We humans are like a lamp that has five
lampshades over our light. Each of the lampshades is a different color and
density. As the light shines through the lampshades, it is progressively
changed in color and nature. It is a bitter-sweet coloring. On the one hand,
the shades provide the individualized beauty of each lamp. Yet, the lampshades
also obscure the pure light.
Maya means appearance, as if something appears to be one way, but is really another.
Here, it means that each of the sheaths or koshas is
only an appearance.
Physical - Annamaya kosha
Anna means food.
All of the physical aspects of life come and go, and are consumed by another
aspect of external reality. Thus, the outermost of the koshas is called the
sheath of food, or Annamaya kosha.
Energy - Pranamaya kosha
The next of the koshas is Pranamaya kosha. Prana means energy.
It is the vital force that produces the subtle vibrations related to breath,
and which are the driving force behind the physical aspect of the senses and
the operation of the physical body.
Mental - Manamaya kosha
The next of the koshas is Manamaya kosha. Mana means mind.
It is the level of processing thoughts and emotions. It is in direct control of
the operation, through the prana, of the physical body and senses. It is like a
supervisor in a factory, in that it gives instructions, but is not supposed to be
the manager of the factory of life. Because of this, it naturally has doubts,
and created illusions.
Wisdom - Vijnanamaya kosha
The next of the koshas is Vijnanamaya
kosha. Vijnana means knowing. It is the sheath of
wisdom that is underneath the processing, thinking aspect of mind. It knows,
decides, judges, and discriminates between this and that, between useful and
not useful. It is also the level of ego consciousness, meaning the powerful
wave of I-am-ness. This I-am-ness itself is a positive influence, but when it
gets co-mingled with the memories, and is clouded over by the manas, it loses
its positive strength.
Bliss - Anandamaya kosha
Anandamaya kosha is the most interior of the
koshas, the first of the koshas surrounding the Atman, the eternal center of
consciousness. Ananda means bliss. However, it is
not bliss as a mere emotion experienced at the level of the sheath of
mind. Ananda is a whole different order of reality from that
of the mind. It is peace, joy, and love that is underneath, beyond the mind,
independent of any reason or stimulus to cause a happy mental reaction. It is
simply being, resting in bliss called ananda.
Yet, even this bliss, however wonderful it is, is
still a covering, a sheath, a lampshade covering the pure light of
consciousness. It is the subtle most of the five koshas. In the silence of deep
meditation, this too is let go of, so as to experience the center.
Now, for a question before we conclude this post.
"If the 5 koshas are like the 5 lampshades
or the 5 layers, then what is that which is the real Light which shines
forth in and through all the 5 lampshades or all the 5 koshas?"
Is Ananda Maya kosha the ultimate or there
is any other subtler source which actually makes one feel that " I AM IN
BLISS", like an imaginary concluding scene explained in an earlier post
when King Janaka wakes up and experiences that he had a very deep sleep
the previous night.
If his body, mind, intellect were not active
while he was sleeping, then what was THAT which was witnessing his deep
sleep which prompts him on the next day and makes him say that he had deep
sleep??"
Love
