Wikipedia says, “Friendship is a voluntary, mutual bond of affection, trust, and support between individuals.” The Cambridge Dictionary describes it as “a situation in which two people are friends.” Vedanta looks at friendship from the concept of humans bonding with each other at different levels (kosha). There are five levels, and they are called “Pancha-Koshas”.
The Pancha-koshas are :
- Annamaya kosha (body - world or matter level),
- Pranamaya kosha (vital energy or life-force level),
- Manomaya kosha (emotion/mind level),
- Vijnanamaya kosha (intellect/discrimination level), and
- Anandamaya kosha (bliss - ETERNAL CONCIOUSNESS - awareness level).
Most friendships in our life happen at the annamaya, pranamaya, or manomaya level. eg. neighbourhood, classroom, sports, etc. These are very much real; however, they are circumstantial. The bonds can loosen with changing circumstances. Many a time we say “I failed my friend”; however, it is not failure, it is simply what happens at that level(nature of the level).
Intellectual friendships (Vijnanamaya bonding) are deeper and stronger. Intellect is closer to the Self. When two people reason together, they question each other, seeking truth together; they touch something more permanent than the typical emotion or habit. At this level, the friendship lasts longer and is stronger, firmer. However, intellectual friendships remain at an ego-to-ego level, hence has its limits!
The deepest friends are the ones who are at the Anandamaya level - Satsang. Satsang is a Sanskrit term derived from two roots: sat, meaning “true,” and sangha, meaning community, company, or association. Hence, as per Vedanta, friendships formed out of Satsang go much further than intellectual ones. The friendship is oriented towards Self-knowledge; hence, two people are not exchanging ideas, rather they are pointing each other towards the same Atman(Self).
“The foundation of all Worldly projection is ETERNAL CONSCIOUSNESS or ATMAN” is the cornerstone of Vedanta.
This is profound intuition. Vedanta explains :
The world or universe as we experience it is a mental-intellectual construct. The world in which we are awake is a projection that happens through buddhi(intellect) and manas(mind). Without the discriminating intellect, the world cannot be experienced.
Hence, the apparent world rests on intellectuality. However, Vedanta would add that intellect itself rests on pure Consciousness (Chit) - which is Brahman(the ultimate Reality, the Absolute). This is what one experiences at the Anandamaya kosha level.
To conclude, friendship formed out of Satsang is eternal, thus everlasting and Divine…….
***The word “Brahman” is derived from the root brh or brahm together with the suffix “man”. Both the roots brh and brmh mean to grow, to be great, to increase, to expand, etc. The suffix “man” denotes unlimitedness. Hence, the derivative meaning of the word “brahman” is that which is the greatest of all, or which has grown unlimitedly. If the meaning of the word is analysed, then it becomes clear that brahman is “nitya–suddha–buddha–mukta–svabhava” (i.e., eternal, pure, conscious and free).