Sakshi - The Awareful Witness - Intro to Advaita Vedanta - Part 4

Summary

This insightful presentation delves into the concept of 'atma' or the true self, as taught by Vedanta, emphasizing the unchanging and independent nature of consciousness. It explains that all experiences, from the waking state to dreams and deep sleep, are mental constructs known as 'vrittis'. The atma, as the conscious observer or 'sakshi', remains unaffected by these mental activities. The script challenges the notion that deep sleep is unconscious, asserting that consciousness persists even in its absence. It further explores the limitless and all-pervasive nature of consciousness, distinct yet reflected in individual minds, drawing parallels to sunlight reflected on various bodies of water. The presentation concludes with a reflection on the ancient wisdom found in the Shvetashvattara Upanishad, highlighting the divine, uncreated, and eternal essence of the true self that is the source of ultimate happiness and peace.

Takeaways

• 🧘 The concept of atma, or the true self, is the unchanging observer of the mind's activities and is the ultimate source of happiness.
• 🌞 Atma is independent of the body and mind, unaffected by mental activities, much like the sun is unaffected by what it illuminates.
• 🌐 All experiences occur within the mind, with the world being experienced indirectly through the five senses.
• 👀 The process of sight involves a complex transformation of light into electrical impulses that form an image in the mind, not the brain.
• 🌀 Vrittis are mental representations of sensory inputs, and they are directly known by the conscious observer, or sakshi.
• 🧠 The brain's role is to facilitate the creation of vrittis, but the actual experience of these mental objects happens in the mind.
• 💭 Thoughts, emotions, and perceptions all arise as vrittis in the mind and are observed by the conscious observer.
• 🌙 In deep sleep, there is an absence of vrittis, yet the conscious observer remains aware of this absence, contradicting the notion of unconsciousness.
• 🛌 The experience of being dead is likened to deep sleep, where consciousness continues but without any content to be aware of.
• ♾ Consciousness is described as dimensionless, limitless, and all-pervasive, akin to space.
• 🌟 There is a singular all-pervasive consciousness that illuminates each individual mind, reflecting differently in each, yet remaining one and the same.

Q & A

What is the essence of atma according to Vedanta?

Atma, according to Vedanta, is the true self or the conscious self that is completely independent of the body and mind. It is the unchanging observer of the mind's constantly changing activities and is the ultimate source of happiness.

How does the experience of the world around us occur?

The world around us is experienced indirectly through the five senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. These senses convey information about the world to the mind, where it becomes known as mental objects or vrittis in Sanskrit.

What is the role of the conscious observer in experiencing the world?

The conscious observer, also known as the sakshi, is the awareful witness who directly knows the presence of vrittis in the mind. This observer is not affected by the mind's activities and gains indirect knowledge of the world through the vrittis.

How does the process of seeing work according to the script?

To see, light from a source must reach the eyes, which then focus an inverted image onto the retina. The retina converts this image into electrical impulses that travel to the brain. However, the final image that is experienced is not in the brain but in the mind, where it arises as a mental object or vritti.

What are the three distinct states of the mind in Vedanta?

The three distinct states of the mind in Vedanta are jagrat (the waking state), svapna (the dream state), and sushupti (deep dreamless sleep). Each state involves the observer witnessing vrittis in the mind, though the source of these vrittis varies.

Why does Vedanta assert that one remains conscious during deep sleep?

Vedanta asserts that one remains conscious during deep sleep because consciousness is unchanging and must continually reveal each vritti. Since consciousness doesn't turn off, even during deep sleep, it reveals the complete absence of vrittis, indicating a state of pure awareness.

How is the experience of deep sleep similar to the experience of death according to the script?

The experience of deep sleep is similar to the experience of death in that the awareful witness continues to be conscious, but there is nothing to be conscious of, just like standing in a perfectly black room with eyes wide open. There is an awareness of the absence of anything.

What is the concept of consciousness being limitless and all-pervasive?

The concept of consciousness being limitless and all-pervasive means that it lacks physical dimensions like height and width, and thus it has no boundaries. It is infinite and extends everywhere, similar to space.

Why doesn't the all-pervasive nature of consciousness allow us to feel sensations in each other's bodies?

Even though consciousness is all-pervasive, the sensations from each body arise as vrittis in one's own mind. Since our minds are separate, our experiences are also separate, and we do not feel sensations in each other's bodies.

How does the script explain the individuality of consciousness despite it being all-pervasive?

The script explains that there is only one all-pervasive consciousness that illuminates each individual mind. Each mind reflects this consciousness differently, similar to how different bodies of water reflect sunlight differently, thus maintaining individuality.

What is the significance of the teachings from the Shvetashvattara Upanishad in the context of this script?

The teachings from the Shvetashvattara Upanishad emphasize the singularity and omnipresence of consciousness. It states that there is one shining consciousness that is hidden within all creatures and is the inner self of all beings, highlighting the divine and unchanging nature of the atma.