PRESENTATION ON

PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE OF EDUCATION

(M.ED./1/CC/101)

TOPIC: INTRODUCTION TO EASTERN SCHOOLS OF

PHILOSOPHY AND THEIR EDUCATIONAL
IMPLICATIONS: SANKHYA-YOGA

Presented By
G. Lalvensanga
Roll No.7 1st Sem M.Ed.
SANKHYA PHILOSOPHY.
• Sankhya/Sankhya is Atsika (Orthodox) school of Indian philosophy.
• Sage Kapila was the founder around 7th century B.C.
• Samkhya means ‘numbers’ because it enumerates the 25 elements or
Principles i.e tattvas.
• The second meaning is Gyan i.e Knowledge
• Dualistic Realism i.e Prakiti (matter) and Purusha (self).
• Prakriti is constitute of three gunas, namely sattva, rajas and tamas.
• Sattva is concerned with happiness.
• While rajas is concerned with action,
• tamas is associated with ignorance and inaction.
METAPHYSICS (REALITY)
• ‘Satkaryavada’/‘theory of causation/causuality’: Prakriti is the ultimate cause of
all objects, including our mind, body and sense organs. Cause and effect are two
inseparable components stand for all sorts of creation in the cosmos. This relation
Saṁkhya named as ‘satkaryavada’ (Pre existence of the effect in the cause).
• Prakṛiti and Gunas : Prakriti is the ultimate cause which is eternal into which the
whole world is dissolved. The gunas (quality) are the ultimate elements of
constructing prakriti. Prakriti is the combination of sattva, rajas and tamas. Sattva
has the function of manifestation. Rajas have the function of activity and Tamas has
the function of retardation.
• Purusa: Purusa or self is an eternal reality. Purusa is neither the body, nor the mind
(manas), neither ego (ahaṁkaara) nor intellect (buddhi). It is free from distortions.
Its objects change but it itself never changes.
• Theory of Evolution/The order of creation is as follows.
• i) Mahat: Mahat (Intellect/Buddhi) is the first component produced as a result of evolution. It is
cosmic in its nature.
• ii) Ahamkara: The cosmic Buddhi becomes individuated and evolves into the cosmic egoism or
Ahaṁkara. Ego is identified as “I” or “mine” feelings of an individual.
• iii) Manas: According to the Sankhya Philosophy, manas or mind is neither eternal nor atomic. It is
constituted with parts and thus can come into contact with the different sense organs simultaneously.
• iv) Jnanendriyas: are known as five sense organs; nose, ears, eyes, skin, and tongue.
• v) Karmendriyas: the five organs of action which reside in mouth, ears, feet, anus, and the sex organ.
They perform the functions respectively as speech, hearing, movement, excretion, and reproduction.
• vi) Tanmatras: There are five tanmatras (subtle elements); sabda or sound, sparsa or touch, rupa or
sight/form, rasa or taste, and gandha or smell.
• vii) Mahabhutas: There are five mahabhutas(Gross elements) found in the cosmos namely; Air or
Vayu, Fire or Agni, Akasa or Ether/Space, Water or Jala, Prithivi or Earth.
EPISTEMOLOGY (KNOWLEDGE)
• Perfect Knowledge is the knowledge of distinction between Prakriti and Purusha.
• The Sankhya accepts only three independent sources of valid knowledge. These are
perception, inference and scriptural testimony (sabda). The other sources of
knowledge, like comparison, postulation and non- cognition, are included under these
three but not recognized as separate sources of knowledge.
• 1. PERCEPTION (Pratyaksha): Perception is the direct cognition of an object through
its contact with some senses. When an object comes within the range vision, there is
contact between the object and eyes.
• Two types : Nirvikalpa (Indeterminate)- pure sensation, vague knowledge of an object
Savikalpa (determinate)- Real perception which contain meaning about
objects through analysis, synthesis.
• 2. INFERENCE (Anumana) – A conclusion or opinion drown from evidence or
known facts. It is regarded as the knowledge of one term of relation, which is
not perceived, through the other which is perceived and known to be invariable
related to the first. According to Sankhya, Inference is further divided into two
kinds i.e. ‘Vita’ is based on universal affirmative propositions and ‘Avita’ is
based on a universal negative proposition.

