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==The Three Bodies==

==The Three Bodies==

The Pancha koshas are instrumental in designating what are called the Shariras, which have distinct roles in this grand system of Sristi. They are

Sharira in Indian philosophy is not limited to the external visible gross physical form. The Pancha koshas, described in Taittriya Upanishad, are said to be instrumental in designating what are called the three Shariras, which have distinct roles in this grand system of Sristi. They are

#स्थूलशरीरम् ॥ sthūla-śarīra (gross body)

#स्थूलशरीरम् ॥ sthūla-śarīra (gross body)

#सूक्ष्मशरीरम् ॥ sūkṣma-śarīra (subtle body)

#सूक्ष्मशरीरम् ॥ sūkṣma-śarīra (subtle body)

#कारणशरीरम् ॥ kārana śarīra (causal body)

#कारणशरीरम् ॥ kārana śarīra (causal body)

===स्थूलशरीरम् ॥ Sthula Sarira - Gross body===

===स्थूलशरीरम् ॥ Sthula Sarira - Gross body===

[[File:5. Repurposed(Cycle of Birth and Death).png|thumb|Shadbhava vikaras]]

[[File:5. Repurposed(Cycle of Birth and Death).png|thumb|Shadbhava vikaras]]

Tattvabodha defines <blockquote>स्थूलशरीरं किम् ? पञ्चीकृतपञ्चमहाभूतैः कृतं सत्कर्मजन्यं सुखदुःखादिभोगायतनं शरीरम् अस्ति जायते वर्धते विपरिणमते अपक्षीयते विनश्यतीति षड्विकारवदेतत्स्थूलशरीरम् ।

Tattvabodha defines <blockquote>स्थूलशरीरं किम् ? पञ्चीकृतपञ्चमहाभूतैः कृतं सत्कर्मजन्यं सुखदुःखादिभोगायतनं शरीरम् अस्ति जायते वर्धते विपरिणमते अपक्षीयते विनश्यतीति षड्विकारवदेतत्स्थूलशरीरम् ।

sthūlaśarīraṃ kim ? pañcīkṛtapañcamahābhūtaiḥ kṛtaṃ satkarmajanyaṃ sukhaduḥkhādibhogāyatanaṃ śarīram asti jāyate vardhate vipariṇamate apakṣīyate vinaśyatīti ṣaḍvikāravadetatsthūlaśarīram. </blockquote>Meaning: What is the Gross Body? That which is made up of the five great elements that has undergone the process of panchikarana (divisions of five), born as a result of the good actions of the past, the counter of experiences like joy, sorrow etc., and subject to the six modifications namely, to potentially exist, to be born, to grow, to mature, to decay and to die is the gross body.<ref>[https://shlokam.org/texts/tattvabodha-verses/ Sharira Traya] from Tattvabodha</ref>

sthūlaśarīraṃ kim ? pañcīkṛtapañcamahābhūtaiḥ kṛtaṃ satkarmajanyaṃ sukhaduḥkhādibhogāyatanaṃ śarīram asti jāyate vardhate vipariṇamate apakṣīyate vinaśyatīti ṣaḍvikāravadetatsthūlaśarīram. </blockquote>Meaning: What is the Gross Body? That which is made up of the five great elements that has undergone the process of panchikarana (divisions of five), born as a result of the good actions of the past, the counter of experiences like joy, sorrow etc., and subject to the six modifications namely, to potentially exist, to be born, to grow, to mature, to decay and to die is the gross body.<ref>[https://shlokam.org/texts/tattvabodha-verses/ Sharira Traya] from Tattvabodha</ref>

Sthula sarira or the gross body is the material physical mortal body that eats, breathes and moves (acts). It is composed of<ref name=":0">Vedanta Lecture IIT Bombay</ref> Panch Mahabhutas: Prithvi (पृथ्वी, Earth), Apas/Varuna/Jal (जल, Water), Agni(अग्नि, Fire), Vayu (वायु, Air), Aakash(आकाश, Ether) and includes the gross Indriyas (eyes, ears, nose, skin, and tongue).

