turiy

Turiy, also spelled turiya, is a Sanskrit term meaning “the fourth,” used in Indian philosophy to denote a state of consciousness that lies beyond the three ordinary modes of experience: waking (jāgṛt), dreaming (svapna), and deep sleep (sushupti). It is a central concept in Advaita Vedanta and is most prominently discussed in the Mandukya Upanishad, which uses the symbolism of the syllable A‑U‑M to outline the four states.

In Mandukya and its commentaries, consciousness is said to pass through four overlapping states. Jāgṛt corresponds to outward perception and daily life, svapna to internal dream experiences, and sushupti to a dreamless, contentless sleep. Turiyā is the fourth state, described as pure consciousness that witnesses the other three states yet remains unattached to their contents. It is often characterized as silent, changeless, and devoid of particular qualities, yet it underlies all experience.

Philosophically, turiya is associated with the ultimate ground of the self. In Advaita Vedanta, turiyā is frequently identified with the true Self (Atman) or Brahman, the non-dual reality that transcends mental activities and phenomena. Some traditions also discuss a further transcendence beyond turiya, sometimes called turiya-ātita or turiyatita, referring to a state beyond even the fourth state.

In practice, realization of turiya is linked to enlightenment and is described as a shift from identifying with relative experiences to recognizing pure awareness. Meditative and contemplative approaches aim to attune the mind to this substrate of consciousness, beyond thoughts and sensory content.

See also: Advaita Vedanta, Mandukya Upanishad, Atman, Brahman, samadhi.