Sankhya Main Text

DEDICATED TO YOU

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DEDICATED TO YOU

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It is fair to say that one cannot properly practice or use any of the s ystems from India without having at least a basic familiarity with Sankyha. Sankhya philosophy, along with Yoga, are the two strands of traditional Indian philos ophy that have withstood the test of  time. This system was the basis b asis of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras , which can be seen as an extension of this school. Together they are a formidable pair that describe both the creation of man from the cosmos and how to reunite with our ground of being. The text was also considered a tantra and was a great framework for the practices of  tantra due to its emphasis on the process of material nature and its connection to the individual (though different tantric schools have some variations using it as a philosophical base). Sankhya truly forms the base that connects Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish, Tantra, and is essential to any tradition out of India due to its centrality as its most formalized philosophy philos ophy and is why I have explicated it so s o thoroughly here. Like everything else in this course, the roots of Sankhya go all the way back to the Rg Veda as well as various Upanishads, though only o nly in a scattered form. Descriptions of the system are found in the Mahabarata and Puranas, suggesting its origins are of great antiquity though its final version has commonly been dated to roughly 200-400 ACE or earlier. The ancient sage Kapila is considered the founder of this school though it was the much later Samkhya Karika of Isvarakrsna that is generally considered to be an authoritative text and is what we will base our study on. There have been exhaustive commentators and issues with this text1, however the Karika gives a great concise view to its basic principles. One could even go so far as to extend Sankhya as the first proper philosophy in the world. Swami Vivekananda points out that Pythagoras came to India to study (and undoubtedly touched this philosophy) then brought it back to the Greeks who bore the entire western tradition afterwards. Along these lines some have argued that the Greeks owe much if not all of their culture to the Vedic tradition in fact. 2 Vivekananda indeed said “this is the basis of  the philosophy of the whole world”3. Some western scholars would have problem with this as I have even seen some lay claim that the Indians even received their astronomical knowledge from the Greeks which is an absurd notion if we look at Indian history properly. 1

See Classical Samkhya by Gerald James Larson India in Greece by E. Pococke 3 Swami Vivekenanda Complete Works Vol. 2 “Practical Vedanta and Other Lectures”. 2

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Sankhya ( which suggests “number” or “ counting”) basically seeks to enumerate the very most basic principles (or tattvas) of creation from the soul level down to the gross level. It is not only a deep framework of reality but can serve as a practical means to liberation through reflection, meditation, and ultimately knowledge. While on the surface it looks like a cosmology and some people suggest this, it is more concerned with an individual’s relation to the cosmos than the creation of the entire cosmos itself. One can see it as a map of creation and a highly useful one if we do not want to get lost in our journey back to the source. This makes it a very practical tool which can serve us in our meditations and clarify how our bodies operate in the world and for what. It is important to note that it is only a rough map and should not be taken as reality. Since this map is trying to outline the entire creation in relation to the individual, there are often some grey and uncharted areas which we can’t entirely see. Many of thes e problems arise around defining the subtler aspects of the mind and creation which can often be difficult to bring down into words that can never encompass the whole truth. Words can only point the way to these subtle aspects of the creation. I would suggest letting your experience be the true barometer for this maps usefulness and leave debates for others (which can have some utility as well but is not the point of this course). In a nutshell we can group the principles of creation (there are 24 according to Sankyha and one outside of it) into four basis groups based on their function. 1) Neither Productive nor Produced – Just as Prakriti is at the base of the creation, Purusha stands alone outside of it. It is has no correlation with the physical manifestation whatsoever and is where the soul resides. Each of our soul’s are considered Purusha and is what is truly experiencing the creation and gives life to all of the material creation. In our tree analogy (below) this could be seen as all that which is outside the tree that truly keeps it alive and invigorated such as air which moves through the tree and is used by it yet is not the physical manifestation of the tree. 2) Productive – Prakriti is the primordial substance of the entire manifest world. Everything you see around you both on a gross physical level as well as a more subtle level (mind, emotions, intelligence, etc.) is just a variant of Prakriti. In this way even the mind is as material as your body, just on a different level. You can think of it as the seed of a tree before it is manifests in the world. While it bears little resemblance to the seed it contains all that comes out of it. Since it is at the base of the manifested world, it is considered productive and is purely a producer of all that comes later. 3) Productive and Produced – These are all the categories of existence that came out of  Prakriti. They include the three gunas (sattva, rajas, tamas), universal intelligence (mahat), individual intelligence (buddhi), and the sense of ego or I (ahamkara). These

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attributes are considered produced because they all originate in Prakriti, yet they also produce each further element as listed respectively. These can b e seen as the roots and trunk of the tree. 4) Produced – This is where the creation takes on its physical aspects and does not produce anything further but keeps reaching out for sustenance. It is for this that everything is produced and is considered the grossest manifestation of that primordial Prakriti. These categories include the 11 sense organs as well as the five elements of  nature. Included here as well is the mind ( manas) which is considered to be just a processor of the information of the senses within the Indian system. This can be seen as the branches and fruit of the tree in all its varied forms.

