The Fivefold Manifestation of the Soul
Jelutong Wood, Gold, Garnet, Egg Tempera with Natural Pigments.
2013
This panel is related to the Human Being and its formation: The Five Tanmatras, or
Subtle Elements: Sound - Touch - Sight - Taste - Smell / The Five Sense Organs:
Ear - Skin - Eye - Tongue - Nose / The Five Motor Organs: Mouth - Hand - Feet -
Urinogenital - Anus / The Five Sheaths of Existence: pranamaya kosha (sheath of
prana or life), manomaya kosha (mind sheath), vijnanamaya kosha (knowledge or
wisdom sheath) and anandamaya kosha (bliss sheath).
FIVE KOSHAS (SHEATHS)
The koshas are described as five layers encasing the Pure Consciousness (Purusha) or Self (atman). In Sanskrit, they are called annamaya kosha (food sheath), pranamaya kosha (sheath of prana or life), manomaya kosha (mind sheath), vijnanamaya kosha (knowledge or wisdom sheath) and anandamaya kosha (bliss sheath).
Annamaya Kosha (Food sheath)
Annamaya kosha literally means food sheath. It is the physical body made of matter. It is what one can see, hear, smell and touch of another person. This kosha is dependent on the following sheath of life force and will disintegrate as soon as life or prana has left the body. It is related to the mineral stage of evolution.
Pranamaya Kosha (Vital sheath)
This is the layer of prana (life force, energy) that makes the otherwise dead body alive. It is intimately connected with the breath, but also with the processes of digestion and growth and is related to the plant stage of evolution.
Manomaya Kosha (Mental sheath)
Manas is a Sanskrit word for mind. This kosha is made up of feelings, thoughts and emotions as well as memory and imagination, comprising both faculties of manas (mind) and chitta (subconscious mind and memory). The manomaya kosha is related to the animal stage of evolution.
Vijnanamaya Kosha (Intellectual sheath)
Vijnana means knowledge or wisdom. This sheath is what sets human beings apart from animals which may have feelings, emotions and even thoughts and memory just like us. But only human beings have the faculty of discernment between right and wrong, eternal and illusory. It is transpersonal and transcends mere rational thinking. This kosha also includes having an ego, a sense of identity or I-Amness" (ahamkara).
Anandamaya Kosha (Blissful sheath)
This is the bliss-filled sheath (ananda = bliss, maya = filled with). This kosha is the finest, thinnest veil covering the Self (atman) and could also be called the level of the soul. On this level, there is a strong awareness about the oneness of the individual and the Absolute. However, there is still some separation and unless this sheath is transcended, individual existence and therefore rebirth, will continue. This kosha is also called the causal body and is said to contain the essence of an individual soul’s experiences of countless lifetimes and stages of spiritual growth.
THE FIVE TANMATRAS
Root Energies of Sound (Ether) Touch (Air) Sight (Fire) Taste (Water) Smell (Earth)
THE FIVE SENSE ORGANS Ear, Skin , Eye, Tongue, Nose
THE FIVE MOTOR ORGANS Mouth, Hand, Feet, Urinogenital, Anus
This panel is part of the Healing Images series. You can see the other panels linked bellow:
The Three Doshas,
The Four Subject Aspects of Creation,
The Unfolding of Creation,
The Seven Chakras
FIVE KOSHAS (SHEATHS)
The koshas are described as five layers encasing the Pure Consciousness (Purusha) or Self (atman). In Sanskrit, they are called annamaya kosha (food sheath), pranamaya kosha (sheath of prana or life), manomaya kosha (mind sheath), vijnanamaya kosha (knowledge or wisdom sheath) and anandamaya kosha (bliss sheath).
Annamaya Kosha (Food sheath)
Annamaya kosha literally means food sheath. It is the physical body made of matter. It is what one can see, hear, smell and touch of another person. This kosha is dependent on the following sheath of life force and will disintegrate as soon as life or prana has left the body. It is related to the mineral stage of evolution.
Pranamaya Kosha (Vital sheath)
This is the layer of prana (life force, energy) that makes the otherwise dead body alive. It is intimately connected with the breath, but also with the processes of digestion and growth and is related to the plant stage of evolution.
Manomaya Kosha (Mental sheath)
Manas is a Sanskrit word for mind. This kosha is made up of feelings, thoughts and emotions as well as memory and imagination, comprising both faculties of manas (mind) and chitta (subconscious mind and memory). The manomaya kosha is related to the animal stage of evolution.
Vijnanamaya Kosha (Intellectual sheath)
Vijnana means knowledge or wisdom. This sheath is what sets human beings apart from animals which may have feelings, emotions and even thoughts and memory just like us. But only human beings have the faculty of discernment between right and wrong, eternal and illusory. It is transpersonal and transcends mere rational thinking. This kosha also includes having an ego, a sense of identity or I-Amness" (ahamkara).
Anandamaya Kosha (Blissful sheath)
This is the bliss-filled sheath (ananda = bliss, maya = filled with). This kosha is the finest, thinnest veil covering the Self (atman) and could also be called the level of the soul. On this level, there is a strong awareness about the oneness of the individual and the Absolute. However, there is still some separation and unless this sheath is transcended, individual existence and therefore rebirth, will continue. This kosha is also called the causal body and is said to contain the essence of an individual soul’s experiences of countless lifetimes and stages of spiritual growth.
THE FIVE TANMATRAS
Root Energies of Sound (Ether) Touch (Air) Sight (Fire) Taste (Water) Smell (Earth)
THE FIVE SENSE ORGANS Ear, Skin , Eye, Tongue, Nose
THE FIVE MOTOR ORGANS Mouth, Hand, Feet, Urinogenital, Anus
This panel is part of the Healing Images series. You can see the other panels linked bellow:
The Three Doshas,
The Four Subject Aspects of Creation,
The Unfolding of Creation,
The Seven Chakras
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