Question:

Is it that the mind is in autopilot mode in dreaming, therefore the experience of the mind’s attention is less? But then even in waking the body-mind are on autopilot. Then what is the difference?

Answer:

The three states do NOT belong to Consciousness. They belong to the body-mind dear.

Waking state: The body is awake. The mind is awake. Consciousness is using the awake body mind as a peephole to witness the waking world.
Dream state: The body is asleep. The mind is preparing to sleep so it is hazy. Consciousness is using the hazy mind as a peephole to witness the dream world.
Deep Sleep state: The body is asleep. The mind is asleep. Consciousness is using the asleep body-mind as a peephole to witness the darkness caused on account of the absence of objects.

Pure Consciousness itself is devoid of any states. The quality of Pure Consciousness is Awareness/Knowingness. That is constant throughout the waking, dream, and deep sleep states. There is never a dip in Awareness or Knowingness. 

Waking state: Consciousness is knowing the waking world through the awake body-mind. The body-mind is on autopilot. The autopilot mode is due to the borrowed energy from Consciousness just like a fully charged phone. The full charge is reflected in the body as active energy and in the mind as focus/concentration, etc. This charge diminishes as the day progresses and is fully exhausted at the body level first. The body starts shutting down.
Dream state: The body is asleep. The mind’s energy is diminishing so it is hazy. Consciousness is using the hazy mind as a peephole to witness the hazy dream world.
Deep Sleep state: The body is asleep. The mind is asleep. Consciousness is knowing that there is an absence of mental and physical projection.

In summary, the meaning of the statement that the body-mind operates on autopilot is that the body-mind is not an inherently independent and conscious entity. Its consciousness is borrowed like the phone that borrows charge from electricity. The body-mind simply function based on its own past program like a phone works on its based programming. Although they appear to make sounds and vibrate [move], etc, yet, neither is the phone a live, conscious entity nor is the body-mind. It is Consciousness that runs the body-mind just like it is electricity that charges a phone.

The same autopilot mode is common in both waking and dreaming states, it is only the amount of charging that differs in the body-mind in the two states. Hope it is clear dear! 

#AdvaitaVedanta #Non-duality #MandukyaUpanishad