Re: CONSIOUSNESS - a deeper understanding
Namaste,
The theory of Advaita Saadhana is difficult to understand for common men. The practice of this Saadhanaa, naturally can’t be less difficult. So, when we are discussing Advaita, theories which are difficult to grasp & understand will be discussed. Why is it so difficult ? Because of our conditioned mind ! Why do we find Quantum Mechanics difficult to understand ? Why the concept of mass itself is so difficult to grasp & understand ?
Here let’s discuss Consciousness. The Vedas say, “Prajnanaam Brahma” i.e. “The Consciousness is Brahman”. So, what is this consciousness ? Do we understand it well enough ? Let us see.
Whatever is being offered below is based on my understanding of teachings of the Advaita teachers including that imparted by my Guruji & my understanding from a scientific viewpoint. So, it may have ample scope of improvement & I invite all knowledgeable fellow members of this forum to contribute constructively for a better understanding.
When we talk of consciousness, normally we keep the waking consciousness in mind. But the Consciousness, though essentially One & Unbroken, manifests itself in this world in three different layers of consciousness :
a) When we are awake (or dreaming in sleep), we are aware of the external things. We know the world around us through our sense perceptions. This is waking consciousness … the most visible & first layer of consciousness.
b) Now when a person loses this waking consciousness due to deep sleep, shock, disease, under the influence of poison or drugs, we say that he has lost consciousness. But then when he regains his consciousness, he is able to recall all his experience in the past again. So, if he is really devoid of consciousness in those states, who/what stores his past experiences safe & retrievable within him once he gains his consciousness back ? It has to be consciousness only. This consciousness is the second layer of consciousness known as Sub-Consciousness.
Understanding of this Sub-Consciousness is very critical here. The Sub-consciousness is a derivative of the waking consciousness. It works on a mass of impressions gathered from active waking consciousness. This sub-consciousness is responsible for keeping our heart & other organs working when we are unconscious or in sleep. It is also responsible for creating dreams in the REM stage of our sleep. This sub-consciousness is also responsible for keeping a complete record of all our actions, rebirths & samsakaars (tendencies) carried from one birth to the other. This sub-consciousness is the culprit which keeps us restless seeking something which can make us happy …. this sub-consciousness brings all stray images, sounds & thought waves & disturbs us when we try to meditate.
c) The third layer of consciousness which is the sub-stratum of the earlier two layers is all knower & omnipotent. It is ever pure & not tainted by any action or impressions. It is without any sense of individuality as it is One without a second which shines through many minds as different individual Jivas. This is called Super-consciousness. This is Self/Brahman of the Mahavakya, “Prajnanaam Brahma”.
Now, that was ok for the humans. What about the other less intelligent animals, trees, stone, water, earth, air, water & energy ? How this consciousness acts within them or through them ? Let’s see :
a) The animals behave on instinct. No one teaches them many things that they are able to do to live in this world. Where from they learn all this ? It comes from their sub-consciousness which carries instinct (seeds for action) based on impressions gathered in their past lives.
b) What about the inanimate objects, e.g. Stones, water, energy etc. ? What role does this consciousness play here ? Is there consciousness in a piece of stone or heat wave or electrons ? Let’s go back to elementary Physics again :
i) Let’s assume there are two pieces of stones of masses m1 & m2 separated by a distance d. Now as per Newton’s Law of universal gravitation, the force acting between them would be equal to (Gxm1xm2)/(dxd) ( where G is a universal constant), i.e. the force acting between the two pieces of stones would be directly proportional to the product of masses of the stones & inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the two. Now, for this force to act there must be consciousness somewhere ensuring that this law is followed. That consciousness must be aware that :
B1) There are two objects/stones in the space.
B2) That their masses are m1 & m2
B3) That the distance separating the two stones is d
B4) That there is a law (universal law of gravitation) which must be obeyed
Can’t it be possible without existence of Consciousness around ? When a man becomes unconscious he is not able to recognize who is even touching him then if there is no consciousness how the knowledge of information required from B1 to B4 is gathered & by whom ?
Let’s change the distance between the two stones from d to d1. Now, immediately the force is changed to (Gxm1xm2)/(d1xd1). Now, who adjusts this force ? Who knows that there has been a change in the position of the two stones ? It can’t happen if there is no one to notice that this change has ever taken place ! Some agency must be aware of the entire phenomenon & that is awareness or consciousness which pervades everything & witnesses everything!
c) Now is the consciousness within two stones in the above example two or one ? Let’s see.
Let’s imagine that each stone has a different consciousness. Let’s say that through that consciousness “it” is able to be aware of the presence of the other stone around, the distance between the two, their masses & the governing laws for the force of attraction. Now this consciousness must be One within one stone otherwise there will be multi-cognition & there can’t be One Stone Vs the Other & there can’t be individuality which can own the consciousness. So, let’s assume that it is One in one stone & another in another stone. Now let’s break the stone & make two pieces out of one piece of stone. Now what happens ? There is apparently a creation of two different individuality within two pieces of stones & two different consciousness from one consciousness ! That appears ridiculous ! The consciousness of the original stone was not a “thing” which can be broken in parts like this. It must be inherent property of the Stone as a whole ! But then it does give an impression of breaking up of one consciousness into two ! … and that is ridiculous. So our earlier assumption that each stone has a different consciousness having individuality must be wrong.
So, what other model can work ? IMHO, there can be only one explanation now that consciousness was One from the beginning which pervaded the One original stone earlier & reflected as individual consciousness when the Stone was unbroken & the same consciousness reflected from the two pieces of stones & gave a false impression of two divided consciousness when the stone was broken into two.
d) The consciousness doesn’t only reflect through matter and animate beings. It also works on energy. The electrons flow from higher potential to the lower potential. The heat flows from higher temperature to the lower temperature. Now, who is aware that there is a lower potential or a lower temperature around & that it (the energy/electrons) must flow in that direction ? This is all pervading consciousness which is aware of everything & acting through everything.
e) The above example applies to us all. The consciousness is not only within us … it is everywhere … within & without … unbroken & One. However, this one consciousness reflects through various beings & objects in this world ( One consciousness with different spiritual vibrations) & gives a false impression of multiple individual consciousness among us.
OM