14 Appendix PDF
14 Appendix PDF
Sankhya Philosophy
modern India has inherited. Little is known about the originators of this school
of thought. Sage Kapila has been traditionally considered the originator of this
philosophical system. Many scholars maintain that Kapila is the author of the
six books of Sankhya Sulras, which contain a total number of 526 aphorisms
(164 [Book I], 47 [Book II], 84 [Book III], 32 [Book IV], 129 [Book V], 70
Sankhya (Hall 20-27). Commentators like Vijnana Bhikshu hold that the
mouth. There is a belief that Sankhya SUlra was written down by Asuri's
Smrili. Some Sankhya scholars hold that the Sankhya Sulra is not the earliest
Sutra (9-10). Suryanarayana Sastri also mentions that the earliest reference to
Opinions differ about the lifetime of Iswarakrsna also. It has been variously
evidently put together the prevalent Sankhya teachings in the 72-verse volume.
It explicitly states that the topics treated in the verses are those contained in the
though not extant (Sen Gupta, Classical Sankhya 4). Sastri also mentions that
Sankhya Karika contains all that is in the Sastitantra, except the parables and
is called Classical Sankhya (Warrier 4). An erroneous opinion that the latter is
M.G.Pauthier published the text in roman characters. These verses have been
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(Hall 34). There are a few other lesser-known expositions on the Sankhya
the important texts like the Sankhya Sutra, Tattva-Samasa and Sankhya Karilm
Tirtha Swami, but who was more generally known as Kashtha-jihwa; and the
Raga-Vartika, said to have been composed by, or for, Ranaranga MalIa, the
Century AD (qtd in Hall 35). It naturally helps one identify the approximate
tilaka Swami. This treatise has several expositions. They are the Tattva-
Narayana Tirtha Yati, pupil of Vasudeva Tirtha and disciple of Rama Govinda
Battacharya, who is said to have borrowed much from the works of Narayana
Tirtha Yati; and Matharavrtti by Mathara, which was discovered much later
from these two works, Vijnana Bhikshu is known to have written other three
works also. They are Pathanjala Bhashyam, Brahma Sutra Rijuvakyam and
thought shares with Yoga, Bhikshu's books on Yoga show that he had an
abiding interest in the Sankhya system of thought. His lifetime has not yet
been known except that he lived before Nagesa Bhatta, who lived through the
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year 1713. Vijnana Bhikshu is his adopted name, while his original name also
remains unknown.
All these show that not much has been known about the founders or the
survived the test of time and reached us, have served us well.
cardinal principles that make up the Universe. Many scholars maintain that the
system owes its name to its emphasis on the enumeration of these principles
Some scholars like Jacobi hold that the term has two meanings.
existence. Eliade goes beyond the basic meaning and suggests that the term
between Prakriti and Purusa, the two principles on which the Sankhya
"Introduction" ix)" This means that "Sankhya teaching seems to lead thus to
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discrimination of matter from spirit and the abandonment of the viles of the
former" (ix). Sastri thinks it is not unlikely that this discrimination and final
Scholars like Edgerton are opposed to the view that Sankhya is the
Sankhya 3). For them, the tenn refers to those who seek salvation by
could be derived from many ancient texts where Sankhya is used as an epithet
knowledge' in Yoga Sutra (Yoga Sutra Bhashya 1:15 & Yoga Sutra 4: 29).
Charaka in his medical treatise uses Sankhya as an epithet for teachers well
2: 39 , 3: 3, 5: 4-5, 13:24, 28: 13. In Chapter 2, verse 39, Krishna tells Arjuna:
"The (requisite) mental attitude towards the Self [Sankhya] has just been
taught to you, now hear about it in respect of the way of action (karma yoga),
being endowed with which (attitude), 0 Partha, you will get rid of the bondage
to see the Self: "Some see the Self in the Self by the self through meditation,
others by (the path of) knowledge [Sankhya], some others by Yoga and (still)
as wisdom: "Learn from Me, 0 mighty-armed one, these five causes for the
end of all action" (487). In Chapter V, verses 4 and 5, Sankhya and Yoga are
knowledge and action are prescribed for these two categories of humans
respectively.
