Class Summary for Nov 14, 2021 - Kailvalya Upanishad - Slokas 13& 14

 Summarized by: Shailesh Vyas

Started with meditation, anulom vilom.

Initial Q&A 

• Prayanam with fasting is easier compared to a full stomach.
• Question - Why do we use chin mudra for meditation?
1. Any mudra is used to lock the energy. This way energy gets looped and circulates back into the body.
2. Gyan Mudra - Thumb represents Paramatma and Index finger represents Jivatma. Rest of my fingers are indriyas.

Recap

• Karma yoga and Bhakti yoga paths are all valid paths and will get you to a certain point. Gyan yoga is the final and ultimate step to get one out of the cycle of births and deaths.
• Like two pieces of wood when subject to friction produces fire, similarly by churning our minds (pseudo self with higher self) we can produce fire (of knowledge and wisdom).
• Why was the analogy of fire given ..
• Fire represents light (and the way it removes darkness), similarly fire in this reference can remove ignorance.
• Second, fire burns anything it touches, so in this reference this fire of wisdom can burn vasanas and bondage.
• Article on Vanaprastha Ashram (approx age of 50). We need to let go of things and focus on what is important. Four takeaways -
• Quit the rat race and find something more fulfilling, less stressful and more at your term and pace.
• Service - Find a way to serve society
• Worship (Jap) or focus on the higher cause.
• Identify your key relationship and take time to connect with them.
• Story - Guru dips disciple heads into water to show how strong dedication you need.

Shloka 13 

Translation -

In the dream state, the Jiva experiences both pleasure and pain. Maya creates by its own illusory power a world of imagination for the Jiva (to enjoy).

In the state of profound deep sleep everything merges into its cause.

The Jiva is overpowered by Tamas, and comes to exist in its form of bliss.

The awakened body is enjoying all pleasure.

In a dream state even though you are in a dormant state our mind and intellect are still not completely shut down (Maya creates an illusory world).

In deep sleep, you are in bliss. 

Shloka 14

Translation -

Again, following from endless previous births, due to the karmic reactions gathered in them,

that very same Jiva goes (back and forth) between the dream and the waking states.

In these three cities (states), merrily sports the same (helpless) individual soul.

That from whom verily have sprung up all the diverse varieties of experiences;

That is the support or substratum the indivisible bliss-consciousness.

Into that alone dissolve all the three cities (states) once again.

Theme 

• The same Jiva in the dream state experiences joys and sorrows from its own projected world. e.g. I can have the president clean my dishes.
• This is experienced through the sukshma sharira. All the materialistic identities are in un-manifest or seed form in this state.
• In a deep sleep state, the gross and subtle body are dissolved, and there is NO-THING state. We become conscious of the absence of things. THis is a state of non-apprehension.
• Everyday we wake up from deep sleep due to our vasanas.
• We keep cycling between the 3 fields of experience - wake, dreamer and deep sleeper.
• Like we play the three roles - husband, boss and friend, the common factor is Consciousness = Me.

Discussion

• Movie Dashavatara is a good example where all 10 roles were played by the same actor.
• Mind and Intellect becomes projection.
• You kill somebody in your dream and in the morning you may wonder I never thought I could be such a person.
• In a deep sleep state, the gross and subtle body are dissolved, and there is NO-THING state. We become conscious of the absence of things. This is a state of non-apprehension.
• Does this mean one has to sleep all the time?
• Recognizing/Awareness/Realization of the true wisdom, and how you operate in all three states is the anandam state.
• Newton law of inertia - Material in a particular state remains in that state, Unless an external force is applied to it. 
• If I am in anandam state, why am I waking up .. Even though the temporary vasana package was dissolved, it's not gone .. Everybody is going to wake up as the vasana package is calling for it.
• In daily life we keep going through this cycle of sleep, dreaming and waking up state.
• The More time you have spent on sleeping, you still feel tired either due to dreams, or you couldn’t sleep. More time you spend on deep sleep you feel fresh (as if you were in anandam state).
• Study on sleep has contradiction with the above statement.
• You get good sleep when REM is also good. Studies were conducted where folks did deep sleep but not enough sleep were still tired.
• Vedanta is trying to say that there is one entity that is taking you to all three states. That who is witness to all three states is the truth.
• Question - We are somewhere in control in the waking state and lose control of the body in the dream state and "lose" both mind and body in a deep sleep state. How can we experience sustained joy when the mind itself is not available to experience?
• Real you is beyond experiencer and experience.
• There is no experience 
• Question - Are you not experiencing anything in deep sleep?
• It's almost like you are dead.
• When a mosquito bites you in a dream .. if you are not completely dissolved you will move but at some point you are completely asleep and will not even realize. 
• Reflected Consciousness is mentioned in Atma Bodha.
• Whatever is in the dream is the reflection of atama.
• Question - Is deep sleep a state when we are closer to Brahman?
• Deep sleep is just an example here
• e.g. Let's say someone has an important day next day .. you often don’t sleep or check the clock throughout the night .. This is Vasana playing over all three states.
• Samadhi is also closer to dissolving in Brahman.
• Let's say Mirror, water and colored ink reflect the Sun differently, it's ultimately the same sun. If the sun goes away it's gone for all three.
• Entire dream state is created by a dreamer .. When I wake up all of that is dissolved, is it possible for me to realize its dream. If you are going through a bad dream, the only way out is waking up.
• Similarly this world is also a projection, and the only solution is removing ignorance. As soon as you realize, things around you don't affect you.
• Mandukya Upanishad - As per Mandukya Upanishad, both dream and waking state are considered same.

Ended class with Meditation and Summary of class.