What Is Consciousness?

ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय । तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय । मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय ॥

“Om, Lead me from untruth to truth, from darkness to light, from death to immortality.” — Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.3.28

The Ultimate Mystery of Existence

Consciousness—that ineffable essence of awareness through which we experience life itself—stands as perhaps the most profound mystery in human existence. While modern science struggles to explain how subjective experience emerges from neural activity, the ancient Vedic tradition explored consciousness not merely as a byproduct of matter, but as the fundamental ground of all reality.

This comprehensive exploration will journey through the depths of consciousness as understood through the lens of Vedic wisdom, examining how this understanding can transform our perception of reality and ourselves. From the subtle distinctions between consciousness and mind to practical methods for experiencing higher states of awareness, this article illuminates a path of knowledge cultivated over thousands of years.

Defining Consciousness in Sanskrit Tradition

The Sanskrit Term “Chit”: Beyond Simple Awareness

In Sanskrit, consciousness is referred to as “चित्” (chit), one component of “सच्चिदानन्द” (Sat-Chit-Ananda), the tripartite nature of ultimate reality:

सत् (Sat) – Existence/Being
चित् (Chit) – Consciousness/Awareness
आनन्द (Ananda) – Bliss

The Vedantic tradition distinguishes chit from the Western concept of consciousness in a fundamental way. While modern science often treats consciousness as an emergent property of physical processes, Vedanta places consciousness as the primary reality from which all else emerges.

As stated in the Aitareya Upanishad (3.1.3):

प्रज्ञानं ब्रह्म (Prajnanam Brahma)
“Consciousness is Brahman (the Ultimate Reality)”

This profound declaration establishes consciousness not as a property of the brain or mind, but as the fundamental substrate of existence itself. It is not something we “have” but what we essentially “are.”

Consciousness in Different Darshanas (Philosophical Systems)

The six classical systems of Indian philosophy (षड्दर्शन – Shad Darshanas) each approach consciousness from unique perspectives:

1. Samkhya: The Witness and the Witnessed

Samkhya philosophy distinguishes between पुरुष (Purusha) – pure consciousness, and प्रकृति (Prakriti) – manifest nature. Consciousness (Purusha) is the witness that illuminates but never mingles with the activities of Prakriti.

The Samkhya Karika (19) states:

तस्मात् तत्संयोगादचेतनं चेतनावदिव लिङ्गम्
“Therefore, due to its association with Purusha, the unconscious (Prakriti) appears as if conscious.”

2. Yoga: Consciousness and Chitta-Vrittis

In Patanjali’s Yoga system, consciousness is understood as that which becomes identified with the fluctuations of the mind (चित्तवृत्ति – chitta-vritti).

The famous sutra (Yoga Sutras 1.2) declares:

योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः
“Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind.”

When these fluctuations cease, consciousness rests in its own pure nature, uncolored by thoughts or perceptions.

3. Vedanta: The Non-Dual Consciousness

Advaita Vedanta presents the most radical understanding of consciousness, asserting that consciousness is not merely a witness but the sole reality. The apparent multiplicity of the world is a superimposition (अध्यास – adhyasa) upon this non-dual consciousness.

As the Chandogya Upanishad (6.8.7) famously declares:

तत् त्वम् असि (Tat Tvam Asi)
“That thou art”

This Mahavakya (great pronouncement) identifies individual consciousness with universal consciousness, dissolving the apparent separation between observer and observed.

4. Nyaya-Vaisheshika: Consciousness as a Quality

The Nyaya school takes a more analytical approach, treating consciousness as a quality (गुण – guna) that belongs to the Self (आत्मन् – Atman) rather than being identical with it. This perspective allows for empirical investigation while maintaining the distinction between consciousness and material processes.

States of Consciousness in Upanishadic Tradition

The Mandukya Upanishad, though brief with only 12 verses, provides perhaps the most comprehensive framework for understanding states of consciousness. It outlines four fundamental states:

1. जागृत (Jagrat) – Waking Consciousness

प्रथमः पादः जागरितस्थानो बहिष्प्रज्ञः सप्ताङ्ग एकोनविंशतिमुखः स्थूलभुग् वैश्वानरः
“The first quarter is Vaishvanara, whose sphere is the waking state, who is conscious of external objects, who has seven limbs and nineteen mouths, and who enjoys gross objects.”

