[Advaita-l] waking, dreaming, sleeping, as mutually supportive

[Michael Shepherd]

Srinivas ji,

Thanks for that. I'm trying to find whether 'dream' or taijasa can be
redefined legitimately as 'mental actiivity' and thus incorporate not only
nightly 'dreaming' and envisioning, but also the envisioning of poets and
writers -- and by extension, the very Veda and Upanishads and Mahabharata
etc, as created 'visions of truth'.

And that, without offending the pandits...!

Michael

-----Original Message-----
From: advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org
[mailto:advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org]On Behalf Of
Shrinivas Gadkari
Sent: 21 October 2009 10:49
To: advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org
Subject: [Advaita-l] waking, dreaming, sleeping, as mutually supportive



Namaste,
 
Here is my understanding in brief:
 
Sleep is the base state. This is the state of akSara puruSa.
>From sleep ones "wakes" up into either "dream" state or "awake"
state. Both these constitute the state of kSara puruSa.
 
As you have rightly pointed out "dream" state plays an
important part in sAdhanA.
Outward description of of any upAsanA highlights the inter-play
between "dream" and "awake" state.
 
You might want to inquire if "sleep" state has a role in sAdhanA.
(mahA viSNu sleeping on a snake may be some indirect reference
on this front.)
And then what about fourth state.
 
I am not aware of any scripture which talks openly and explicitly on
these issues. 
 
Other than mANDukya other text that treats this topic somewhat
more deeply is the last chapter of chandogya (prajApati's intruction to
indra). Some material can also be found in yAjnavalkya discourse to
janaka in bRhadAraNyaka (4th chapter - I think).
 
Regards,
Shrinivas



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