What is the relevance of the four states of consciousness? It is said that this world is a waking dream. What is the meaning of “waking dream”? What is does it mean when someone says Prajnanam Brahman, consciousness is the Self? These and other questions arise as the young Rama questions Sage Vasishtha.
Questions
Question 144: When different worlds arise
The young Rama asks about the worlds of different people. Do they mix with one another or not? Sage Vasishtha tells that everything arises from Atma, and those with different worlds (think, world-views is all a function of chitta which arises from Atma. Another issue is considered: how do we recognise or come to know our true nature? Do we cognise when we are awake? Or asleep? What about the fourth state of consciousness, the turiya state? When do we know and how do we know we are the Atma? That we are one with Brahman?
Question 141-142: Bound, unbound: Who is bound, who is not bound?
The young Rama asks – in the light of the Sukra story – what is the difference between the wise one, and the ignorant? Sage Vasishtha reminds the young Rama of vasana, will and how the ignorant is bound within and without. The principle of the Shukra story is given.
Question 140: What is the role of ideation of the mind in Creation?
The young Rama perseveres with questions about ideation and creation of the Universe. What exists, and how does that come into being? What is its nature? Here, Sage Vasishtha tells the story of Rishi Bhirgu, his son Sukra, and the God of Death.
Question 136-137: What is the role of Memory in Creation?
The cycles of yugas roll by; after many yugas, evolution transits to involution, creation moves to pralaya and the known universes come to an end and are born again in the mind of Brahma. What then is this process, and does Brahma create the Universe and human life from memory?
Question 134-135: Does the Universe exist in the Atma?
When the James Webb Space Telescope is launched into space later this year, it will carry 18 gold-plated hexagonal mirrors that will help astronomers see back more than 13 billion years—a time when the first stars and galaxies were forming from the darkness of the early universe. Those mirrors are made of beryllium, a relatively rare metal that is one-third the weight of aluminium but six times stronger than steel.
Looking back more than 13 million years is like attempting to see the origin of the Universe and what was there before the Universe. These questions are as old as those living in duality. Read on as the young Lord Rama asks the sage questions about creation and pralaya.
Question 132: Atma only exists in itself
T.S. Eliot said,
“We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
Through the unknown, remembered gate
When the last of earth left to discover
Is that which was the beginning;
Question 129: The Seven States of Ignorance, the Seven States of Knowledge:
Life is a journey from womb to tomb; how do we avoid coming through another womb in the present life? The sage offers young Rama a lecture about the seven states of ignorance, and the seven states of bliss. Awareness of Atma is fruit of long effort, determination, discrimination and detachment. Read the advice of the sage to young Rama.
Question 127: How does one stop the mind from its outward-going nature?
Computer coders have to answer one question when they begin a project: What is the focus, whereupon they can start a digital activity. Our minds usually have no focus, until we are told or shown how to have a focus. For spiritual seekers, this is an interior focus, single pointed, single-minded, far from the external world. Read young Rama’s questions (and some hints from Lord Krishna).
Question 126: How does one stop the outward going consciousness?
When we look at a very young child, wandering (crawling) about its place, it reaches out to take whatever it sees (and usually puts it in the mouth). We are seeing – metaphorically – our own self and our own minds in action: it is outward-going in nature, and the young Rama asks the sage, “How does one stop this?”.