Ethical Values in Sankara's Crest Jewel of Wisdom: -Vignanamaya-kosa(Intellectual-sheath)

(d)Ethical  Values in Viveka Chudamani :

Vignanamaya-kosa(Intellectual-sheath)(184-188)

• The  intellect   with  its modifications  along with  the  organs of perception  form the Vignanamaya-kosa(Intellectual-sheath.  It has  the characteristic  of "the agent"  for the doer,  which  is the  cause of transmigration(184) This intellectual-sheath in  man veilsthe  Infinite  Reality and  is   the  cause  of samsar.  The modificationsofthe  intellect  are the  awareness  of "doing",and the concept of"I   am  the doer",  creating more and  more vasanas,  to exhaust  which  the  individual  has  to move  from one field of enjoyment to another,  resulting  in  repeated   births and  deaths.
• 
  
• Accompanied by a reflection of the light of Chit, the intellectual-sheath  is a  modification  of  Prakirti. It is endowed   with  the  function of  knowledge and  is  always completely  identified  with  the  body, sense-organs,  etc.(185) Consciousness  reflected  in  the  intellect  is intelligence, just  like electricity  reflected in, or functioning in  the bulb is  light
    It  is  without beginning,  is of the  nature of ego and  is called the  jeeva,  which   carries out the  entire range of activities  on  the  relative  plane   It  performs  good and evil actions  according  to its previous vasanas,  and  experiences  their   results.  It comes and goes up and down, taking birth in  various bodies.  The waking, dream   and   other states,  and the  experiences of joy and sorrow,  belong to this  intellectual-sheath.(186-87).
  

  
  
  
  
  Identifying   with   the   attributes   of the order-of life, their duties  and  functions,  which  actually  belong   to the  body, it considers  them as its own. The  Vignanamaya-kosa  is  extremely  radiant because of its nearnesss  to  the Supreme  Self.  It  is a superimposition  on  the Self, which, when  it  identifies  with  it, suffers  transmigration  through  delusion(188)
• Vedprakash