On Raman Maharshi: No descriptions or sequences really apply to the Truth

The following is an excerpt from a samvaad (dialogue) session with Acharya Prashant.

“From the Self there arise in succession:

(i) Chidabhasa (reflected consciousness), which is a kind of luminosity.

(ii) Jiva (the individual consciousness) or the seer or the first concept.

(iii) Phenomena, that is the world.”

~ Sri Raman Maharshi

Question: How do the knower, known, and knowledge that are absent in deep sleep, arise in the waking state and in the dreaming state. After all, they don’t really exist. From where do they come? This triad of Gyaan-Gyaata-Gyeya (Knowledge-Knower-Known), from where do they come?

Acharya Prashant (AP): Ramana Maharshi says, “They come in a succession.” What’s a succession? First of all, comes the Chidabhasa, which is reflected consciousness. Maharshi calls it a kind of luminosity. Secondly, the Jiva, the individual consciousness, which is the seer or the first concept; the one that stands at the center of all perception, all illusion. Then, phenomena, which is the world.