Five layered existence of human being (KNOW YOUR DEATH -9)

“Pancha Kosha Viveka"

It is very important to answer the question “Who am I?’ (को हम?).

The answer to this question decides the level of self-realization. The human efforts then take the shape leading to the formation of the karma-chakra. The destiny at the departing moment in life has bearing to this level of realization. This concept is illustrated with “Pancha Kosha Viveka”.

Let us understand the concept of “Pancha Kosha Viveka”

Pancha Kosha Viveka (पंच कोष विवेक)

In India there is vast literature where human being is described in great detail in different religions of Indian origin and for the present situation the most suitable model of human being can be taken from “Taittiriya upnishad” under the title “Pancha Kosha Viveka” or “five layered existence of human being”. According to this model; human beings are not just body-mind but a complex of five layers which can be explained rationally.

Physical body or Annamaya kosha

It is made up of matter or food and it needs air, water and food for maintenance of body. But any type or amount of just food cannot make a dead body alive and body alone (without life energy) is useless.

Life-energy body or Pranamaya kosha-

As heart start beating body becomes use full. Heart is the seat of life energy or Prana. A person is considered alive till its heart is beating. But even body with beating heart is of no value if person remains still and such person is considered in coma and a comatose forever is as use full as dead person.

Mental body or Manomaya kosha –

A comatose (affected with coma) becomes useful as it start responding to the surroundings.    A person responds only when he has desire. Mind or Mana is the seat of desire and desires stimulate a person to act. Strong desire stimulate strongly. But if a normal person suddenly starts abusing and beating and killing people without reason and could not be controlled by any measure can such person be considered normal and can such person be kept free in society? Therefore a person with uncontrolled desire is harmful for the society therefore useless for the society.

Wisdom body or Vijnanamaya kosha –

A person with the power to think and decide what is right and what is wrong is considered a normal person. A person with high level of reasoning power is considered a wise person and a person with the highest level of reasoning power is considered the wisest and most useful for the society.

But what is the use of wisdom or the power to discriminate? Ultimately we discriminate everything on the basis of happiness.

The bliss body or Anandamaya kosha –

Desire of Ananda or happiness is the cause of everything in the world. Our soul which is the basis of our being is in search of the highest level of happiness. It keeps on indulging here, there and everywhere for happiness.

Happiness is the center of all the human activity. One can reach to ideal, logical, satisfying and absolute answer only by keeping happiness at the top.  

Einstein’s field theory considers the universe is united through field energy. As part of universe, a human mind has also to transcend the awareness beyond self and expand it to the beings in all the universe. This could be considered as the highest stage of the evolution of mind. The concept of human happiness should not restrict to self but should expand to the whole humanity.

Here (at the stage of awareness of the Ananandmaya kosha), human being unifies with the universal energy. That is considered as the state of highest happiness. Since at this stage there is nothing further to achieve, the state of desire-less-ness is achieved. Due to such a state of mind at the departing moment of life, there is no possibility of the re-birth.

Vijay R. Joshi.