Namaste Ektaji, you said, in the Atma Darshan series, that ‘We are working at the higher witness level, not the lower witness level.’ What is the meaning of working at the higher witness level? 

Answer:

Let’s first understand the higher and lower witnesses.

The lower witness: 

The Witness Consciousness that knows the Waker in the waking world, the Dreamer in the dream world, and the Sleeper in the Deep Sleep darkness world is the Lower Witness, also called Turiya Avastha or Witness Consciousness.

• • It is the I sense that assumes to be the Waker, and says, “I am the Waker.”
  • It is the I sense that assumes to be the Dream character, and says, “I am the Dream character.”
  • It is the I sense that assumes to be the deep sleeper and says, “I am the Deep Sleeper.”

It is the fourth state or Turiya Avastha itself. The fourth or the Witness Consciousness can know only the three states below it, but it cannot know anything higher than itself.

What lies higher?

The higher witness or Pure consciousness lies beyond or higher. It is that which knows the rise and fall of the lower witness. It does not know anything more. 

So, who is the one who first gets trained to eradicate ignorance as a way of eradicating suffering? 

That would be the lower witness. The lower witness realizes that:

• • I am not the Waker’s body. I am the Knower of the Waker’s body.
  • I am not the Waker’s mind. I am the Knower of the Waker’s mind.
  • I am not the Waker’s world. I am the Knower of the Waker’s world.
  • I am not the Dreamer’s body. I am the Knower of the Dreamer’s body.
  • I am not the Dreamer’s mind. I am the Knower of the Dreamer’s mind.
  • I am not the Dreamer’s world. I am the Knower of the Dreamer’s world.
  • I am not the Sleeper’s body. I am the Knower of the Sleeper’s body.
  • I am not the Sleeper’s mind. I am the Knower of the Sleeper’s mind.
  • I am not the Sleeper’s world. I am the Knower of the Sleeper’s world.

It is the lower witness that realizes its true position with regard to the body-mind-world, at first. But it does not end there.

When the first realization hits home, the lower Witness doesn’t stop there; it now ceaselessly denies being the false or illusory Waker, Dreamer, and Sleeper. This ceaseless denial stance of the lower Witness means relentlessly saying no to any assumptions, stories, and falsehoods that fall under:

• • The “I am the body” state of mind [Dehabuddhi] and
  • The “I am the mind” state of mind [Manobuddhi] and
  • The “I am in a world” state of mind.

The ceaseless denial of the body, mind, world ends in the collapse of the ‘I’ or the Witness Consciousness. The Journey Continues with the inquiry question, ‘Who recognized the collapse of the ‘I’?’

When that which recognizes the collapse of the I is in turn realized, that is the attainment of the highest, the Pure Consciousness, or the Higher Witness. Now ensues the higher level denial, which is the denial of the illusory ‘I’. 

• • The seeking of the Pure Consciousness began with the arising of the illusory ‘I’.
  • The seeking of the Pure Consciousness ceases with the collapse of the illusory ‘I’.

Hence, when the illusory ‘I’ is denied, in effect:

• • The Witness Consciousness, or the lower Witness, was only a product of its seeking.
  • The Deep Sleep world of Darkness, containing the Deep Sleeper, was a product of its seeking.
  • The Dream world, containing the Dreamer, was a product of its seeking.
  • The Waking world, containing the Waker, was a product of its seeking.

P.S. The questioner is asking a question regarding the knowledge series Atma Darshan by Atmananda Krishnamenon –

• • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOTPuUA-d-w&list=PLVEgPuy346I1FlbTjzNutbhh1HE6Bor60
  • Gnyana Sangha Website: https://www.gnyanasangha.com/s/courses/667469d236c07767f8eefa41/take