A Subtle Body Is Born Unto Maya

A subtle body of organic chemicals and functional compounds is born unto Maya.

And after evolving from its original material ignorance to this particular subtlety, it has grown ethereal enough to be touched by the Supreme Witness.

The sentience its inertness now receives spreads like wildfire reaching the outer limits of the material body to which it is still connected.

As if lightning has struck this subtlety, it is transformed into mind, memory, intellect, and ego identifying with the newly sentient physical body.

This encounter with reflected consciousness has created this monster of individual consciousness currently living in samsara.

a. Mind on fire

The mind is on fire with consciousness and every thought is a modification of consciousness.

Drop the thought and consciousness remains. 

One can't drop consciousness. One is consciousness.

b. I-am is the halfway house

I is the witness and I-am is the subtle body of mind and ego complex before identifying with the body of ten thousand identifications.

In Nisargayoga, I-am is the halfway house between the empirical chaos of ten thousand conceptual identifications and the reality of the nonconceptual witness.

I-am is like the fire-iron ball of Vidyaranya.

c. On Zuni Time

On the long drive through the Cibola desert to Zuni Pueblo, I see a great white buffalo on the side of the road checking my credentials and allowing me to pass.

Upon entering the Pueblo, I stop at a jewelry shop to buy my people Zuni earrings. But the shopkeeper offers to close down shop and accompany me to the sacred top of Dowa Yalanne mesa which I had been admiring from his window and where his people had fled to shelter in 1540 escaping Coronado.

An hour later, outside a closed souvenir shop, some Zuni teenagers in a red Chevy sell me a white eagle fetish carving for gas money to Gallup, New Mexico and a night on the town. I double-taped it to my dashboard where it still perches, shielding me from the conquistadors of today.

d. Meaning

To be a human being is double-edged.

Self-realization is the meaning of maya if maya can be given meaning.

And samsara is the cost of any meaning.

e. To laugh

Sentience is infectious.

Laughter is instant deconstruction.

Between the substrate of consciousness and the superimposition of construction is to laugh.

f. On Witnessing

I love in Advita Vedanta it's not about the judge but the witness.

And the witness not only witnesses but the witness testifies. Have mercy!

This Testament of the Witness is like Holy Scripture to those who hear. 

g. untitled

Other than consciousness and existence, there's ignorance and birth.

The real self is pure consciousness. Impure consciousness takes just one belief. I believe that consciousness can never be impure.

Existence is the first principle. Even furniture exists. Pure consciousness is the second principle. I am, therefore I know the third principle is Ananda. There is no English translation for this blissful word.

h. Consciousness

Individual consciousness is avidya.

Universal consciousness is maya.

Pure consciousness is parabrahman

Transcreating Drg Drsya Viveka (wip)

A. Three Seers

1 Seen and Seer

Forms are the seen and the eye is the seer. And as that eye in turn is seen, the seer is the mind. And as thoughts of the mind are seen, the Witness is the one seer and never the seen.

2 The Eye as Seer

Blue, yellow, physical, subtle, short, long, and other such differences, the forms are various and many. But the eye sees them all remaining as one and the same.

3 The Mind as Seer

Blindness, dullness, and acuteness are some of the characteristics of an eye. And the mind in unity recognizes all of these. Also, the same in the case of ears, skin, etc.

4 Consciousness as Seer

Desire, determination and doubt, faith and faithlessness, perseverance and its opposite, humility, understanding, fear, and more is illuminated by unchanging consciousness.

5 Self-shining Consciousness

Neither rising nor setting, Consciousness does not increase nor disintegrate, but is self-shining, illuminating all without any support.

B. Reflection of Consciousness

6 The reflection of consciousness

Because of the reflection of consciousness within, the intellect appears to be conscious. This understanding is of two kinds. One is called ego and the other, the inner instrument of the mind.

7 Identification like a heated iron ball

Of the reflection of consciousness and the ego, there is an identity like that of a heated iron ball. It’s further said that ego in turn identifies with the body causing it to attain consciousness too.

8 Three identifications of ego

The ego identifies with the reflection of consciousness, the body, and also the witness. The first is natural, the second is due to karma, and the third is born of ignorance.

