individual souls consciousness like in its conscious and unconscious states？
in order to understand the states of consciousness and unconsciousness； the first thing that needs to be understood is that they are not opposite states； although normally they are seen as opposites。
actually； we are used to seeing life in terms of duality。
first we create a division between darkness and light and then think they are two separate things。
as soon as we take darkness and light to be two different things we mit a fundamental mistake。
any thought that follows this mistake is bound to be wrong； it can never be right。
darkness and light are variations of the same thing。
they are different aspects； different stages of the same thing。
it would be appropriate to call darkness a deficiency of light。
light which our eyes cannot catch； light which our eyes cannot detect； looks like darkness。
similarly； we should call light a shortage of darkness …… darkness which our eyes can catch。
so darkness and light are not two separate things； they are varying degrees of the same phenomenon。
what is true of darkness and light is true of all other dualities of life。
the same thing is true regarding the unconscious and the conscious states。
you may consider unconsciousness as darkness； and consciousness as light。
in fact； even the most unconscious of all objects is not pletely unconscious。
a rock is not all unconscious …… it exists in a state of consciousness too； but the consciousness is so small it is hard to grasp。
a man is asleep； a man is awake。
sleep and wakefulness are not two different things。
the same man is floating between sleep and wakefulness。
what we call being asleep is also not really being asleep。
for example； five hundred people are asleep in a room and you call the name 〃rama〃 aloud。
only the person named rama opens his eyes to find out who is disturbing his sleep； who has called him。
the remaining four hundred and ninety…nine people stay asleep。
had this man been really asleep； he could not have heard anyone calling him； he could not have recognized that his name was rama。
his sleep was actually one of the lesser states of wakefulness； or his state of wakefulness had bee a little hazy； a little fuzzy。
you see a man running on the street。
he has heard that his house is on fire。
you greet him。
he sees you and yet he does not see you。
he hears you and yet he does not hear you。
you ask him the next day why he didnt return your greeting and he replies； 〃my house was on fire。
at that time i couldnt see anything except my house； i couldnt hear anything except the noise； the sound around the house； people shouting the house is on fire！ i am sure you must have seen me； greeted me； but i couldnt see you； i couldnt hear you。
〃 now； was this man awake or asleep？ in every sense he was awake； of course； and yet； as far as the man who met him on the street was concerned； he was almost asleep。
he was more asleep than the other man； the one who heard 〃rama〃 being called in his sleep。
so what is being asleep and being awake？ the first thing i would like to say is： they are not two opposite things。
matter and god are not two opposite things。
sleep and wakefulness； light and darkness； devil and divine； good and bad； are not opposite things。
but the human mind immediately divides things into two。
in fact； no sooner does the mind raise a question than it divides the thing into two。
the moment mind thinks； it divides into two。
to think and to divide into two constitute one and the same thing。
the moment you think； you divide。
thinking is a process of division …… you immediately divide into two。
the more a man is used to thinking； the more he will keep on dividing。
ultimately； he will end up with fragments and the whole will be pletely lost。
and the answer to every question lies in this wholeness； in this totality。
the mind is unable to find the answer to any question。
in fact； it raises a number of questions from each answer it finds。
no matter how significant the answer is； the mind will immediately raise dozens of questions …… but it can never find an answer to anything。
there is a reason for this： the answer lies in the wholeness。
but the mind is helpless。
it cant function without making divisions。
for example； i am sitting here talking to you。
you are listening to me and you are also looking at me。
the one you are looking at and the one you are listening to are not two different individuals。
however； as far as you are concerned； you are looking with your eyes and hearing with your ears。
you have divided me into two parts。
if you were to sit close to me and smell my body； you would have divided me into three。
then you will put these three parts together and create an image of me。
but that wont be my image； it will be your addition of the parts。
it will be misleading。
you can never create the whole by adding up the parts； because the whole is that which was before the parts were made。
no sooner do we ask about consciousness and unconsciousness than we have begun to divide。
in my view； they are one。
but when i say they are one； i do not mean they are one and the same。
i am not saying consciousness itself is unconsciousness。
when i say darkness and light are one； i dont mean you can walk in the dark as you do when there is light。
when i say darkness and light are one； i mean existence is made of varying degrees of the same manifesting reality。
the difference consists in being a little more or a little less； in being present or not present。
now it will be easier for you to follow me。
what is this thing which appears as consciousness when it is present in a greater degree and bees unconsciousness when it exists in a lesser degree？ the name of this very element is attention。
the deeper and sharper the attention； the same is the state of consciousness。
unconsciousness and consciousness are but different densities of attention。
the more profound the state of attention； the same will be the consciousness。
the more tenuous the attention； the same will be the state of unconsciousness。
in fact； the difference between a rock and a human is that the rock does not have density of attention at any level of consciousness。
at whatever level the attention bees condensed； consciousness takes place； and at whatever level the density of attention decreases； unconsciousness occurs。
if you let the suns rays pass through a lens； fire is immediately produced。
a condensed light creates fire。
when it loses its density； when it bees tenuous； light remains。
there is fire in an ember because it contains highly condensed light。
whenever light is condensed； fire is produced。
when the light bees tenuous …… that is； when its density is reduced …… then even fire remains just light。
as density decreases darkness increases。
with an increase in density； light increases。
if we travel towards the sun； the light will keep on increasing； because the rays are very dense on the sun。
as we move farther and farther away from the sun； the light will go on decreasing。
at the farthest distance from the sun there will be nothing but darkness； because of the reduced density of light。
i apply the same principle to the states of unconsciousness and consciousness。
the basic principle is attention。
its fluidity； density； tenuity； solidity； determine whether to call one awake or asleep； whether to call one unconscious or conscious。
we must remember； however； that all these words are used in a relative sense。
for example； when we say there is light in this room； it only means there is more light inside the room than there is outside。
there is light in this room because it is dark outside。
were there bright sunshine outside； this room would look darker。
so when we say somebody is awake or asleep； we simply mean； in parison to someone else。
language has its own difficulty； it would be a problem to continually express things in such parative terms。
thats why we use words in the absolute sense …… which is not right。
the right way is always to express in relative terms。
for instance； we are all sitting here and in a way we are all awake。
but thats not really true。
each one present here is awake to a respective degree。
not every one sitting here is awake uniformly。
hence it is possible that； pared to you。
the person to your left is less awake； or the person to your right is more awake。
the element that moves between consciousness and unconsciousness is attention。
so if we understand what attention； dhyana is； well understand what consciousness and unconsciousness means。
attention means： awareness of something。
it means reflection of something in the consciousness。
it is not that every moment； twenty…four hours a day； one is equally awake …… it is never like that either。
as an example； it would be good to know a few things about the pupil of the eye。
when you go out in the sun； the pupil contracts because there is no need for so much light to go in。
less light is enough for you to see； hence the pupil