The Human Experience

 Hinduism has no prophet, no one scripture. It is an imposing body of the most profound thought ever to be documented in human history, by generations of sages, rishis and self-realized souls. It explores man's existence at physical, emotional, mental, intellectual and spiritual levels which makes up the complete experience of being human. Eighteen Upanishads, six Shastras, four Vedas and the distillate of them all, the Gita. Not to mention the countless commentaries,  devotional poems and works of saints over the ages.  The aim of all this is to understand ourselves, find our true purpose and get a clear idea of how to attain that purpose.  

We exist on many levels. 'Level' would be a rather linear concept, which does not describe our existence correctly. Imagine instead, the layers of an onion, which would enable a better understanding.  The Sanskrit word is 'kosha' or sheath. We are made up of five sheaths, the core being the Atman or the Self, the very nature of Godhood...absolute and pure Bliss.   

The subjective experience of every human being, in terms of the physical or gross body, to the most subtle experience of the Self is in the five sheaths that we are composed of. All layers are permeable in terms of subjective experience except the Self, which remains pure, irrespective of earthly experience. Together they function as a holistic system which makes up our experience of being alive.  

Annamaya kosh: the physical body composed of and dependent on food. 

This is the gross body,the sheath of the physical self, named from the fact that it is nourished by food. Living through this layer man identifies himself with his body. So many of us are purely body-conscious, our thinking our happiness to be dependent on food, appearance, taking care of this body made of flesh, bones, fat and filth covered with the skin, while our souls starve.  Our ancient wisdom in the Vedanta cautions us, know that your  happiness is in knowing the Self; discriminate between that which is the non-self and the Self, distinct from the body.

  Pranamaya kosh:  the subtle body comprises this sheath along with the other four. This sheath  consists of air, or vital force on which survival of the body depends.

Pranamaya means composed of prana, the flow of life-force through the organism, which holds together the body and the mind. Its only physical manifestation is the breath. As long as this prana exists in the body, life goes on. Coupled with the five organs of action, the karmendriyas namely the hands, feet, speech, reproductory organs and excretory organs which are fuelled by prana to perform action, it forms the pranamaya kosh.

 Manomaya kosh: Manomaya means composed of the mind.

The mind (manas) along with the five organs of perception-the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin-the jnanedriyas- is the manomaya kosa. The 'mind-sheath' is fed by the senses, and it generates thoughts, which are translated at a physical level sometimes as well. It accounts for individuality more powerfully than even the annamaya kosa and pranamaya kosha. It is the mind which makes us all extremely individual and is the generator of ego-  I and mine.  Tthe mind is the cause of man’s bondage to the illusion of this world and the instrument  through which he can attain self-realization as well!

 Vijnanamaya kosh:  the intellect-sheath,  the decision-maker, the database fed by the senses of knowledge or perception, the jnanendriyas, namely seeing, hearing,smelling, tasting and touching.

Vijnanamaya means composed of intellect, the faculty which discriminates, determines and wills . This sheath is the combination of intellect and the five organs of perception. The buddhi, ie the intellect along with the organs of knowledge, records the impressions or sanskaras over that lifetime. It causes our reincarnation into another body, wherein the sanskaras made by the manomaya kosh and the vijnanamaya kosh in one lifetime are transferred into another body in the next life. This wisdom or intellect-sheath also reflects the power of the chitta, which is the memory bank, which stores impressions and experiences. It is endowed with the function of knowledge and identifies itself with the physical body as well. It is, however not the Self, for it is subject to change, is insentient, limited and not constantly aware or present

     Anandamaya kosha : pure Bliss, made up of the Self in all of us. 

Anandamaya means composed of ananda, or bliss. It is known also as the causal body. In deep sleep, when the mind and senses cease functioning, it still stands between the finite world and the self. Anandamaya, or that which is composed of Supreme bliss, is regarded as the innermost of all, a reflection of the Atman which is bliss absolute in all of us. So when we say happiness is within us, it is perfectly true!