Mandukya Upanishad - Chapter 1

Om — this syllable is all this. Its further explanation: all that is past, present, and future — all of it is indeed Om. And whatever is beyond the three times — that too is Om alone.

All this is indeed Brahman. This Self is Brahman. This same Self has four quarters.

The first quarter is Vaishvanara, whose sphere of activity is the waking state, who is outward-knowing, who has seven limbs and nineteen mouths, and who enjoys gross objects.

The second quarter is Taijasa, whose sphere is the dreaming state, who is inward-knowing, who has seven limbs and nineteen mouths, and who enjoys subtle objects.

Where the sleeper desires no desire and sees no dream — that is deep sleep. The third quarter is Prajna, whose sphere is deep sleep, who has become unified, who is a mass of consciousness, who is full of bliss, who enjoys bliss, whose door is consciousness.

This (Prajna) is the lord of all, the omniscient, the inner controller, the source of all — for it is the origin and dissolution of all beings.

The fourth is not inward-knowing, not outward-knowing, not both-ways-knowing, not a mass of knowing, not knowing, not non-knowing. It is unseen, beyond transaction, beyond grasp, without marks, unthinkable, unnameable, the essence of the one-Self-conviction, the cessation of the world-appearance, peaceful, auspicious, non-dual. That is the Self. That is to be known.

Vaishvanara of the waking state is A, the first matra — from pervasiveness or being first. One who knows this attains all desires and becomes the first.

Taijasa of the dreaming state is U, the second matra — from excellence or being intermediate. One who knows this elevates the continuity of knowledge and becomes equal. In his family no one is born who does not know Brahman.

Prajna of deep sleep is M, the third matra — from measure or absorption. One who knows this measures all this and becomes the absorber.

The fourth is without matra, beyond transaction, the cessation of the phenomenal world, auspicious, non-dual. Thus Om is the Self. One who knows this enters the Self by the Self.

The fourth is without measure, beyond transaction, the cessation of the phenomenal world, auspicious, non-dual. Thus Om is the Self. One who knows thus enters the Self by the Self.