9 Identifications disappearing

Between the mutually related reflection of consciousness and ego, annihilation is not possible. But through the exhaustion of karma and direct realization, the other two respectively disappear.

10 Three states of ego

In the dissolution of the ego during deep sleep, the body also becomes unconscious. The half manifestation of ego is the dream state. The full manifestation of ego is the waking state.

11 Dreaming and waking states

Thought modifications of the inner mind identifying with the reflection of consciousness project various ideas in the dream state, and in the waking state imagines objects outside with the senses.

12 Subtle body

The subtle body is the material cause of ego and mind. It is one and insentient in nature. It is born, cycles through its three states for a time, and dies.

Maya

13 Powers of Maya

The two powers of Maya obviously are those of projecting and veiling. The projecting power creates all the world from the subtle body to the totality of the material universe.

14 Creation like waves in an ocean

Creation is the name of that form of Brahman in the reality of Existence Consciousness Bliss, as in the ocean there are waves which are like the manifestation of all names and forms.

15 The cause of samsara

The distinction between the seer and the seen within, and between reality and creation without, is veiled by the other power, and is the cause of samsara.

16 Becoming the empirical self

In immediate proximity to the witness, the subtle body, identifying with the gross body, shines—and due to that encounter with reflected consciousness becomes the empirical individual self.

Drg Drsya Viveka 14 Trans/Notes

DDV 14

Creation is the name of that form of Brahman in the reality of Existence Consciousness Bliss, as in the ocean there are waves which are like the manifestation of all names and forms.

~A

Sṛṣṭir-nāma brahmarūpe saccidānanda-vastuni, abdhau phenādivat sarva-nāmarūpa-prasāraṇā.

सृष्टिः – creation; नाम – is called; ब्रह्मरूपे – of the nature of Reality; सत्-चित्-आनन्द-वस्तुनि – in the entity which is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss; अब्धौ – in the ocean; फेन-आदिवत् – like foam etc.; सर्व-नाम-रूप-प्रसारणा – the manifestation of all names and forms

Creation is the manifestation of names and forms in the Reality which is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, like foam etc. in the ocean.

~T

ब्रह्मरूपे of the nature of Brahman सच्चिदानन्दवस्तुनि in the entity which is Existence- Consciousness-Bliss अब्धौ in the ocean फेनादिवत् like foam, etc. सर्वनामरूपप्रसारणा the manifesting of all names and forms सृष्टि: creation नाम is called.

The manifesting (1) of all names (2) and forms (3) in the entity (4) which is Existence (5)-Consciousness-Bliss and which is the same as Brahman, like (6) the foam, etc., in the ocean, is known as creation. (7)

~N

Notes

In perceiving gold ornaments, the gold thought remains unchanging, even though the forms change. Hence, though forms are unreal, their substratum, gold, is real. In perceiving this world, we say ‘the mountain is’, or ‘the river is’. Each perception has the ‘object thought’ and the ‘is thought’. The ‘object thought’ changes but the ‘is thought’ remains constant. The objects are unreal and the ‘is thought’ is real. ‘But without the principle of Existence, can the ‘is thought’ exist?’ Ramana Maharshi says, ‘Can there be thoughts of the existence of objects without the Existence principle?’

~T

Reality is not a void or negation as the Buddhists contend. The appearance of the manifold cannot be based on an Absolute negation. In empirical experience, every appearance has a positive substratum. The illusion of names and forms appears from, and disappears in, Brahman.

Creation – Vedānta explains the origin of the universe by saying that it is the unfolding of Brahman through Its inscrutable power, called māyā. As the rope appears as a snake or as the ocean appears in the form of foam, waves, etc., or as the sleeping man appears to be living in a dream world, so also Brahman appears in the form of the world. From the causal standpoint, Brahman is both the mate- rial and efficient cause of the world.

~N

The creation Is nothing but the manifesting of nāma-rūpa and not a production of even an ounce of matter. Nobody including God can create matter. ‘Matter cannot be created or destroyed’ is a universal law that even God cannot violate. Then, how did God create? God did not create! Nothing is created. Even the nāma-rūpa existed in potential form. Only the manifestation of nāma-rūpa is done by the vikṣepa-śakti. It Is like the bubbles, waves and froth in the oceanic water. These are not substances but only forms. The wind causes the manifestation of these forms in the ocean. If the creation is only nāma-rūpa, that nāma-rūpa requires a substance on which it is present. That substance is Brahman. The creation nāma-rūpa is resting on only one substance, which is called Brahman. What is the nature of Brahman? Brahman is independently existing and the nāma-rūpa is dependently existing.

