Samkhya
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What is Samkhya in Hinduism?
Samkhya is one of the six systems of Indian philosophy that adopts a dualistic view of matter (prakriti) and eternal spirit (purusha). Purusha is the authentic spirit, while prakriti is the basic matter that makes up the universe.
The Samkhya-karikas ("Stanzas of Samkhya") by Ishvarakrishna (c. 3rd century CE) gave Samkhya its classical form. The Mahabharata epic contains an early version of Samkhya that predates Ishvarakrishna.
The Samkhya system posits two bodies: a temporal body and a subtle body that migrates to another temporal body after death. The subtle body consists of buddhi (consciousness), ahamkara (I-consciousness), manas (mind), and prana (breath).
Samkhya emphasizes asceticism and a rejection of Hindu ritualism from Brahmanical sources.
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Who founded the Samkhya school of thought?
The Samkhya school of thought is one of the six systems (darshans) of Indian philosophy. Kapila, a Vedic sage, is often identified as a founder of the Samkhya school. The Samkhya system adopts a dualism of matter (prakriti) and eternal spirit (purusha).
Ishvarakrishna's Samkhya-karikas ("Stanzas of Samkhya") gave the school its classical form. Ishvarakrishna describes himself as teaching the essential doctrines of Kapila as taught to Asuri and by Asuri to Panchashika. The Mahabharata refers to Kapila teaching Samkhya-Yoga.
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What are the two main principles in Samkhya philosophy?
Samkhya, one of six systems of Indian philosophy, has two main principles:
- Prakriti: the eternal, material nature that is the basis of the material world. It is composed of three gunas (qualities): tamas (darkness), rajas (passion), and sattva (goodness).
- Purusha: the eternal spirit. It is ubiquitous, all-conscious, all-pervasive, motionless, unchangeable, immaterial, and without desire.
Samkhya posits that the spirit is confined within matter and only observes and experiences. Release (moksha) consists of the spirit’s extrication from matter by recognizing its total difference from, and noninvolvement in, it.
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How does Samkhya explain the creation of the universe?
Samkhya posits a dualistic origin of the universe with matter (prakriti) and eternal spirit (purusha) as separate entities. Creation starts when purusha focuses on prakriti, evolving spiritual awareness (buddhi) and individualized ego consciousness (ahamkara). This ahamkara then divides into five gross and fine elements, organs of perception and activity, and mind, which combines and permutates to form the universe, with purusha added to it.
The three primal qualities (gunas) of matter—tamas (obscurity), rajas (energy), and sattva (illumination)—further shape prakriti and act as physiopsychological factors, corresponding to personality types. Some Samkhya authors view creation as the presentation of matter to the selves, while others see it as influenced by a chief self or God.
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What role does purusha (spirit) play in Samkhya philosophy?
In Samkhya, one of the six systems of Indian philosophy, purusha (spirit) is the eternal, authentic self, separate from matter (prakriti). While prakriti is always changing, purusha remains constant.
Purusha mistakenly identifies with aspects of prakriti during evolution. The ability of purusha to distinguish itself from prakriti is the right knowledge. Purusha is ubiquitous, all-conscious, all-pervasive, motionless, unchangeable, immaterial, and without desire. The realization of its total separateness from prakriti releases purusha from bondage. Because purusha and prakriti sufficiently explain the universe, Samkhya does not hypothesize the existence of God.
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How did Samkhya influence other schools of Hindu thought, like yoga and Vedanta?
Samkhya, one of the six systems of Indian philosophy, significantly influenced other schools of Hindu thought through its dualistic metaphysics.
Samkhya posits two ultimate realities: prakriti (matter) and purusha (eternal spirit). The Yoga school accepts Samkhya's metaphysics but adds a 26th principle: Ishvara (supreme lord). Thus, Yoga is also known as Theistic Samkhya. While Samkhya emphasizes metaphysical knowledge, Yoga stresses self-control to realize these principles intuitively.
Samkhya Sutras show a clear tendency to explain the points of difference between Samkhya and Vedanta. Some tried to show that Samkhya doctrines are consistent with theism or even with the Upanishadic conception of Brahman.
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Samkhya, one of the six systems (darshans) of Indian philosophy. Samkhya adopts a consistent dualism of matter (prakriti) and the eternal spirit (purusha). The two are originally separate, but in the course of evolution purusha mistakenly identifies itself with aspects of prakriti. Right knowledge consists of the ability of purusha to distinguish itself from prakriti.
Although many references to the system are given in earlier texts, Samkhya received its classical form and expression in the Samkhya-karikas (“Stanzas of Samkhya”) by the philosopher Ishvarakrishna (c. 3rd century ce). Vijnanabhikshu wrote an important treatise on the system in the 16th century.
The Samkhya school assumes the existence of two bodies, a temporal body and a body of “subtle” matter that persists after biological death. When the former body has perished, the latter migrates to another temporal body. The body of subtle matter consists of the higher functions of buddhi (“consciousness”), ahamkara (“I-consciousness”), manas (“mind as coordinator of sense impressions”), and prana (“breath,” the principle of vitality).
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Samkhya posits the existence of an infinite number of similar but separate purushas, none superior to any other. Because purusha and prakriti are sufficient to explain the universe, the existence of a god is not hypothesized. The purusha is ubiquitous, all-conscious, all-pervasive, motionless, unchangeable, immaterial, and without desire. Prakriti is the universal and subtle nature that is determined only by time and space.
The chain of evolution begins when purusha impinges on prakriti, much as a magnet draws iron shavings to itself. The purusha, which before was pure consciousness without an object, becomes focused on prakriti, and out of this is evolved buddhi (“spiritual awareness”). Next to evolve is the individualized ego consciousness (ahamkara, “I-consciousness”), which imposes upon the purusha the misapprehension that the ego is the basis of the purusha’s objective existence.
The ahamkara further divides into the five gross elements (space, air, fire, water, earth), the five fine elements (sound, touch, sight, taste, smell), the five organs of perception (with which to hear, touch, see, taste, smell), the five organs of activity (with which to speak, grasp, move, procreate, evacuate), and mind (as coordinator of sense impressions; manas). The universe is the result of the combinations and permutations of these various principles, to which the purusha is added.
Largely outside the above system stands that of the three primal qualities of matter that are called gunas (“qualities”). They make up the prakriti but are further important principally as physiopsychological factors. The first is tamas (“darkness”), which is obscurity, ignorance, and inertia; the second is rajas (“passion”), which is energy, emotion, and expansiveness; and the highest is sattva (“goodness”), which is illumination, enlightening knowledge, and lightness. To these correspond personality types: to tamas, that of the ignorant and lazy person; to rajas, that of the impulsive and passionate person; and to sattva, that of the enlightened and serene person.
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