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.
dream state
Question 93-94: The Dream and waking states:
There is the waking life and the dream state. In the dream state, we can experience objects as absolutely real, and have emotions, our bodies respond and hearts beat fast during this REM stage of sleep. Yet, it all seems real, just as in the waking state, everything is real. We can feel softness, hardness, things that bend and things that do not bend. Our senses tell us this. What then, is the Atma, and are things real and distinct in the Atma?