Sthula sarira or the gross body is the material physical mortal body that eats, breathes and moves (acts). It is composed of<ref name=":0">Vedanta Lecture IIT Bombay</ref> Panch Mahabhutas: Prithvi (पृथ्वी, Earth), Apas/Varuna/Jal (जल, Water), Agni(अग्नि, Fire), Vayu (वायु, Air), Aakash(आकाश, Ether) and includes the gross Indriyas (eyes, ears, nose, skin, and tongue).

The ''Sthula sarira''’s main features are Bhoga (being the actual experiencing agent), ''Sambhava'' (birth), ''Jara'' (old age or ageing) and ''Maranam'' (death), and is mostly in the Jagrat and Svapna (Waking and Sleeping States) states of consciousness. The ''Sthula sarira'' is Anatman, or not the Atman.

 

The ''Sthula sarira''’s main features are Bhoga (being the actual experiencing agent), ''Sambhava'' (birth), ''Jara'' (old age or ageing) and ''Maranam'' (death), and is mostly in the Jagrat and Svapna (Waking and Sleeping States) states of consciousness.  

The outermost layer of the [[Panchakosha (पञ्चकोशाः)|Panchakoshas]], called the annamaya kosha, is the sheath of material existence. It is the primitive identification with Ahamkara (ego) encapsulated in the physical body (sthūla-śarīra, the gross body). Food aids in the formation of the five gross sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin) and organs of action (speech, hands, feet, genitals, and evacuation)<ref name=":12">Chinmayananda, S. (2010b). Self unfoldment. Mumbai: Central Chinmaya Mission Trust.</ref>.

The outermost layer of the [[Panchakosha (पञ्चकोशाः)|Panchakoshas]], called the annamaya kosha, is the sheath of material existence. It is the primitive identification with Ahamkara (ego) encapsulated in the physical body (sthūla-śarīra, the gross body). Food aids in the formation of the five gross sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin) and organs of action (speech, hands, feet, genitals, and evacuation)<ref name=":12">Chinmayananda, S. (2010b). Self unfoldment. Mumbai: Central Chinmaya Mission Trust.</ref>.

# [[Manas (मनः)|Manas]] loosely translated as mind.

# [[Manas (मनः)|Manas]] loosely translated as mind.

# [[Buddhi (बुद्धिः)|Buddhi]], the Intellect, discriminating wisdom

# [[Buddhi (बुद्धिः)|Buddhi]], the Intellect, discriminating wisdom

Prana (Vital air) refers to the activities that support the body and take place as a result of the air that we take in for physiological functions that result from the food sheath (but do not require direct interaction with the world).<ref name=":2">Chinmayananda, S. (2011). Kindle life: The joy of living. Mumbai, IN: Central Chinmaya Mission Trust.</ref> Mental refers to the mind, which regulates the vital air sheath, such as the connection between breath and emotions<ref>Dhiman, S. (2010). Who am I: Self knowledge according to advaita vedanta. Interbeing, Spring, 17–28.</ref>. The intellectual sheath refers to the mind and the intellect. The intellect discerns and makes decisions and the mind communicates these decisions within the body<ref name=":12" />. The three layers together constitute what is called the “subtle body” (sūkṣma-śarīra), and they are the sheath of vitality (prāṇamayakośa), the sheath of emotions (''manomayakośa''), and the sheath of ratiocination (''vijñānamayakośa''). The sheath of vitality roughly corresponds to the subjective vitality<ref name=":06">Pandey, A., & Navare, A. V. (2018). Paths of Yoga: Perspective for Workplace Spirituality. In ''The Palgrave Handbook of Workplace Spirituality and Fulfilment''. Palgrave Macmillan Cham.</ref>.

