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Chidabhasa is theSanskrit term which means theabhasa or reflection ofBrahman, the Universal Self, on or through the mind; ordinarily this term is used to denote the reflected Universal Self in theJiva, the Individual Self. The philosophical conditionedness belongs tochidabhasa.[1]The causal body or theKarana Sarira which is the cause of man’s enjoyment or suffering is composed of theAnandamaya Kosha and adheres to the soul so long as the soul resides in theSthula Sarira ('gross body') or theSukshama Sarira ('subtle body'), both vehicles ofAvidya ('ignorance'); afflicted byvasanas ('desires/longings') the ordinary being does not becomeChidabhasa, the reflection of theAtman in theKarana Sarira (Kaivalyanavanita II.31).[2]
Avidya ('ignorance') is beginningless, it is anUpadhi ('the limiting adjunct'). 'Chidabhasa' is the reflection of Consciousness inbuddhi ('the intellectual faculty'), the effect ofavidya, which is inseparably united withbuddhi.[3]Jiva is the imperfect form of Consciousness and is an unreality. TheNirguna Brahman causesChidabhasa to appear as real consciousness and operate in theVyavaharika world as the doer, the enjoyer, sufferer and so forth.Chidabhasa constitutesIshvaratva and is almost an exact likeness of true consciousness on account of its being associated withPrakrti in equilibrium and consequently unperturbed by thegunas in action.[4]Jiva, the enjoyer and the sufferer, is neither the immutableKutastha norChidabhasa (on account of which the intellect grasps the things that come within its range) but a combination of the two. TheJiva not realizing the reality ofKutastha considers all individual and collective enjoyments and sufferings to be real; theJiva projects and superimposes on the Self the qualities of doership etc.; and assumes many forms in the waking and the dream states.[5]
Vedanta holds that there is one Atman for allJivas and what distinguishes oneJiva from another is its separateantahkarana andchidabhasa (which two are subtle parts of the body).[6] An object is known by the mind with the assistance ofchidabhasa-chaitaniya, there is object-consciousness whenchidabhasa begins to act. The intellect which is a modification ofPrakrti cannot know an object because an object cannot know itself.Suresvaracharya states that Consciousness which manifests itself as an illuminating factor in all external perceptions is really the object to be known otherwise Consciousness itself is not aware of anything.[7]
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