Source : www.indiaheritage.org
The word Samkhya is derived from the words Samyak Khyati (Correct Knowledge). It is Astik, rational, systematic, and dvaitavadi (dualist). Its founder was the sage Kapila but his work Samkhya Pravachana Sutra has been lost long ago. The earliest available book(3A.D.) is Ishvara Krishna’s Samkhya Karika. Samkhya is founded on Satkaryavada, which is based on the premise that every effect (Karya) pre-exists(Sat) in its cause (Karana). So Karana (say, mustard seed) can manifest itself at a later stage in the form of Karya(oil). If the effect is non-existent(Asat) in the cause, it can never manifest itself.
Samkhya has two elemental principles, Prakriti and Purusha. Prakriti is the first principle of the material world, the root cause of evolution, the pre-created state of the world. Purusha( literally, man) is the principle of pure consciousness. If Prakriti is the object(predicate), then Purusha is the subject. Prakriti can have three properties or Gunas:
- Sattva(Purity)
- Rajas(Passion)
- Tamas( Darkness)
but Purusha cannot have any, and so is Nistraiguna(without the three gunas).
Evolution takes place when the Purusha reflects itself in the Sattvika element of Prakriti and the three gunas interact among one other. Each created thing contains all three properties in various degrees. When the process of dissolution(Pralaya) takes place, the created world reverts to its pre-created state, and the three Gunas to their state of equilibrium( Samyavastha, Moksha or Kaivalya). As for the result of the interaction of the three Gunas, they are 24 substances, which can be classified into:
- Buddhi (Intellect)
- Mahat (Wisdom)
- Ahamkara (Ego).
Recent Comments