Prana (Vital air) refers to the activities that support the body and take place as a result of the air that we take in for physiological functions that result from the food sheath (but do not require direct interaction with the world).<ref name=":2">Chinmayananda, S. (2011). Kindle life: The joy of living. Mumbai, IN: Central Chinmaya Mission Trust.</ref> Mental refers to the mind, which regulates the vital air sheath, such as the connection between breath and emotions<ref>Dhiman, S. (2010). Who am I: Self knowledge according to advaita vedanta. Interbeing, Spring, 17–28.</ref>. The intellectual sheath refers to the mind and the intellect. The intellect discerns and makes decisions and the mind communicates these decisions within the body<ref name=":12" />. The three layers together constitute what is called the “subtle body” (sūkṣma-śarīra), and they are the sheath of vitality (prāṇamayakośa), the sheath of emotions (''manomayakośa''), and the sheath of ratiocination (''vijñānamayakośa''). The sheath of vitality roughly corresponds to the subjective vitality<ref name=":06">Pandey, A., & Navare, A. V. (2018). Paths of Yoga: Perspective for Workplace Spirituality. In ''The Palgrave Handbook of Workplace Spirituality and Fulfilment''. Palgrave Macmillan Cham.</ref>. Taittriya Upanishad describes the mechanism of sense of identification of self with the two bodies.

 

 

The self or the "I” is different from the intellect (buddhi) and the mind (manas). If it is identified with any of them, it is a case of superimposition (adhyasa) due to ignorance. On account of the erroneous identification with buddhi, the self looks upon itself as a knower, engages in the acts of cognition, considers itself as the agent and the enjoyer of the fruits of actions. In the same way, its identification with manas makes it think that it performs the various mental operations such as Upasana. So the Self must be differentiated from the vijnanamaya-kosha and the manomaya-kosha.

===कारणशरीरम् ॥ Karana Sharira - Causal body===

===कारणशरीरम् ॥ Karana Sharira - Causal body===

Tattvabodha refers to the karana sharira thus,<blockquote>कारणशरीरं किम् ? अनिर्वाच्यानाद्यविद्यारूपं शरीरद्वयस्य कारणमात्रं सत्स्वरूपाऽज्ञानं निर्विकल्पकरूपं यदस्ति तत्कारणशरीरम् । kāraṇaśarīraṃ kim ? anirvācyānādyavidyārūpaṃ śarīradvayasya kāraṇamātraṃ satsvarūpā’jñānaṃ nirvikalpakarūpaṃ yadasti tatkāraṇaśarīram</blockquote>Meaning: That which is inexplicable (अनिर्वाच्य), beginning-less (अनाद्य), in the form of ignorance (अविद्यारूपं), the sole cause of the two bodies (gross and subtle), ignorant of one’s own true nature (सत्स्वरूपाऽज्ञानं), free from duality (निर्विकल्पकरूपं)-is the causal body.

Tattvabodha refers to the karana sharira thus,<blockquote>कारणशरीरं किम् ? अनिर्वाच्यानाद्यविद्यारूपं शरीरद्वयस्य कारणमात्रं सत्स्वरूपाऽज्ञानं निर्विकल्पकरूपं यदस्ति तत्कारणशरीरम् । kāraṇaśarīraṃ kim ? anirvācyānādyavidyārūpaṃ śarīradvayasya kāraṇamātraṃ satsvarūpā’jñānaṃ nirvikalpakarūpaṃ yadasti tatkāraṇaśarīram</blockquote>Meaning: That which is inexplicable (अनिर्वाच्य), beginning-less (अनाद्य), in the form of ignorance (अविद्यारूपं), the sole cause of the two bodies (gross and subtle), ignorant of one’s own true nature (सत्स्वरूपाऽज्ञानं), free from duality (निर्विकल्पकरूपं)-is the causal body.

