Chapter 14 Dream and Memory
14.1 to 14.10
Advaita Vedanta is more a teaching than a philosophy. A fundamental Vedantic principle is that a real thing cannot be destroyed, and an unreal thing need not be destroyed. Only a seemingly real thing called mithya in Vedantic terminology can be destroyed. As the aim is to remove human suffering, it analyses human experience with the help of scriptures and reason. It says that though human suffering is experienced, it is mithya and can be removed. What we think about ourselves is not correct and further that experience may be deceptive as it does not necessarily match with the reality.
Inquiry about myself is Self-inquiry which is the subject matter of the first ten verses. Waking state is examined with the help of dream and deep sleep states. Mind is the locus of thoughts which are experienced. Take the case of experience of seeing an object. Eyes come in contact with an object. The eyes are connected with the mind. The mind which is inert but subtle takes the form of the object like a molten metal taking the form of mould or light taking the forms of the object on which it falls on it. In this way, there is modification of mind. The modified mind is called vritti. It is visaya-vyapti.
Though the mind is by nature inert, in the presence of consciousness, it is sentient. Consciousness pervades the mind and is (like) reflection in the mind. Mere presence of consciousness makes the mind sentient and illumines (reveals) the vritti. There is no effort or action on its part. It is like a witness. Illumined vritti is the experience of the object in the form of thought. It is phala-vyapti. Who is the experiencer? Consciousness and mind are not the experiencer individually. The conscious mind (combination of consciousness and mind) is the experiencer.
At the fundamental level, ego is a function of mind and is ‘I’ thought. It is because of consciousness that ‘I’ thought arises in the mind. An inert object has no ‘I’ thought. It means that consciousness is the real ‘I’ (Atma) denoted by Self or Consciousness. To remove any confusion, ego (‘I’ thought) is denoted as self. Consciousness is said to be the Experiencer through the instrument of mind.
With the help of dream and memory, the author wants to show that Self is different from the mind and body. In dream, the dreamer has a dream body which is different from the waking state body. The dreamer experiences those objects which he has experienced in the waking state. The mind works like a recorder in the waking state and as a player during dream. If the mind does not assume the form of the objects in waking state how can one experience objects in dream? Memory also cannot take place because memory means recalling a past experience. Sometimes the dream objects may be jumbled, e.g., a man with horns. Nonetheless, both man and horn were experienced in the waking state. Likewise, memory relates to past experience. As stated above, experience is ultimately a thought which is modified mind.
Objects perceived, i.e., thoughts in dream and memory are different from the dreamer or the person using memory. In the same way, consciousness, the experiencer, in the waking state is different from the mind. As a wandering mendicant who perceives himself in the dream or memory is different from himself, Consciousness, the experiencer in the waking state is different from the body.
During dream, mind is all rolled into one: object, instrument, action, result of action. Consciousness illumines the mind so that experience takes place. Consciousness is different from the mind during dream. Therefore, consciousness is different from the mind during waking state. Same is the case in the waking state because otherwise they might be perceived during deep sleep when the mind is resolved.
All experiences in the waking state are thoughts. The eyes see a chair and there is chair thought in the mind which is experienced. Thoughts are more intimate than the outside object. The experiencer is different from the thought. Self is different from the mind and its objects. Mind is subject to appearance (waking and dream) and disappearance (sleep). Self which illumines the mind does not appear or disappear. There has to be a changeless entity on which the drama of changes can be played. Self is the substratum the mind. Self is substratum of body together with its interior and exterior. Self itself is devoid of interior or exterior. It is homogeneous. There is one Self which illumines all the intellects. And a jnani identifies himself with Self and not with mind and body.
Why does the author use the dream state? It is easy to accept that consciousness is different from the gross body. It is difficult to accept that consciousness is different from the mind because the mind is generally considered the subject and conscious by nature. The dream objects are projections of mind unlike gross objects in the waking state. When mind is shown as object, it is easy to accept that it different from Consciousness, the subject.
Contd Part 14