Spirituality Studies 10-2 Fall 2024 49 Gejza M. Timčák, Gábor Pék similarly the Vedānta Sūtras (Rau 1904, 157–160) declare that the “Chief of breath” (Sa. Mukhya prāṇa) is born of Brahman. The Chief of breath is not an organ, and there is no objection to its being superior to all the rest. Prāṇa is termed as “air”, a tool of the senses and mind that power activities. It has no tattva assigned. There is a difference between adhyatmika prāṇa (Sa. “vital principle”) in the individual and the ādhidaivika vāyu (Sa. “cosmic principle of air”). Prāṇa pervades all bodies (Rau 1904, 160–162). The manomaya kōśa is described as a further “self”, which permeates the prāṇamaya kōśa and is full of saṅkalpa (Sa. “impulses”) and vikalpa (Sa. “doubt”) (Sastri 1903, 429). The vijñānamaya kōśa is defined as filled with manas and formed of determinative cognitions, which are regarded as pramāṇas (Sa. “right cognitions”), also called Vijñāna, including the determinative knowledge gained in ordinary experience (Sastri 1903, 445–446). The ānandamaya kōśa is given as “than that, verily – than this one formed of Vijnana – there is another self within formed of bliss: by him this one is filled” (Sastri 1903, 469). It is important to note again, that the kōśas fall into the category of “products”, i.e., they are the tools for expression of the Absolute on a given level of existence (Sastri 1903, 473). Thus, their origin is in the state of ajñāna – lacking conscious unity with the Absolute, where direct abidance in the Absolute is not automatically possible. Kaṭha Upaniṣad (quoted in Vasu 1905, 111–112) explains the work of kōśas in the following manner: Know thou the Ātma [note: Self] as seated in the chariot [note: as the Lord of the chariot], the body even as the car; Buddhi [note: intellect] is the driver and Manas [note: mind] as the reins. They say the senses are the horses and the [note: sense] objects their roads; the wise say that the experiencer is the Ātma joined with senses and mind. Sarva Upaniṣad describes the kōśas in a terse way (quoted in Madhavananda 1980, 38–39): The aggregate of the six sheaths [note: nerves, bones, marrow, skin, flesh, and blood], which are the products of food, is called the Annamaya kōśa, alimentary sheath. When the fourteen kinds of Vāyus beginning with the Prāna, are in the alimentary sheath, then it is spoken of as the Prānamaya kōśa, vesture of the vital airs. When the Ātman united with these two sheaths performs, by means of the four organs beginning with the mind, the functions of desire, etc., which have for their objects sound and the rest, then it (this state) is called the Manomaya kōśa, mental sheath. When the soul shines being united with these three sheaths and cognizant of the differences and non-differences thereof then it is called the Vijnānamaya kōśa, sheath of intelligence. When these four sheaths remain in their own cause, which is Knowledge (Brahman), in the same way as the latent banyan tree remains in the banyan seed, then it is spoken of as the Ānandamaya kōśa, causal frame of the Soul. When it dwells in the body, as the seat of the idea of pleasure and pain, where it becomes the Kartā, agent. In the Taittirīya Upaniṣad (quoted in Sastri 1903, 474–475) it is declared that “just as the other kōśas, such as the Annamaya which are the products evolved from Brahman, are permeated by Brahman, the Supreme Bliss, so also the Ānandamaya is permeated by the Supreme Bliss and hence spoken of as Ānandamaya evolved from Ānanda.” The commentaries of Shankaracharya and Suresvaracharya (quoted in Sastri 1903, 475–477) on this issue state: the bliss – Ānanda here spoken of is the happiness, which results from thought and action. Formed of this bliss-stuff is the Ānandamaya [3]. And this lies within the Vijnanamaya, because the sruti declares that it lies within the Vijnanamaya, the source of all sacrificial rites and the like… it is proper to say that this Ānandamaya, made up of the vasanas of love and other forms of happiness presents itself to consciousness in dream [note: Svapna] in association with Vijnanamaya. This Ānandamaya self is interior to and quite distinct from the Vijnanamaya looked upon as the agent in all actions… Just as motion, which is a function of Prana, is experienced throughout the body permeated by the Prānamaya, just as sentiency or sensation [note: jñāna-śakti], which is a function of manas, is experienced throughout the body, which is endued with Prana, and permeated by the Manomaya, and just as the consciousness of agency ‘I am the doer’ is experienced throughout the body, which is endued with both Prana and Manas and permeated by the Vijnanamaya, so also special forms of pleasure are experienced throughout the whole body, in the hands, feet, etc., which are endued with Manas and Prana, and permeated by the Ānandamaya. This is the idea conveyed by saying that the Vijnanamaya is permeated by the Ānandamaya. Here ānandamaya kōśa is presented as a subset of vijñānamaya kōśa, but both are non-identical and the ānandamaya
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