The innermost layer, the sheath of bliss (''ānandamayakośa''), comprises the “causal body” (''karana śarīra''), and it is experienced by everyone in the state of deep, dreamless sleep (''suṣuptī''), as well as during certain forms of meditation. Dualities and distinctions are not completely destroyed at this level, but they are harmonized so completely that this state is experienced as the one of profound relaxation and bliss (''[[Sukha and Ananda (सुखानन्दश्च)|Ananda]]''). The bliss sheath is considered to be blissful because it is free of the agitation of the other sheaths. It is experienced only in states of deep sleep and is composed of our innate tendencies before they become thoughts or actions<ref name=":12" /><ref name=":22">Chinmayananda, S. (2011). Kindle life: The joy of living. Mumbai, IN: Central Chinmaya Mission Trust.</ref>. It is also called “causal body” because it is the ground and cause of all the other sheaths. Finally, this also is peeled away, the pure reality of the center alone remains, absolute non-duality, ineffable, indescribable, Brahman-consciousness, underlying the five sheaths and the three bodies<ref name=":06" />. This is what Vedanta suggests as the highest spiritual goal of human life. Variety and distinctions in paths of yoga can be attributed to their emphasis on different ''Kośas'' of the self<ref name=":06" />.

The innermost layer, the sheath of bliss (''ānandamayakośa''), comprises the “causal body” (''karana śarīra''), and it is experienced by everyone in the state of deep, dreamless sleep (''suṣuptī''), as well as during certain forms of meditation. Dualities and distinctions are not completely destroyed at this level, but they are harmonized so completely that this state is experienced as the one of profound relaxation and bliss (''[[Sukha and Ananda (सुखानन्दश्च)|Ananda]]''). The bliss sheath is considered to be blissful because it is free of the agitation of the other sheaths. It is experienced only in states of deep sleep and is composed of our innate tendencies before they become thoughts or actions<ref name=":12" /><ref name=":2" />. It is also called “causal body” because it is the ground and cause of all the other sheaths. Finally, this also is peeled away, the pure reality of the center alone remains, absolute non-duality, ineffable, indescribable, Brahman-consciousness, underlying the five sheaths and the three bodies<ref name=":06" />. This is what Vedanta suggests as the highest spiritual goal of human life. Variety and distinctions in paths of yoga can be attributed to their emphasis on different ''Kośas'' of the self<ref name=":06" />.

''Karana sarira'' or the causal body is merely the cause or seed of the subtle body and the gross body. It has no other function than being the seed of the subtle and the gross body. It is ''nirvikalpa rupam'', "undifferentiated form". It originates with ''avidya'', "ignorance" or "nescience" of the real identity of the atman, instead giving birth to the notion of ''[[Jiva (जीवः)|jiva]]''. In [[Samkhya Darshana (साङ्ख्यदर्शनम्)|Samkhya]] philosophy, which does not acknowledge a causal body, it is also known as the ''linga-sarira''.  

''Karana sarira'' or the causal body is merely the cause or seed of the subtle body and the gross body. It has no other function than being the seed of the subtle and the gross body. It is ''nirvikalpa rupam'', "undifferentiated form". It originates with ''avidya'', "ignorance" or "nescience" of the real identity of the atman, instead giving birth to the notion of ''[[Jiva (जीवः)|jiva]]''. In [[Samkhya Darshana (साङ्ख्यदर्शनम्)|Samkhya]] philosophy, which does not acknowledge a causal body, it is also known as the ''linga-sarira''.  

In the search for the "I am", this is a state where there is nothing to hold on to anymore. Ramanujacharya concludes that it is at this stage that consummation of the Atman with the Paramatman is reached and the search for the highest [[Purusha (पुरुषः)|Purusa]], i.e., of Ishvara, ends. According to other philosophical schools, the causal body is not the ''atman'', because it also has a beginning and an end and is subject to modification.Shankaracharya, not seeking a personal god, goes beyond ''Anandamaya Kosha'' in search of the transcendent [[Brahman (ब्रह्मन्)|Brahman]].