Sankhya. Chapter 301 describes Sankhyas as those who are gifted with great
. King, from the high knowledge that is found in the Sankhya Philosophy"
meaning the strict etymological analysis of the term would provide, Sankhya
has traditionally been used to describe ideas like knowledge, wisdom etc.
Sastri mentions that the fullest references to the distinctive doctrines of the
the term Sankhya, can be found in this Upanishad, though the connection
connection need not exist because the term only means wisdom (iii).
and Purusa (soul or self). Sankhya Karika describes Prakriti and Purusa thus:
hetumat, anityam,avyiipi,
fiivayavam, paratantram
trigunamaviveki, visayah,
these) (34)
Going by the idea of verse 10, one might conclude that, if Purusa is the
janana-marana-karananam
pratiniyamad ayugapat-pravrttes ca I
purusa-bahutvam siddham,
traigunya-viparyayac caiva II
up)(49).
things are different from each other because of the difference in the proportion
attenuated in objects like a rock that it is hardly sensed by our senses. In rajas
the energy is active as in the sea. In sattva, pure consciousness is close to its
own nature as in sunlight. In any material form, tamas, rajas and sattva are
Sastri explains the nature of Prakriti and Purusa thus: There are four
classes of beings - those which, though themselves are not produced, yet bring
others into existence; those which produce and are themselves produced; those
that are produced, but cannot produce, and those that neither produce nor are
'manifold', in the same text, just as Purusa is described as 'plural' in one verse
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puzzling, delving deep into the topic, one finds that the relationship between
evolution of Prakriti
. . tato 'hahkiiras
Prakrter mahiims
pancabhya~ pancabhiitiini II
of sixteen. From five out of these sixteen proceed the five gross
of indriyas - manah, the five jnanendriyas, and the five karmendriyas (the
inner sense, five senses of knowledge, and five organs of action) - the
constitute the investments with which Purusa is bound up. The tenn mahat is
derived from the root word maghesh (that which reveals), and should be
signifies the immanence of Purusa in Prakriti, till the entry of the time
reference, which comes along with its development of 'I' as the centre of
The 'I' now acts as a subject that identifies the objects and enjoys them with
the help of indriyas or senses. The first of the II senses is the internal sense
called manah. Manah cannot be translated as 'mind', because it has the limited
and special function as the sine qua non of the other senses, while 'mind' is a
comprehensive aspect of the self. The other senses are five cognitive senses or
jnanendriyas (eye, ear, nose, tongue and skin) and five active senses or
Manah partakes in the nature of the other ten senses and functions to grasp the
true and distinctive character of the objects of the senses. This co-operative
carries the information about objects that the other indriyas supply, to the
Purusa for his enjoyment. The objects are formed of the pancha tanmatras,
which are the ultimate constituent elements of the gross or coarse elements
such as earth, water, fire, air and ether. They are evolved from ahankara and
their existence is the necessary condition for the gross elements, which can be
table or chair. It is the idea which manifests itself in all the above. Likewise
the gross elements are the manifestations of the tanmatras (smell, taste, form,
touch, sound). They remain at the subconscious level, while we are conscious
latter can be raised to the level of the former. Subtle elements can be perceived
objects, subtle and gross, together constitute a single system, a world, called
the cosmos of experience, which supplies all the materials for the enjoyment
of Purusa.
ahankara, which has three active gunas capable of creation (vaikarika (sattva),
taijasika (rajas) and bhootadi (tamas). Manah, indriyas and bhootas are
derived from these respectively. Purusa 's continuing desire and union with
Prakriti affects the tamasic aspect of ahankara to the effect of the production
so, because the word connects and separates the world and the truth, the reader
and th� matter, the listener and the subject, at once. It is the first link between
the materially created world and the world beyond sense perception. This
echoes the New Testament reference: "In the beginning was the word. The
word was with God. The Word was God" (St. John I: I).
The gross clement akasa originates from sabda. When the desire of
sound, and the tanmatra of touch are formed from it. From the tanmatra of
touch are formed the skin to enjoy touch, and the gross element, air. Touch
also gives rise to the tanmatra of form. The gross element fire and the eyes to
enjoy the beauty of the form are created from the tanmatra of form. The
Purusa-inspired form also gives rise to the tanmatra of taste. From the
tanmatra of taste are formed the gross element of water, the tongue that enjoys
taste, and the tanmatra of smell. From smell are evolved the gross element of
elements are thus mixed up in their genesis and existence, their dharmas or
duties are also mixed up. This mixing up is caused by the inspiration springing
indriyas and the elements, the first personal creation in time, the inactive egg
or vishesa is formed, and gives rise to viral purusa, whose existence makes the
inactive vishesa multiply into millions and millions of creations with forms
(Siddhinathananda l 17).
The outer body of man and other beings are made up of gross elements,
and is dissolved at death. The subtle body, which consists of antah-karana, the
ten senses and the pancha tanmatras, remain from the original creation to the
final deluge (Sastri 82-83 ). While the eternal relatedness of absolute Purusa
and Moo/a Prakriti will remain the same even during deluge, the constancy of
connection. The Mahabharata, chapter 303, verses 31-33 state that when the
time comes for universal dissolution, all existent objects and gunas are
withdrawn into the Supreme Soul, which then exists alone. When the time
comes for creation, He once more creates and spreads them out. Thus the
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Supreme Soul for the sake of sports repeatedly considers himself invested with
also. Here 'spreading out' is not an action in space. It only means that Purusa
suggestion of the cause of the Universe is generally accepted among those who
(Chattopadhyaya 456).
It has been conclusively proved that the real cause of creation is the
least one of the three proofs - drstam (perception), anumanam (inference) and
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perceived by the senses (13). This knowledge is definite. Not everything can
Inference is based on the co-existence of a mark, and that in which the mark
the claim of each one of them as a valid proof of the non-existence of God
the scope of this work. One representative example will show how the claim of
"On account of the non-proof of Isvara or Lord.. ." (qtd in Majumdar 2).
Vijnana Bhikshu himself in his commentary says that it is not the non-
inferred as the cause of the created world, as every effect presupposes a cause.
that state the existence of Jsvara. Majumdar holds that none of the verses
opposes the existence of God, and that all of them state that there is no proof
for the existence of God. Majumdar goes on to explain that in all these verses
proof is used in the limited sense of perception. He quotes and explains the
the Sankhya (39). The explicit references to Jsvara in Yoga Sutra are
the Sankhya treatises are at one with what have been laid down in the Yoga
scripture (39). Sage Yajnavalkya holds the same view in the Mahabharata
Chapter 316:
power like that of the Yoga. These two prescribe the same
the same. What the Yogins have in view is the very same which
the Sankhyas also have in view. He who sees both the Sankhya
From all these it is evident that the individual nature of the struggle for
release is common to both Sankhya and Yoga. They have similar world-views
and it would not be wrong to suggest that they assert the notion of pan
psychism.
Appendb:2
acharya teacher
influences
supernatural influences
adhyapana teaching
adhyayana learning
akarma wrongdoing
antahkaranalchitta mind
anumanam inference
asamprajnata supraconscious
bhilcshu mendicant
bhoga enjoyment
brahmachari celibate
living
(labourer)
danam donation
meditation
dhyana meditation
drstam perception
dvesa aversion
ekagra concentrated
garbhadhana gestation
indriyas senses
isvara God
movement(Nyaya-Vaisheshika), action
karmayoga the path of action
karmendriyas organs of action
kesanta cutting off hair finally
lcsipta restless
l ingam phallus of Shiva, which is worshipped
na-astika atheistic
navodaya renaissance
nirudha arrested
pra/aya deluge
sabdo sound
samnyasa renunciation
samprajnata conscious
sattvika virtuous
pregnancy
Brahmin's life
ignorance
doctrine of tantra
tattvas categories
tyaga abandonment
upadhis investments
varna caste
vidya knowledge
viksipta distracted