Sutra 1.7

Translation In the distinctions of waking, dreaming, and deep sleep, there arises the enjoyment of the Fourth.

Meaning The ordinary mind perceives waking, dreaming, and deep sleep as three separate states of consciousness, each with its own limitations and objects. Waking is bound by external sensory input, dreaming by internal mental projections, and deep sleep by a veil of ignorance or inertia. Usually, we move through these states unaware of the underlying thread that connects them, identifying instead with the specific content of each state. This sutra reveals that the Fourth state, Turiya, which is pure, non-dual consciousness, is not a distant realm to be reached after death or through the cessation of these three. Rather, it is the very ground upon which these three states appear and disappear.

The term "enjoyment" or "feast" indicates that the realization of Turiya is not a dry, abstract observation but a vibrant, blissful immersion. When the seeker recognizes that the same light of consciousness illuminates the external world of waking, the internal world of dreams, and the void of deep sleep, the boundaries between these states dissolve. The distinctions remain functionally, but they no longer bind the awareness. One begins to taste the nectar of the Fourth within the flux of the other three, realizing that Shiva's energy is dancing freely in every mode of experience without ever losing its essential unity.

Contemplation As you move through your day, pause whenever you notice a shift in your state of awareness, such as the transition from focused work to daydreaming, or from activity to a moment of mental blankness. Instead of getting lost in the content of that state, ask yourself silently: What is the aware presence that knows this shift is happening? Rest your attention not on the waking thought or the dreamy image, but on the silent, unchanging background that witnesses them all. Feel that this witnessing presence is the same in every moment, and allow yourself to enjoy the stability of this Fourth state even while your hands remain busy with the tasks of the waking world.