In the search for the "I am", this is a state where there is nothing to hold on to anymore. Ramanujacharya concludes that it is at this stage that consummation of the Atman with the Paramatman is reached and the search for the highest [[Purusha (पुरुषः)|Purusa]], i.e., of Ishvara, ends. According to other philosophical schools, the causal body is not the ''atman'', because it also has a beginning and an end and is subject to modification. Shankaracharya, not seeking a personal god, goes beyond ''Anandamaya Kosha'' in search of the transcendent [[Brahman (ब्रह्मन्)|Brahman]].

The Indian tradition identifies it with the ''Anandamaya kosha'' and the deep sleep state, where ''buddhi'' becomes dormant and all concepts of time fail, although there are differences between these three descriptions.

The Indian tradition identifies it with the ''Anandamaya kosha'' and the deep sleep state, where ''buddhi'' becomes dormant and all concepts of time fail, although there are differences between these three descriptions.

The causal body is considered as the most complex of the three bodies. It contains the impressions of experience, which results from past experience.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Gregory P.|first1=Fields|title=Religious Therapeutics: Body and Health in Yoga, Āyurveda, and Tantra|date=2001|publisher=State University of New York Press|page=27|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rvQhuyGpB3wC&pg=PA27&dq=three+bodies+in+vedanta&hl=en&sa=X&ei=mY-OU8vmBJOMuASVp4LICA&ved=0CFkQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=three%20bodies%20in%20vedanta&f=false|accessdate=4 June 2014}}</ref>

The causal body is considered as the most complex of the three bodies. It contains the impressions of experience, which results from past Karma.  

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===Three bodies and five sheaths===

===Sharira-traya and Panchakoshas===

The Taittiriya Upanishad describes five [[Pancha Koshas (पञ्चकोशाः)|koshas]], which are also often equated with the three bodies. The three bodies are often equated with the five koshas (sheaths), which cover the [[Atman (आत्मन्)|atman]]:

The Taittiriya Upanishad describes the five [[Pancha Koshas (पञ्चकोशाः)|koshas]], which are also often equated with the three bodies. The three bodies are often equated with the five koshas (sheaths), which cover the [[Atman (आत्मन्)|atman]].

# ''Sthula sarira'', the Gross body, also called the ''Annamaya Kosha''

# ''Suksma sarir''', the Subtle body, composed of:

##''Pranamaya Kosha'' (Vital breath or Energy),

## ''Manomaya Kosha'' (Mind),

# ''Karana sarira'', the Causal body, the ''Anandamaya Kosha'' (Bliss)

|Sthula Sharira

|It is seen by the physical eyes, composed of flesh, bones, fat, skin, nerves, hair, blood, etc., and is called the physical body. It has six changes: birth, existence, growth, modification, decay, and death.

|Annamaya kosha

|The subtle body develops through intense Abhimana or egoism and strong Raga-Dvesha, and decays when egoism and Raga-Dvesha are destroyed, or decreased. The subtle body is burnt by the three kinds of Tapas, viz., Adhyatmic, Adhibhautic and Adhidaivic.

|Pranamaya, Manomaya and Vijnanamaya Koshas

|Karana Sharira

|Ajnana or Avidya alone constitutes the Karana Sarira. The causal body develops through the idea, I am Jiva, and decays when this idea is annihilated or decreased, when 'I' is identified with Brahman/ Paramatman

|Anandamaya kosha

===Four states of consciousness and turiya===

===Three states of consciousness and Turiya===

The [[Mandukya Upanishad]] describes four states of consciousness, namely waking consciousness, dream, and deep sleep, and [[turiya]], the base-consciousness. Waking consciousness, dream, and deep sleep are equated with the three bodies, while turiya is a fourth state, which is equated with atman and purusha.

The [[Mandukya Upanishad]] describes four states of consciousness, namely waking consciousness, dream, and deep sleep, and [[turiya]], the base-consciousness. Waking consciousness, dream, and deep sleep are equated with the three bodies, while turiya is a fourth state, which is equated with atman and purusha.

==References==

==References==

<references />

<references />

[[Category:Vedanta]]

[[Category:Vedanta]]