Consciousness Analyzed
Commentary on
the Panchadasi, Chapter 1:
Tattva Viveka – Discrimination of Reality by Swami Krishnananda
The viveka or the
analysis, the discrimination, is actually the analysis of consciousness. We may
doubt everything. We may even deny everything, but we cannot deny consciousness
– because it is consciousness that is doubting and is denying things. When all
things go because of the denial of all things, there remains the consciousness
of having denied everything and the consciousness of doubting all things. It is impossible to deny the existence of
consciousness.
The differences in the world,
the dualities of perception, the multitudinous‑ness and the variety of things
is capable of being known by a consciousness that is not involved in any of the
objects of perception.
There are five objects of
cognition or perception: sound, touch, form or colour, taste, and smell. One
sense organ cannot perform the function of another sense organ. The ear cannot
even know that there is such a thing called eye, etc. The consciousness, which is essential for the
perception of the unity that is behind the variety of sense functions, has to
be different from the sense functions. That knower is awareness, pure and
simple – consciousness, samvid.
On the one hand, consciousness is different from the variety
of objects and the sensations thereof; and on the other hand, consciousness is
different from waking and dreaming. We know that we dreamt; we know that we are
awake. And by inference we also realise and affirm that consciousness
must have been there in deep sleep also – but for which fact, memory of
sleeping would not be there afterwards.
So consciousness does two things at the same time. It
distinguishes between objects and transcends the objects by standing above
them. Secondly, it distinguishes the states of consciousness (waking, dream and
sleep) and stands above them as turiya – that is, the fourth state of
consciousness.
Moreover, if consciousness is assumed to be present in one
place only, there must be somebody to know that it is not elsewhere. Who is
telling us that consciousness is only inside the body and it is not elsewhere?
Consciousness itself is telling that.
Also, the impossibility of dividing consciousness into
parts, fragments, and locating it in particular individuals makes it abundantly
the Infinite that it is.
So what is the analysis now? Firstly, Consciousness is distinct
from objects of perception; secondly, Consciousness is distinct from the three
states; thirdly, Consciousness is infinite in nature. We are basically infinite
consciousness. This is the reason why we ask for endless things. We want to
possess the whole world. Even if we become kings of the earth, we are not
satisfied because the Atman inside is infinite. The Atman is also eternity. It
is not bound by time. Therefore, we do not want to die. That desire to be
immortal, the desire not to die, the desire to be existing for all time to
come, endlessly, is the eternity in us that is speaking. Therefore, every one
of us is basically infinite and eternal, whose nature is consciousness; and it
is Absolute because of the infinitude of its nature.
Continue to read:
“The Nature and Location of Consciousness”
by Swami Krishnananda
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