The Three States

Ramana Maharshi taught about the three states - waking, dream, and deep sleep - and how the Self is the witness of all three states, transcending them all.

Ramana Maharshi explained that there are three states of consciousness: waking, dream, and deep sleep. In the waking state, one is aware of the external world. In the dream state, one is aware of the dream world. In deep sleep, there is no awareness of anything.

But the Self is the witness of all three states. It is present in waking, present in dream, and present in deep sleep. The Self transcends all three states and is the constant factor in all of them.

The practice of self-inquiry leads to the realization of the Self, which is the witness of all states. When one is established in the Self, one realizes that one is not the body or the mind that experiences these states, but the Self that witnesses them.