"Talking Gods" [click image +]

The Mâñd:ûkyopanis:ad tells us that there are four great stages of Consciousness. These are called Objective, Subtle, Causal, and "the Fourth." Plotinus calls these stages "the system of Nature," Soul, Nous and the Absolute. At every stage Consciousness can be characterized as the Substance and the Function of that stage; neither of these can be entirely resolved into the other. However, many spiritual doctrines are based upon asserting such resolution one way or the other. For example, Buddhism commonly reduces substance to function, while Vedìnta reduces all function to substance. To consider Consciousness as neither, either, or both requires a third irreducible - relation per se. This relation has been called number, order, sound, or language according to the intuition of the seer, and the favored metaphors of their tradition.

At this point we have four levels or stages of Consciousness and, apparently, four irreducible factors: Consciousness itself; Substance, Function, and Relation. But how can Relation really be considered in isolation? Shouldn't it always be blended with at least the source relata? Although this is epistemologically true, it is not necessarily good metaphysics. As soon as we engage in genuine Metaphysical exploration, every factor unveiled as a means of characterizing Reality (or even failing to characterize Reality) must itself be Real. If the factor is not Real, then it can have no relevance in the context of the absolute; if it is Real, then it is also self-sufficient - an undeniable characteristic of Reality. So, as a characteristic, Relation, like Substance and Function, is a unique necessary to the investigation of the Absolute. But even if we accept these four qualities: the Absolute-in-Itself, Substance, Function, and Relation, does that help us establish the bona fide differentiation of Consciousness into a four-fold? Let us take another approach to the problem, starting with Consciousness itself rather than its contrary characteristics, Substance and Function.