Sankhya suggest that the roots of existence are in “heaven”, or the subtle realms.

1 Neither Productive nor Produced

2 Productive

3 Productive and Produced

4 Purely Produced

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Now how did Sankhya come about and why should we care about this framework? Much like other religious traditions (India particularly), one sooner or later realizes that there is suffering and pain in life. Even pleasures do not give lasting happiness in the world. While some are content with having a car, decent job, and steady paycheck, they rarely realize the bliss that is available to them when they seek it. Usually it takes great suffering for someone to enter a spiritual path and seek what is beyond the body. When this happens, we ask if there is any way to end pain in our lives and it serves as a great motivator. While some may call this escapism, and for some people it can be a diversion from their pain, those who delve into it will come to their realization all the much quicker. According to Sankhya, we see that there are three main causes to pain. Most likely much of our pain comes from our own bodily disturbances and mental issues. These are the most readily seen causes of pain and the ones that are most in our control. They are paradoxically also the hardest to change since we are so attached to our ego habits and fight change. There are also external forms caused by other people, animals, weather patterns, etc. Depending on many factors (such as economics, mobility, etc.) these can be easy or difficult to change. Then there are supernatural causes of pain which include everything from evil or deranged spirits to planetary afflictions as seen in our Jyotish charts. While this last cause may seem antiquated, I have personally met people afflicted with a range of maladies (from cancer to psychosis) who have been helped or cured by spiritual practices such as pujas or propitiating the planets. The ancients were masters of the subtle realms in the same way our current day scientists are masters of the material realm. These subtle forces are every bit as real and problematic in the world as physical ailments and shouldn’t be underestimated or relegated to the area of “magic” or nature worship. While pain cannot be absolutely rooted out in our day to day life, it can be overpowered. Most people prefer to root out their physical pain by visiting doctors and physicians, mentally by attaining various material objects for pleasure, supernatural problems through uses of gems and mantra, and outer evils through politics or moving residence. While these are all valid and can help for a short time, they will never solve the root problem of our sufferings. Even the Vedic ritual, which promises immortality, is seen as impermanent. Even if you gain immortality you’re still wrapped up in the subtle world and Prakriti which will dissolve when all the elements dissipate. The only way that we can truly be free of all suffering is to recognize that our true self  is none other than the soul, the Purusha, that lies at the backdrop of all the various changes that take place within the created world. There is no other way and is the true reason for our existence, whether we knowingly admit it or not. Realizing this and then wo rking towards it 5 ©thedarshanproject.org

consciously can only help release your pains all the quicker. However, if you prefer to be satisfied with the simple pleasures of television and baked potatoes, this is fine too! It will only take you longer to get where you are going. The next logical question is “How do you do this?” According to Sankhya, it is through contemplation of these categories of existence for an extended period of time which ultimately leads to one realizing that I am not this (body, mind, senses, etc.) and that this is not mine. When you realize that you’re nothing you can possibly conceive of, then true knowledge will come into your life. Almost all of the ancient Indian practices and disciplines are aimed at realizing this statement in some form or another. While the names, rituals, forms, and philosophies may change, they are after the same thing. All these ancient practices seek to s et up both your outer and inner life to align with cosmic principles which make it easier to realize this truth for yourself. These are the gifts of the Rishis. Understanding their road maps and how to get there is crucial if you want to make your journey a little less bumpy and with fewer detours.

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The first thing to examine before we begin looking at the world around us is our means of  cognition and how we know something to be true and valid. This is an invaluable skill and while it is the first thing to consider when looking to find the truth about something, in many ways it is also the last. In looking to assess ourselves Ayurvedically or through any other discipline, it is important to clarify our means of cognition so that we are assessing properly. Some of us are more naturally perceptive dep ending on our inherent qualities which we will uncover as the course goes on. Yet through application, reflection, and practice all of us can clear our field of perception over time. There are other also forms of cognition such as analogy that are often cited in other philosophies, however Sankhya considers it as one of the below three forms and not necessarily distinct.

