The
"divine monad" is aguna (devoid of qualities), while Prakriti, once that
from passive Mula-prakriti it has become avyakta (an active evolver) is
gunavat--endowed with qualities. With the latter, Purusha or Atman can
have nought to do (of course being unable to perceive it in its
gunuvatic state); with the former--or Mula-prakriti or undifferentiated
cosmic essence--it has, since it is one with it and identical.
The Atma Bodha, or "knowledge of soul," a tract written by the great
Sankaracharya, speaks distinctly of the seven principles in man (see
14th verse). They are called therein the five sheaths (panchakosa) in
which is enclosed the divine monad--the Atman, and Buddhi, the 7th and
6th principles, or the individuated soul when made distinct (through
avidya, maya and the gunas) from the supreme soul--Parabrahm. The 1st
sheath, called Ananda-maya--the "illusion of supreme bliss"--is the
manas or fifth principle of the occultists, when united with Buddhi;
the 2nd sheath is Vjnana-maya-kosa, the case or "envelope of
self-delusion," the manas when self-deluded into the belief of the
personal "I," or ego, with its vehicle.
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