Upaniṣads · Mahā 4.57
॥
Devanāgarī
चित्ताकाशं चिदाकाशमाकाशं च तृतीयकम् द्वाभ्यां शून्यतरं विद्धि चिदाकाशं महामुने
Transliteración (IAST)
cittākāśaṃ cidākāśamākāśaṃ ca tṛtīyakam dvābhyāṃ śūnyataraṃ viddhi cidākāśaṃ mahāmune
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
चित्त-आकाशम् चित्-आकाशम्citta-ākāśam cit-ākāśamthe space of the mind, the space of consciousness; the expanse of thought, the expanse of pure awareness
आकाशम् च तृतीयकम्ākāśam ca tṛtīyakamand the third — space itself; and the third, the expanse as such
द्वाभ्याम् शून्यतरम् विद्धिdvābhyām śūnyataram viddhiknow: subtler than the two; understand: emptier than the other two
चित्-आकाशम् महा-मुनेcit-ākāśam mahā-muneis the space of consciousness, O great sage; is the expanse of awareness, O great silent one
Traducción
“The space of the mind, the space of consciousness, and third — space itself; know, O great sage, that the space of consciousness is subtler than the other two.”
Versión
c12a63c174ac · publicado 29 jul 2026, 6:29:20 UTC
Disponible enRUENPasa de verso en verso con
Three spaces, and they are worth distinguishing, for the distinction will be needed.
Ākāśa is ordinary space, that in which things stand.
Citta-ākāśa is “the space of the mind”: that in which thoughts, memories, images pass. It too has an extension of its own kind: it can be cramped or roomy.
Cid-ākāśa is “the space of consciousness”: that in which both the first and the second appear.
And it is said: the third is śūnyatara — “emptier” than the other two.
The word is chosen with intent. Not “greater” and not “higher”, but “emptier”: it has still less content than empty space.
This agrees with 2.3: the Ātman is subtler than space. And it explains why it is not to be found by searching: one always searches among contents.