PRAMANA The first means of cognition is called pramana or pratyaksha. This means right cognition of what is to be apprehended. Such perception can include both the ordinary perception of the sense world as well as the extraordinary world of intuition, thought, emotions, and so forth. If  our perception of the world and events is clear we will undoubtedly be given correct and truthful information. Physical misperceptions of the world ( i.e. b lindness) can be fixed quite easily in this day and age, however our inner mental perception is too often clouded by biases, frustrations, assumptions, and a long list of possible abnormalities. It is largely because of this that we do not see the truth of things, nor are we happy and are in need of clearing the mind. Even people who strive to maintain objectivity such as scientists and judges are often filled with inner mental disturbances that outer obj ects cannot correct. This speaks to the vital importance of spiritual and selfreflective practices aimed at realizing or enquiring into questions about what lies beyond our physical field of 

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vision. They will help us not only see the bigger picture, but can clear up blockages that will allow our day to day existence to be more harmonious through clarity in our relationship with the world. In the case of the Rishis and Yogis, the depth of their perception was so profound that they could see the deeper makeup of the cosmos and inner energies of man. In this respect it is the first and last mode of perception. If we have direct vision of the truth then there is little more we need. This is the primary mode of knowing and all others are dependent upon it.

INFERENCE This form of knowing can take on different forms. In its positive form you can infer something is true from what is known or something someone has seen prior. The classic example is where there is smoke, there is fire. If you have symptoms such as rashes, diarrhea, and high fever you can probably assume that someone has high pitta in the Ayurveda. We can also infer things about people we meet based on how they carry themselves. For example, I might infer that someone is not interested in what I am saying if they keep looking away from me as I speak to them ( though this might not always be the case). This is a simple example, but the more acutely aware you are of small details you pick up on from people and nature, the more perceptive you will be to inferring correct truths based on what may appear to be min imal or inconsequential information. You can also infer something through negation and attempting to deny that there is any other possibility. For example, say you have a medical problem that you are having a hard time figuring out. You can make a list of possible things that are aggravating the condition and slowly remove them to find out what may be the cause of the issue. On a deeper level one can also infer truths from beyond particular physical manifestations and perceive more universal qualities. Such knowledge is granted to practitioners who can disengage their senses and perceive the subtle realms, such as yogis. While this is often beyond the grasp of most common folk, deep practices may give you some hints and intuition that truly come from somewhere else.

VERBAL TESTIMONY Verbal/scriptural testimony is highly praised in ancient Indian traditions and on some level it has to be. While many people might discuss samadhi, the chakras, and other subtle states of consciousness, 8 ©thedarshanproject.org

very few have had actual deep experiences regarding these topics let alone be ing able to work with them properly. As a result we must look to reliable teachers, authorities, and texts on these topics to find a correct mode of practice until we have our own experience. It is the same in the west as well, however we have often given our testimony over to people who have much vested self-interest. We have formed a sort of cult around authority figures and celebrities for often dubious reasons, including many so called yogis and spiritual figures. People often follow the lead of the likes of Oprah (who has done some good work –  don’t get me wrong!), or even a politician such as George Bush and base their whole reality around someone’s half facts. In India this type of testimony referred to revered authorities that were more interested in true spiritual knowledge, and people who were not corrupted by ego as much. Hence texts such as the Vedas were highly regarded and preserved up until this day which speaks to the deep reverence and devotion the ancient culture must have had for the s ages and their knowledge. Such verbal testimony can also pertain to mundane things and then the authority not need be as important, but even mundane things can often be misperceived with far reaching results. For example, while seeing Ayurvedic clients, people o ften have a tendency to misrepresent themselves and see themselves in a better light than their true reality. When filling out these little on-line self-assessments, many people like to see themselves as moderate and hence more pitta dominate which generally isn’t the case. They can also not have proper answers to your questions in a more clinical setting. I mean how many of you really pay attention to every bowel movement? However a client will often try and appease you to fulfill your requests for answers, which does little good for anyone. This is one small example but half-truths are abundant in a vast majority of our day-to-day interactions as well and paying attention to the little details will greatly help you navigate between you daily affairs. Through meditation, becoming clear in your own self, and getting an understanding of  different personality types through the lenses we will be p resenting in our courses, you will be able to see more and more behind what people are saying. There are many aspects to pay attention to, but over time you can start to perceive and use these disciplines to properly intuit people’s verbal testimony in your daily interactions. Knowing the patterns will also help you have more compassion and understanding for them as well and allow you to approach your relationships in an entirely new light.

