the gross body is called Viswa

After explaining about Shareerathrayam or the three bodies which are Sthula (gross), sukshma (subtle) and kaarana (causal) Shareeram, here Shankara starts his explanation on the three states of experience. The three states of experience are waking state, dream state and the deep sleep state. During the waking state, Self identifies itself with the gross body. During this state of experience, all the three bodies are present (gross body, subtle body and the causal body). The organs of knowledge like eye, ear etc goes out as directed by the mind to the outside world and percieves the objects of the world. Kaarana Shareeram or causal body is the cause of the other two bodies which are sthoola shareeram and Sukshma Shareeram. The sukshma shareeram which is the product of ignorance only, is present which directs the sense organs to go out to the outside world to percieve the objects of the world. Hence we can say that all the three bodies are present during the waking state. The Self which identifies himself with the gross body is called Viswa.

Swapnaavasthaa Kethi Cheth Jaagradhavasthaayam Yad Drishtam Yad Srtuthaam Tajjanitha Vasanayaa Nidrasamayae yaha Prapanjaha yaha pratheeyathae saa Swapnaavasthaa
Sukshma Sareeraabhimaani Atma Taijasa Ithyuchathae

For the question, what is Swapnaavastha the explanation is as follows: the world that is projected during the time of sleep from those that we see, that we hear during the waking state is called the dream. The Self which identifies itself with the subtle body is called Taijasa

During the waking state, many objects in the world are experienced through the sense organs directed by the mind. The experiences that is had during the waking state forms an impression in the mind. Those impressions that are formed in the mind by the interaction with the world during the waking state, comes out as dream during the dream state. The dream world that is seen during the dream state is unreal from the standpoint of the waker. During the dream state, one is not aware of ones own physical body, hence during the dream state there is no body and even sense organs are not present. The subtle body in the form of mind and the causal body are only present during the dream state. The Self which identifies itself with the Subtle body is called Taijasa.

We will learn about the sushupthi avastha or deep sleep state tomorrow.

Prostrations to All.

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh