[Advaita-l] Sleep, tamas and brahman

[Bhaskar YR]

praNAms Sri Sada prabhuji
Hare Krishna

There is ignorance of subject-object duality. Since it is undifferentiated ignorance (unlike ignorance in the waking state where I can say I know this and I do not know that, etc., and I can distinguish what I know and what I do not know) and the ignorance in deep-sleep state is called akhandaakaara ajnana vRitti -undifferentiated unbroken ignorance of all subject-object duality. In the deep sleep state, I also do not know that I do not know.

>  Instances like this where I really find it difficult to reconcile the declaration between prakaraNa by later advaitins and prasthAna traya bhAshya by bhagavatpAda.  bhAshyakAra in bruhadAraNyaka and sUtra bhAshya clarifies when there is no distinctive cognition of knowledge in sushupti there does not exist any other special feature whatsoever.  Because of the reason that therein one has indeed become merged with sadrUpa brahma it is quite reasonable to say that he does not cognize anything.  And Br.up. bhAshya 4.3.21 (quoted in this thread itself) shankara clarifies : being one and one alone is the cause for not cognizing.  

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!
bhaskar