Introduction to Tantra Sastra - Aghori

44
INTRODUCTION TO TANTRA ŚĀSTRA
She, the Mūla-Prakṛ tī, illumined by the light of the
Supreme Ātmā generates. Prāṇ a is vāyu, or the universal
force of activity, divided on entering each individual
into five-fold function. Specifically considered, prāṇ a is
inspiration, which with expiration is from and to a
distance of eight and twelve inches respectively. Udāna
is the ascending vāyu. Apāna is the downward vāyu,
expelling wind, excrement, urine, and semen. The
samāna, or collective vāyu, kindles the bodily fire,
“conducting equally the food, etc., throughout the body.”
Vyāna is the separate vāyu, effecting division and
diffusion. These forces cause respiration, excretion,
digestion, circulation.
MANO-MAYA, VIJNĀNA AND
ANANDA-MAYA KOŚAS
The next two sheaths are the mano-maya and
vijnāna kohas. These coustitute the antah-karaṇ a,
which is four-fold-namely, the mind in its two-fold
aspect of buddhi and manas, self-hood (ahaṃkāra), and
citta. 1 The function of the first is doubt, saṃkalpavikalpātmaka,
(uncertainty, certainty); of the second,
determination (niscaya-kāriṇ i); of the third (egoity), of
the fourth consciousness (abhimana). Manas automatically
registers the facts which the senses perceive.
Buddhi, on attending to such registration, discriminates,
determines, and cognizes the object registered,
which is set over and against the subjective self by
Ahaṃkara. The function of citta is contemplation
(cintā), the faculty 2 whereby the mind in its widest
1 According to Saṃ
khya, citta is included in buddhi. The above is the
Vedantic classification.
2 The most important from the point of view of worship on account of
mantra-smaraṇa, devatā-smaraṇa, etc.