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Line 106: − + − + + + + + + + + + + + + + − The purusha is not the doer. It is the witness. The Purusha is like a crystal without any colour. It appears to be coloured by the different colours which are placed before it. It is not material. It is not a result of combination. Hence it is immortal. The Purushas or souls are infinite in number, according to the Samkhya. There are many Purushas. If the Purushas were one, all would become free if anyone attained Moksha.+ + − + − So the Purusha is witness (Sakshi, साक्षी), a spectator (Drashta, दृष्टा), a by-stander (Madhyastha, मध्यस्थ), solitary (kaivalya, कैवल्य ) passive and indifferent (Udasina, उदासीन). + − − Line 162:
Line 172: − + − + − Akasa (ether) has the property of sound which is the Vishaya or object for the ear. Vayu (air) has the property of touch which is the Vishaya for the skin. Tejas (fire) has the property of form or colour which is the Vishaya for the eye. Apas (water) has the property of taste which is the Vishaya for the tongue. Prithvi (earth) has the property of odour which is the Vishaya for the nose. Each of these elements, after the first, has also the property of the preceding besides its own. − − During dissolution of the world, the products return by a reverse movement into the preceding stages of development , and ultimately into Prakriti. Earth merges in its cause, water. Water merges in fire, fire merges in air, air in Akasa and Akasa in Ahankara, Ahankara in Mahat, and Mahat in Prakriti. This is the process of involution. There is no end to Samsara or the play of Prakriti. This cycle of evolution and involution has neither a beginning nor an end.<ref name=":0" /> − − The course of evolution is as follows.<ref name=":3" /> − − 1. One pure ''Prakṛti'' is the balanced condition of ''Sattva'', ''Rajas'' and ''Tamas''. ''(Sattva- rajas-tamasāṁ-samyāvasṭhā-prakṛtiḥ). Before creation the change in Prakrti is homogeneous, in which the three gunas are held in a state of equilibrium.'' − − 2. From one pure ''Prakṛti'' evolves ''Mahat (Prakṛter Mahān)'' − − 3. From ''Mahat'' evolves ''Ahaṅkāra'' ''(Mahato’haṅkāro)'' − − 4. From Ahaṅkāra evolve the five ''Taṇmātra'' and also all sets of ''Indriya'' i.e. the five ''Karmendriya'', five ''Jňānendriya'' and one ''Manas'' ''(Ahaṅkārāt-paňca-taṇmātrāṅi-ubhayaṁ-indriyaṁ)'' − + + + + + + + + + + + + − 6. ''Puruṣa (Puruṣa-iti-paňcavimśatir-gaṇaḥ)''+ − + − + − +
Samkhya Darshana (साङ्ख्यदर्शनम्) (view source)
Revision as of 15:46, 13 June 2018
, 15:46, 13 June 2018→The process of Evolution and Involution: editing and citations
==== तत्वानि || Fourfold Classification of the Twenty Five Tattvas ====
==== तत्वानि || Fourfold Classification of the Twenty Five Tattvas ====
The Samkhya gives a description of categories based on their respective productive efficiency viz:<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
The Samkhya gives a description of categories based on their respective productive efficiency viz:<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
# प्रकृति || Prakriti (Productive)
# प्रकृति || Prakriti (Productive)
A Sattvic man is virtuous. Sattva makes a man divine and noble, Rajas makes him thoroughly human and selfish, and Tamas makes him bestial and ignorant.<ref name=":0" />
A Sattvic man is virtuous. Sattva makes a man divine and noble, Rajas makes him thoroughly human and selfish, and Tamas makes him bestial and ignorant.<ref name=":0" />
== The Purusha<ref name=":0" /> ==
== The Purusha ==
The Purusha or the Self is beyond Prakriti. It is eternally separate from the latter. Purusha is without beginning or end. It is without attributes and without qualities. It is subtle and omnipresent. It is beyond mind, intellect and the senses. It is beyond time, space and causality. It is the eternal seer. It is perfect and immutable. It is pure consciousness (Chidrupa).
The Purusha or the Self is beyond Prakriti. The qualities of Purusha are as follows<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" /><blockquote>तस्माच्च विपर्यासात् सिद्धं साक्षित्वमस्य पुरुषस्य । कैवल्यं माध्यस्थ्यं द्रष्टृत्वमकर्तृभावश्च ॥ १९ ॥ (Samk. Dars. 19)</blockquote>
* The purusha is not the doer. It is the witness (साक्षित्वम्).
* It is solitary (कैवल्यं) and indifferent (माध्यस्थ्यं).
* It is a spectator (द्रष्टृत्वम्) and not an agent of action (अकर्तृभावः) is discriminative and non-prolific.
* It is Intelligent and subjective.
* It is without attributes and without qualities.
* It is subtle and omnipresent.
* It is beyond mind, intellect and the senses.
* It is beyond time, space and causality.
* It is the eternal seer.
* It is perfect and immutable.
* It is pure consciousness (Chidrupa).
It is eternally separate from the Prakrti. Purusha is without beginning or end. The Purusha is like a crystal without any colour. It appears to be coloured by the different colours which are placed before it. It is not material. It is not a result of combination. Hence it is immortal.
==== Multiplicity of Purusha ====
The Purushas or souls are infinite in number, according to the Samkhya. There are many Purushas. If the Purushas were one, all would become free if anyone attained Moksha.
The different souls are fundamentally identical in nature. There is no movement for the Purusha. It does not go anywhere when it attains freedom or release. Souls exist eternally separate from each other and from Prakriti. Each soul retains its individuality. It remains unchanged through all transmigrations. Each soul is a witness of the act of a separate creation, without taking part in the act.
