A Constructive Survey of Upanishadic Philosophy c4.s2.3

c4.s2.3

The Māṇḍukya which is the last of the early great Upanishads—we may almost call it "the Last of the Romans"—is noticeable as laying once for all the foundations of the later Vedāntic philosophy. It partitions the symbol Om in three different morae and adds a fourth mora-less part, corresponding to which there are different states of consciousness, corresponding to which, again, are different kinds of Soul. The great originality of the Māṇḍukya consists in positing the four states of consciousness, namely, wakefulness, dream, sleep, and a fourth un-nameable state of consciousness; while it teaches that there is an aspect of the Godhead corresponding to these states of consciousness, the last alone being ultimately real. The Absolute of philosophy surpasses even such a theological conception as that of God.