Chaitanya (consciousness)
Hindu philosophical concept
Chaitanya (Sanskrit: चैतन्य) refers variously to 'awareness', 'consciousness', 'Conscious Self', 'intelligence' or 'Pure Consciousness'. It can also mean energy or enthusiasm. The meaning of name Chaitanya also stands for "State of Conscious Energy".
Etymology
It is derived from cetanā (Sanskrit: चेतना), which refers to living things or consciousness itself.
Scripture
In the Rig Veda (R.V.IV.XL.5), Nrishad is the dweller amongst humans; Nrishad is explained as Chaitanya or 'Consciousness' or Prana or 'vitality' because both dwell in humans.
In his commentary on the Isha Upanishad, Sri Aurobindo explains that the Atman, the Self manifests through a seven-fold movement of Prakrti. These seven folds of consciousness, along with their dominant principles are:
annamaya puruṣa - physical
prāṇamaya puruṣa - nervous / vital
manomaya puruṣa - mental / mind
vijñānamaya puruṣa - knowledge and truth
ānandamaya puruṣa - Aurobindo's concept of Delight, otherwise known as Bliss
caitanya puruṣa - infinite divine self-awareness
sat puruṣa - state of pure divine existence
The first five of these are arranged according to the specification of the panchakosha from the second chapter of the Taittiriya Upanishad. The final three elements make up sat-cit-ananda, with cit being referred to as chaitanya.
The essential nature of Brahman as revealed in deep sleep and Yoga is Chaitanya (pure consciousness).
Vedanta
The Vedantists also speak about the Consciousness or Mayaopahita-chaitanya that is associated with the indescribable Maya which is responsible for the functions of creation, preservation and dissolution of entire Existence, and about the Consciousness or Avidyaopahita-chaitanya that is associated with Avidya which causes the wrong identification of the Atman with the body etc.; after negating both Maya and Avidya, that is, after all distinctions are obliterated, what remains is Pure Consciousness or Chaitanya.
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