Changes

* Chandogya, Katha, Mundaka, Maitrayani, Prasha Upanishads and Manusmriti in various places.

* Chandogya, Katha, Mundaka, Maitrayani, Prasha Upanishads and Manusmriti in various places.

* Mahabharata and the Puranas, where Samkhya philosophy is fully reflected. The mention of five gross elements, the twenty four categories in their manifested or unmanifested character and the three gunas is made in Vanaparva of Mahabharata (211. 1 - 8). The distinction between Prakrti and Purusha has been extensively expounded in Santi Parva (285. 33-40).

* Mahabharata and the Puranas, where Samkhya philosophy is fully reflected. The mention of five gross elements, the twenty four categories in their manifested or unmanifested character and the three gunas is made in Vanaparva of Mahabharata (211. 1 - 8). The distinction between Prakrti and Purusha has been extensively expounded in Santi Parva (285. 33-40).

* Bhagavadgita discusses the Samkhya concepts very elucidly.

* Bhagavadgita discusses the Samkhya concepts very lucidly.  

== Samkhya Siddhantam - Core Concepts ==

== Samkhya Siddhantam - Core Concepts ==

This fourfold classification includes all the twenty-five principles or Tattvas.  

This fourfold classification includes all the twenty-five principles or Tattvas.  

* Prakriti or Nature or Pradhana (chief) is purely productive. It is the root of all. It is not a product. It is a creative force, evolver, and producer.  

* Prakriti or Nature or Pradhana (chief) is purely productive. It is the root of all. It is not a product. It is a creative force, evolver, and producer.  

* The Productive and Produced include the Seven principles — बुद्धि (Buddhi, intellect), अहंकार (Ahankara, egoism) and the five तन्मात्र [[Tanmatras]] (subtle essences - the essence of sight, smell, taste, touch and sound). Buddhi is productive, as Ahankara is evolved out of it. It is produced also, as it itself is evolved out of prakriti. Egoism is a production, as it is derived from intellect. It is productive, as it gives origin to the five Tanmatras. The subtle essences (Tanmatras) are derived from egoism. Hence they are productions. They give origin to the five elements. Hence they are productive.

* The Productive and Produced include the Seven principles —  

** बुद्धि (Buddhi, intellect), अहंकार (Ahankara, egoism) and the five तन्मात्र [[Tanmatras]] (subtle essences - the essence of sight, smell, taste, touch and sound).  

** Buddhi is productive, as Ahankara is evolved out of it. It is produced also, as it itself is evolved out of prakriti. Egoism is a production, as it is derived from intellect. It is productive, as it gives origin to the five Tanmatras. The subtle essences (Tanmatras) are derived from egoism. Hence they are productions. They give origin to the five elements. Hence they are productive.

* The Productions include the sixteen principles, the ten organs, the mind and the five elements. They are unproductive, because none of them can give birth to a substance essentially different from itself.  

* The Productions include the sixteen principles, the ten organs, the mind and the five elements. They are unproductive, because none of them can give birth to a substance essentially different from itself.  

* The Purusha or Spirit is neither a production, nor is it productive. It is without attributes.

* The Purusha or Spirit is neither a production, nor is it productive. It is without attributes.

==== प्रमाणाः || Pramanas ====

==== प्रमाणाः || Pramanas ====

In order to prove the tattvas, different kinds of proof (means of right cognition) are to be described. Samkhya philosophy is based on systematic enumeration and uses three of six pramanas (प्रमाणाः । pramanas or proofs) as the only reliable means of gaining knowledge.<ref name=":0" /><ref>Dasgupta, Surendranath (2012 7th Reprint) ''A History of Indian Philosophy, Volume 1.'' Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd.</ref> These include<blockquote>दृष्टमनुमानमाप्तवचनं च सर्वप्रमाणसिद्धत्वात् । त्रिविधं प्रमाणमिष्टं प्रमेयसिद्धि: प्रमाणाद्धि ॥ ४ ॥ (Samk. Dars. 4)</blockquote>

In order to prove the tattvas, different kinds of proof (means of right cognition) are to be described. Samkhya philosophy is based on systematic enumeration and uses three of the six pramanas (प्रमाणाः । pramanas or proofs) as the only reliable means of gaining knowledge.<ref name=":0" /><ref>Dasgupta, Surendranath (2012 7th Reprint) ''A History of Indian Philosophy, Volume 1.'' Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd.</ref> These include<blockquote>दृष्टमनुमानमाप्तवचनं च सर्वप्रमाणसिद्धत्वात् । त्रिविधं प्रमाणमिष्टं प्रमेयसिद्धि: प्रमाणाद्धि ॥ ४ ॥ (Samk. Dars. 4)<ref name=":5" /></blockquote>

* प्रत्यक्षप्रमाणाः || pratyaksha-pramana (perception)  

* प्रत्यक्षप्रमाणाः || pratyaksha-pramana (perception)  

* अनुमानप्रमाणाः  || anumana-pramana (inference)   

* अनुमानप्रमाणाः  || anumana-pramana (inference)   

One pure ''Prakrti'' is made of the three Gunas namely ''Sattva, Rajas and Tamas''. The three ''Gunas'' with different permutations and combinations give rise to the varied substances. Accordingly, evolution cannot be consumed from ''Prakṛti'' alone or from ''Puruṣa'' alone.<ref name=":3">Banarjee, Debashri. Paper : ''Different tenets of Indian Philosophy; As conceived from Indian Point of View'' Published by Academia</ref>

One pure ''Prakrti'' is made of the three Gunas namely ''Sattva, Rajas and Tamas''. The three ''Gunas'' with different permutations and combinations give rise to the varied substances. Accordingly, evolution cannot be consumed from ''Prakṛti'' alone or from ''Puruṣa'' alone.<ref name=":3">Banarjee, Debashri. Paper : ''Different tenets of Indian Philosophy; As conceived from Indian Point of View'' Published by Academia</ref>

==== Modifications of Prakriti<ref name=":0" /> ====

==== Transformation of Prakriti ====

Egoism is a form of intellect. it is the matter from which the senses and the rudimental elements are formed. The gross elements are forms of the rudimental elements. Intellect, egoism and the five subtle rudiments or Tanmatras are the effects of Prakriti. This creation, from the intellect down to the elements is brought about by the modifications of Prakriti. Having observed the effects, the cause (Prakriti) is inferred. Prakriti is imperceptible from its subtlety. It must therefore be inferred from its effects.

 

Egoism is a form of intellect. it is the matter from which the senses and the rudimental elements are formed. The gross elements are forms of the rudimental elements. Intellect, egoism and the five subtle rudiments or Tanmatras are the effects of Prakriti.<ref name=":0" />

 

The proofs establishing the non-difference of the effect from the cause are the following :

 

a) the cloth (effect) is not different from the yarns (constituting it) - because it subsists in the yarns.  

 

==== Function of Prakriti<ref name=":0" /> ====

==== Function of Prakriti<ref name=":0" /> ====

The course of evolution is as follows.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" />  

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.

# 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 one pure ''Prakṛti'' evolves the cosmic Buddhi or Mahat ''(Prakṛter Mahān). It is the cause.''  

# From ''Mahat'' evolves the cosmic Ahankara or the principle of egoism ''(Mahato’haṅkāro)''

# 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.

# From Ahankara emanate the ten senses and the mind on the subjective side, and the five subtle Tanmatras on the objective side.