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It is important to note that just because aspects of nature such as Prakriti and mahat are not readily perceived by you in the current moment, is no reason for their non-existence. Every cause has effect and every effect has a cause in it. To put it simply something cannot come out of nothing. A washcloth is no different from the yarn that makes it. While it is as a spool of yarn we do not perceive that it will be a washcloth and vice versa, yet it is impossible to separate the two and is a matter of function. The same can be said about the material stuff  we are made out of and our subtle origin. As Swami Rama says, “this world has come out of  perfection”4 As discussed above, Sankhya (as well as all religions) see the universe as intelligent and out of this intelligence comes the physical manifestation we know as life. Such a viewpoint also suggests that we should understand our subtle origins if we want to know what life is truly about. This can take various manifestations depending on the mythology and historical figures associated with it. Sankhya is more descriptive and observational in its methods and does not suggest a creator God as in modern day Christian religions, but rather gives a framework that might be used to understand any religion or philosophy of life. Modern science often feels that intelligence is a peculiar function o f human beings and is a very late development within the created world, suggesting quite an o pposite viewpoint to the above. However such views are not contradictory. Sankyha says that this intelligence manifested down to the gross level so that it may experience itself and understand itself as soul. As we become dissatisfied with the physical existence we will find that we are pulled to that higher intelligence within us and to continue the journey back to our original source. As man evolves more he will become more in tune with this higher impetus which is the similar view of science and evolution. Both views recognize peo ple as growing into more cognizant beings, yet the spiritual view merely states this intelligence prefigures existence and is why humility is something of great importance in a spiritual life. We are not the originator of our theories or existence and we should not pretend like we created this universe. Science cannot measure the immeasurable with their instruments and will of cours e feel itself separate from these ancient sciences though this is slowly starting to change as we push the limits of  physical matter. 4

From Lectures on the Mandukya Upanishad.

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PURUSHA

There two fundamental eternal realities of Sankhya, what is known as Purusha (spirit) and Prakriti (matter). In classical Sankhya there are an infinite number of individual souls (purushas) in the universe - one for each of us. This soul is seen to stand distinctly apart from the material world as previously mentioned and there is no eternal “ground of being” or Godhead type figure within the classical conception of this philosophy. Such a concept seems an anomaly in Indian thought as the majority of later schools have basically refuted this part of Sankhya and kept the rest. As a result, you might want to equate Purusha with the ground of being, Shiva, Brahma, universal consciousness, or any other similar definition if you approach it from another tradition (which I do). Each of us is seen to have some part of this universal soul in our individualized self which you can term your “soul” if you would like. The whole goal here is to realize that you are one with the big soul. There have been many debates around this idea. I feel that a large part of this issue is because this is the most subtle part of the creation and is beyond the ego, which makes it nearly impossible to talk or even think about it, yet all the sages and saints of the world have attested to its reality. You can catch small glimpses of it for yourself as well if you do your practices. We delve more into this question at the end of our look at Sankhya for those interested. For now, we will be using Sankyha philosophy to give us a framework for meditation practices and start having our own experiences regarding the subject matter as oppos ed to theoretical debates. Since earlier forms of Sankhya actually had ideas similar to the Upanishads atman, which was an individual soul connected to a larger one, for the sake of  this work we will consider Purusha as an individual s pirit connected to a greater spirit. A common metaphor is how an individual drop of water is both part of and separate from the ocean which serves us quite well. Purusha is completely immaterial, eternal, limitless, and an indescribable reality. It is this Purusha that acts as an observer that witnesses the physical creation and is the consciousness behind the entire physical world. In astrology this concept is linked with the Sun, which shines from within itself to illuminate the whole universe. It is the light of  Purusha that allows one to see the world and it is the existence of the world that allows Purusha to know of its existence.

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PURUSHA

PRAKRITI

Prakriti is the entire physical and manifest universe. In its root form it is called mulaprakriti (mula=root) or avyakta (unmanifest). At this level it is the “stuff” from which everything is made of and is eternal and infinite as Purusha is, yet has substance to it. However, in this state it is a very fine subtle substance and cannot be equated with material objects. We are now in the world of duality and the number two. This sense of duality can be seen throughout the universe and is essential to how we perceive the universe. This concept extends through all cultures, times, and philosophies. The Greeks had the idea of the unity of opposites that stated in order to know something fully you also have to know its opposite. Modern physics confirms this as relativity theory states that ideas such as rest and motion, waves and particles, mass and energy, life and death, are so interrelated that they are inseparable. In daily life opposites such as light and dark, up and down, and the symmetry of your body are other wonderful suggests at this deep reality of nature. On one level we can recognize them as separate, but on another there is no separation since they are inherent in and define each other. For this reason, duality is explained as Purusha wishing to know itself thereby stirring mulaprakriti into its manifest (vyakta) form. Without there being a material existence there is no way we could know that we are truly one undivided consciousness. When this happens the physical creation starts to become formed, though at a very subtle level becoming ever grosser until matter is formed. It is this initial act of creation that is considered where the sound AUM has come from, the eternal sound of creation resonating throughout the universe. In physics, this closely allies with the theory of the big bang and a resonant humming that physicists have found the universe to be making. Within this “womb” of Prakriti are the three great qualities (maha gunas) that will go on to differentiate and make up the rest of the universe. These are sattva (clarity), rajas (activity), and tamas (inertia). Both the maha gunas as well as the number three are extremely important throughout the rest of Indian philosophy so we will spend some time clarifying. Within the unmanifest state the maha gunas are seen to be in a state of balance and equilibrium. However once they are spurned to creation from Purusha wanting to know itself  they become differentiated and exist in varying quantities. They are thought to be inherent in 12 ©thedarshanproject.org

