Turiya: Unveiling the Fourth State of Consciousness
Uncovering our True Nature
Turiya: Unveiling the Fourth State of Consciousness
Turiya (Sanskrit: तुरीय, IAST: turīya), often translated as "the fourth," holds a unique place in the spiritual literature of the Upanishads. It represents our true self, the ātman (आत्मन्, IAST: ātman), which surpasses our usual three states of consciousness: waking (jāgrat: जाग्रत्, IAST: jāgrat), dreaming (svapna: स्वप्न, IAST: svapna), and deep, dreamless sleep (suṣupti: सुषुप्ति, IAST: suṣupti).
The concept of Turiya is deeply rooted in ancient texts like the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and the Chandogya Upanishad. These texts portray Turiya as a 'fourth foot' of the Gayatri Mantra or the immortal self within the mortal body. Turiya, though slightly intricate, helps us understand the immortal essence of life beyond the physical and mental realms.
The Maitri Upanishad and the Mandukya Upanishad further enrich our understanding of Turiya. They depict Turiya as a state of consciousness that transcends our everyday experience. It's a state that's not tied to the visible world and can't be grasped by ordinary perception or thought.
Interestingly, Turiya isn't just a philosophical concept - it's a state of being that many strive to attain through yoga and meditation. When we're deeply immersed in meditation, we may experience Turiya, a state referred to as amātra (अमात्र, IAST: amātra), which means 'immeasurable' or 'measureless.' It's a state of total tranquility that resonates with the term samādhi (समाधि, IAST: samādhi) in yoga. Both states represent experiences of deep unity and non-duality when the usual boundaries of individual selfhood dissolve, and one experiences a profound sense of oneness with the ultimate reality. They both represent a transcendence of ordinary, dualistic consciousness and a realization of a deeper, non-dual reality. However, it's essential to note that while samādhi is often considered a state that one arrives at through sustained yogic practice, Turiya is understood as an ever-present reality, the underlying state of consciousness that exists at all times, regardless of our perceptual state (waking, dreaming, or deep sleep). It is not something we attain but realize or awaken to through spiritual understanding or direct experience.
Advaita Vedanta (अद्वैत वेदान्त), a school of Hindu philosophy, regards Turiya as the ultimate reality or Brahman. It's seen as the foundation of existence beyond sensory and intellectual understanding. The Yoga Tattva Upanishad also echoes this, suggesting that realizing the unity of our individual self (jiva) and the universal self (Brahman) is the ultimate goal of yoga.
Turiya, while challenging to comprehend, is more than just a 'fourth state'; it's an insight into our true nature that transcends the ordinary states of consciousness and offers a glimpse of the ultimate reality. Whether we understand it through scholarly debate, spiritual practice, or the soulful strains of music, Turiya remains an intriguing facet of human consciousness and spirituality.
Upanishads mentioned in this article:
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद्, Br̥hadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad
Chandogya Upanishad: छान्दोग्य उपनिषद्, Chāndogya Upaniṣad
Maitri Upanishad: मैत्री उपनिषद्, Maitrī Upaniṣad
Mandukya Upanishad: माण्डूक्य उपनिषद्, Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad
Yoga Tattva Upanishad: योगतत्त्व उपनिषद्, Yogatattva Upaniṣad
