Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, by Suri Nagamma

Bhagavan: “It is not only the dream-state, but all three
states are unreal to the Jnani. The real state of the Jnani is
where none of these three states exists.”
I asked, “Is not the waking state also equivalent to a
dream?”
Bhagavan: “Yes, whereas a dream lasts for a short time,
the waking state lasts longer. That is the only difference.”
I: “Then deep sleep is also a dream?”
Bhagavan: “No, deep sleep is an actuality. How can it
be a dream when there is no mental activity? However, since
it is a state of mental vacuity, it is nescience (avidya) and must
therefore be rejected.”
I persisted, “But is not deep sleep also said to be a
dream state?”
Bhagavan: “Some may have said so for the sake of
terminology, but really there is nothing separate. Short or
long duration applies only to the dream and waking states.

Someone may say: ‘we have lived so long and these houses
and belongings are so clearly evident to us that it surely can’t
be all a dream’. But we have to remember that even dreams
seem long while they last. It is only when you wake up that
you realize that they only lasted a short time. In the same
way, when one attains Realization (jnana), this life is seen to
be momentary. Dreamless sleep means nescience; therefore
it is to be rejected in favour of the state of pure Awareness.”
My sister-in-law then interposed, “It is said that the
bliss that occurs in deep sleep is experienced in the state of
samadhi
2
as well, but how is that to be reconciled with the
statement that deep sleep is a state of nescience?”
2
Samadhi means perfect absorption of thought in the one object of
meditation, i.e., the Supreme Spirit (the 8th and last stage of yoga).

Bhagavan: “That is why deep sleep has also to be
rejected. It is true that there is bliss in deep sleep, but one is
not aware of it. One only knows about it afterwards when
one wakes up and says that one has slept well. Samadhi means
experiencing this bliss while remaining awake.”
I: “So it means waking, or conscious sleep?”
Bhagavan: “Yes, that’s it.”
My sister-in-law then brought up the other cognate
question that had worried her: “It is said by Vasishta that a
Realized Soul seems to others to be engaged in various
activities, but he is not affected by them at all. Is it because of
their different outlook that it seems so to others, or is he
really unaffected?”
Bhagavan: “He is really unaffected.”
My sister-in-law: “People speak of favourable visions,
both in dream and while awake; what are they”?
Bhagavan: “To a Realized Soul they all seem the same.”
However she persisted, “It is stated in Bhagavan’s
biography that Ganapati Muni had a vision of Bhagavan
when he was at Tiruvottiyur and Bhagavan was at
Tiruvannamalai, and that, at the very same time, Bhagavan
had a feeling of accepting homage. How can such things be
explained?”
Bhagavan answered cryptically, “I have already stated
that such things are what are known as divine visions.” He
was then silent, indicating that he was not willing to continue
the talk any further.