~P

Translators / Commentators Legend

A: Aumdada

D: Dayananda

N: Nikhilananda

P: Paramarthananda

S: Sandeepany

T: Tejomayananda

Drg Drsya Viveka 13 Trans/Notes

DDV13

The two powers of Maya obviously are those of projecting and veiling. The projecting power creates all the world from the subtle body to the totality of the material universe.

~A

Śaktidvayaṁ hi māyāyā vikṣepāvṛti-rūpakam, vikṣepaśaktir-liṅgādi-brahmāṇḍāntaṁ jagat sṛjet.

शक्तिद्वयम् – two powers; हि – indeed; मायायाः – of māyā; विक्षेप-आवृति-रूपकम् – of the nature of projecting and veiling; (स्तः – exist); विक्षेप-शक्तिः – the projecting power; लिङ्गादि ब्रह्माण्ड-अन्तम् – beginning from the subtle body to the total universe; जगत् सृजेत् – creates the world

Indeed, māyā has two powers of the nature of projecting and veiling. The projecting power creates the world, beginning from the subtle body (the experiencer) to the total universe (the experienced).

~T

मायायाः of māyā विक्षेपावृतिरूपकं of the nature of projecting (creating) and veiling शक्तिद्वयं two powers हि without doubt (अस्ति exists) विक्षेपशक्तिः projecting power लिङ्गादिब्रह्माण्डान्तं from the sub- tle body to the (gross) universe जगत् world सृजेत् creates.

Two powers, undoubtedly, are predi- cated of māyā, viz., those of projecting_(1) and veiling. The projecting power creates ev- erything from the subtle (2) body to the gross universe.

~N

Notes

The Seer and the seen are shown to be of opposite nature by discrimination. The Seer is Existence-Consciousness. The seen is non-existent and inert. How can there possibly be any relation between the two? For instance, no one can marry a barren woman’s own son since he does not exist. Yet the seen world seems to be inseparably knotted up with the sentient Seer. The cause is said to be māyā. It should be noted that māyā does not really exist, but is postulated only to account for our experience of the world.

Māyā has two powers – the veiling and the projecting. The former veils the Truth and the latter projects the illusion. For example, a rope is mistaken for a snake. The non-apprehension of the rope is due to the veiling power and the misapprehension of the snake is caused by the projecting power. Similarly, māyā veils the Truth and projects the entire world of experiences (macrocosm) and the experiences, as well.

Reality too, is said to be indescribable. Is it also an illusion? No, both Reality and māyā are both indescribable, yet there is a difference between them. Māyā’s effect is experienced, but its exact status cannot be determined. Reality being the subject can never become an object of experience. Reality exists and yet is indescribable, and māyā is an illusion and therefore, indescribable. Also, there can be no illusion without a real substratum. That substratum is the Reality (Brahman).

~T

From this verse up to verse 21, the analysis of the cause of saṃsāra and the remedy is done. The author wishes to establish that ignorance is the cause of saṃsāra. The self-ignorance of one’s own composition, i.e., that one is a mixture of three seers, two are mithyā and one is satyaṃ, and that satya sākṣī is one’s own real nature, is the cause of the saṃsāra problem. Who or what is responsible for this ignorance? The author points out that māyā is responsible.

~P

It's Maya

Having established that the absolute ground called Brahman is unborn, undying, and changeless consciousness-existence, what is one to make of this world which is all about birth, death, and change? It’s Maya.

There’s nothing else to say. In fact, there is nothing one can say. Maya is as indescribable as Brahman. As there’s no describing the Christ in anti-Christ, there’s no describing the Brahman in not-Brahman, or Maya.

Metaphors use words to describe the indescribable. In this way, metaphors aren’t words. A rope is seen as a snake. Mirages appear in the desert. And it feels real because it’s not unreal like the horns of a hare. All is Brahman.

