The Soul is...

- In TheBecoming@yahoogroups.com, "devindersingh" <devgulati@... wrote:

 The soul is four-footed, or has four conditions. 

The Mandukya Upanisad describes the four conditions that are grades of consciousness. 

The first condition is the waking state in which the soul is conscious of external objects, enjoys gross things through five cognitive organs, five motor organs, five vital principles, and mind (manas), intellect (buddhi), egoism ( Ahamkara) and memory (chitta). It is called Vaisavarna. 

The second condition is the dream state in which the soul is conscious of internal objects, enjoys subtle things through the mind (manas) invested with the subconscious impressions of waking cognitions, and impelled by nescience (avidya), attachment (kama), and merits and demerits (karma), independently of the external sense organs. This is called Taijasa. 

The third condition is deep sleep in which the soul desires no desires, and dreams no dreams. In this state the soul is centred in itself, filled with consciousness and bliss. It is called Prajana. In it the mental mode of waking and dream cognition cease, the distinction of subject and object ceases and there is no trace of pain. 

The fourth condition is superconsciousness in which the soul is conscious neither of external objects, nor of internal objects, nor of both, nor a mass of consciousness, and transcends both consciousness and unconsciousness. It is imperceptible, un-communicable, incomprehensible, indeterminate, unthinkable, indefinable, the essence of intuition of the self, transcendent, tranquil, good and non-dual. The soul in this highest state is called Turiya or Atman. 

 According to Brahmopanishad the Atman is in the eyes in the first state, in the throat in the second state, in the heart in the third state, and in the head in the fourth state.

 The Turyatita Upanishad mentions the state transcending the fourth (turiya) which apprehends pure transcendental consciousness (cinmatra). 

 The Brahmabindu Upanishad mentions unmanibhava as the highest state, when the mind is completely restrained on the heart, withdrawn from objects and freed from attachment.

 In the terms Integral Yoga, if the consciousness of the waking state be termed the conscient, what lies above is called the supra-conscient and what which lies below is the infra-conscient. The latter has two layers; the sub-conscient that can throw up its stored impressions in dreams, and the inconscient. 

The subconscient then corresponds to taijasa and the inconcient to prajna.