Page 303 - The Path of Grace

APPENDIX I - KOSAS
kosa: "Sheath of cognition." The mental or cognitive- intuitive sheath. It is the vehicle of higher thought, understanding, knowing, direct cognition, wisdom, intuition and creativity partly covering the portion demarcated as U in the diagram of heart in the book mentioned above and 5. Anandamaya kosa: "Body of bliss." The intuitive-super conscious sheath, the ultimate foundation of all life, intelligence and higher faculties. Anandamaya kosa is not a sheath in the same sense as the outer kosas. It is the tamasic state of the Atman but generally misunderstood as the Atman itself in various yogic texts.
In the Vijnanamaya kosa we observe three layers of consciousness. The first layer is that where the desire for spiritual realization originates. The initial faculties of super sensory perception or super- consciousness of the inferior type as called by our Master consisting of clairvoyance, intuition and artistic creativity etc., are the characteristics of this consciousness. It is not necessary that in all cases of persons who move into the upper portion of the heart marked as U these faculties must be observed or found, but in case of necessity to know the
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