Suddha-Sattva & Malina-Sattva

[Ekanta]

Oki doki here we go...

Basically I have a hard time getting a grip on "Anandamaya Kosha". Its said that the defects of the Jiva are three: Mala (impurity), Vikshepa (distraction), Avarana (veil of ignorance).

According to Sivananda Maya/Ishvara/mula-prakriti/pradhāna/avyakta are all synonymous terms.
Ishvaras causal body is universal maya and the individual causal body is avidya.
The thing is this: Of what I've read so far the defects of illusion are located in the mind (antahkarana), but I've also read that these defects or vasanas lay latent in anandamaya, during deep sleep for example. So it appears that the rabbit hole goes all the way to anandamaya (of course it does since its part of prakriti), but I find very little scriptural support for this, very little scriptural description of anandamaya. The focus seems to be on the other koshas and very much on manas, buddhi, ahamkara, senses etc.

As I understand it: Mala (impurity) is caused by tamas ["dirty mind"], Vikshepa (distraction) is caused by rajas [moving mind]. But what about Avarana (veil of ignorance)? It appears its identical with avidya and either Suddha-Sattva (pure) or Malina-Sattva (sattva mixed with rajas/tamas)? Or am I making too much of a generalization?

The quotes below are from Sivanandas "Vedanta for beginners"
http://www.dlshq.org/download/vedbegin.htm

Gunas
Disciple: What Guna is found in the physical body?
Guru: Tamoguna.
Disciple: What Guna is found in the Pranamaya Kosha?
Guru: Rajoguna.
Disciple: What is the Guna found in the Manomaya Kosha?
Guru: Sattva mixed with Tamas.
Disciple: What is the Guna found in the Vijnanamaya Kosha?
Guru: Sattva mixed with Rajas.
Disciple: What is the Guna found in the Anandamaya Kosha?
Guru: Sattva, technically called the Malina-Sattva (mixed with Rajas and Tamas) in contrast with Suddha-Sattva of which Maya is the embodiment.

The A Priori Method
Prakriti, the cause of ignorance, is made up of three Gunas, and carries with her the reflection of that transcendent Reality, Satchidananda. This Prakriti is divided into two aspects, called Maya and Avidya.

Maya is Suddha-Sattva-Pradhana or that state of Prakriti in which the principle of Purity or Sattva, predominates over the other two,—Rajas and Tamas.
Avidya is Malina-Sattva or that state of Prakriti in which Sattva is predominated and sullied by the other two.

When that pure Intelligence, Chit, is reflected through Maya or Suddha-Sattva, the reflected Consciousness is called Isvara. It is one only, and controls Maya.
When that Chit is reflected in Malina-Sattva or Avidya, the reflected Consciousness is called Jiva. Due to the multifarious nature of Avidya, Jivas are too many, and being individualised and separated from one another, they are swayed by Avidya or ignorance. And this ignorance leads them to identification with the five sheaths and the three bodies. Thus, there is activity, pain and suffering for the Jiva.

In the sentence, Tat Tvam Asi, Tat refers to the reflected Consciousness in Maya and Tvam refers to the reflected Consciousness in Avidya. The word Asi proclaims their unity. It asserts that one Chit alone, reflected in a twofold way, goes under the names of Isvara and Jiva, when it is respectively qualified by the Upadhis of Maya and Avidya in its reflected State.

This, in short, is the a priori method of understanding the meaning of the Maha-Vakya, Tat Tvam Asi, the method arrived at from cause to effect.

[Ekanta]

I might ad this from Panchadasi:

cid ānandamaya brahma pratibimba samanvitā |
tamo rajaḥ sattva guṇā prakṛtir dvividhā ca sā || PA 1.15 ||
1.15. Prakriti (i.e. primordial substance) is that in which there is the reflection of Brahman, that is pure consciousness and bliss and is composed of sattva, rajas and tamas (in a state of homogeneity). It is of two kinds.

sattva śuddhy aviśuddhibhyāṃ māy āvidye ca te mate |
māyā bimbo vaśī kṛtya tāṃ syāt sarvajña īśvaraḥ || PA 1.16 ||
1.16. When the element of sattva is pure [śuddha-sattva], Prakriti is known as Maya; when impure (being mixed up with rajas and tamas) it is called Avidya. Brahman, reflected in Maya, is known as the omniscient Isvara, who controls Maya.

avidyā vaśagast vanyas tad vaicitryād anekadhā |
sā kāraṇa śarīraṃ syāt prājñas tatra abhimānavān || PA 1.17 ||
1.17. But the other (i.e. the Jiva, which is Brahman reflected in Avidya) is subjected to Avidya (impure sattva) [malina-sattva]. The Jiva is of different grades due to (degrees of) admixture (of rajas and tamas with sattva). The Avidya (nescience) is the causal body. When the Jiva identifies himself with this causal body he is called Prajna.

Apparently the two forms of prakriti are:
Isvara/Maya who is brahman reflected in pure sattva [śuddha-sattva]
Jiva/Avidya who is brahman reflected in impure sattva [malina-sattva], i.e. mixed with rajas/tamas.

[Ekanta]

And this (Sathya Sai Baba, "Sandeha Nivarini"):

Swami: Yes. “Chith” has also another name, Suddha Sathwa; i.e., Pure Consciousness. It is as opposed to the Impure Consciousness as Vidya is to Avidya. Impure consciousness is inherent in the Pure, as much as Darkness is inherent in Light. Since many words are spoken, don’t get confused my dear boy! Vidya-Avidya, Jnana-Ajnana, Suddha Sathwa-Malina Sathwa (impure consciousness), all indicate the same idea, not different ones. I shall ask you another question. Have you heard the word, the opposite of “Prakriti”?

Bhaktha: I have heard the word, Swami. When I studied grammar, I learnt that the opposite of Prakriti is “Vikriti.”

Bhaktha: Vikriti means Vikaaram, changed, transformed, derived. Agni is the original; Aggi is the derived word. So, too, Jama is derived from Yama, Janna from Yajna, and so on.

Swami: So also, the Lord’s Prakriti is known as Vidya, and its derived or lower form or Vikriti is known as Avidya. For Vidya or Suddha Sathwa, Avidya or Malina Sathwa is the lower form.

Bhaktha: How is that, Swami? Vidya is effulgent in the Lord and Avidya is apparent only because of Vidya. That is to say, the Universal Cosmic Principle is in the Lord, and this Universal Principle itself appears as individual different from individual (by the external characteristics of name and form, the appearance of individuals is caused). This Avidyasakthi or the power of Ignorance also manifests as an inseparable entity. For, the Lord is the only Existence. Therefore, that One Existence is the Basis or Foundation for the Universal and the Particular, the Totality as well as the apparent Parts. This is Your meaning, isn’t it, Swami?

Swami: That is why the Lord is referred to as Sathya (Truth) and Brahmam. This Sathyam is Akhanda or Indivisible. It is Adwaitha, Non-dual. It is Anantha, without End. In the Upanishads, this Sathya (associated with the unmanifested Maya Sakthi) is called the Purna, “Adah” and the Sathya associated with the manifested Maya Sakthi is called the Purna, “Idam”. This is the secret of the Upanishadic Manthra, Purnamadah Purnamidam….
(SSB, Sandeha Nivarini)

[premeet01245]

thanks for writing relay I am very happy after reading it a lot of thanks..............
plz keep writing