Is There Ignorance in Deep Sleep? A Re-examination of the Upaniṣads and Śaṅkara's Commentaries

Since scholars have interpreted the Upaniṣads and Śaṅkara's views on deep sleep in a variety of ways, it is necessary to analyze the Upaniṣads and Śaṅkara's commentariesW to determine what position they actually hold regarding the presence of ignorance (avidyā) in deep sleep. It is argued that the Upaniṣads hold that in deep sleep one experiences the pure bliss of Brahman without any kind of ignorance. Śaṅkara, in his commentaries, seems ambivalent about whether there is ignorance in deep sleep. However, it is argued here that this ambivalence is only apparent. According to the present author's reconstruction, Śaṅkara consistently holds that ignorance exists in a latent form in deep sleep. Also the philosophical assumptions that compelled Śaṅkara to accept the presence of ignorance in deep sleep will be examined, even though the Upaniṣads explicitly hold the opposite view.