Footnotes to Talks on Mandukya

In avidya, this consciousness is like the last state. In reality, that's the one and only.

For every microcosmic atman is a macrocosmic brahman. For every person is a god. Make one up if you have to. 

Some people think altered consciousness is like a fourth kind of consciousness. Dreaming is altered consciousness.

There are two states of dreaming—the waking one and the sleeping one from the point of view of the waking one.

Unaltered consciousness transcends deep sleep. I am reading the Mandukya for a third time. 

The first time was memorable. The second time, it was personal. Third time is, as they say, fathoming the gist.

Talks on Mandukya

As to that turiya of Mandukya fame, they say fools call it the fourth. The wise ones know that as the one. There are three states of reflected consciousness. There is one satcitananda.

Each Mandukya state of consciousness has its own microcosmic atman and macrocosmic brahman. For atman is brahman is the Mandukya’s mahavakya.

The three states of consciousness as noted in the Mandukya are your basic ones of waking, dreaming, and sleeping. These are altered states of reflected consciousness. Pure consciousness is stateless.

Guadapada knows there are no states of consciousness. These particular concepts are merely straw men made to be readily deconstructed by any earnest apprentice in the act of revelation. Like Shankara.

Footnotes to Talks on Mandukya

In avidya, this consciousness is like the last state. In reality, that's the one and only.

For every microcosmic atman is a macrocosmic brahman. For every person is a god. Make one up if you have to. 

Some people think altered consciousness is like a fourth kind of consciousness. Dreaming is altered consciousness.

There are two states of dreaming—the waking one and the sleeping one from the point of view of the waking one. 

I am reading the Mandukya for a third time. The first time was memorable. The second time, it was personal. Third time is, as they say, fathoming the gist

TOC Mandukya & Karika 1 (from Chinmaya Sandeepany

THE MANDUKYA UPANISHAD

Section 1: THE MEANING OF “OM”

Verse 1: Plurality is Nothing But OM

Verse 2: Brahman is Verily OM

Verse 3: The First Pada – Waking State Consciousness

Verse 4: The Second Pada – Dream State Consciousness

Verse 5: The Third Pada – Deep Sleep Consciousness (Vyashti)

Verse 6: The Third Pada – The Causal Consciousness (Samashti)

Section 2: THE “FOURTH” QUARTER – TURIYA

Verse 7: The Fruit of the Process of “Negation”

Section 3: THE SYLLABLES OF “OM”

Verse 8: Symbolism of the Letters of “OM”

Verse 9: “A” – The First Letter: VISHWA

Verse 10: “U” – The Second Letter: TAIJASA

Verse 11: “M” – The Third Letter: PRAJNA

Verse 12: ‘Amaatra’ – The Fourth Letter: TURIYA

GAUDAPADA’S KARIKA PART 1: Agama Prakarana

Section 1.1: EXPERIENCE & ENJOYMENT

Verse 1.1: The Three Objects of Experience

Verse 1.2: The Three Places of Experience

Verse 1.3: The Threefold Enjoyership

Verse 1.4: The Threefold Objects Enjoyed

Verse 1.5: Enjoyments & Enjoyers are all One

Section 1.2: THEORIES OF EXISTENCE

Verse 1.6: Existence – The Basic Premise

Verse 1.7: Theories 1 & 2: Non-creation and A Dream

Verse 1.8: Theories 3 & 4: By Will or By Time

Verse 1.9: Theories 5-8: Just For Fun!

Section 1.3: THE “FOURTH” QUARTER – TURIYA

Verse 1.10: Turiya – the Cessation of All Sorrows

Verse 1.11: Turiya – Beyond Cause and Effect

Verse 1.12: Turiya – Contrast with Prajna

Verse 1.13: Turiya & Prajna – No Cognition of Duality

Verse 1.14: Turiya – Beyond ‘Sleep’ & ‘Dream’

Verse 1.15: Turiya – the Pre-Conditions

Verse 1.16: Turiya – the Error of “Sleep”

Verse 1.17: Turiya – the Error of “Dream”

Verse 1.18: “Dream Lion” Needed to Awaken Us!

Section 1.4: OM – PREPARATORY UPASANAS

Verse 1.19 The Identity of Vishwa With “A”

Verse 1.20: The Identity of Taijasa With “U”

Verse 1.21: The Identity of Prajna With “M”

Verse 1.22: The Truth Common to All Three States

Verse 1.23: Individual Attainments in All Three States

Section 1.5: OM – ULTIMATE SADHANA

Verse 1.24: OM – Known “Pada by Pada”

Verse 1.25: OM – the “Ever-Fearless Brahman”

Verse 1.26: OM – the “Lower & Higher Brahman”

Verse 1.27: OM – the “Eternal Being”

Verse 1.28: OM – “All-Pervading & Beyond Sorrow”

Verse 1.29: OM – the “Sound-less & Sound Eternal”

Alston on Shankara toc

Shankara on Avidya (nescience)

Shankara on the Absolute as Lord

Shankara on the Unmoving Mover

Shankara on the Deeper Levels

Shankara on Cause, Effect, and the Absolute

Shankara on Vedic revelation

Shankara on Name and Form

Shankara on Adhyaropa and Apavada

Shankara on Defining the Absolute

Shankara on Satyam Jñānam Anantam Brahma

Shankara on Bliss

Shankara on Creation Texts

Shankara on Gaudapada's Acosmic Doctrines

On Shankara. Snippets on Shankara's Identity and True Works (plus Alston Info)

On Shankara: Gaudapada and Madhyamika Teaching

On Shankara: Schools of Advaita

On Shankara and Satcitananda

A. J. Alston Bibliography:

Shankara on the Absolute: Shankara Source Book Volume One Kindle Edition

Shankara on the Creation: Shankara Source Book Volume Two Kindle Edition

The Thousand Teachings of Shankara: Upadeshasahasri

Couplet Number One

Consciousness, existence, self-awareness, satcitananda.

The bliss of self-awareness takes a universe of space-time.

. 

On Bliss

Consciousness-existence is nothing if not self-aware.

That self-awareness is bliss!

Bliss is the arc of a self-reflexive universe.

The Silver Screen of Consciousness

Mind does not manufacture consciousness. Mind manufactures dreams. 

These dreams are appearing on the silver screen of consciousness.

If existence is the godhead, consciousness is the open godhead.

Evolution is deconstructing ignorance revealing the spirit of self-realization.

The Cask of Shankara

Try Shankara cask proof. Mythologies are made to be demytholigized.

First affirm the faithful foundation of consciousness-existence

that transcends the ends of science.

Faithful Spirit

Attention is adulteration of awareness with thought.

To the mind, it’s a transcendental matter. To the self, it’s clarity.

Between outlandish belief and scientific nihilism is

the faithful spirit of listening, understanding, and realization.

In the beginning was the Himalayan Revelation.

Tales of Nonduality

Thought forms appear in the witness. The universe is steeped in the principle of existence.

All appears in atman. Brahman pervades it all. Like an ouroboros, atman is brahman.

Consciousness is swallowing a tail emerging from the mouth of being.