all processes and functions of the universe on every level and define much of how something functions within the manifest universe. They are in a state of constant flux, but may follow general patterns depending on the object. If that is too abstract for you, these ideas are often used to describe how a person functions in the world and are the key components around which Ayurvedic and Yoga psychology revolve. In general, people with sattvic qualities are more pure, lighter in mind, and can face the challenges of life with a smile. People with more rajasic qualities will tend to be more active and driven in life to make things happen. People of  tamasic nature will often resist change and be stuck or dragged down deeply into the body with various forms of  addiction. This is a simple version of the theory as one person does not wholly exist in one or the other form, but has each of these within them in various degrees and can shift between these states. Along with this, no one form is better than the other as all are inherent in creation and serve some purpose. On a more cosmic level, these qualities can also be associated with the three Gods or forces that control the creation of the universe as well. There is Bramha (the creator associated with rajas), Vishnu the sustainer (associated with sattva), and Shiva the destroyer ( asso ciated with tamas). These are general associations for learning and others are possible. Key here is that these three gunas are the prime movers of the universe from micro to macroscosm and will be covered in more detail in various parts of this course. This division of three is highly prominent throughout the works of India and the world in general. Christianity has their trinity, there are three dimensions to the gross physical world, three primary channels that carry kundalini ( ida, pingala, sushumna), and there are 12 signs (1+2=3 in numerology) of the zodiac each having 30 degrees. These are just a few examples but it is a sacred division in most ancient cultures and traditions, if not all, as it really goes to the root of how the universe is constructed as we know it on the subtle and esoteric levels. This threefold process of creation was described by the sages who taught us long ago that the universe is created, lasts for billions of years, and will once again be destroyed only to recapitulate itself again. Mass and energy will spread out to become a fine ether only to be reconstituted again since it cannot be destroyed. In fact, in the Vedic literature the universe has been called brahmanda which means the egg that is expanding. Modern physicists have a similar concept with their theories of the expansion of the universe.

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In light of all this, Purusha and Prakriti can both be seen as eternal forms dependent on each other, and hence are inherent within the fabric of the universe itself. In fact many tantric sects, who associate these energies with Shiva and Shakti, do not differentiate between the two and consider them as one energy with different name and form. In this sense the eternal cycles of time and space have no beginning and end and so too is it with the existence of Purusha and Prakriti. The Vedas say poignantly, “that eternal one breathes out this universe and breathes it in”.

PURUSHA

PRAKRITI

MAHAT When the three gunas begin to move and differentiate, the third principle comes into being called mahat, or the universal intelligence. This mahat can be seen as the blueprint and basic rules/laws of the universe by which it is governed. Lines and borders are starting to be drawn from what was more nebulous. While this is the third principle, if we take the gunas (sattva,rajas,tamas) into effect, mahat is the fourth aspect of creation within this theory. The number four is a number of  stability and geometrically it represents the square. This shape is considered the most stable and used throughout Vaashtu Shastra to build structures that resonant most with universal energies as well as being associated with the root chakra. The number four can be seen in other aspects as well through the four functions of the breath (inhalation, exhalation, inner and outer retention), and may explain why the 4/4 rhythm is so prominent within popular music. Much like three, there are other associations that can be made as well. Such laws as karma are created here as well as the intelligence that governs all the functions of our being right down to the cellular level. However it is merely in seed form at this stage. While we often don’t think of our bodies as intelligent, it is truly a miracle that every cell, system, and tissue of our body functions harmoniously. It is also miraculous to see homogeneity of our bodies and emotional states from one to the next in their basic structures and functioning. There is little that is truly individual about us at this level. 14 ©thedarshanproject.org

From the universal intelligence we next move to the first s eeds of individuation and what has been come to be called the “internal organ”, or the mind. The mind has a complex and detailed outlook with different connotations than the western models. The first principle of  this internal organ is a reflection of mahat on an individual level called the buddhi. This is the first thing that Purusha “sees” as some individual type of entity. While this is considered the individual cosmic intelligence in a person, it is still very close to the mahat and serves as a bridge from the awareness of universal intelligence to the individual. This makes it very difficult to define as it is a yogic state of awareness and has been looked at differently within different scriptures. In Sankhya, one could call it intelligence that is not self-aware like the state of a newborn baby. The newborn is aware of what it needs but is not self-aware like an adult. One can also compare it to the state of deep sleep where we function without knowing.