• 3. VERBAL TESTIMONY (Sabda)– Verbal statement and verbal testimony of

the knowledge of object derived through words is known as Sabda. It is also
defined as valid testimony i.e. the testimony of trust worthy person (apta) who
knows the truth and convey it correctly. Sabda literally means sound (dhwani)
but epistemologically it means meaningful sound or word.
AXIOLOGY
• To differentiate Prakiti and Purusha to Attain Liberation (Kaivalya)
• BONDAGE AND LIBERATION: The self, who is eternal, pure conscious,
and all pervading, due to its ignorance identifies itself with the manas,
ahamkara, and mahat which are the products of Prakrti. Thus, it experiences
the worldly pain and suffering.
• According to Sankhya Men are the victims of 3 kind of pains-
• Adhyatmika (Intra-Organic)- Bodily disorder, headache, anger etc.
• Adhiboutika (Extra Organic)- Snake bite, Sting bite etc
• Adhivaidika (Super natural aspect).- Demon, Evil etc
• Since there are sufferings and bondage, there are also paths leads to liberation,
emancipation or salvation.
• There are two sorts of liberation.
• i) Jivanmukti
• ii) Videhamukti.
• The self attains freedom from worldly suffering and realizes truth in one’s life
living in the earth is known as jivanmukti. Emancipation of soul while living in
his body.
• Videhamukti, the self attains complete liberation from all sorts of sufferings. This
is achieved after death only. Thus, videhamukti is known as kaivalya. This is
understood as liberation from the gross body.
YOGA- PHILOSOPHY
• YOGA is one of the six ancient Indian philosophy. The word Yoga is derived from the
word YUJ which means to unite or to combine or to bind yoke with the individual self
with the universal self. To bring out the balance & harmony on every level viz. physical,
mental & spiritual to transform human into super human.
• Patanjali was the proponent of the Yoga system around 2nd century B.C.
• He propagated his philosophy of Yoga in his great work – Yoga-Sutra. 
• Yoga is a self-disciplining process of concentration and meditation. Such a Yogic practice
leads one to higher states of consciousness. This helps one in acquiring direct knowledge
and the result is Self–Realization.
EIGHT-FOLD STEPS/PATH (ASHTANGA YOGA):
• To attain physical, moral , mental and spiritual perfection, the following eight fold steps of yoga
discipline are recommended which help in controlling and sublimating attachment which distract the
body and mind –
• 1. Yama : It is discipline to control will-power. It is also regarded as abstention/restraint. it included the
five vows of Jainism i.e. Ahimsa (absence of Violence), Satya (absence from falsehood), Asteya (absence
from theft), Brahmacharya (absence from incontinence) and Aparigraha (absence from acquisitiveness).
• 2. Niyama: It is moral culture and aims at cultivation of good habits. Individual discipline, regulates
one’s own behaviour. It leads to satisfaction.
• 3. Asana: It means steady and comfortable posture. Yogic posture does not involve physical strain or
violence, but in turn tones up our body and mind. Reduces our fatigue, soothing nervous system and
discipline of the mind.
• 4. Pranayama: Controlling breath to win overtime, is the discipline of breath control. It aims at regulation
of inhalation, retention and exhalation of breath. Not only beneficial to health but also conducive to
concentration and meditation.
• 5. Pratyahara: Controlling senses from their objects. Withdrawal of senses and turning the senses
inwards. It is referred as the process of introversion.
• 6. Dharna: It is the discipline of fixing the mind without any modification on the object of meditation.
• 7. Dhyana: It is regarded as meditation. It is also referred as the steadfast contemplation without any
break. It means concentrating on a point to reach higher self.
• 8. Samadhi: it is regarded as concentration. It is the state of mind in which contemplative
consciousness disappears and has no awareness of itself. The mind is completely absorbed in the
object of meditation.
• There are two types of samadhi
i. Savikalpa samadhi (Self Concious state)
ii. Nirvikalpa samadhi (Super Concius state)
• Thus, samadhi is ultimate goal of life, being in that state means being in universe
EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF SANKHYA-YOGA
PHILOSOPHY
• The aims of education are divided into two categories;
1. Ultimate aims of Education
2 .Proximal aims of Education
 Ultimate Aims of Education:
• 1. Promotion of willpower
• 2. Development of perseverance in students
• 3. Education and training about inner self
• 4. Unfolding creative consciousness
• 5. Promotion of uniqueness or talent in the students
• 6. Management of Mental Health.
• The proximal/worldly aims of education are:
• A) Aims of education:
Sankhya states the ultimate aim as attaining the perfection of purusha through
discrimination, leading to its salvation. Thus, the aim of education should be to create
discerning individuals capable of attaining the perfection that exists within them. 
• 1. Comprehensive development of Human personality
• 2. Free child from bodily, mental and supernatural miseries
• 3. Physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual growth
• 4. Moral preparation of pupil
• 5. Understanding of human nature
• 6. Development of scientific attitude and logical and intellectual faculties
B) Curriculum:
• The curriculum will involve the study of all disciplines, Science, Art, Physical and Yoga.
• Not explicitly laid down system stands for psycho-physical training of human child.
• Provides literature which arouses interest amongst students in moral life.
• Embodies such specific sciences as medicine, clinical psychology, social sciences
• Yoga approves all those subjects which deal with human physiology, true human nature and
hidden
C) Methods of Education:
• 1. Cittavrthinirodha (concentration/meditation) involves right cognition, wrong cognition,
imagination, memory. Concentration as the most essential method.
• 2. Yoga adopts not only the scientific attitude method but also the Programmatic one.
• 3. The law of Association in education constitutes great importance in the yoga.
 D) Discipline:
Sankhya-Yoga recommends a high degree of discipline. One can deduce that it should be self-
imposed self discipline. 
• 1. Education and Discipline are identical, Discipline is the means of which yoga is the aim.
• 2. One has to discipline oneself bodily, mentally and intellectually whether he is a teacher or
taught so that he may learn. (Teacher & Taught both)
• 3.Disciplining of body and mind is the core of educational process.
• E) Role of teacher:
• 1. Great importance to teacher. The teacher is to be a facilitator of the development of the innate
potentiality of the child.
• 2. Teachers are not only a theoretician but also a demonstrator as they give practical
demonstration to the student (scientific notion)
• 3. Teacher has power of knowledge, power of will and power of action.
• E) Role or Place of student:
• Since Sankhya believes in the mulitiplicty of purusas, it follows that education must
be individualized and child-centred.
• Surrender to his teacher for his total cure Without teacher nothing can be obtained by
the student.

• F) Religious and moral education:

It can be deduced that religious education will not have much importance but moral
education involving the teaching of ethical values will definitely hold a central place in
any system of education based on Sankhya.
CONCLUSION
• The philosophic view of Sankhya includes the dualism of purusa and prakriti and the
plurality of multiple purusas, each unlimited yet not interfering with the other. Thus,
according to sankhya philosophy we need to understand that both the world and our bodies
are temporary and changing, and what lies beyond is abstraction.
• The real knowledge of the truth in Yoga is the base of the salvation theory of Sankhya
Philosophy. This philosophy helps to escape from sorrow and misery of life by eradicating
ignorance and acquiring real knowledge.
• In the context of Yoga, the aim of entire education formal and informal is to attain bliss that
comes after the empirical self is merged in the transcendental self or God. But the process of
self-discipline implies that without the well-being of human body and moral preparation on
the part of man yoga is not possible. This aspect makes education a social necessity.