This is ordinary consciousness directed outward toward sense objects, where we identify with the physical body and external world.

2. स्वप्न (Svapna) – Dream Consciousness

द्वितीयः पादः स्वप्नस्थानोऽन्तः प्रज्ञः सप्ताङ्ग एकोनविंशतिमुखः प्रविविक्तभुक् तैजसः
“The second quarter is Taijasa, whose sphere is dream, who is conscious of internal objects, who has seven limbs and nineteen mouths, and who enjoys subtle objects.”

Here consciousness turns inward, creating and experiencing an internal world of impressions drawn from memory and latent desires.

3. सुषुप्ति (Sushupti) – Deep Sleep Consciousness

यत्र सुप्तो न कञ्चन कामं कामयते न कञ्चन स्वप्नं पश्यति तत् सुषुप्तम्
“When a sleeper neither desires anything nor sees any dream, that is deep sleep.”

In deep sleep, consciousness exists in seed form—undifferentiated, without object or subject distinction, yet still present as the potential for awareness.

4. तुरीय (Turiya) – Transcendental Consciousness

नान्तःप्रज्ञं न बहिष्प्रज्ञं नोभयतःप्रज्ञं न प्रज्ञानघनं न प्रज्ञं नाप्रज्ञम्
“Not conscious of the internal world, not conscious of the external world, not conscious of both worlds, not a mass of consciousness, not simple consciousness, not unconsciousness.”

Turiya is not actually a “state” but the underlying reality of consciousness itself—that which witnesses and contains all other states while remaining unchanged. It is consciousness in its pure, unmodified form.

Consciousness vs. Mind: A Critical Distinction

One of the most common misconceptions in both Eastern and Western thought is the conflation of consciousness with mind. In Sanskrit terminology, the distinction is clear:

• चित् (Chit) – Pure consciousness, the witness
• मनस् (Manas) – Mind, the instrument of thought
• बुद्धि (Buddhi) – Intellect, the discriminating faculty
• अहंकार (Ahamkara) – Ego, the sense of “I-ness”

The Katha Upanishad (3.3-4) provides a beautiful metaphor:

आत्मानं रथिनं विद्धि शरीरं रथमेव तु।
बुद्धिं तु सारथिं विद्धि मनः प्रग्रहमेव च॥

“Know the Self as the lord of the chariot, the body as the chariot itself; know the intellect as the charioteer, and the mind as the reins.”

In this metaphor, consciousness (the Self) is the passenger—not the vehicle (body), the driver (intellect), or the reins (mind). This distinction is crucial for understanding that thoughts, emotions, and perceptions are objects appearing in consciousness rather than consciousness itself.

The Witness Consciousness (साक्षी – Sakshi)

A central concept in understanding consciousness is that of Sakshi—the witnessing consciousness that observes all experiences without itself being affected.

As the Drg-Drsya-Viveka succinctly states:

दृग्दृश्यविवेकतो विद्वानहंतां संत्यजेत्
“Through discrimination between the seer and the seen, the wise one should abandon identification with the ‘I’.”

This witnessing aspect of consciousness:

1. Remains unchanged while thoughts, emotions, and sensations come and go
2. Cannot itself be observed as an object
3. Is self-luminous (स्वयंप्रकाश – svayamprakasha), requiring no external light to reveal it
4. Is the same in all beings despite differences in bodies and minds

Recognizing this witness aspect is the first step toward liberation from identification with the limited self.

Practical Methods to Experience Pure Consciousness

The Vedic tradition doesn’t merely philosophize about consciousness—it provides practical methods for directly experiencing its true nature:

1. ध्यान (Dhyana) – Meditation

The Bhagavad Gita (6.19) describes:

यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता।
योगिनो यतचित्तस्य युञ्जतो योगमात्मनः॥

“As a lamp in a windless place does not flicker, so is the disciplined mind of a yogi practicing union with the Self.”

Through meditation, particularly forms that involve self-inquiry (आत्मविचार – atma-vichara), one can distinguish between consciousness itself and its contents.

2. प्रत्याहार (Pratyahara) – Sensory Withdrawal

Withdrawing awareness from sense objects allows consciousness to recognize its independence from sensory experience. This is the fifth limb of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga.