PURUSHA

PRAKRITI

MAHAT BUDDHI

Since it contains that initial impulse to individuality, it is associated with the will and essential strivings in the creation. There are various impelling forces within buddhi, which are dharma(virtue), adharma (vice), jnana (knowledge), ajnana (ignorance), viraga (non attachment), raga (attachment), aisvirya (power), andanaisvirya (impotence). Through these 15 ©thedarshanproject.org

impelling functions we can see buddhi as the seed of the various divisions of five that make up the physical creation (five senses, five organs of action, five subtle elements, and five gross elements) and govern many of their actions. It is also these elements such as attachment and ignorance that cloud our minds and keep us unaware of the higher intelligence within us. It is the yo gic technology that teaches us how to clear these areas systematically. This knowing of the difference between the knowledge of  small self and big Self is an important role of buddhi. Due to this many commentators will often place the buddhi very close to the functions of the mind (manas). However, this grouping is not Sankhya philosophy as buddhi exists before ego individuation which is crucial to understand when practicing meditation. To understand this more practically, I often like to compare buddhi to that awareness we have that what we are doing is not in line with our best interests. Since everything we do is presented to the buddhi for discernment, if we are blocked or confused, then buddhi cannot make a proper decision. We know that staying up all night or having that extra slice of pizza isn’t in our best interest (to use a mundane example), yet we do so anyways. Repeatedly. Our ego and lower sense addictions can often propel us to go against the laws of nature and universal laws such as karma. The more we learn to turn the senses inwards through practices, the more we can clear what is blocking this budd hi and allow it to lead our actions and reflect the universal order. When this takes place our decisions and lives will become effortless and in tune with our surroundings. There will be no more “choices” which is often just an illusion of freedom. This is why one of my teachers Ramanand Patel would often say, “You think you have a choice because you are confused”.

PURUSHA

PRAKRITI

MAHAT BUDDHI Ahamkara 16 ©thedarshanproject.org

Next we come to the ahamkara. This can literally be translated as the “ I maker” or “ I doer”. This is the very first sense of a separate identity apart from the rest of the universe that has come into being and allows everything to take on some type of individual existence, though Sankhya is primarily concerned with human life. This is an ex tremely significant turn as with Purusha and Prakriti we saw a distinct split between s pirit and matter. With the ahamkara we now have a further division between our inner life and outer life through the function of the ego and the center it creates. Ahamkara is often referred to as the sense of ego. On some level this is true as it is generally where we get stuck with deep impressions of who we are that are difficult to change and that shape our personality. However, it is still a very s ubtle sense of  separateness unlike what many of us identify with as the ego. You can think of ahamkara along the terms of a young child’s very first sense of “I”. Children generally develop their sense of “I” and ability to distinguish themselves separate from the world at the age of three, though they are still in a very dreamlike state and do not have a strong sense of definite ego like we adults know. However it is an essential function for us to live and experience in the world. Even though we often treat our young ones like little adults, they are still very much coming into their body and are in this state of ahamkara as compared to identifying with their sense functions and concrete images had from their life’s experience (called manas or mind ) very deeply. While not wholly Indian, Rudolf Steiner and Waldorf education does an excellent job of properly incarnating a child into their body and senses with an awareness of  this process for those of you with children or interested in this field. They seek to cultivate a healthy sense of identity with the body which is essential to health in Ayurveda as well. After ahamkara there are two lines of evolution that follow simultaneously. Out of the tamasic will come the gross elements, to be discussed later. Out of the sattvic portion of  ahamkara comes the mind (manas), five senses (jnanendriyas – eye,ear,nose,tongue,skin), and five organs of action ( karmendriyas –voice,hands,feet, organs of excretion and reproduction). If this seems like too much technical jargon, it is really quite simple and follows a three-fold order. 1) Things are sensed from the world. 2) Our mind processes them. 3) We take action in the world.

