[Advaita-l] A question om dream state

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Sat, 24 Sep 2011, Sudhakar Kabra wrote:

> There are a few clarifications which I request the group  to throw some 
> light. Dream is a state without any activity of gross body.(Considering 
> normal cases)

Yes, no voluntary actions only the involuntary ones such as breathing etc.

>   1.Some people say that in this state also karma kshaya take place 
> without the participation of gross body. Is it true and any reference in 
> scripture?  

> 2.Some people say that in Kaliyuga the effect of mental thought does not 
> constitute papa or punya where as in other yugas it does.  Is it true 
> and any reference in scripture?

I do not recall references off hand but the dream state is wholly 
subjective so any pApa and puNya, karma and nishkarma only have 
consequences in that dream.

>   3.At death, the physical body falls off. In between the time period 
> before it acquire a new body, can it be treated as a state like dream 
> without an activity of physical body.
> a) If yes,  then can we call it pratibhasika satyam. Any references?
> b) If no, then why?  What is the level of satyam that is assigned to it in the scriptures.
>  

The body consists of 5 koshas of which the perceivable is only the 
outermost.  But the other four are "physical".  The pa~nchAdashI of svAmI 
vidyAraNyA covers this topic in detail.

> 4. Any reference or comparison between dream and transmigration period 
> is requested.

Prof. Arvind Sharma has written two books albeit from an academic 
standpoint: "The World as Dream" (DK Printworld, 2006 ISBN: 
978-8124603659) "Sleep as a State of Consciousness in Advaita Vedanta" 
(SUNY Press, 2004 ISBN: 978-0791462515) which I haven't read yet (on my 
ever-lengthening todo list) but generally his work is well researched and 
interesting to read so perhaps this could be a starting point for you.

-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>