~A

Translators / Commentators Legend

A: Aumdada

D: Dayananda

N: Nikhilananda

P: Paramarthananda

S: Sandeepany

T: Tejomayananda

Epistle to Satcitananda

Maya veils Atman on the inside and Brahman on the outside.

How can you know Atman is Brahman when you don’t even know a single side of that equation?

Not only don’t you know your true self, you don’t even know there’s a nondual godhead.

Creation is the name you give to Brahman, while Atman is any Tom, Dawn, or sorry Samsari.

But all names are etched into the substrate of consciousness. All forms are built upon the foundation of existence.

Consciousness is Existence as Atman is Brahman. That’s Satcitananda.

a. Second Epistle to Satcitananda

Contrary to quantum materialism, there's no solution to an equation consisting of all variables. That's why there's no grand unified theory. It's not the absolute truth.

In quantum materialism, there's no taking into account the constant. The same is true for psychomaterialism.

Brahman is unborn and immutable. All variables are Maya. Good luck with that.

b. The Subtle Body Question

Am I the subtle body of organic chemicals and functional compounds in which consciousness has lit into sentience

or am I the pure consciousness which is burning in this subtle body of a central nervous system?

This is actually a rhetorical question although most don't know it.

c. Original Nonduality

Original duality is me and you, inside and outside.

Not only do we fear the outside, we fear the inside. Not only do I fear you, I fear God.

Inside is the true me, Self. Outside is the real you, God.

Inside is outside in nonduality, Grasshopper. This is authentic science, Einstein.

d. The Principle of Existence

In principles of nonduality, consciousness is obvious,

but existence is easy to overlook, paradoxically.

Existence is not life. Existence gives life.

Existence is that principle which gives sentience to an inert body.

Thus one does not have a life. One is Existence itself.

e. On Ananda

Consciousness and Existence are two principles of Satcitananda. And Ananda is the third.

As pure consciousness gives reflected consciousness and existence gives life, bliss gives love.

Consciousness is not experience. Consciousness is witnessing experience.

Existence is not this spacetime between birth and death. Existence is that infinite timelessness in which birth and death appear.

And bliss is not ecstasy but that unconditional love in which happiness and sadness ate appearing.

f. The Power of Maya

As sovereign of duality, Maya possesses two powers. Its majesty needs no more.

They are avarana sakti and viksepa sakti, the power of veiling and the power of projection.

As Atman is veiled, a person is projected. As Brahman is veiled, a personal god is projected.

Drg Drsya Viveka 12 Trans/Notes

DDV12

The subtle body is the material cause of ego and mind. It is one and insentient in nature. It is born, cycles through its three states for a time, and dies.

~A

Mano’haṅkṛtyupādānaṁ liṅgamekaṁ jaḍātmakam, avasthātrayam-anveti jāyate mriyate tathā.

 मनः-अहंकृति-उपादानम् – constituted of mind and ego; लिङ्गम् – subtle (body); एकम् – one; जडात्मकम् – insentient in nature; अवस्था त्रयम् – the three states; अन्वेति – goes through; जायते – is born; म्रियते – dies; तथा – and

The one insentient subtle (body) which is constituted of mind and ego, goes through the three states, and it is born and it dies.

~T

मनोऽहंकृत्युपादानं the material cause of mind and egoism एकं one जडात्मकं of the nature of insentiency लिङ्ग subtle body अवस्थात्रयं the three states अन्वेति attains तथा similarly जायते is born म्रियते dies.

The subtle (1) body, which is the material cause of the mind and egoism, is one (2) and of the nature (3) of insentiency. It moves (4) in the three states and is born and it dies.

~N

Notes

The subtle body is also called the liṅga śarīra, ‘Liṅga’ – to know. That by which something is known, symbolised, or indicated is called a ‘liṅgam’. For instance, smoke is the liṅgam of fire, Śivaliṅga, a symbol of Lord Śīva. SOS signals trouble and singing in the bathroom indicates a good mood. The subtle body is the indicator of life in the body. When the senses, prāṅas and mind function, we say the man is alive. He is certified dead when the pulse, breathing and heart beats stop.