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The mind (manas) in this scheme is primarily a processor of what is taken in through the senses, but first we must be clear on the mind and how it functions in this philosophy. Western models and terms can often be nebulous in their descriptions and is where most of us receive our impressions or general ideas about the “mind”. We see here that the ahamkara (ego sense) is primarily rajasic or active. When this active component co mbines with sattva (lightness) we get the mind and its functions. This is an important distinction because we see that the mind and senses are quite active yet subtle and not of the physical world since our physical existence has not been discussed yet. These are the channels of the senses, or potential for sense perception and action that will occur when we get to the gross elements.

PURUSHA

PRAKRITI

MAHAT BUDDHI Ahamkara

Rajas with Sattva

MANAS

Jnanendriyas

Karmendriyas

Jnanendriyas (senses) Potential for Hearing Potential for Touch

Karmendriyas (actions) Potential for Speech Potential for Grasping

Potential for Vision Potential for Taste

Potential for Walking Potential for Procreation

Potential for Smell

Potential for Elimination

*chitta is the storehouse for the internal organ

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It is also important not to confuse manas with consciousness or awareness. In fact it is almost a hindrance to these things. Becoming aware has to do with realizing that we ARE Purusha / consciousness. Anything that happens to us in the world is actually sent back through this hierarchy to be known and experienced by the Purusha (consciousness) and then gets filtered back down when we act in the world. This happens in an instant and generally without our knowing. Without our Purusha there would be no awareness and nothing in creation to be aware of! However it remains untouched by e xperience and is endless, timeless, and stainless. Manas, on the other hand, is associated with the thoughts, emotions, images, and every other impression we take in from the world. The content of manas and all our opinions, memories, traumas, etc. clouds our perception of consciousness. In some sense we need to become “aware” of these things before we start to see what is underneath them. Hence the mind is closely tied to the external world yet is not part of it. While modern psychology will posit these aspects as functions of the brain, the brain is only the physical tool that the manas uses to operate the body and is not the brain itself. Taken together, the ahamkara, buddhi, and manas are called the internal organ or antahkarana. There is also a function of mind called the chitta that would be contained in the internal organ as well. The chitta is the storehouse of impressions that we take in from the world. The manas organizes the sensory inputs to make sense of the world and the chitta stores it for later use or recall. This is not talked of in Sankhya much, but is primarily from the yogic perspective. However it can be seen as a continuance of this philosophy and has many practical aims when we get to our practices. I have not included it in this diagram, but please be aware that chitta is the storehouse of the entire internal organ from the indriyas up to the buddhi. It seems that it is the entire brain and nervous system that is acted upon by these subtle elements born out of sattvic element of ahamkara and was what the ancient sages were referencing with these terms. Modern physiology will concur too as we look at the senses. In Sankhya the senses are not the gross organs that we tend to associate them with. For example, the organ of the eye is not the sense of vision. Rather the sense of vision works through the organ of the eye. In modern physiology they tend to identify the five senses with neural pathways that terminate in the brain and have their true source there. Hence physiology sees the senses as being located in the brain and not the sense organ as well. The material view posits the brain / central nervous system as the seat of the senses while the yogic system has subtle 19 ©thedarshanproject.org

components in the manas/nadi system. Once again this is the only real difference between modern science and ancient science. Ancient science posits intelligence beyond the physical while modern science cannot conceive of anything other than, though the y are clearly describing the same functions. It should be noted that Sankhya is actually quite a physical science, though not in the normal sense of the word. Since this philosophy says that everything is made out of  mulaprakriti, everything we know and see – from our bodies to universal intelligence- is made up of the same essential stuff and permeated by the three gunas. In this sense the body is no different from the mind from the senses. It is just a matter of degrees of subtlety and function. It’s all one stuff in a myriad of forms! Though just saying “ it is all one” often leads to new age living where anything goes and is not what I am suggesting. This is a very important distinction when we start to practice for a host of reasons. I used to own an isolation tank (aptly named “samadhi”) that would attempt to cut off all sensory stimuli from the body by letting you float in a saline solution at body temp without gravity, light, sound, touch, etc. While it was ultimately relaxing and a great tool to reach deeper states, more often than not I could still hear inner sounds, perceive images, and feel energy coursing within the body. Seeing, hearing, and feeling things in dreams is a prime of example of  this for those of you without such devices though achieving it while awake helps to understand the physical-subtle components deeper. The only true way to release the senses is from cutting them off at the root of the active mind as it is the controller of the senses. This is what pratayahara in yoga is all about. It is through these five subtle senses ( via the gross organ associated with each sense) that impressions from the outside world move into the mind. The mind then processes it with all its background, images, karma, etc., sends it up the hierarchy to Purusha, then back down again, and out of this produces actions through the karmendriyas or five subtle faculties of  action ( speech, grasping, walking, procreation, elimination ). However, just like the five senses, these faculties of action should not be confused with the organs that produce their effects. For example, the karmendriya of walking is not the feet. Rather walking is what makes the foot move. It is the force behind our actions and exists as an initial impulse, associated with the nervous system (though no t the nervous system in this philosophy) as discussed. It is here that we have our first movement into the outer gross world and what most of us consider to be reality.

