Question 267-268: The States of Consciousness

Glossary:

sankalpa-roop karma: reality (experience) that is generated by action

chitta: individual consciousness

prana-vayu: vital breath

nirvikalpa: freedom from illusions or modifications or errors

turiya: the fourth state of consciousness that transcends and pervades the three states of wakefulness, dream and deep sleep; the state where the individual self is united with the Supreme Self.

turiya-atit: This is a state of complete ineffable Bliss in which the Universal Consciousness alone is experienced. It is beyond description.

sushupti: deep sleep state.

sushupti maun: the silence of the deep sleep state.

sakshi swaroop: the witness state

sankalpa – mental conclusions, intentions, material desires; that which experiences pain and pleasure;

jivanmukta: permanently self-realised (or God-realised) person who no longer has any identification whatsoever with his or her body.

videhamukta: liberated; having no body feelings or body consciousness.

akashroop: illusory form of the Universe; a void state.

Question 267: Sir, of the three forms which are perishable and which are ever-existent?

Answer: Ramji, one is the gross body that sustains its being by indulging in gratification with the senses and generates the expanse by its ideational activities (sankalpa-roop karma). The other body is of the nature of ideation of the chitta (individual consciousness); it is also called the subtle body and it maintains itself on the vehicle of prana-vayu (vital breath). Both these bodies are perishable and unreal. The third one is of the nature of pure consciousness, and it is without a beginning or an end and is of the nature of quiescence (nirvikalpa); this is real.

This is the turiya state (transcendent state) in which the waking world conditions, and so forth, arise and resolve back.

Question 268: Sir, I am very well familiar with the first three states — waking, dream and deep sleep (sushupti). But what are turiya and turiya-atit?

Answer: Ramji, the witness state (sakshi swaroop) that is attained after giving up the feelings of the being and non-being of ‘I’ or the self, is the turiya state. This is the state of tranquillity, free from impurities. The turiya state is not a waking state, because in the waking state there is the extended web of ideation (sankalpa) and there are experiences of pain and pleasure on account of the senses.

It is also not a dream state, because the dream state is of the nature of an illusion. Turiya state is not the deep-sleep (sushupti) state because sushupti is of the nature of inertness, whereas turiya is the state of consciousness. Turiya is the state of consciousness that is the witness of waking, dreaming and sushupti states. The jivanmuktas are ever established in this state. Though they interact in the three states, they remain as the witness and are free from joy and sorrow.

O Ramji, the state of turiya-atit (tate of complete ineffable Bliss) is beyond verbal expression. When a jivanmukta becomes videhamukta, he attains to the state of turiya-atit.

O Ramji, let there be the agent (doer), the cause and the action (effect) but you should be a witness of all, and being free from ego, participate in your natural activities. Give up the feelings that I am doing this or that I am renouncing this. The universe is just akashroop (space; a void), and nothing is independent of Atma; rather the universe is the glamour of Atma, like the lightning in the clouds.