~T

Here the author adds an incidental information which is required for further development. Until now the mind that has the substantial and the thought portions had been discussed. This two-fold mind is a part of the parent body called subtle body, which is the material cause of the mind. The subtle body is the invisible body behind the visible, live physical body. The subtle body consists of the five organs of knowledge, five organs of action, five-fold physiological systems called prāna along with the mind and thought. All these together is one unit. So it can also be said that the subtle body has three states of experience. Previously it was said that the three states of experience belong to the mind and here it is said that the three states of experience belong to the subtle body.

The cycle of birth and death has been going on from beginning-less time and will go on endlessly unless the individual gets jñānam. With this verse, the author concludes the discussion of the formation and function of the three seers. Hereafter the author gets into the main topic of the text, namely the cause of saṃsāra and its remedy.

~P

I have come to understand from the tvam-pada analysis, by examining the word tvam, that it means ātmā aham, sākṣī dṛg eva natu dṛśyate. This is what I understood, nothing more. How this ātmā is jagat-kāraṇam brahma? How? It is only sākṣī. How can there be an equation? Therefore, the whole nature of sṛṣṭi has to be talked about. That is the next topic. Therefore, although it looks as if the next topic śakti-dvayaṁ hi māyāyāḥ vikṣepāvṛti-rūpakam iti is coming from nowhere, it is not nowhere. It is the other side of tat-tvam-asi; tvam asi meaning ‘you are’ is one side of the equation and tat meaning ‘that’ is the other side. That is being brought in here.

~D

Translators / Commentators Legend

A: Aumdada

D: Dayananda

N: Nikhilananda

P: Paramarthananda

S: Sandeepany

T: Tejomayananda

It's Maya

Having established that the absolute ground called Brahman is unborn, undying, and changeless consciousness-existence, what is one to make of this world which is all about birth, death, and change? It’s Maya.

There’s nothing else to say. In fact, there is nothing one can say. Maya is as indescribable as Brahman. As there’s no describing the Christ in anti-Christ, there’s no describing the Brahman in not-Brahman, or Maya.

Metaphors use words to describe the indescribable. In this way, metaphors aren’t words. A rope is seen as a snake. Mirages appear in the desert. And it feels real because it’s not unreal like the horns of a hare. All is Brahman.

a. Four Viewpoints of Japan

I swear I saw Mount Fuji while looking west on the train to Narita Airport but I’ll never really know.

While on northernmost Honshu IsIand, I saw Hokkaido from Oma Point but didn’t know it. Looking at the photos later, I saw its landmass filtered through the mists of Tsugaru Strait.

On the bullet train from Tokyo to Hachinohe, we tunneled underneath the Shirakawa Barrier, which Basho had to cross when entering the deep north of his Oku no Hosomichi.

During the Neputa Festival in Hirosaki, I see large illuminated fan-shaped floats depicting fantastic images of mythic warriors parade through the city accompanied by taiko drum and flute bands one after another over and over like crimson and cherry blossoms.

b. On Mayasakti

Maya does not preserve and protect; Maya veils and projects.

Maya veils the metaphorical rope with a beginningless ignorance of my true nature.

Maya projects it all, from the inner astral body to the furthest reaches of the universe.

c. Maya 321

Maya is everything. Brahman is no thing. All things are Brahman.

Maya is the universe. Avidya is hell.

Enlightenment is in Maya but not of Maya.

d. Om Maya

Strictly speaking, Aum is Maya. The silence surrounding and pervading Aum is Brahman.

Also strictly speaking, Aum is the waking and sleeping dream states, and the deep sleep dreamless state.

In Isvara's Trinity, Brahma wields Maya, Vishnu pervades Maya, and Shiva shatters Maya.

e. grateful tao

yellow forsythia

blossoms blossoming in april

right now and right here

f. seaing

reality is all there is.

samsara is neither reality nor unreality.

although a wave is not the sea,

the sea pervades the wave.

Drg Drsya Viveka 11 Trans/Notes

 DDV 11

Thought modifications of the inner mind identifying with the reflection of consciousness project various ideas in the dream state, and in the waking state imagines objects outside with the eyes.

~A

Antaḥkaraṇa-vṛttiśca citicchāyaikyam-āgatā, vāsanāḥ kalpayet svapne bodhe’kṣair-viṣayān bahiḥ.

