Turiya

This page was last updated on 4/11/23.

The natural state can be described only by negation; as, uncaused, independent, unrelated, undivided, uncomposed, unshakable, unquestionable, unreachable by effort. Every positive definition is from memory; and, therefore, inapplicable. And yet my state is supremely actual; and, therefore possible, realisable, attainable.
~Nisargadatta Maharaj

There are three states only, the waking, dream and sleep. Turiya is not a fourth one; it is what underlies these three. But people do not readily understand it. Therefore it is said that this is the fourth state and the only Reality. In fact it is not only the Truth; it is your very Being. The three states appear as fleeting phenomena on it and then sink into it alone. Therefore they are unreal.
~ Ramana Maharishi

There is the continuity of being in all the three states [waking, dream, sleep], but no continuity of the individual and the objects. Therefore, the state of being is permanent and the body and the world are not. They are fleeting phenomena passing on the screen of being-consciousness, which is eternal.
~ Ramana Maharishi

If you ask what that is, it is called turiya, which means the fourth state. Why is this name used? This name is proper because it seems to say the three states of your experience-waking, dream and deep sleep-are foreign to you and your true state is the fourth, which is different from these three. Should the three states, waking, dream and deep sleep, be taken to form one long dream, the fourth state represents the waking from this dream. Thus it is more withdrawn than deep sleep, also more wakeful than the waking state. Therefore your true state is that fourth one which is distinguished from the waking, dream and deep sleep states. You are that only. What is this fourth state? It is knowledge which does not particularize anything. It is not unaware of itself. That is to say, the fourth state is Pure Knowledge which is not conscious of any object, but not unconscious itself. Only he who has realized it even for a trice, has realized the Truth. You are that only.
~ Ramana from Ellam Ondre (All is One)

In Vedanta, the word Satyam (Reality) is very clearly defined and it has a specific significance. It means, that which exists in all the three periods of time (the past, present, and future) without undergoing any change; and also in all the three states of consciousness (waking state, dream state and deep-sleep state). This is, therefore, the absolute Reality - birthless, deathless and changeless referred to in the Upanishads as Brahman.

The only state which truly exists is the state of wakeful sleep, (jagrat-sushupti) that is, the state in which we remain ever awake to the real self and ever asleep to the unreal world of multiplicity.

Turiya is the aware background against which the three mental states (waking, dreaming & deep sleep) take place. It is the coming to rest of all differentiated, relative existence. This utterly quiet, peaceful and blissful (non-mental, Real) "I" illuminates the other three states and is the ultimate aim of all spiritual activity.

The waking state corresponds with the gross, physical plane. The dreaming state corresponds with the subtle plane. The deep, sleeping state corresponds with the causal plane. Turiya corresponds with the great causal plane. Turiya is the embodiment of transcendental consciousness itself (our true nature, pure thoughtless awareness), not a manifestation of it.

See also: There is only One Self; Two Scriptures; Dream; and, Declaration.

Turiya: wikipedia; Siddha Turiya Meditation; Silence of deep sleep (awareness of awareness) is conducive to liberation; Turiya Consciousness; Turiya and Turiyatita; Turiyatita - Chidakasa in Cosmic Consciousness; What Is Turiya (The Fourth)?, 7/16/12; About Turiya Nada: Music of Inner Fire, 11/6/13
Anadi: Turiya - Absolute Waking State
Sri Chinmoy: "Turiya is the highest state of consciousness, but there is no end, no fixed limit, to the turiya consciousness. It is constantly transcending, transcending its own beyond." The different states of consciousness, 1974
Eshwa: Turiya - Observing oneself in sleep, 1/15/13
Swami Krishnananda: "This witness-state is called the Turiya or the fourth state of consciousness." Witness-state is called the Turiya or the fourth state of consciousness
Swami Lakshmanjoo: Shiva Sutras 3.20, 3.21, 3.22 & 3.23 – Turya State, 1985
Tapasyogi Nandhi: "Turiya is what the sages call the ‘sleepless sleep.’ Turiya is the experience of the liberated." Gandhi & the Turiya State of Super Consciousness, 7/3/13
Swami Nikhilananda: Mandukya Upanishad is the shortest of the major Upanishads, containing only 12 verses
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi: Turiya State - Being in Meditation, 9/19/8
Osho: "Turiya is the state of a buddha. It is almost like dreamless sleep, with one difference; and, that difference is very great. It is as peaceful as deep sleep, as without dreams as deep sleep, but it is absolutely alert, aware. Whether you are asleep or dreaming or awake, turiya is ever-present. Deep within you are always Buddha. Therefore, the fourth state is not to be attained but revealed. It has not to be achieved but uncovered." Dreaming Turiya Treasure; Great Path - Fourth State
"And the fourth is the ultimate awareness that makes one awakened. One becomes aware of one's awareness — that is the fourth. That makes one a Buddha, the awakened. And only in that awakening one comes to know what bliss is. The body knows pleasure, the mind knows happiness, the heart knows joy, the fourth knows bliss. Bliss is the goal of sannyas and awareness is the path towards it."
Ramana Maharshi: "Turiya is the state of perfect awareness and perfect stillness combined. It lies between sleep and waking; it is also the interval between two successive thoughts. It is the gnani’s state. Turiya, alone, is real." True nature of sleep , 5/23/8; Ramana Maharshi Says Turiya State Is Alone Real And Only Existing State, 6/14/10; Ramana Mahashi on Turiya and Samadhi, 1/21/13
T. Singh: Chauthaa Pada, the Fourth state, 5/18/14
Swami Sivananda: "Turiya is that state in which the individual soul rests in his own Sat-Chit-Ananda Svarupa or the highest Brahmic consciousness during Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Turiya is that state which transcends all the three states of samsara; hence, Turiya or the fourth. Turiya is Atman or Brahman." Turiya or the Fourth State
Eckhart Tolle: Noticing the Gaps -Fourth State of Consciousness, 8/22/15
Ken Wilber: Turiya - Fourth State Of Consciousness, 2003

One will aspire to what's real only to the extent one realizes that appearances are false. Detachment emerges as one's discriminative ability increases. Renunciation occurs when the futility of seeking happiness through external things is irrevocably impressed upon the mind and one is no longer affected by the passing scene.

