Tripura Rahasya

Sage Dattatreya

KING JANAKA said:

I will now tell you the distinction between sleep and samadhi. Listen attentively.

There are two states of mind: Illumination and Consideration.

The first of them is association of the mind with external objects and the second is deliberation on the object seen. Illumination is unqualified by the limitations of objects: deliberation is qualified by the limitations pertaining to the objects seen, and it is the forerunner of their clear definition. [Note: The mind first notes a thing in its extended vision. The impression is received only after noting the thing in its non-extensive nature, and becomes deeper on musing over the first impression.]

There is no distinction noted in the preliminary stage of simple illumination. The thing itself is not yet defined, so illumination is said to be unqualified. The thing becomes defined later on and is said to be such and such, and so and so. That is the perception of the thing after deliberation.

Deliberation is of two kinds: the one is the actual experience and is said to be fresh, whereas the other is cogitation over the former and is called memory. The mind always functions in these two ways. Dreamless slumber is characterized by the illumination of sleep alone, and the experience continues unbroken for a time, whereas the wakeful state is characterized by deliberation repeatedly broken up by thoughts and therefore it is said not to be ignorance. Sleep is a state of nescience, though it consists of illumination alone, yet it is said to be ignorance for the same reason as a light though luminous is said to be insentient.