Consciousness & Ego – the Tripura Rahasya

The truth is that there is one reality which is consciousness in the abstract and also transcendental, irradiating the whole universe in all its diversity from its own being, by virtue of its self-sufficiency, which we call Maya or Shakti or Energy. Ignorance lies in the feeling of differentiation of the creatures from the creator. The individuals are only details in the same reality. Sleep is said to be the state of ignorance.
Absolute Consciousness is dense and impenetrable but illumines the waking and dream states just as the mirror remains unaffected by the passage of different images. The consciousness displays externally as ego which manifests as Avidya (ignorance).
Pure intelligence contaminated with inanimate excrescences is called Jiva or the individual, whose faculty for discrimination is consistent with its self-imposed limitations and is called mind.
In the transition from the Absolute to the individual, space is the first veil cast off. The clear, concentrated Self becomes pure, tenuous, susceptible space in which hard, dense, crowded, or slender things are conceived. They manifest as the five elements of which the body is composed. The individual then encases himself in the body like a silkworm in its cocoon. Thus, the Absolute shines as awareness in the body (namely, I am the body’).
Just as the light of the lamp spreads out through holes made in the cover, so also the light of intelligence extends from within, through the senses, to the external world. The rays of light are imperceptible in ether, but when they impinge on matter the objects become visible by the reflection of the light rays on their surface. Similarly, consciousness appears to disclose the presence of objects in space by unveiling them from the ignorance surrounding them.
Realisation of the Self subdues the restless mind which is the dynamic aspect of consciousness.
The sense of duality persists because there is the conviction of the purposefulness of the objective world. But such purposefulness and even durability is experienced in dreams.
Insentient Part of Consciousness -
Consciousness, the sentient is the unchanging subject/Witness/screen of all experience, while the Ego is a particular, changing, and limiting thought (the "I-thought") that operates within and is illuminated by that Consciousness. I-thought is Shakti Tattva and the consciousness is Shiva Tattva. After the differentiation is made manifest by “will force” the insentient parts (body, mind and objects) predominate. The insentient predominance is called Maya Shakti. Ego “I” is of two kinds - qualified and unqualified. Qualified means limitations.
The insentient phase, Prakriti is tripartite according to its functions – ego, intellect and mind. It is influenced by the three qualities – Sattva (brightness), Rajas (activity) and Tamas (darkness). Sattva becomes five senses of perception; Rajas becomes five senses of actions and Tamas becomes earth, air, fire, water and ether.   

Realisation of Consciousness –

1. Purity of Mind - Although consciousness is unknowable, it is still realisable by pure mind. Concentration on self is not necessary for its realisation.
2. Elimination of Thoughts - It is enough that other perceptions (namely thoughts) should be eliminated from the mind and then the Self will be realised. Self is pure intelligence and clear when not contaminated by thoughts. This state is called Nirvikalpaka. When soiled by thoughts, it is savikalpa. The cycle of birth and deaths does not end unless ignorance is put to an end. This happens only with a perfect knowledge of the self, not otherwise.
3. Meritorious Actions - God is pleased by meritorious actions which are continued through several births, after which the desire of liberation dawns and not otherwise, even though millions of births may be experienced. Of all the things if creation, to be born a sentient being requires good luck; even so, to acquire a human body requires considerable merit; while it is out of the ordinary human beings to be endowed, with both virtuous tendencies and sharp intellect.

 

1. Devotion - While most human beings are little more than animals, being ignorant of good and bad, and of right and wrong. Of sensible people, the best part runs after the pleasures of life, seeking to fulfil their desires. A few learnt people are stained with the longing for heaven after death. Of remaining few, most of them have their intellects bedimmed by Maya and cannot comprehend the oneness of all. People blinded by Maya cannot see the truth. Only those transcend Maya with whose devotion the Goddess of the Self is pleased; such can discern well and happily. One learns true devotion to God after a meritorious life continued in several births, and then worships Him for a long time with intense devotion. Dispassion for the pleasures of life arises in a devotee who gradually begins to long for knowledge of the truth and becomes absorbed in the search for it. He finds his gracious master and learns from him all about the transcendental state. He has now gained theoretical knowledge. After this he is impelled to revolve the whole matter in his mind until he is satisfied from his own practical knowledge with the harmony of the scriptural injunctions and the teaching of the Master. He is able to ascertain the highest truth with clearness and certitude. After experiencing the Inner Self, he will be able to identify the Self with the supreme and thus destroy the root of ignorance. The inner Self is realised in advanced contemplation and that state of realisation is called Nirvikalpa samadhi.
2. Nirvikalpa Samadhi - When the mind does not create pictures due to thoughts, it is in the unmodified state, which is its primal and pure condition. Let the body do what it likes. Thinking thus, I always abide in my own Self as the perfect fountainhead of Bliss and pure uninterrupted consciousness. I am therefore in the state of perfection and remains unblemished.
3. Wisdom - Unless a man lives the ordinary life and checks every incident as the projection of the Self, not swerving from the Self in any circumstances, he cannot be free from the handicap of ignorance. Wisdom is achieved in the course of many births by the lower aspirants. As for the middle class, wisdom is gained in the same birth, but slowly and gradually according to the aforesaid scheme of
4. Learning the truth,
5. Conviction of the same,
6. Meditation – qualified samadhi and unqualified samadhi
7. Finally, Sahaja samadhi (to be unattached even while engaged in the activities of the world). This last state is very found.

Consciousness -
Self is ever-shining, unparticularized, unblemished, ordinary existence – self aware and self-sufficient. Self displays diversities of phenomena as a mirror its reflections. Self is alone and single and there is nothing beyond.   
Abstract Intelligence contracts at the stimuli to modification and becomes limited. Otherwise, it is infinite and unbroken. Being within, the universe cannot be different from consciousness. Abstract Intelligence, being only one, yet manifests as the diverse objects of creation. The two entities, the cogniser and cognised object, are distinct and separate. Of these, the cogniser, namely consciousness, may be self-luminous, illumining the objects.
Mind divested of thoughts becomes pure and is identical with the Self and further, that alone destroys ignorance. Liberation and bondage are only attitudes of the mind, according as it is unmodified or modified, respectively. Note how the mind unmodified in sleep, remaining single and blank, is later modified by dream and manifests as the dream world.
Consciousness is one and non-dual, but shines as if diversified like the clean surface of a mirror reflecting variegated colours. There can be no images in the absence of a mirror, for the images are not apart from the mirror.
Just as the cogniser, cognition and the cognised are identical with the mind in dream, so also the seer, the sight and the phenomena are identical with the mind in the wakeful state.