In this lecture, Swami Lakshmanjoo talks about the 5 subjective states in Kashmir Shaivism. This is part one of four excerpts from the 11th Chapter of the book, Kashmir Shaivism: The Secret Supreme. Here Swamiji reveals how…
All subjects (jīvas) are actually one subjective body of God.
5 States of the Individual Subjective Body
On the path of the thirty-six elements, only one universal subjective body is traveling in each element.
There are not unlimited subjects traveling in these elements. All subjects (jīvas) are actually only the one subjective body of God. When he travels in the element of earth, he becomes earth and loses his subjectivity of self. When he travels in the element of air, he becomes air and loses his subjectivity of self. And this is the case with all of the thirty-six elements. They are actually only one universal subjective body. This one subjective body travels, therefore, from earth to Śiva and when that subjective body reaches the state of Śiva, it becomes Śiva.
As one universal subjective body travels in the thirty-six elements, the individual subjective body travels in five states.
- When this individual subjective body travels in objectivity and it becomes the object and ignores its subjective consciousness, this is one state.
- When it travels in the cognitive world and becomes one with that and loses consciousness of its subjectivity, this is the second state.
- When it travels in the subjective world without being conscious of that and becomes one with that unconscious subjectivity, this is the third state.
- When it travels in absolute subjective consciousness and it becomes that subjective consciousness, this is the fourth state.
- And when it becomes fully established in that subjective consciousness, that is the fifth state.
These five states, which comprise the individual subjective body, are called jāgrat – wakefulness, svapna – dreaming, suṣupti – deep sleep, turya – the fourth state, and turyātītā – beyond the fourth [fifth].
1. In jāgrat, wakefulness, the individual subjective body is traveling in the world of objectivity (prameya), which comprises the world of elements, names, forms, words, and sounds. Here, it loses consciousness of its subjectivity and becomes one with the objective world.
2. In svapna, the dreaming state, the individual subjective body travels in the impressions (saṁskāras) of the objective world. Here, it also loses the awareness of its subjective consciousness. It takes hold of these impressions and becomes one with the world of impressions.
3. In suṣupti, deep dreamless sleep, it has entered a state of complete void (śūnya). If it was previously traveling in the world of objectivity in the waking state, then upon entering deep sleep, it loses consciousness of this objectivity and also of its subjectivity. If it was previously traveling in the world of impressions in the dreaming state, then upon entering deep sleep, it loses consciousness of these impressions. In deep sleep, it is no longer aware of anything. The impressions of the objective world remain but these are as if dead. When it again returns from the state of deep sleep, these impressions, which were seemingly dead, again come to life.
4. And when, by the grace of a master, this subjective body enters into subjective consciousness with full awareness, and maintaining unbroken awareness becomes fully illumined in its own Self, this is called the fourth state, turya.
5. And when this individual subjective body takes a firm hold of turya and does not lose consciousness for even a moment, then it is established in that state called turyātītā, above the fourth. It is completely established in its Self. Its awareness of Self is maintained constantly in wakefulness, dreaming, and deep sleep. It never loses its consciousness. Even at the time of death, because it lives in the body of consciousness, it remains completely Self aware.
Now I will explain to you how the four states of the individual—jāgrat, svapna, suṣupti, and turya—are found in each of these four states.*
Read more on how this individual subjective body travels in each state in detail in Chapter 11 of
Kashmir Shaivism: The Secret Supreme
revealed by Swami Lakshmanjoo
Copyright © John Hughes
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*Turyātītā, beyond the fourth, is not found mixed with any other state. Turyātītā is absolute. In turyātītā, there is no contact of either objectivity or subjectivity. It is for this reason that only four different modes are to be found in each of the four states of the individual subjective body. Turyātītā is neither explained nor recognized in this context.
