Witness Consciousness

During meditation, we say that we are ‘watching our thoughts’.  This may enable us to stop producing any further thoughts. Thus, gradually, there can be a state of thoughtlessness.  A question may arise here, is it (i) mind,  or (ii) is it witness consciousness that is doing the job of watching?

In the traditional texts, there is a guideline which runs as: ‘manas§ mana §lokya’ (one keeps track of the mental functions i.e., thoughts, by mind itself).  During normal state of awakening, when one is engaged in active life, it is almost impossible to watch what mind is doing (unless one is well-trained), since mind is occupied with senses. At the same time, watching of mind with mind cannot be exercised during deep sleep (svapna) state too, since mental functions are brought to a standstill.

It is possible that mind can do watching of its own functions particularly during meditation.  In popular parlance, this is known as introspection.     

However, when we talk about ‘witness consciousness’, it is not the same at all.  It is possible to deliberately undertake the ‘practice’ of watching the mind with itself.  This is an activity, i.e., this practice has a beginning and an end.  But when we talk about ‘witness consciousness’,  it is not an activity or a particular practice (say, that of meditation).  ‘Witness consciousness’ has no beginning or an end.  It is not a practice.  It cannot be started or finishing just as an act can be.  It was always there, is there and will be there.  It is ever witnessing what senses, limbs, mind and intelligence are doing or not doing.

Take the example of deep sleep state or dream state.  We say that we had a nice dream.  Or ‘I had a sound sleep’.  Or even ‘I had a disturbed sleep’.  The ‘one’ who is taking note all these is the ‘witness consciousness’.  Nothing, not even a fraction of millisecond of event, sleeps off from this ‘witness consciousness’ of which the mind or intelligence may not be aware of.