[Advaita-l] Sleep, tamas and brahman

[Kalyan]

//It is clear that Shankara qualifies
 the ignorance as 'that which presents things other than
 the self'.  So, only this aspect of ignorance is at
 rest.  Shankara nowhere says the aavarana ignorance is at
 rest there. //


Shankara nowhere talks about 2 kinds of ignorances in the context of BU 4.3. If ignorance is not there, it is not there. Period.

Shankara refers to 4.3.22 where the self in deep sleep is beyond the woes of the heart. It is pure like water, one and the witness 4.3.32. Self is unattached in deep sleep 4.3.18. It is beyond desires and free from evils and fearless 4.3.22. Self in deep sleep is free from all relative attributes and devoid of action and results 4.3.19. Self merges in nirguna brahman in deep sleep 4.3.21. In deep sleep there is no ignorance 4.3.21. Deep sleep self is free from grief 4.3.21. 

The form of self in deep sleep is free from ignorance , desire and work 4.3.22. In deep sleep father is no father, mother is no mother etc. In deep sleep, the Self becomes one with Atman or nirguna Brahman 4.3.23. Self is free from limiting adjuncts in deep sleep 4.3.30. Self is free from ignorance in deep sleep 4.3.32.

Self in deep sleep is pure like water, it is the witness, and it is advaitam or non-dual, one without a second. 4.3.32. This is the highest state, the supreme bliss 4.3.32.


//Shankara
 clearly says that deep sleep is an example for liberation
 and not identical with liberation.  It would be wrong to
 expect an example and the exemplified to be identical;//


I agree. Deep sleep is an example for liberation. Therefore deep sleep is the highest state, free from all ignorance, as Shankara says. One might be liberated in waking state as well. But that does not mean that there is ignorance for others in deep sleep. Liberation does not imply deep sleep. But deep sleep implies liberation, albeit temporarily. This is the teaching of both the BU 4.3 and Shankara who commented on it.


--------------------------------------------
On Tue, 5/1/18, V Subrahmanian <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com> wrote:

 Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] Sleep, tamas and brahman
 To: "Kalyan" <kalyan_kg at yahoo.com>
 Cc: "A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta" <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
 Date: Tuesday, May 1, 2018, 5:55 AM
 
 
 
 On Tue,
 May 1, 2018 at 10:12 AM, Kalyan <kalyan_kg at yahoo.com>
 wrote: