As Long as Space Endures by Edward A. Arnold

Author:Edward A. Arnold
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shambhala

With the four main centres, four minor channels branch off from the central channel and then subdivide to give the total numbers given above. Therefore, for the throat centre, four channels branch from the central channel; these each subdivide into two to give eight, and then again each into four to give thirty-two. The minor channels of the centres are curved like the spokes of an umbrella, with those of the crown, forehead, and throat curving downwards, and the others curving upwards (Tāranātha does not actually mention the genital centre here, but it seems safe to assume that its channels curve upwards).

There are also secondary centres associated with the twelve main joints: at the shoulders, elbows and wrists, and hips, knees and ankles, and other more minor ones.

The winds move through the various channels and are of ten main types, in two sets of five, each associated with the elements. The ten winds are:

prāṇa (srog) - space

samāna (mnyam gnas) - wind

udāna (gyen rgyu) - fire

vyāna (khyab byed) - water

apāna (thur sel) - earth

nāga (klu) - awareness

kūrma (rus sbal) - wind

kṛikara (rtsangs pa) - fire

devadatta (lhas byin) - water

dhanañjaya (nor rgyal) - earth

Sometimes the element associations of nāgavāyu and apānavāyu are reversed. The following list describes the main locations of these ten winds and something of their functions.

1. Prāṇavāyu: in the central channel, above the navel, and in the upper channels of the heart; it maintains life and identity and creates many thoughts; if damaged, the concentration is broken, resulting in a lack of consciousness, craziness, and ultimately death.

2. Samānavāyu: in the channels on the front side of the heart; preserves the heat in the belly, maintains the separation of nutrients and waste in food, passing nutrients through the body and expelling waste downwards; if damaged, stomach illnesses result.

3. Udānavāyu: in the south-east (east is towards the front of the body) channel; controls speech, taste, drinking, eating, spittle, vomiting; if damaged, fever and upper (body) ailments result.

4. Vyānavāyu: exists throughout the body; combines with the power of the rasanā channel; in the joints it enables stretching and contraction of the limbs; if damaged causes paralysis, palsy.

5. Apānavāyu: in the central channel, below the navel, and the channels starting on the lower side of the heart; controls emission and retention of faeces, urine, and drop; if damaged, cold and lower ailments result. Tāranātha makes the point that this wind and prāṇavāyu are material winds.

6. Nāgavāyu: in the south-west channel; regulates eyesight, fatness, belching.

7. Kūrmavāyu: in the rear channel(s); regulates extension and contraction of the limbs.

8. Kṛikaravāyu: in the north-west channel; controls anger, distraction, intoxication.

9. Devadattavāyu: in the left channel; controls yawning and creates ailments of the winds.

10. Dhanañjayavāyu: in the north-east channel; earth ailments result. This wind remains in the body for a long time, even after death. This is presumably a reference to processes such as the growth of hair and fingernails that do indeed continue after death.

These are the primary locations for the winds, but they also permeate all channels in the body.

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