"Three-body and Five Sheaths" is a very important concept in yoga philosophy, which is mentioned in Yoga Sutra. The true self is not the flesh, but the package of the soul (atman). * * * has five layers, called five sheaths. Before learning the five sheaths, we should also understand the "three-body".
Three bodies:
1, rough body
It contains five elements: earth, water, fire, air and ether. It is similar or corresponding to the traditional wood fire, water and soil in China. Among them, soil contains gold, fire contains wood, and soil, water, fire and soil contain the five elements of Jin Mu. The Yoga Sutra also mentions two subtle elements, Qi and Ether. Qi is air, and Ether represents sound and space.
The human body has three constitutions: wind, fire and water. The soil is in the bones and muscles, and the fire is in the stomach (wood also hides fire).
Most people practice yoga at this level, including asana and breathing.
2. subtle bodies
The subtle body contains mind, wisdom and false self.
The mind refers to people's emotions.
Intelligence is similar to external phenomena such as knowledge, cognition, "right and wrong, right and wrong, good and bad", and it is also subjective, just like the mind. Encounter the same thing, some people are happy, and some people are not necessarily happy. Some people feel good about the same thing, while others don't
False self corresponds to true self (soul), for example, I am a student, I am a leader, I am … These are false self. Pretend that I have a wrong understanding of my true self. You say that you are a leader now, maybe not in two or three years. In front of some people, you are the leader, but in front of others, you are the subordinate. You are your mother, your mother's daughter. These identities are not real and eternal concepts, but temporary and easy to change, which is also a misunderstanding of oneself.
3. Causal body (karmic body)
Past life behavior-karma in this life (the soul is the true self)-afterlife consequences.
More refers to the karma hidden in our bodies, which is more difficult to see than subtle bodies. Sometimes we hear that someone can see other people's past lives and previous lives. This kind of person is not absent, but it is hard to meet, and 99% of people who encounter this statement are liars, because people who can really see the reason are rarely taken out, and what they say is often to make people believe that he has super powers.
In fact, we don't need to care too much about our past lives, just look at the "karma" in this life. The Bhagavad-gita says: There are several kinds of good results. For example, a person was born in a rich or morally knowledgeable family, handsome or beautiful, or well-educated, or well-behaved, which shows that he accumulated well in his last life.
When you say "my soul", you may actually mean your mind, intelligence or false self. Because in yoga, the soul is me, just like there is no such thing as "my self".
Three-body has a lot to do with our yoga practice. People often ask, "Can I practice yoga?" Because we may worry that our physical fitness is not enough, but whether we can practice yoga depends not only on our rough body, but also on our subtle body, whether we have ambition, wisdom, direction of hard work and whether we have enough faith and recognition for ourselves. In addition, it is also related to karma, that is to say, it depends on whether there is enough karma or spiritual nourishment in previous lives or previous lives to enter the world of yoga, which is commonly known as "whether it is predestined."
Five sheaths:
The scabbard is like a scabbard. It is not the sword itself, but a shell. Similarly, the five sheaths mentioned in the Yoga Sutra are not the soul itself, but the five-layer shell wrapped outside. Soul is defined as "pure consciousness" in Yoga Sutra.
1, Annamaya Kosha (getting energy from food)
Anna means food in Sanskrit, and Maya means illusion. Most people live on the level of food, which can be said to be more material enjoyment. Annamaya is not only food, but also all the body senses, eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body.
In other words, when we practice yoga, we are very concerned about whether we can show the beauty of our body, which also shows that the yoga we practice is physical, and we will be more concerned about whether our skin is better, whether our fat is less and whether our body is hotter after practicing yoga.
At the same time, it also means that when practicing yoga, a person draws more energy from food, such as what kind of diet he must have and how many calories he should control.
In fact, yoga is more about correcting people's dependence on false self and external food energy. The popular yoga fasting therapy also means this, but most people don't want to realize it, but want to detoxify. Fasting is not a person who transcends Anna Maya's level, but only appropriately reduces the obsession with food, so that people will not "have to eat more meals and live without meat." If it is excessive, it is also inappropriate.
This corresponds to the "norms and temperance" in the "Eight Branches of Yoga".
2, gas energy sheath Pranamaya Kosha (get energy by breathing and getting rid of food persistence)
Plana, breathing, qi energy. When a person gets rid of the clinging and attachment of the food sheath, he can get energy from air, sunlight and water, and then he can enter the gas energy sheath. Fasting can be used as a method to improve the energy sheath of qi.
The energy sheath of qi is a more subtle part of the huge body, including veins, chakras, various energy flows all over the body and so on. But it's still not me.
3. Spiritual sheath Manamaya Kosha (gaining strength from emotion or belief)
? Mana, heart. Have a firm belief in your heart and get energy from it. When some people have a firm belief or strong fighting spirit, they may have no food or strength, but they can do things that are usually difficult to do. A child went out with his sick parents when there was a fire, only to find that he had no strength afterwards. This is the power of faith. The mood is the same.
Faith and emotion are both a kind of strength and a kind of bondage. Ordinary people are bound by food and cling to that floor. A correct yogi can draw the energy of Qi, but he may also be bound by this energy. If he keeps practicing, he may realize that food, body and even energy are not so important, and he will begin to cultivate his mind.
The first sentence in the Yoga Sutra is that yoga is to control the fluctuation of thoughts. When the fluctuation of thought can also be controlled, it will produce great power.
4. Consciousness sheath Vijnanamaya Kosha
This is already a very high level, and only a master can do it. It is difficult for modern yogis to reach this level.
Janna is knowledge, and Verna is consciousness, the understanding of the highest truth of life and the universe. But this is just a sheath that wraps the soul. However, vijuna is very important and can be said to be the fulcrum of life.
There is such a sentence in the introduction of the Bhagavad-gita, which translates as: "I was born in the darkness of ignorance." It was the spiritual teacher who polished my eyes with the torch of knowledge, and I salute him. "
When a person gets Vijnana, it means that he has been "enlightened", which requires the guidance of a spiritual teacher. In the traditional classics, "spiritual teacher" is a very important word, which can enlighten the spirit, at least his personal practice is beyond Vijuna. Spiritual teachers are also called "gurus". He is the direction of your life and plays an indelible role in the ups and downs of your life. It is different from the knowledge that a "coach" or "teacher" has given you several lessons.
5. Huanle sheath Anandamaya Kosha
The eternal joy of Ananda Maya refers to the spiritual joy experience beyond mind and wisdom based on wisdom consciousness in the process of practice. This is the closest sheath to the soul, and finally we should know the existence of ID atman through it-the eternal soul.