Question:

What is the hindrance in being aware of sensations in deep sleep? Currently, In the waking state, Awareness is not aware of itself all the time. If Awareness would be aware of itself during all waking hours, then it would carry over into dreams and deep sleep. Then there would be ‘awareness of awareness’ 24/7. In that condition, there will be awareness of sensations even during deep sleep. Is that correct?

Answer:

Waking state: When I-the-Awareness rest as the witness of all objects in the waking state, there is knowledge of the ‘physical objects’ of the world.

Dreaming-state: The Awareness will carry forward its witnessing and witness all dreams like watching a movie. There is knowledge of ‘mental objects’.

Deep-sleep state: I-the-Awareness rest as awareness. Awareness knows that there is an absence of the world [physical objects] & the physical body [sensations] & the mind [thoughts/feelings]…Awareness is abiding in itself! Period!

It would be incorrect to say that in the deep-sleep there would be Awareness of sensations for the following reasons:

Physical Body = Sensations. Our physical body is nothing else but a mass of sensations.

Per Advaita Vedantic knowledge, being in the waking-state is akin to identifying oneself as the physical body. Being in the dreaming-state is akin to identifying oneself as the mind. Being in the deep-sleep–state is akin to identifying oneself as the womb of the physical body & the mind. This womb is a potential seed-like state and is called the causal.

In the deep-sleep state, the body shuts down completely, like a computer shuts down completely. Saying that ‘one will be able to experience sensations in deep sleep’ is saying that ‘the computer programs are ON’. The only thing that is recognized is the shutdown computer!

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