Seven States of Ignorance

Master:

After analysis, the elders say that there are seven stages of ignorance and seven degrees of knowledge. Of them all, first hear me mention the seven states of ignorance. The elders have named them thus:

1. Bija-jagrat: the germinal state of waking

2. Jagrat; the waking state

3. Maha jagrat: the waking state firmly established

4. Jagrat svapna: the state of daydreaming

5. Svapna: the dream state

6. Svapna-jagrat: cogitation of the dream after waking up from it

7. Sushupti: the dreamless sleep

The germinal waking state is the uncompounded consciousness which rises up fresh from the unitary state of being.

The waking state contains the sprout of the ego which was previously absent from the germinal state.

The sprout of the 'I' and 'mine' which rises up with every birth, is the firm waking state.

The fussy ego conjuring up visions is the dreaming-wakeful state.

To have uncontrolled visions while sleeping after a full meal, is the state of dream.

To be thinking of the dreams after waking up from them, is the waking-dream.

The dense darkness of ignorance is the state of deep slumber.

These are the seven states of ignorance.