The different souls are fundamentally identical in nature. There is no movement for the Purusha. It does not go anywhere when it attains freedom or release. Souls exist eternally separate from each other and from Prakriti. Each soul retains its individuality. It remains unchanged through all transmigrations. Each soul is a witness of the act of a separate creation, without taking part in the act.<ref name=":0" />
==== Inference of the Existence of the Purusha ====
==== Inference of the Existence of the Purusha<ref name=":0" /> ====
Intelligence cannot belong to the intellect, because the intellect is material and is the effect of Prakriti which is non-intelligent. If intelligence is absent in a cause, it cannot manifest itself in the effect. Therefore, there must be a distinct principle of intelligence and this distinct principle is Purusha or the Self.
Intelligence cannot belong to the intellect, because the intellect is material and is the effect of Prakriti which is non-intelligent. If intelligence is absent in a cause, it cannot manifest itself in the effect. Therefore, there must be a distinct principle of intelligence and this distinct principle is Purusha or the Self.
==== The process of Evolution and Involution ====
==== The process of Evolution and Involution ====
Prakriti is the root of the universe. Prakriti is both the material and the efficient cause of the universe. From this the prakriti emanates the cosmic Buddhi or Mahat. From Mahat proceeds the cosmic Ahankara or the principle of egoism. From this egoism emanate the ten senses and the mind on the subjective side, and the five subtle Tanmatras of sound, smell, taste, colour and touch on the objective side. From these Tanmatras proceed the five gross elements — earth, water, fire, air and ether.
[[File:Samkhya_Siddhantam.jpg|border|right|frameless|630x630px]]
Prakriti is the root of the universe. Prakriti is both the material and the efficient cause of the universe.
5. From the five ''Taṇmātra'' evolve the five ''Mahābhūta (Taṇmātrebhyaḥ-sṭhūla-bhūtāni)''
The course of evolution is as follows.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" />
# One pure ''Prakṛti'' is the balanced condition of ''Sattva'', ''Rajas'' and ''Tamas''. ''(Sattva- rajas-tamasāṁ-samyāvasṭhā-prakṛtiḥ).'' Before creation the change in Prakrti is homogeneous, in which the three gunas are held in a state of equilibrium.
# From one pure ''Prakṛti'' evolves the cosmic Buddhi or Mahat ''(Prakṛter Mahān)''
# From ''Mahat'' evolves the cosmic Ahankara or the principle of egoism ''(Mahato’haṅkāro)''
# From Ahankara emanate the ten senses and the mind on the subjective side, and the five subtle Tanmatras on the objective side.
#* Pancha ''Karmendriyas (5 Indriyas of action : Include powers located in Hands, Feet, Speech, Excretory Organs, Organs of Generation)''
#* Pancha ''Jnanendriyas (5 Indriyas of Cognition : Include powers located in Eye, Ear, Nose, Tongue, Skin)''
#* One ''Manas'' ''(Ahaṅkārāt-paňca-taṇmātrāṅi-ubhayaṁ-indriyaṁ)''
#* Pancha Tanmatras ''(5 Subtle Elements : Include Smell, Taste, Form, Touch and Sound)''
# From the five ''Taṇmatras'' evolve the five ''Mahabhutas (5 Gross Elements : Include Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Ether) (Taṇmātrebhyaḥ-sṭhūla-bhūtāni)''
# ''Puruṣa (Puruṣa-iti-paňcavimśatir-gaṇaḥ)''
Akasa (ether) has the property of sound which is the Vishaya or object for the ear. Vayu (air) has the property of touch which is the Vishaya for the skin. Tejas (fire) has the property of form or colour which is the Vishaya for the eye. Apas (water) has the property of taste which is the Vishaya for the tongue. Prithvi (earth) has the property of odour which is the Vishaya for the nose. Each of these elements, after the first, has also the property of the preceding besides its own.
During dissolution of the world, the products return by a reverse movement into the preceding stages of development , and ultimately into Prakriti. Earth merges in its cause, water. Water merges in fire, fire merges in air, air in Akasa and Akasa in Ahankara, Ahankara in Mahat, and Mahat in Prakriti. This is the process of involution. There is no end to Samsara or the play of Prakriti. This cycle of evolution and involution has neither a beginning nor an end.
== The Process of Knowledge<ref name=":0" /> ==
== The Process of Knowledge ==
Before one engages in any matter, one first observes and considers, then one reflects and then determines. Then one proceeds to act. This ascertainment: "Such act is to be done by me" is the determination of the intellect (Adhyavasaya).
Before one engages in any matter, one first observes and considers, then one reflects and then determines. Then one proceeds to act. This ascertainment: "Such act is to be done by me" is the determination of the intellect (Adhyavasaya).<ref name=":0" />
The '''intellect''' is an instrument Which receives the ideas and images conveyed through the organs of sense, and the mind, constructs them into a conclusive idea, and presents this idea to the Self. The function of the intellect is determination (Nischaya).
The '''intellect''' is an instrument which receives the ideas and images conveyed through the organs of sense, and the mind, constructs them into a conclusive idea, and presents this idea to the Self. The function of the intellect is determination (Nischaya).
The '''mind''' is both an organ of sensation and action. The senses receive simple impressions from without. The mind cooperates with the senses, and the impressions are perceived. The mind ponders, the intellect determines, and egoism becomes conscious.
The '''mind''' is both an organ of sensation and action. The senses receive simple impressions from without. The mind cooperates with the senses, and the impressions are perceived. The mind ponders, the intellect determines, and egoism becomes conscious.