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Chapter 3
pancakoshaviveka
The discrimination of the five sheaths
Chapter 1 Chapter 2
The taittirIya upaniShad describes brahman or the Self as 'hidden in the cave'. The 'cave' is the five sheaths known as annamayakosha (physical sheath), prANamayakosha (the sheath of the vital airs), manomayakosha (the mental sheath), vij~nAnamayakosha (the sheath of the intellect) and Anandamayakosha (the sheath of bliss). The outermost is the physical sheath or the gross physical body or sthUla sharIra. Within it are the vital, mental and intellect sheaths, in that order. These three sheaths together constitute the subtle body or the sUkShma sharIra. The innermost sheath is the sheath of bliss. This is the causal body or kAraNa sharIra.
The physical body is produced from the seed and blood of the parents, which are formed out of the food eaten by them. It grows by food. It does not exist either before birth or after death. It comes into existence as the result of past actions. It cannot therefore be the Self which is eternal and has neither birth nor death. The vital sheath consists of the five prANas, namely, prANa, apAna, samAna, udAna and vyAna. These pervade the physical body and give the power to the sense organs to function. This sheath cannot be the Self, since it is devoid of consciousness. The mental sheath is what gives rise to the notions of 'I' and 'mine' with regard to the body, relations and possessions. It too cannot be the Self because it has desires, is subject to delusion and is always changing. The intellect, on which there is the reflection of pure Consciousness, and which is dormant in the state of deep sleep is the intellect sheath. It cannot be the Self because it undergoes changes.
The inner organ, though one, is treated as two, namely, the intellect or buddhi and the mind or manas. The mind collects information through the sense-organs and presents it to the intellect which judges and decides. In deep sleep the inner organ becomes dormant and bliss is experienced. This is the bliss sheath. This too cannot be the Self because it is impermanent. The source of this bliss is the Self. The Self is always the subject and can never be the object of experience. The Self is consciousness itself and imparts consciousness to the mind and body, just as sugar is sweetness itself and imparts sweetens to all dishes which taste sweet. The Self cannot be described because it is not an object. It is self-revealing. This Self is brahman. Being all-pervasive, brahman is not limited by space. Being eternal, it is not limited by time. Being the substratum of the whole universe, it is not limited by any object, just as the rope is not limited by the illusory snake. Thus brahman is infinite in all three respects.
brahman, who is Existence, Consciousness and Infinite is the only Reality. Ishvara and jIva are mere superimpositions on brahman by mAyA and avidyA respectively. mAyA is the power of Ishvara, which controls the whole universe, but is itself under the control of Ishvara. It appears to have consciousness because of the reflection of brahman in it. brahman is pure Consciousness, while Ishvara is omniscient because of His power, mAyA. brahman is called jIva when It is looked upon as associated with the five sheaths, just as a man is called a father and a grandfather in relation to his son and grandson. When considered apart from mAyA and the five sheaths brahman is neither Ishvara nor jIva. He who realises that he is in essence brahman (and not the body-mind complex) is not born again, since brahman has no birth and is eternal.
End of Chapter 3
Chapter 4
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