Traya Avastha, the Three States are explained in the Mandukya Upanishad (1.3 - 1.5).
According to the Mandukya Upanishad, a human being always exists in one of the three states which are called Jagrat Avastha (waking state), Swapna Avastha (dream state) and Sushupti Avastha (deep sleep state meaning dreamless sleep).
Viveka means doing enquiry, logical reasoning and using discriminative wisdom. Doing the reasoning and starting the journey of quest for eternal Truth using Traya Avastha (Three States) is called Traya Avastha Viveka.
Understanding, reasoning, contemplating and practicing can be undertaken only in our Jagrat Avastha (waking state).
In the Swapna Avastha (dream state), "I" exist though the Sthula Sharira, the physical body is absent as it is taking rest. Hence for "I" to exist the physical body is not essential. In other words the physical body cannot be "I".
In the Sushupti Avastha (deep sleep state), "I" exist though the Sthula Sharira, the physical body and the Sukshma Sharira, the subtle body that mainly consists of the mind are absent as both the body and the mind are taking rest. "I" experienced the deep sleep as it is "I" who makes the statement "I had a nice sleep". Hence for "I" to exist the physical body as well as the mind are not essential. In other words the physical body or the mind cannot be "I".
If "I" am not the body and "I" am not the mind then Who am I?
To answer this we need to analyse the deep sleep experience more closely. In the deep sleep the physical body and the mind are taking rest and hence they are not playing any part. Then who do we exist as in the deep sleep? We exist as Life Energy. In the deep sleep this Life Energy silently goes about doing its job operating all the organs in the body such as heart, lungs, kidneys, lever, etc. and keeping all the systems functioning such as Respiratory System, Digestive System, Circulatory System, etc.
This Life Energy is the real "I" without which the body and the mind would be declared dead. In the deep sleep we just exist as Life Energy which is the real underlying substratum of all living beings. In the deep sleep we exist silently as Life Energy and this is our true nature, the real Self. All the activities we do using our body and mind are the noises made on top of our true silent nature.
Advaita Vedanta calls this Life Energy as the Self, the Atman and asks us to identify "I" with this Life Energy, the Atman.
Advaita advises us to take few minutes everyday, in seclusion sit silently in a grateful and thankful mood thinking about this life giving energy, the Self, the Atman, with a highly focused single pointed concentration be with just one thought that "I am Life Energy", "I am Consciousness", "I am Silent Awareness", "I am Atman".
If we succeed in doing this concentration and firmly hold onto just one thought then it is equivalent of "being" or "existing" silently as Life Energy during our waking state with complete Consciousness. We exist like this every time during our deep sleep but without being conscious of it or without being aware of it.
Why should be try to exist as Silent Life Energy?
In the article Ego is absent in Deep Sleep, we saw that when the Ego is absent it results in Peace and Happiness.
In the article Oneness in Deel Sleep, we saw that when the Ego is absent it results in Oneness and Unity in Diversity.
Combining the two points above, whenever we successfully eliminate the Ego it results in Peace, Happiness, Oneness and Unity in Diversity.
Ego is nothing but our thoughts. Whenever with great concentration if we successfully exist with just one thought that "I am Life Energy", "I am Consciousness", "I am Atman" then all other thoughts are automatically kept away. That means our Ego is kept away and we successfully "exist" without the Ego.
When we successfully "exist" without the Ego that's when we attain the greatest treasure a human being could possibly attain which is Peace, Happiness, Oneness and Unity in Diversity. This is the objective of Traya Avastha Viveka.
See Also:
Post a Comment
Post a Comment