The 5 Kosas or Strata of the Mind

3-1. The living being is the composite of 5 kośas (layers of mind), like a plantain flower (with its petals)

In pratisaiṋcara, the mind gradually manifests after the mind-stuff comes into being.

In this manifestative flow, we find in the unit-body that the crudest sheath or cell is the kámamaya kośa [conscious mind].

• Subtler than this is the manomaya kośa [subconscious mind].
• Subtler than this subconscious is the atimánasa kośa [supra-mental mind]
• Subtler than this supra-mental mind is the vijiṋánamaya kośa [subliminal mind]
• The subtlest of all kośas is the hirańyamaya kośa [subtle causal mind].

The crude receptacle of the unit is the annamaya kośa [physical body], which is the property of saiṋcara.

The kámamaya and manomaya kośas are called the crude and subtle minds, respectively.

The atimánasa, vijiṋánamaya and hirańyamaya, are called the causal [or astral, or unconscious] mind collectively.

The witnessing puruśa:

• of the crude mind is called Prájiṋa
• of the subtle mind is called Taejasa
• of the unconscious mind is called Vishva.

Saiṋcara’s annamaya kośa is:

• the crude receptacle of the living unit
• called the sthula deha [crude body]

The 5 kośas, from the kámamaya to the hirańyamaya, are called the sukśma deha [subtle body].

The mahattattva and ahaḿtattva are called the sámánya deha [supra-causal body, i.e., the body between the hirańyamaya kośa and (till merger into) Puruśottama].

Subtle things are observed and understood only after removing their crude parts just like a flower.

2. The Cosmic Mind is the composite of 7 lokas (layers, worlds)

The Cosmic Mind is held in 7 lokas [worlds]:

1. Bhú [physical world]
2. Bhuvah [crude mental world]
3. Svah [subtle mental world]
4. Mahah [supra-mental world]
5. Janah [subliminal world]
6. Tapah
7. Satya

Puruśottama is:

• the witnessing entity of the Cosmic Mahattattva and Ahaḿtattva
• called the Satyaloka or the Causal Cosmic Body

The cognitive puruśa (knower) of Brahma’s hirańyamaya kośa [causal cosmic mind], is called Virát́a or Vaeshvánara, and the loka concerned is called the taparloka.

The witnessing puruśa of Brahma’s vijiṋánamaya kośa [subliminal cosmic mind] is also called Virát́a or Vaeshvánara, and the loka concerned goes by the name of janarloka.

The witnessing puruśa of Brahma’s atimánasa kośa [supra-mental cosmic mind] is also called Virát́a or Vaeshvánara, and the loka concerned is called the maharloka.

The collective name of these 3 kośas is “causal cosmic mind” or “subtle cosmic body”.

The manomaya kośa is called the subtle cosmic mind, and its witnessing puruśa is called Hirańyagarbha.

This also falls within the scope of the subtle cosmic body, and the loka concerned is called the svarloka.

The kámamaya kośa of Brahma is called the crude cosmic mind, and its witnessing puruśa is called Iishvara.

• This may also be called the crude cosmic body.

As per degree of expression of subtlety or crudity, this kośa is called partially bhuvah [crude mental world], and partially bhúrloka [crude physical world].

3. Long sleep in the causal mind is death

In wakefulness, all 3 minds (conscious, subconscious and unconscious) remain active.

In dream, only the crude or conscious mind remains asleep.

• The other 2 minds remain active.

In sleep, both conscious and subconscious minds remain inactive.

• Only the unconscious mind remains awake and does the work of the other 2 minds.

When there occurs a vibrational disparity in the psycho-physical parallelism, the unconscious mind also becomes inactive.

• This state is called death.

4. Samskara is a distortion of the mind-stuff waiting for expression.

Actions create a sort of mental distortion.

The mind regains its normal composure after undergoing the consequences of one’s actions.

Samskara is when action has happened, but its consequences have not realized.

• In this state, the reaction [vipáka] is suspended or deferred.

At the time of death, unrealized reactions are held in the causal or unconscious mind.

In order to realize those reactions, Prakrti connects bodiless minds with living structures in the wombs of different beings that have parallelism with those bodiless minds’ samskara-determined mental waves.

This leads to the rebirth of that unit mind.

One generally goes away after death with samskaras in accordance with one’s deeds performed during one’s lifetime.