Oh Infinite Source of Infinite Light and Bliss vast than vast having no measure, formless and eternal we bow to you over and over and over again!
Beginningless Beginning Unborn One without a second -- fatherless son -- Oh Holy One!
Imperishable, formless, timeless and complete. Know Eternally as Reality
Known Here as the Great Integrity
We bow to you, over and over and over again.
This short discussion of the Divine Body of God will of course fall short in many ways, but it is the author's wish that it will help point the way for fellow travelers.
We will start off then from normal dualistic perspectives where there appears to be an object, a separate observer, and a process of observing. Later we will see that this apparent physical reality or world of form is based on an error of seeing.; i.e., it doesn't exists as such.
Here we disclose the inter-relationships between the
1) The manifestation body, the gross body, sthula sharira, annamaya kosha, and nirmana kaya vehicle of the Buddhas)
2) The energy body, the subtle body, the light body of form, sukshma sharira, the pranamaya kosha, manomaya kosha, vijnanamaya kosha, vajra body, rainbow light body, and the sambhogakaya vehicle of the Buddhas.
3) The Universal Soul Body, Divine Body, God's Body, the anandamaya kosha, the causal body (karana sharira) , the seed body, the Dharmakaya vehicle of the Buddhas
4) The Divine Body, the Hiranyagarbha kosha, the Golden seed body, the tathagatagarbha the womb of all Buddha.
First there will be a discussion of the five chief koshas (sheaths). Classically they are the
1) Annamaya kosha which is translated as food sheath and corresponds roughly to the physical body. It has the most dense and slow vibrational frequency. It is associated with the sthula sharira (coarse body).
2) The second sheath is composed of the pranamaya kosha or energy sheath. It interconnects the annamaya kosha (physical body) with the manomaya, vijnanamaya, and anandamaya koshas. It is associated with the suksmah sharira (subtle body).
3) Next there is manomaya kosha or mental and emotional sheath which also is included in the sukshma sharira (subtle body),
4) Next the vijnanamaya kosha or the prajna wisdom sheath of Gnosis (transconceptional knowledge) which also is included in the sukshma sharira (subtle body),
5) The anandamaya kosha (literally the bliss sheath) which is associated with the karana sharira or causal body.
In some systems there is a sixth sheath, the Hiranyagarbha kosha.
The purpose of these systems is to consciously map out the causal interactions that occur between the mind, emotions, physical body, health, the breath, energy fields, nature, and Source so that healing spiritually, emotionally, and physically can be expedited.
A simple example follows. Our thoughts are transmitted to the body through the nero-endocrine system. Scientists have found that these mental processes such as thoughts and emotions can not be separated from bodily mechanisms and function as all thought and emotions are involved in biochemical and neurological activities.
Here adhis (mental/emotional disturbances in the manomaya kosha or astral sheath) cause corresponding disturbances at the physical level (annamaya kosha). These disturbances are called vyadhi. This is transmitted through the intermediary of the pranamaya kosha (or energy body) causing disturbances in the prana. The good news is that we can consciously work with the body and/or pranamaya kosha to effect healing in the manomaya kosha and vice versa, we can consciously work in the manomaya kosha to effect positive healing changes in the pranamaya and annamaya koshas. It is believed that a lasting cure is only possible when the causal disturbance is completely remedied; i.e., the previously unhealthy tensions and conflicts between the bodies or sheaths have been harmonized and resolved.
Here the adhis which originate in the manomaya kosha are considered causal and primary which in turn cause physical ailments (vyadhi). These adhis can also occur in the vijnanamaya kosha and/or karmic sheath when our belief systems are out of synch with the inner wisdom karmic body and/or strong unresolved karmic forces are at play. Thus when the adhis are destroyed in the subtle or causal bodies, then the vyadhis are no longer generated or manifest. In addition there exist two kinds of adhis. One is ordinary or samaya (caused by the mind or emotions) and the other one is called, sara, which is intrinsic to a more causal spiritual malaise that can be successfully treated only through processes that affect the life style, belief system, self identification process, karma, or in general our energetic relationship that we cling to as "s(S)elf" in relationship to "Reality" i.e., through modalities which reach into the vijnanamaya and anandamaya koshas. In either case, physical disease is caused by disturbances/corruption and/or obstruction of the nadis (psychic nerves) and energy patterns which have become disrupted, distorted, and patterned into corruptive patterns causing degeneration, dissipation, dis-ease, pain, suffering, stasis, and death. Thus effective therapy is aimed at removing the source of the disturbances, opening up these blocked pathways, and rechanneling and repatterning the energy flow.
For the physical body all five sheaths intertwine or are present simultaneously in space. But to explain some more common interactions utilizing these maps we will draw a diagram of circles within circles ending at the inner most center which is the primal seed (bindu).
The outer most circle can be represented by the annamaya koshas. It's vibrations is most gross and slow. The space between the next inner circle and the annamaya koshas is the breath. The next layer in, is the subtle body (sukshma sharira) or energy body which is comprised of the pranamaya, manomaya, and vijnanamaya koshas. Next is the causal body (karana sharira) in the center of the circles, which is normally obfuscated by karma which in turn imprisons the organism to duality and suffering. When the karma is dispelled and loosened, then this center represents unconditional reality -- the natural unconditioned primal unspoiled pure citta or Siva consciousness.
So according to this map, it is the breath that intermediates between the physical body and the pranamaya kosha and in turn between the prana of the pranamaya kosha and the emotions/thoughts that reside within the territory of the manomaya kosha. In turn the mental and emotional sheaths transmit energy to the physical body via the pranamaya kosha which in turn alters the breath. So here we have identified the breath as a causal agent in effecting and monitoring both the physical and the mental/emotional processes. As such this observation allows the yogi to alter such activities for health and function.
As the breath and prana affects the mind and emotions, it also affects our beliefs and karma, just as our judgments, beliefs, and karma effect the mind, emotions, prana, breath, and physical body. So as a spiritual practice, wise yogis use these interactions to destroy karma and thus gain liberation. The above is a short outline of these processes. What we will describe further is the process of refining the breath and prana, activating the subtle and causal bodies, and operating consciously from there with full awareness, thus ridding ourselves from dualistic illusion.
Although we all started with beginningless Source, we will start our brief discussion here with the gross or coarse body called the sthula sharira. This corresponds to the annamaya kosha.
(UNDER CONSTRUCTION)
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