अन्तःकरणवृत्तिः – the thought modification of the inner equipment; च – and; चितिः छाया ऐक्यम् – identity with the reflection of Consciousness; आगता – having attained; वासनाः – impressions; कल्पयेत् – project; स्वप्ने – in the dream; बोधे – in the waking state; अक्षैः – with the eyes (sense organs); विषयान् – objects; बहिः – outside

The thought modifications of the inner equipment having attained an identity with the reflection of Consciousness in the dream state, project impressions, and in the waking state imagine objects outside with the eyes (sense organs).

~T

अन्तःकरणवृत्तिः च the inner organ that is nothing but a modification (वृत्तिः) चितिच्छायैक्यं identity with the reflec- tion of Consciousness आगता having attained स्वप्ने in dream वासनाः ideas कल्पयेत् imagines बोधे in the waking state अक्षैः with respect to the sense-organs बहिः external विषयान् ob- jects (कल्पयेत् imagines).

The inner (1) organ (mind), which is itself but a modification (वृत्तिः), identifying (2) itself with the reflec- tion of Consciousness imagines (various) ideas (3) in the dream state. And the same inner organ (identifying itself with the body) imagines (4) objects external to itself in the waking state with respect to the sense-organs.

~N

Notes

We remember our dream experiences in the waking state. The dream experiences, which have the same nature as the waking ones, are known to be internal only in the waking state. The waking experi- ences are also mere ideas or thoughts of the perceiving mind.

~N

The phenomenon of dream fascinates man. It is of special importance to a seeker of Truth as it is the best example to understand the falsity of the waking world. The majority of people, however, are preoccupied in trying to know the meaning of objects seen in the dream. It is as meaningless as inquiring why one saw a pigeon, instead of a crow, perched on a tree in the waking state. Vedānta inquires into the mechanism of a dream.

~T

There is no reflection, there is no medium or anything; because it is mithyā. It is a very important thing to note, otherwise it can be very confusing. There is one vṛtti. Citicchāyā, reflection, reflecting medium, etc can be confusing. The whole blessed thing is mithyā. Every vṛtti is but consciousness and that vṛtti-consciousness is what is referred to as citicchāyā. That is the reflected consciousness we say; that is an expression. We have to understand what citicchāyā means.

~D

Translators / Commentators Legend

A: Aumdada

D: Dayananda

N: Nikhilananda

P: Paramarthananda

S: Sandeepany

T: Tejomayananda

Drg Drsya Viveka 10 Trans/Notes

DDV10

In the dissolution of the ego during deep sleep, the body also becomes unconscious. The half manifestation of ego is the dream state. The full manifestation of ego is the waking state.

~A

Ahaṅkāralaye suptau bhavet deho’pyacetanaḥ, ahaṅkāra-vikāsārdhaḥ svapnas-sarvastu jāgaraḥ.

अहंकार-लये – in the absorption of the ego; सुप्तौ – in deep sleep; भवेत् – becomes; देहः – the body; अपि – also; अचेतनः – unconscious; अहंकार-विकास-अर्धः – half manifestation of the ego; स्वप्नः – is the dream; सर्वः – full (manifestation of the ego); तु – indeed; जागरः – is the waking

The body also becomes unconscious in deep sleep when the ego is in absorption. The half manifestation of the ego is dream and its full (manifestation), the waking.

~T

सुप्तौ in deep sleep अहंकारलये when (the thought of) ego disappears देह: the body अपि also अचेतनः unconscious भवेत् becomes अहंकारविकासार्ध: the half manifestation of the ego स्वप्न: dream (भवति is) तु but सर्व: full (manifestation) जागरः waking state (भवति is).

In the state of deep sleep, when (the thought of) ego disappears, (1) the body also be- comes unconscious. The state in which there is a half manifestation of the ego is called the dream state, (2) and the state in which there is a full (3) manifestation of the ego is the state of waking.

~N

Notes

Vedānta defines deep sleep as the state in which the ego ceases to function. It is not destroyed but remains dormant.

The partial manifestation of the ego is the dream state. The ego identifies only with the subtle body (mind-intellect) but not the gross body. The mind projects the dream and the dream world and the ego identifies with these thoughts.

The total manifestation of the ego is the waking state. Here the ego identifies with both the subtle and the gross body and is technically called ‘viśva’, meaning complete.

