Sunlight, moonlight

What is the difference between sunlight and moonlight? Knowing the difference is like an esckimo who knows twenty-one varieties of ice.

Consciousness, awareness, mindfulness—none of these words adequately and correctly represent the idea as expressed by ‘caitanya’ as is found widely discussed in the system of Ved§nta. Moreover, this word is the epicenter of all discussions of this system. Therefore, it is nice to pay some attention on this.    

(a) ‘mindfulness’, it is just as the surface layers of water.  (b) ‘Awareness’ is just as intermediate depths of water, and (d) ‘Consciousness’ is both deepest layers of water as well as the entirety of the content.  (Mindfulness is explained as ‘sa-manaska’ in the Ka+hopani>ad.  It means being attentive, or being aware).     

Ved§nta also uses such words as cit, citi, bodhi, sa/vit etc.  for the Absolute Reality or Consciousness.  It is just as clear light of the void. It is emptiness, yet positively in existence and it is also luminous void.

What is svar%pa-j_§na or Pure Consciousness? It is difficult to explain particularly to a person one who has not yet experienced it, just as it is difficult to explain what sunlight is to a person who lives is the darkness of night.  Only way out is to provide a similarity, an analogy.

 -- ‘Have you seen moonlight?’

-- ‘Yes, I have seen moonlight’.

-- ‘So, sunlight is just like moonlight’.

This process, though not very correct, is the only method by which an education can be initiated. Use of analogy is commonly used a tool to teach, to introduce an unfamiliar topic of learning.    

‘Svar%pa-j_§na’ is the Consciousness Itself.  It is the sunlight. ‘V&tti-j_§na’ is perception of all mental functions in the form of numerous thoughts, emotions, sentiments, ideas etc., which are mental functions. V&tti-j_§na is the moonlight.

We are quite familiar about consciousness in mind.  Mind is a conscious entity. But its consciousness is just like reflection of sunlight on the moon due to which moon appears as if having light of its own. Thus, all feelings, thoughts, emotions, love, hate, desires, understanding, touching, seeing, feeling etc. of mind are V&tti-j_§na conducted on the basis of borrowed consciousness.

What Ved§nta is trying to tell us?  It is trying not to teach us V&tti-j_§na, but speaking about Svar%pa-j_§na.

Another way to understand this is:

The Light you see in the moonlight, in reality is the sunlight though it is not recognized to be so.  Similarly, there exists no moonlight in true sense, since, moonlight in essence is but sunlight. In other words, there is no real existence of moonlight. Similarly, there is no real existence of ignorance or v&tti-j_§na.    

Same is the case as regards V&tti-j_§na which in essence is Svar%pa-j_§na since what truly exists is the Pure Consciousness. Consciousness is just as the primordial platform to which v&tti-j_§na  (mindfulness) is clinging.

You talk about svar%pa-j_§na.  Does is mean that ‘true Self is known’?  Here are some of the terms which are widely used such as §tma-j_§na, §tma-dar<ana, §tma-bodha etc. These words indicate that Self is an object of knowing.  If yes, then who is the knower of the Self?

Your questions are valid. }>is of the Upani>ads deliberated on these queries. They wondered: ‘vij_§t§ram-are kena vij§n$y§t’? -- How may the knower be known?  Knower can never be an object of knowing. Why?  Because there can be no sun to enlighten the sun.  Just as the sun, Self is self-effulgent. Self does not have a knower.  Self is not an object of knowing.  Hence the }>is say—'tat-tvam-asi <vetaketo’ (O <vetaketo! O <etaketu! You are That, Pure Consciousness).   

Svastir-astu