3. निदिध्यासन (Nididhyasana) – Contemplative Absorption

After hearing (श्रवण – shravana) and reflecting (मनन – manana) on teachings about consciousness, one deeply contemplates these truths until they become direct experience rather than conceptual understanding.

4. शाङ्करीमुद्रा (Shankari Mudra) – The Gesture of Awareness

This practice involves maintaining awareness of the witness consciousness while engaged in daily activities—what the Zen tradition calls “mindfulness.”

Modern Scientific Understanding vs. Vedic View

The Hard Problem of Consciousness

Modern neuroscience has made remarkable progress in mapping neural correlates of consciousness, yet still faces what philosopher David Chalmers calls “the hard problem”—explaining how physical processes generate subjective experience.

The Vedic approach reverses this question entirely. Rather than asking how matter produces consciousness, it asks how consciousness appears as matter. This perspective aligns with certain interpretations of quantum physics, particularly those emphasizing the role of observation in collapsing wave functions.

Points of Convergence

Interestingly, some modern scientific theories show surprising parallels with Vedic concepts:

1. Integrated Information Theory (IIT): Proposes consciousness as a fundamental property related to a system’s ability to integrate information—echoing the Vedantic view of consciousness as fundamental rather than emergent
2. Non-dualistic interpretations of quantum mechanics: Suggest observer and observed are not separate—reminiscent of Advaita Vedanta’s non-dual perspective
3. Neural correlates of meditation states: Brain imaging studies confirm distinctive neural patterns during deep meditation that correspond to states described in ancient texts

Practical Applications of Understanding Consciousness

The Vedic understanding of consciousness isn’t merely theoretical—it transforms how we live:

1. Psychological Well-being

By identifying with the witnessing consciousness rather than with thoughts and emotions, one can remain stable amid life’s fluctuations. As the Bhagavad Gita (2.56) describes:

दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः।
वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते॥

“One whose mind remains undisturbed amid sorrows, who does not crave pleasures, and who is free from attachment, fear, and anger—such a sage is called steady in wisdom.”

2. Ethical Living

Recognizing the same consciousness in all beings naturally fosters compassion and ethical behavior. As the Isha Upanishad declares:

यस्तु सर्वाणि भूतान्यात्मन्येवानुपश्यति।
सर्वभूतेषु चात्मानं ततो न विजुगुप्सते॥

“One who sees all beings in the Self and the Self in all beings feels no hatred.”

3. Transforming Daily Experience

When consciousness is recognized as the unchanging background of all experience, ordinary activities take on a new dimension. The practitioner can maintain inner peace while fully engaged in worldly action—the state of “अकर्मणि कर्म” (akarmaṇi karma), action in inaction, described in the Bhagavad Gita.

Conclusion: The Journey Inward

Consciousness remains simultaneously the most intimate and mysterious aspect of our existence. The Vedic tradition offers a comprehensive map for exploring this inner territory—not merely as an intellectual exercise but as a transformative journey toward recognizing our true nature.

As the Katha Upanishad (2.3.1) beautifully expresses:

ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम्।
छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित्॥

“With roots above and branches below, the eternal Ashvattha tree (of existence) is said to exist. Its leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is a knower of the Vedas.”

To know consciousness is to know the root of existence itself. And in that knowing, we discover not merely information but transformation—the realization that what we seek has been present all along, waiting only for our recognition.

Sanskrit Terms Glossary

• चित् (Chit) – Pure consciousness or awareness
• आत्मन् (Atman) – The Self, individual consciousness
• ब्रह्मन् (Brahman) – Ultimate reality, universal consciousness
• साक्षी (Sakshi) – Witness consciousness
• तुरीय (Turiya) – Fourth state of consciousness beyond waking, dreaming and deep sleep
• चिदाकाश (Chidakasha) – Space of consciousness
• अहं ब्रह्मास्मि (Aham Brahmasmi) – “I am Brahman,” a Mahavakya from the Upanishads
• प्रज्ञा (Prajna) – Wisdom, higher consciousness
• चित्तवृत्ति (Chitta-vritti) – Fluctuations of mind

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः
(Om Peace, Peace, Peace)