In yogic philosophy, the causal body is one of three bodies that contains each individual’s soul, the others being the physical body and the astral body. The causal body is the most subtle of the three and is contained within the other two. It is the body that transports the essence of the individual from one life into the next reincarnation.

The causal body is also known by the Sanskrit term, karana sharira. It is composed of karma and samskara, which are, respectively, the record of the yogi’s actions in all states of existence and the experiential impressions and imprints on the mind.