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The Secret of the Five Sheaths by Swami Sarvapriyananda

Vedanta Society of Southern California・46 minutes read

The text discusses the importance of knowing Brahman and delves into the journey of spiritual knowledge from ignorance to enlightenment, highlighting that the true self is pure consciousness beyond the five sheets of personality. It emphasizes that consciousness is the illuminating force behind the layers of human personality, ultimately guiding individuals towards the discovery of their true essence as immortal, unchanging consciousness.

Insights

  • The Upanishad emphasizes the journey from ignorance to knowledge, defining spiritual ignorance as not knowing our true selves and highlighting the importance of realizing Brahman as reality, consciousness, and infinity.
  • The text explores the concept of the five sheets of personality as symbolic layers that need to be transcended to discover the true self, Atman, which is beyond these layers and is the experiencer of the sheets, ultimately pointing towards the discovery of pure consciousness as our immortal, unchanging essence.

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  • What is the significance of Brahman?

    Brahman is described as reality, consciousness, and infinity, emphasizing the importance of realizing Brahman.

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Summary

00:00

Unveiling the Secret of Brahman: A Journey

  • The subject of the discussion is the secret of the five sheets from the Taittiriya Upanishad, emphasizing the importance of knowing Brahman.
  • The spiritual journey is highlighted as a journey of knowledge from ignorance to knowledge, not in space or time, but through understanding the knower of Brahman attains the highest.
  • Spiritual ignorance is defined as not knowing who we truly are, leading to the journey of spiritual knowledge from ignorance to knowledge.
  • Brahman is described as Satyam Yanam, meaning God is reality, consciousness, and infinity, with the focus on realizing Brahman.
  • The Upanishad explains that Brahman is hidden in the sacred space of the cave, symbolizing the five interlocking caves or sheets of the human personality.
  • The five sheets of the human personality are compared to a cave system, representing different layers of our being that need to be explored.
  • The method of teaching from the known to the unknown is emphasized, starting with the body as the most familiar aspect of ourselves.
  • The body is described as Annamaya, pervaded by food, highlighting the changing nature of the body and the reasons why we cannot be identified solely with the body.
  • Various reasons are provided to show that we are not the body, including the body being an object of awareness, inert and insentient, and the law of karma indicating our actions and experiences are not limited to the body.
  • All Indian philosophies agree that we are not just the body, providing numerous reasons and explanations for understanding our true nature beyond physical identification.

17:41

"Karma and Prana: Unveiling the True Self"

  • The law of karma dictates that all events have causes, implying that our current experiences are a result of past actions.
  • Following the law of karma suggests that our current body's conditions are due to causes predating its birth.
  • Karma implies that our existence transcends the current body, indicating a pre-birth and post-death existence.
  • Various religions acknowledge a post-mortem existence, essential for the concept of religion to hold.
  • The body is described as changing, while the self is unchanging, indicating a distinction between the two.
  • Life forces, known as prana, sustain the body through various processes like breathing and energy production.
  • Prana is highlighted as the essence of life, influencing health, energy levels, and overall well-being.
  • The Upanishads suggest that one's true essence is deeper than the physical body or life forces, pointing towards the mind.
  • The mind, often equated with one's personality, is revealed to be an object of experience, distinct from the true self.
  • Delving deeper, the Upanishads propose that the intellect, though essential for understanding, is also an object of awareness, not the ultimate self.

35:14

"Deep Sleep and the True Self"

  • Deep sleep is described as a state of peaceful rest where one is unaware of their surroundings, yet this lack of awareness is considered a form of knowledge.
  • In deep sleep, there is an absence of intellect, leading to a sense of blankness and restfulness, referred to as the "sheet of bliss" or anandamaya.
  • Vedanta philosophy discusses five layers or sheets that make up an individual: the food sheet, life sheet, mind sheet, intellect sheet, and the bliss sheet.
  • These five sheets are considered objects of experience, but the true self, the Atman, is said to be beyond these layers and is the experiencer.
  • Despite exploring and rejecting the five sheets, the true nature of the self, Brahman, is not explicitly revealed, leading to confusion and doubt among seekers.
  • An analogy of ten friends crossing a river is used to illustrate the search for the self, with the realization that the true self is the observer, not an object to be found externally.
  • The self is described as neither known nor unknown but the knower, distinct from the objects of knowledge.
  • To understand the self, consciousness is compared to sugar that sweetens everything it comes in contact with, revealing the self in every act of knowledge.
  • Denying the existence of the self is likened to denying the presence of a tongue while speaking, as the very act of denial proves the existence of the self.
  • A debate with Buddhist nihilists regarding the nature of the self concludes with the assertion that the self is not void but the essence of consciousness that illuminates all experiences.

51:32

Debating the Existence of the Self

  • In a debate, the concept of self or Atman is discussed, with one side arguing that the self does not exist, leading to the dissolution of the opponent in the debate.
  • The text presents five key points, including the story of the ten persons crossing a river, emphasizing that the self is not an object to be found externally and that consciousness is the illuminating force behind the five sheets of personality.
  • It is highlighted that the five sheets of personality, such as the body and mind, are not separate from consciousness but arise and subside within it, ultimately pointing towards the discovery of pure consciousness as our true nature.
  • The Upanishad encourages delving deep within oneself to realize that all forms, names, and experiences are manifestations of pure consciousness, leading to the understanding that our true essence is immortal, unchanging consciousness beyond the transient aspects of the five sheets.
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