Saturday, April 13, 2013

(Apr 13 , 2013) Consciousness Analyzed

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
Consciousness is Being” by Swami Krishnananda

No comments:

Post a Comment