Dear Mr. Swartz
I think Maharaj meant a state where one goes beyond consciousness. According to modern science, we came into existence out of nothing. So nothing is something we can’t understand or grasp. Maharaj had no religion or religious beliefs. He was the greatest. As long as we are conscious we are stuck. We continue to talk about concepts and religious beliefs and so on. In deep sleep, we are not conscious but we are still there. So whatever Maharaj was referring to was beyond conception.
Yes, he is saying that the Self, the satchitananda atma, is beyond thougth. Vedanta agrees that the Self is beyond thought but does not agree with the logic you used to arrrive at your conslusion. Allow me to explain.
1) The Upanishad says that there is only on reality and that it is inon-dual existence shining as consciousenss. So there is nothing “beyond” consciousness. But Maya, Ignorance of the nature of reality, generates a world of created objects that don’t seem to be consciousness.
2) Modern science is obviously incorrect since it is impossible to get something out of nothing. So there was something prior to the appearance of the world and Vedanta says that something is consciusness.
3) If that something is consciusneess and there is no other substance from which to creae then the world has to be created out of consciousness. It is Maya/Isvara’s job to manufacture the world.
4). The world includes conscious beings, humans, for instance. These humans” borrow ” consciousness from the Self. In Vedanta the teachign is called pratibimba vada, the reflection teaching. Man is icast in the image of God (Isvara/Maya).
5) The reflection in a mirror is not the same as the face looking at the mirror but it is not different either.. The reflection contains thoughts because it is associated with the mind, which thinks. The Mind is created by Maya. But the original pure consciousness is though free. It is ‘beyond the mind” (anirvachaniya) which is ot say beyond conception. So the human mind can’t conceive of original pure consciousness because it it not aa object of thought.
6) It is you,, the Se;f. So, you are the consciousness that is beyond your mind. Quiett the mind and look around and see if you can find another consciousness observing you. You are the witness of the thoughts, which create your world. (sakshi bhava.)
7) If there was actually a second consciousenss, reality would not be non-dual. If consciousness was “state” it would have to contain an experiencing entity, which it doesn’t. The experiencing entity is created by Maya and disappears on inquiry.