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The Philosophy of the Upanishads c11.s3.t4: 4. Deep Sleep

The Philosophy of the Upanishads c11.s3.t4

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4. Deep Sleep

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Dream-sleep passes over into deep sleep, when by virtue of a nearer approach to the other world² the dreaming consciousness of being this or that, a god or king, etc., passes over, as is described in Bṛh. 4. 3. 20, into the consciousness of being the universe; and this, since there are no longer any contrasted objects, is no consciousness in an empirical sense, but a transient union with the *prājña ātman*, the eternal knowing subject, *i.e.* with Brahman. These thoughts are expanded in the most important text that treats of deep sleep, and which is probably also the oldest, Bṛih. 4. 3. 19–33:— "Just as there however in space a hawk or an eagle, after it has circled round, folds its wings wearied, and drops to the ground, so also the spirit hastens to that state in which fallen asleep it no longer experiences any desires nor sees any dream image." Then after a reference to the veins *hitâḥ*, in which according to Bṛih. 2. 1. 19, etc., the soul rests in deep sleep, and after the description of the transition from dreaming to deep sleep it is said:—"That is its real form, in which it is exalted above desire, free from evil and is fearless. For just as a man, embraced by a beloved wife, has no consciousness of outer or inner, so also the spirit embraced by the self consisting of knowledge (*prâjñena ātmanâ*, i.e. by Brahman) has no consciousness of outer or inner. That is his real form, in which desire has been laid to rest, he is himself his own desire, is without desire and free from pain. Then the father is no longer father, the mother no longer mother, the worlds no longer worlds, the gods no longer gods," etc., all contrasts are lost in the eternal One, "then is he unaffected by good and unaffected by evil, then has he overcome all the pangs of his heart. If he then sees not, yet is he seeing, though he sees not; since for the seeing One there is no interruption of seeing, because he is imperishable; there is moreover no second besides him, no other distinct from him for him to see." It is in this prolongation of existence as pure objectless knowing subject that the bliss of this state consists; an existence such as is seen in deep sleep, as is expounded later on in a continuation of the passage already discussed.¹ Bṛih. 2. 1. 19 might perhaps be regarded as a brief summary of the thought of this section:—"When however he is in deep sleep, when he is conscious of nothing, then the veins called *hitâḥ*, seventy-two thousand of which branch out from the heart into the pericardium, come into action; into these he glides, and rests in the pericardium; and just as a youth or a great king or a great Brâhman is at rest enjoying an excess of bliss,¹ so he also is then at rest."

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² Bṛh. 4. 3. 9.

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¹ p. 142 f.

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¹ *atighnîm ânandasya*; this expression combines the ideas of Bṛih. 4. 3. 33, sup. p. 142.

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Union with the *prâṇa* (which is identified with the *prâjñâtman*) is the essential element of deep sleep in Kaush. 3. 3 also:—"When a man has fallen so sound asleep that he sees no dream-image, then he has attained union with this *prâṇa*; then speech enters therein with all names, the eye with all forms, the ear with all sounds, the manas with all thoughts." Kaush. 4. 19-20 is a combination of the two last-quoted passages.

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The passages of the Chând. Up. also which deal with deep sleep give throughout the impression of being of a derivative character. We quote them, referring as far as possible within parentheses to passages that have been employed as models.

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"When a man has fallen so sound asleep, and has so completely and perfectly been lulled to rest, that he knows no dream-image, then he has glided into these veins (Bṛih. 2. 1. 19, 'into these he glides'); therefore no evil troubles him (Bṛih. 4. 3. 22, 'then is he untouched by good and untouched by evil'), for he has then become one with the heat" (Chând. 6. 2. 3, 6. 8. 6).² "When a man has fallen so sound asleep, and has so completely and perfectly been lulled to rest that he knows no dream-image, that is the Self, so he spake, that is the immortal, the fearless, that is Brahman."³ The rejoinder is given:—"He has entered then into nothingness; herein I can discern nothing consolatory,"⁴ and this is met by a reference to wind and cloud, lightning and thunder, which emerge from the latent condition, and thereby reveal their true nature :—" so also this perfect tranquillity (*samprasâda*, in Bṛih. 4. 3. 15 ‘deep sleep,’ here and Chând. 8. 3. 4 ‘the soul in deep sleep,’ cp. Bṛih. 4. 3. 7 *sa hi svapno bhûtvâ*) emerges from this body (Bṛih. 4. 3. 11 :—‘casting away in sleep what pertains to the body’), enters into the purest light, and issues forth through it in its own form (Bṛih. 4. 3. 9 :—‘when he thus sleeps, then this spirit serves for its own light’); that is the supreme spirit, who wanders about there (Bṛih. 4. 3. 12 :—‘Immortal he roves whither he pleases’), while he sports and plays and amuses himself, whether it be with women (Bṛih. 4. 3. 13 :—‘at one time as it were gaily sporting with women’), or with chariots (Bṛih. 4. 3. 10), or with friends, and gives no thought to this appendage of a body, to which the *prâṇa* is yoked, like a team to the waggon (Bṛih. 4. 3. 35 :—‘Just as a cart, when it is heavily laden, goes creaking’).” It seems to be due to a misunderstanding of the verse Bṛih. 4. 3. 11–14 that here, as already in Bṛih. 4. 3. 15, that which belongs solely to dream-sleep is ascribed to deep sleep. In Pras’na 4. 6 also, as in Chând. 8. 6. 3, deep sleep is conceived as a union with the heat (*tejas*):—“When however that god is overcome by the heat, then he sees no dreams, and then that joy rules in this body.”

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² Chând. 8. 6. 3.

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³ Chând. 8. 11. 1.

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⁴ cp. the rejoinder of Maitreyî, Bṛih. 2. 4. 13,—"Therefore, sir, you have led me astray, in that you say that after death there is no consciousness."

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Finally the description of deep sleep in Mâṇḍ. 5 is entirely composed of reminiscences of other passages:—“The state in which he, fallen asleep, no longer experiences any desires, nor sees any dream-image (Bṛih. 4. 3. 19), is deep sleep. The *prâjña* that exists in the state of deep sleep, that has become one (Bṛih. 4. 4. 2), that consists entirely through and through of knowledge (Bṛih. 4. 5. 13), consisting of bliss (Taitt. 2. 5), enjoying bliss, having consciousness as its mouth (Bṛih. 4. 3. 21, 35), is his third quarter. He is the lord of all (Bṛih. 4. 4. 22), he is the all-knowing (Muṇḍ. 1. 1. 9), he is the inner guide (Bṛih. 3. 7), he is the cradle of the universe (Muṇḍ. 1. 1. 6), for he is the creation and dissolution (Kâṭh. 6. 11) of living beings.”

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