It should be noted that these states belong only to the ego and not to the immutable Consciousness. These states, therefore, enjoy the same degree of reality. To us, however, the waking appears real and the dream illusory.

~T

Now the author talks about the function of seer 2, the mind, in a little more detail.

~P

Therefore, waking, dream and deep sleep, all of them are due to ahaṅkāra’s glory. Therefore, this whole glory is for ahaṅkāra, not for ātmā. Ahaṅkāra is mithyā, ātmā is there in all the three states of experience. The states are gained only by ahaṅkāra’s movement, puratraye krīḍati yastu jīvaḥ[22]. In fact, what has anvaya in all three states, what is available in all the three states, is only ātmā. Ahaṅkāra undergoes change ardha-vikāsa, pūrṇa-vikāsa and laya. Therefore, the variable factor is ahaṅkāra. Ahaṅkāra‘s manifestation is variable and what is invariable is consciousness; eṣa citiḥ na udeti na astam eti. Now.

~D

Quantum Isvara and Maya Stuff

Which came first? The waking dreamstate, the sleeping dreamstate, or the deep sleep state.

Consciousness is of course primary and is the only one of these three present in deep sleep.

The mind appears in consciousness as the sleeping dream, and the body appears in the mind as the waking dream.

In consciousness, does the dream mind appear and project a world body to act its dreams out? Like Isvara and Maya?

~A

Translators / Commentators Legend

A: Aumdada

D: Dayananda

N: Nikhilananda

P: Paramarthananda

S: Sandeepany

T: Tejomayananda

The Play of Realization

1. Quantum Isvara and Maya Stuff

Which came first? The waking dreamstate, the sleeping dreamstate, or the deep sleep state.

Consciousness is of course primary and is the only one of these three present in deep sleep.

The mind appears in consciousness as the sleeping dream, and the body appears in the mind as the waking dream.

In consciousness, does the dream mind appear and project a world body to act its dreams out? Like Isvara and Maya?

2. Vidyaranya Says

Furthermore, is avidya simply the feedback of forgetting the world is appearing in the mind and the mind is appearing in consciousness, believing instead that dreams are projections of the waking world and not vice versa?

Vidyaranya says, "The half manifestation of ego is the dream state. The full manifestation of ego is the waking state."

And "Thought modifications of the inner mind identifying with the reflection of consciousness projects various ideas in the dream state, and in the waking state imagines objects outside with the senses."

a. On Sun Mountain: Purple Mountain Majesty

Driving the highway to the summit of Pikes Peak, I see bighorn sheep, and stop the car.

They’re less than a football field away but I still want to take a closer look and get a better picture. Desire gets the best of me.

Hopping from rock to rock, avoiding the fragile surface vegetation, I find myself breathing heavy, and although it’s been but a few minutes, I have to stop and catch my breath.

It suddenly dawns on me we’re in the rarified air of 13,000 feet of altitude. This first encounter with bighorn sheep has literally taken my breath away.

For these Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep (ovis canadensis canadensis) are like angels. Their summer range lies above 10,000 ft. Like gods, they walk the heavens. Excuse me while I kiss the sky.

b. Isvara and Maya are Alright

There's this tendency to look at the surface suffering of the world and get all kinds of depressed knowing it will never change. I know it all too well.

Except within this movie, there's an unintended message, a deeper truth, a freudian slip if you will.

All shall be well, says Julian of Norwich. Isvara and Maya are alright tonight.

c. See Satcitananda

The material world cannot grow consciousness. Consciousness is the ground.

This subtle astral body is reflecting pure consciousness like a mirror reflects light. (Caution, the image in the mirror is just an illusion.) The reflection of consciousness is consciousness as the reflection of light is light.

Satcitananda is the source. Plug in, turn on, shine. See I am Satcitananda.

d. Mirror, mirror

The world is this false image of individual consciousness. As if universal consciousness can be divided.

Let this mirror be a subtle evolutionary astral body. Let this mirror be so subtle, it actually reflects pure consciousness.

Within the mirror there is a bizarro consciousness. Some call it samsara. Some know it as hell.

I am not in the mirror. I am the light reflecting off the mirror.

e. nondual haiku number nine

my trinity times

your trinity

equals nine.

existence is

electricity itself.

consciousness is the light.

ananda is that seeing

of the beauty

of the truth.