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2. Maya Sphere (Anda)
The next sphere or layer of descendancy is called Maya Anda and it is part of the pure-impure layer (Suddhasudhha). The veiling force of maya starts in this layer. There are 7 tattvas or principles in this layer. The Maya itself is further split into 5 sub divisions called cloaks (kanchukas), each one of them veiling an unbounded or unlimited aspect of Shiva to create the illusion of limited and tangible experience. Together with the maya there are 6 cloaks.
This pure-impure layer is made up of: Maya tattva + 5 divisions of maya/cloaks + Purusha tattva.
Maya Tattva and the 5 cloaks:
Maya Tattva - The divided experience and the feelings of a limitations arise because of the Maya tattva. The following 5 cloaks described below altogether make up the limited worldly experience and all of this are part of the Maya. Since our true nature of bliss and contentment is hidden by the Maya tattvas, the resulting feel of incompleteness prompts various desires to arise.
1. Kāla tattva - Limitation of time. There is no concept of time, past present or future before this layer. Our nature was unbounded eternity before this, but this layer creates an impression of being bound in time.
2. Vidyā tattva - From the all knowing state, this layer leads to the impression of limited knowledge
3. Rāga tattva - This layer causes the feeling of lacking and leads to attachment and desire. Buddha describes our clinging nature as the cause of samsara leading to births and deaths.
4. Niyati tattva - This layer hides or cloaks our all pervading nature and leads to the limitations of space, distance, form, etc.
5. Kalā tattva - This layer forms the limitation of activity and authorship. Our universal nature gets hidden and a sense of limited agency appears. Unlimited creativity becomes limited.
Even after the maya and the 5 cloaks, the question remains these bondages and cloaks apply to who? It certainly does not apply to Shiva, Shakti, Sadashiva, Ishwara or any principle described earlier. The answer comes with the next tattva, which is the Purusha tattva.
Purusha Tattva (also called jiva, pashu, anu or nara) - The 'this' awareness that started earlier turns into 'I' consciousness (not to be confused with the ahamkara/ego at this point), further reduced into a finite jiva, sentient being or separate person. It is the purusha to whom those cloaks or 5 limitations apply. Purusha is also equated with the individual soul concept, jivatma (jiva's soul) or atman in hindu terminology. The purusha by himself is not activated, the individual separate being is still a concept, or just a placeholder (anu). Only when the Prakriti (The individual Shakti with the 24 attributes to be described below) joins with the Purusha it becomes a fully operational entity.
We are about to descend into the impure tattvas territory after this which is mainly made up of mind and it's various components.
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