[Advaita-l] Sleep, tamas and brahman

[Jay Kumar]

Namaste to all.
My understandings about the three states of the mind related to ‘’sleep’, sadhana’ and ‘sidda’ of the seeker. 
Sleep is the state of the mind dominated by the ‘thamasik’ quality and the mind is in ‘non-thinking’  mode and so it is a highly restful state. Obviously,  neither any ‘sadana’ can take place  nor the person knows that he is ‘mukthaha’ DURING  sleep. 

?The seeker in the right pursuit of Self knowledge understands his original form as ‘Bhramman’ only in the waking state with sufficient preparation of the mind. Then, his predominant state becomes ‘[satvik’ and remains in the Restfully alert ‘Conscious sleep’ state during most of his waking period also, shifting to ‘rajasik’ state at his will for his activities  and his mind goes to ‘thamasik’ state for resting whenever required.

More clarification can be shared over phone, so with any contradiction.
Regards,
S K Jayakumar
Mobile : 9916494729
-----Original Message-----
From: Advaita-l [mailto:advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org] On Behalf Of Praveen R. Bhat via Advaita-l
Sent: 30 April 2018 15:27
To: Kalyan; Advaita-l
Cc: Praveen R. Bhat
Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] Sleep, tamas and brahman

Namaste Kalyanji,

On Sat, Apr 28, 2018 at 8:40 PM Kalyan via Advaita-l < advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

>
> The brihadaranyaka upanishad equates deep sleep with the highest state 
> of brahman.
>

​Its says so because in analysis of suShupti, nothing else is there. There is no svapna prapancha and no jAgrt prapancha. Thereby the understanding of one's svarUpa is simpler. It *does not* mean that that highest state is there in suShupti alone, it is there in all three states, only easier to understand in suShupti (or samAdhi). As Subbuji said, this is merging in saguNabrahma, not nirguNa, as said in Chandogya 6th chapter and Mandukya 6th mantra bhAShyas. Else one would never wake up from sleep.


> Why is sleep then, associated with tamas in the bhagavad gita?
>
​Since it has avidyA, which is called as tamas.​


>
> Second question - vide the brihadaranyaka, can we say that sleeping is 
> a sAdhana in itself?
>
> ​No; analysis of suShupti contrasting with other two states​

​is sAdhana. Recalling suShupti experience in this analysis is sAdhana.

gurupAdukAbhyAm,
--Praveen R. Bhat
/* येनेदं सर्वं विजानाति, तं केन विजानीयात्। Through what should one know That owing to which all this is known! [Br.Up. 4.5.15] */ ​ _______________________________________________
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