Seven Stages to Liberation

The Master said:

I shall now tell you the seven stages of knowledge which bestow Liberation.

The elders have analyzed them as:

1. Subheccha: desire for Truth
2. Vicharana: investigation into the Truth
3. Tanumanasi: pure attenuated mind
4. Sattvapati: Realization of the Truth
5. Asamsakti: a detached outlook on the universe and its contents
6. Padarthabhavani: untainted awareness of Self
7. Turiya: the highest and indescribable state

1. To wean from unedifying associations and desire, to knowledge of the Supreme, is the first plane called subeccha.
2. To associate with enlightened sages, learn from them and reflect on the Truth, is called investigation.
3. To be free from desires by meditating on the Truth with faith, is the attenuation of the mind.
4. The shining forth of the highest knowledge in the mind, owing to the development of the foregoing conditions is Realization.
5. To be free from illusion by firm realization of Truth, is the detached outlook on the universe.
6. The bliss of the non-dual Self, devoid of triads, is untainted awareness of Self.
7. Sublime Silence of the very nature of Self, is Turiya. Hear why this seventh plane was said to be turiyatita (beyond the turiya).

The first three planes are said to be jagrat (i.e., waking state) because the world is perceived (in them as ever before). 

The fourth plane corresponds to dream (because the world is recognized to be dreamlike).

Even the dim perception of the world gradually vanishes and therefore the fifth plane is called the sleep state.

Transcendental Bliss prevails in the sixth which is therefore called turiya (i.e., the fourth state relatively to the foregoing waking, dream and sleep states).

The plane beyond all imagination is the seventh one which the Vedas indicate as sublime Silence (i.e., turiyatita).

Some sages consider the name turiya to be in conflict with the foregoing explanation of turiyatita which, according to them, will be the glorious Liberation after disembodiment. In such a scheme, the sixth plane is the state of very deep slumber as compared with the dreamless sleep of the fifth plane.