We normally exist in one of the three states (Traya Avasta) which are waking (Jagrat), dream (Swapna) and deep sleep (Sushupti) and are mentioned in Mandukya Upanishad (1.3 - 1.5).
Simple meaning of "Deep Dreamless Sleep" is we are not awake, we are sleeping without any dreams and disturbance.
From time immemorial, the mother Nature is silently screaming and relentlessly trying to tell us some profound Truths through our deep sleep experience. The Nature's silent scream is actually deafening. At least now let us try to wake up and find out what those truths are.
In the dream everything appears very real during that moment. The notion of "I" is very much present. But during the dream the physical body is taking rest on the bed. Hence the dream state proves that for the feeling of "I", the physical body (Sthoola Sharira - Gross Body) is not essential.
During deep sleep even though we are not aware of anything during that time, after we wake up we say "I had a nice deep sleep. I was not aware of anything during that time". That means during deep sleep, "I" existed but I was not aware of anything. Why because the mind was taking rest and hence could not become aware of anything. Thus the deep sleep state proves that for "I" to exist the mind (Sukshma Sharira - Subtle Body) is not essential.
The dream state and the deep sleep state together are proving that the real "I", "Self" is not the body and not the mind. Hence "I" is distinct and separate from the body and the mind. This is the first great Truth that the Nature is telling us through our dream and deep sleep experience.
Every single time after a deep sleep we always feel good. Why did the sleep feel good? The sleep felt good because it was extremely peaceful. How did we get the peace? It was peaceful because there were absolutely no thoughts.
During deep sleep, I did not know who owes me or whom I owe. I did not know about my bank balance or the loan and EMI I have to repay. I did not know about my profession. I did not know about the place or the city where I was sleeping. I did not know about my religion or nationality. I did not know about my parents, siblings or children. For that matter in the deep sleep, I did not know whether I am a male or a female. Though all the reasons given above are true, they are only symptoms and not the real reasons. The only main real reason is “I did not have my ego” in the deep sleep. When the ego is dropped, all the symptoms discussed so far materialise and finally results in the experience of Peaceful Bliss and Happiness.
We always feel happy after we wake up from a deep sleep. Thus the Nature is telling us "Drop the ego to experience Peace and Happiness". This is the second Truth. Drop the ego (ego-self) in order to experience the real "I", the "Self" which results in Peace and Happiness.
Every night when we go into deep sleep, the ego automatically vanishes and when we wake up, the ego automatically comes back. In other words every time when we go into deep sleep our ego is automatically crucified and when we wake up, it gets automatically resurrected. But only if during our waking state once for all we manage to deliberately crucify our ego then the real “I”, the Self would get resurrected. To remind us about this great Truth can there be any better symbolism than the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ?
From the Advaitin’s point of view when Jesus said “The kingdom of heaven is within you” he was meaning the inner Reality, the resplendent Self which is unfortunately veiled by our ego-self. If we drop the ego (), the Self which is the “Kingdom of Heaven” shall definitely be ours.
My waking world is different from yours. My dream world is different from yours. But my deep sleep state (Sushupti) and your deep sleep state are the same. Sushupti is one and the same for all. In deep sleep, a king loses the kingship; A beggar loses the poverty; A blind person loses the blindness; A person with eyes loses the sight; A terrorist loses his terrorism; A noble person loses his nobility; A lion loses its ferociousness; A rabbit loses its timidity; A deer loses its fear. Thus, Sushupti is the same for all. Why so? Because we all lose our ego and hence lose our individuality which is called by Advaita Vedanta. So, Nature is silently trying to tell us how every one of us could feel one and the same but due to the presence of our ego, we do not feel the Oneness.
In deep sleep, the Nature is showing us the Oneness and the Unity in Diversity. In deep sleep: a Christian loses his Christianity; a Muslim forgets that he is a Muslim; a Hindu or Sikh or Buddhist or for that matter everybody loses the religion. The reason is, everybody is forced by the Nature to drop the ego in the deep sleep which results in the feeling of Oneness. Dropping the ego means losing our individuality and start seeing Oneness in everybody. Thus the Nature is telling us "Drop the ego to experience Oneness and Unity in Diversity". This is the third Truth.
Combining the second and third we get "Drop the ego to experience Peace, Happiness, Oneness and Unity in Diversity". Exactly the same message is conveyed by Brihad Aranyaka Upanishad (4.3.21 – 4.3.32).
Let us summarize the Truths that the Nature is trying to convey through our deep sleep experience.
"I", the "Self" is distinct and separate from the body and the mind.
Drop the ego to experience Peace, Happiness, Oneness and Unity in Diversity.
Whenever we drop the ego at that moment we lose our individuality and we exist as nameless, formless, Concentrating Entity, pure Thinking Ability, Knowing Power, unadulterated Consciousness, Silent Awareness, Chit Shakti (Sentient Energy), Atman, our true Self.
This state of dropping the ego, attaining Self-Realization by experiencing the silent Consciousness is called Turiya, the fourth state (Mandukya Upanishad 1.7) which is actually the underlying substratum of all the three states; waking, dream and deep sleep states.
- By Arun Kumar
