[Advaita-l] Sleep, tamas and brahman

[V Subrahmanian]

On Tue, May 1, 2018 at 12:25 PM, Kalyan <kalyan_kg at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Sri Venkataraghavanji
>
> 4.3.32 is not the only place where ignorance is denied for the self in
> deep sleep. Below is more list of references where ignorance is completely
> denied for the self in deep sleep. My only suggestion is to read that
> entire section, though you may have already done so.
>

In all these following references, it is only the effect of ignorance that
is said to be absent and not the root ignorance. This much is easy to
understand for someone who has studied Shankara's works.

And that you said in reply to me that  // 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.// is the difference between someone who has read
Shankara fully and the one who has not or who sees Shankara's works in
isolation from each other. That is why it is better always to follow a
gloss, as that of Anandagiri, who brings out the purport of Shankara's
statements, what more they convey, what exactly they convey, etc.

You also say:  // But deep sleep implies liberation, albeit temporarily.//
This is fine. But of what avail is such liberation? That is why sleep state
is shown as only an example and Shankara, as I showed, has clearly stated
that it is Self-knowledge that is the cause of liberation/annihilation of
ignorance (and not deep sleep state).

regards
vs



> [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.]
>
>
> Regards
> Kalyan
>
>