Sixth Sense

Organs of perception and organs of action are constantly looking to derive pleasure from this world. In the human hierarchy, the divine consciousness should be the Chief Executive Officer and the Buddhi (“Intellect”) should be the Chief Operating Officer. The Manas (“Mind”) that handles emotions should be the Controller and the five senses should be the workers taking orders and instructions from all of the above. But in real life, the sensing of pleasure happens at the point of contact i.e. organs of perception and organs of action. The life’s purpose being pursuit of happiness, the mind begins to listen to the organs of perception and organs of action forgetting its function as a controller. The Intellect should use its discretion to stop mind from listening to the organs of perception and organs of action. However, the mind ends up overruling the intellect and listen to the organs. The intellect being the closest to the divine consciousness becomes dormant. The divine consciousness that resides in each one of us also known as Anandamaya Kosha (“Bliss Sheath”), true to its name, is always full of knowledge and blissful. But this divine consciousness remains an observer leaving the organs of perception, organs of action, mind and intellect to take actions to either pursue the passions or reduce the desires and depending on such actions accumulate good or bad karma.

If Macrocosm (“Whole”) and Microcosm (“Part of the whole”) are exactly similar, what is there for us to go and pursue outside of us? If we have the power that is capable of guiding us to salvation, what is preventing us from taping the resource that could make us permanently blissful? Our mind recognizes only things that could be pursued by our five senses and unfortunately our mind could not believe that there could be an object that can’t be perceived by our five senses. The mind reminds subservient to the five senses. If we need to pursue the divine consciousness that resides in us, we need the sixth sense. What is that sixth sense?

The five senses that extend their arms to reach out to the world to draw pleasure should be controlled by the mind and told not to look for pleasure and only look after preservation of the body, mind and intellect and growth and general welfare of the human beings. The mind should be trained to consult intellect in decision making and every time when mind react with excessive emotions, it should be disciplined by intellect. The release of emotions should be only to the extent it benefits body, mind and intellect. The intellect should make most decisions in life allowing us to build discipline and character. Control of senses and breathing make our body and mind healthy. By doing those two actions, we are able to penetrate Annamaya Kosha (“Food Sheath”) and Pranamaya Kosha (“Vital Air Sheath”).

The next two levels are Manomaya Kosha (“Mental Sheath”) and Vignanamaya Kosha (“Intellectual Sheath”). The mental sheath can be penetrated by using our discriminatory faculty consistently. When we get to the intellectual sheath, we are consistently closer to bliss sheath. That is when we need an understanding that we need sixth sense to experience bliss. Our intellectual faculty needs to realize that the divine consciousness is Ekam (“One”), Advayam (“Non-dual”), Nirakara (“Formless”), Sarvagatam (“All-pervading”), Nirguna (“Attributeless”), Aksharam (“Imperishable”), Aja (“Unborn”), Nitya (“Eternal”), Nirvikara (“Changeless”), Nirmala (“Stainless”), Anantam (“Infinite”), Gnanam (“Knowledge”), Anandam (“Bliss”), Turiyam (“Fourth”) and Achintyam (“Inconceivable”). We have to transcend three gunas known as Satwa, Rajasic and Tamosic to reach Turyam. The Agama (“Traditional”), Upamana (“Comparison”) and Anumana (“Inference”) will not work and the only thing that becomes possible at that stage is Pratyaksha (“Direct Perception”). We can only experience divine consciousness as it is inconceivable. All paths such as Karma, Gnana and Bhakthi always go to the same stage of Samadhi (“Self-realization”) after passing through the processes known as Uparati (“Withdrawal”), Dharana (“Concentration”), Dhyana (“Meditation”). Our will power to get to the Bliss Sheath is our sixth sense or the ticket to Self-realization.

 

Dear Manju,

It is always a pleasure receiving a response from you. I am doubly happy because yours happens to be the first when I was nervous whether I would receive any response at all for this post. You are absolutely right about great minds who have assimilated and provided great insight into Koshas to make mortals like me to read them whether I understand or not.

"Janthunam narajanmam dhurlabam" says scriptures with an intent to let humans know that they should make best use of that life to learn as much as possible. As you rightly pointed out we need to be in perennial learning mode not in one life, but many lives, to walk towards our salvation. Our birth is given to learn not to be born again as birth is the cause of death. In order to become immortal, we need to prepare ourselves to be worthy of becoming an immortal.

Even though scriptures explain that what we learn remain with us for many lives, isn't it an irony that we don't feel the continuity? When Vashist learned something in prior life when he was delving in Annamaya Kosha, he shrugged his frame to become Viswa and continue to learn without knowing that he was Vashist before. We all keep moving from one forgetfulness to another until we complete the education to achieve awareness.

My boat in the ocean of Samsara will sink sometime or the other and that is why I keep writing all this so that someone like Manju will throw something at me that would help me cross the ocean forever.

Viswa

 

Dear Sabitha,

I am not an expert to give explanation about Koshas. Like you, I also keep looking for knowledge through various sources. If you are confused by my writing, it is not your lack of understanding. It is due to lack of clarity and understanding on my part. I will present whatever little I know based on my understanding of the teachings of my Guru and if you learn more from other sources, please do share it with me so that I can gain more knowledge.

We can classify our body into four groups namely Sthula Deha (Gross Body), Shukshma Deha (Subtle Body), Kaarana Deha (The Causal Body) and Mahakarana Deha (The Super Causal Body). Sthula Deha has 25 constituents namely 5 organs of actions (Karmendryas), 5 sense organs (Jnanedriyas, 5 life breaths (pancha pranas), 5 sensory faculties (pancha Tanmatras, 4 inner instruments known as mind, will, ego, Antahkarana and Life force. Sookshma Deha consist of 17 constituents namely 5 sensory faculties, 5 senses, 5 vital airs, mind and intellect. Kaarana Deha has 2 constituents known as Chitha (Consciousness) and Prajna (Constant Integrated Awareness). Mahakaarana Deha is self-luminous and effulgent in its original form. This is called Uniki, that is, a Being that is self-knowing. Because of its capacity for self-knowledge, it is also called Eruka (Awareness). While the physical, subtle and causal bodies are in forgetfulness, the Super Causal Body is always in awareness.

The 5 Koshas are spread across the 4 bodies. Annamaya Kosha has 3 qualities known as hunger, thirst and sleep. The Pranamaya Kosha has 3 qualities known as inhaling, exhaling and motion. The Manamaya Kosha has 3 qualities known as Sankalpa (Thought), Vikalpa (Absence of thought) and Manana (Introspection). Vijnaanamaya Kosha has 3 qualities known as Medhaasakthi (Intelligence), Viveka Sakthi (Power of discrimination) and Vijnaanasakthi (Wisdom). Anandamaya Kosha has 3 qualities known as Priyam (Fondness), Modam (Delight) and Pramodam (Supreme delight and ecstasy).

We are all aspiring to get to the Anandamaya Kosha which is self-knowing, full of love and blissful.

Viswa

 

Dear Sabitha,

 

Dear Bhargavi,

Thank you for visiting this post and sharing your views. You are such a noble person and I am sure you will always have divine grace to do whatever your mind is focused on. Like I said in my response to Manju, we are all sailing in the world of Samsara seeking help to cross that ocean of Samsara. Our objective is to cross that ocean and reach the blissful shore. We can help each other to navigate.

Viswa