Pancha Kosha
Submitted by divine_sysop on June 4, 2009 - 02:03
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Pancha means five and kosha means sheath or shell.
The pancha kosha theory provides an overall outlook of the holistic view.
According to this theory, the body is an extension of the mind, and the mind is made of pure bliss.
Yato va imani bhutani jayante yena jatani Jivanti yatprayantyabhisamvisanti |
Meaning: Brahman is the one from which creatures are born, through which they live, and into which they return and merge.
Although the body and external universe are looked upon as independent and separate, there is a connection between the body and the universe. This is explained in the pancha kosha theory. This theory also forms the basis of the tridosha theory.
The Taittiriya Upanishad explains that Brahman is associated with bliss, buddhi (discriminative faculty), manas (mind), prana (vital force), and the anna (physical body), respectively called anandamaya, vigyanmaya, manomaya, pranamaya and annamaya. These are called sheaths, because they cover the Self (Brahman) like a shell.
