Centrality of Consciousness

Abstract

This chapter involves an in-depth discussion of the nature of consciousness, which is arguably the central theme of psychology in the Indian tradition. Given the return of consciousness as a major topic of interest in a broad interdisciplinary setting, Ramakrishna Rao presents his taxonomic model that covers a broad spectrum of the varied states of consciousness. Against the backdrop of this wide canvas major perspectives on consciousness in a variety of schools of Indian thought are described. The first one covered in this context is the Advaita perspective, followed by its traditional rival in the Buddhist tradition. It is noted how the Advaita perspective originating in the Veda and the Upaniṣads is enriched mainly by Śaṅkara in his Brahma-Sūtra Bhāṣya. The Advaita view makes a clear distinction between the ordinary state of wakefulness on the one hand, and the extra-ordinary Fourth State (turiyā) characterized by existence (sat), knowledge (cit) and positive emotion (ānanda). The Buddhist approach presents a detailed phenomenological description of ordinary as well as extra-ordinary states of consciousness. It is pointed out that, regardless of the sharp contrasts between the Advaita and Buddhist perspectives in terms of their metaphysical assumptions, both systems accept the great value of the transcendental states in realizing the ideal states of variously described as mukti and nibbāna (nirvāṇa). The last section of the chapter is devoted to the discussion of psychology of consciousness in Sāṁkhya-Yoga.