Reverential adoration is offered first to Shri Ganesh (Lord of meditation), second to Shri Saraswati (Lord of the exposition of the Truth); and, then, third to Shri Sadhguru (who arises in one's heart by adoring the first two deities). The Sadhguru's only aim is to help one to be free of ego and identification with the body and the mind.

Supreme

Parabrahman: All-pervading and eternally free Supreme Reality. Natural spontaneous (stateless) state which remains when "I Am" and all concepts are let go of.

Paramartha: Supreme or Ultimate Truth.

Paramatman: Supreme Self. Siddharameshwar says: "Paramatman has neither roots nor branches."

Parameshwara: Supreme God.

Brahman: The spontaneous, shapeless, qualityless, unchangeable natural state which remains when the four bodies reach their end. Siddharameshwar says: "There is no activity, no movement, no entry and no exit in Brahman."

Ishwara: Self. God. Sat-Chit-Ananda or Being-Consciousness-Bliss.

Swaroopa: True Self Nature or true form which is the same in the jiva and Shiva.

That which remains when the four bodies of both the jiva and Shiva are given up is beyond imagination. It is steady.

Atman: Self. Ever changing Inner-Self that carries out all worldly affairs. It vanishes upon realization of Swaroopa.

Four Bodies & Four Planes of Ishwara

4. (8.) Great Causal Body: Original promordial illusion (which can only be indicated). Sat-Chit-Ananda. Same as the Great Causal Body of the Jiva (individual).

3. (7.) Causal Body: Space from which the universe appears. Same as the Causal Body of the Jiva.

2. (6.) Subtle Body: All animation of manifestation. Ultimately, the Subtle Body of Ishwara is the same as that of the jiva as both can be expressed in words.
Represented by Brahma, Vishu & Shiva.

1. (5.) Gross Body: Entire physical universe (macrocosm). Ultimately, the Universal appearance of the Lord and the gross body of the jiva are the same as both contain the same five elements.

Four Bodies & Four Planes of the Jiva

4. Great Causal Body: Pure Consciousness which can only be indicated. Sat-Chit-Ananda.

Mind is limited to the three states of waking, dreaming and deep sleep:

3. Causal Body: Source of the world.
Sheath #5: Sheath of Bliss.

2. Subtle Body:
Sheath #4: Sheath of Vidnyana. Higher and subtler aspects of intelligence. Sheath #3: Sheath of Manas (mind). Cognition and intelligence.
Sheath #2: Sheath of the 5 Pranas.

1. Gross Body:
Sheath #1: Sheath of Food. Material elements.

Four Bodies: Siddharameshwar: Four Bodies; Three Bodies Doctrine (Vedanta) wikipedia; Gita Sandesh; 3 Types of Bodies: Gross (Sthula), Astral (Linga) and Causal body (Karana); Swami Sivananda: Atman is Distinct from the Three Bodies; Dasbodh of Samartha Ramdas, Chapter: 17, Sub-Chapter: 9: Four Bodies, 6/5/13; 3 Bodies of the Human Being, 8/12/13

The only state which truly exists is the state of wakeful sleep, (jagrat-sushupti) that is, the state in which we remain ever awake to the real self and ever asleep to the unreal world of multiplicity.

The scriptures refer to this one truly existing state as the ‘fourth’ (turiya) only for the sake of those who experience the unreal three states, and only with the intention of making them understand that it is something quite different from those other three states. But when this real state is experienced, the unreal three states will be found to be completely non-existent, and hence it will be known that this real state is not really the fourth state but the only existing state. For this reason the scriptures also refer to this truly existing state as ‘that which transcends the fourth’ (turiyatita).
~ unknown

Osho Enlightenment March 21, 1953
~ Discipline of Transcendence, V2,11

I went to sleep near about eight. It was not like sleep. Now I can understand what Patanjali means when he says that sleep and samadhi are similar. Only with one difference -- that in samadhi you are fully awake and asleep also. Asleep and awake together, the whole body relaxed, every cell of the body totally relaxed, all functioning relaxed, and yet a light of awareness burns within you... clear, smokeless. You remain alert and yet relaxed, loose but fully awake.

The body is in the deepest sleep possible and your consciousness is at its peak. The peak of consciousness and the valley of the body meet.

I went to sleep. It was a very strange sleep. The body was asleep, I was awake. It was so strange -- as if one was torn apart into two directions, two dimensions; as if the polarity has become completely focused, as if I was both the polarities together... the positive and negative were meeting, sleep and awareness were meeting, death and life were meeting. That is the moment when you can say the creator and the creation meet.

Near about twelve my eyes suddenly opened -- I had not opened them. The sleep was broken by something else. I felt a great presence around me in the room. It was a very small room. I felt a throbbing life all around me, a great vibration -- almost like a hurricane, a great storm of light, joy, ecstasy. I was drowning in it.

It was so tremendously real that everything became unreal. The walls of the room became unreal, the house became unreal, my own body became unreal. Everything was unreal because now there was for the first time reality.