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We have finally come to the final section of our evolution from consciousness into matter. It is interesting that the word gross can mean the physical world, as well being disgusting, unknowledgeable, and coarse in nature. While there are certainly pleasures in the physical world, all Indian philosophies agree that they are full of suffering as all pleasure will eventually end. Just look at us when our electricity goes out or we have a bad meal. How easily we can become affected when things do not go our way! In repeated pleasure are the seeds of pain. The two are inseparable as so much else in nature, and the genius of the yogis was in transcending this state of duality. So it is apt that in thinking we are only a gross body we can also be called unknowledgeable of our true nature as spirit. The more tied we are into just satisfying our base physical comforts, the less refined we are as human beings. The more we can balance taking care of the needs of the physical world, while having an eye to spiritual practice and investigating what more there is to life, the less gross we become. This is the whole point of  Sankyha and spirituality as a whole. The rest is just details and practice. If you recall from above, there were two strands that came out of the ahamakara, or the sense of separateness. The sattvic strand we have just described above with the manas, organs of perception, and organs of action. The tamasic strand is where we find our gross physical bodies come into existence. These aspects are considered to have been created in tandem with the sattvic strands above. Since rajas has primarily associated with tamas (inertia, heaviness) here, we end up with our actual physical bodies at the last stop on this path when we reach the earth element. However since it is with rajas, we see that the physical world has much activity in it as well as being driven by the ahamkara. This is a mark distinction from everything above ahamkara (buddhi, mahat,etc.) which abounds in sattva primarily. It is important to note that, according to Sankhya, the sense faculties and faculties of  actions in their subtle sense were also built alongside their physical counterparts and are inseparable like purusha-prakriti and our inner-outer dichotomies. In fact all elements of the creation are seen as interdependent according to this philosophy. It is concise in that only the essential elements and basic characteristics have been described. Take one out and it just doesn’t work or properly describe reality and is the reason for its continued use. 21 ©thedarshanproject.org

PURUSHA

PRAKRITI

MAHAT BUDDHI Ahamkara

Rajas with Sattva

Rajas with Tamas TANMATRAS

MANAS

JNANENDRIYAS

SOUND

KARMENDRIYAS

FORM

MAHABHUTA

ETHER

JNANENDRIYAS Hearing Potential Touch Potential Vision Potential Taste Potential Smell Potential

TEXTURE

Karmendriyas Speech Potential Grasping Potential Walking Potential Procreation Potential Elimination Potential

AIR

FIRE

Tanmatras Sound Potential (shabda) Texture Potential (sparsha) Form Potential (rupa) Flavor Potential (rasa) Odor Potential (ghanda)

WATER

Mahabhutas Ether (akasha) Air (vayu) Fire (agni) Water (apas) Earth (prithvi)

*chitta is the storehouse of the internal organ ( buddhi downwards )

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EARTH

The descent into matter begins from what are called the panchatanmatras or five potentials for creation. These are sound ( shabda), texture ( sparsha), form ( rupa), flavor ( rasa), and odor (gandha). These are the actual objects of sense perception that the sense faculties associated with the mind will eventually receive, however they are still in subtle form and exist only as potentials of actual sense until the gross physical body has been created. So we see that our ability to have senses precedes our actual physical body and actually caused the physical components to become created. We were literally created for experience. Sage Patanjali says that the tanmatras can actually become perceptible with enough practice. It is these potentials that eventually make up the gross elements (panchamahabhutas) of ether (akasha), air ( vayu), fire ( agni), water (apas), and earth (prithvi) respectively. It is important to point out that in the hierarchy of elements, each one is formed from the previous and is contained in the next. As ether is the subtlest and closest to the subtle nature, it is the first of the elements along with its tanmatra - shabda (sound). Air comes next which contains ether and air as well as sound and touch. Fire comes next containing ether, air, and fire (as well as sound, touch, and form) and so on until the grossest element earth is formed. Earth is the only element that contains all the previous and is what our physical creation is made of. Due to this the physical creation can be seen to contain all of the elements and are easily perceived. The sages deduced these structures with starting from the known and working backwards essentially. This can be seen practically as if you burn some wood (earth and water), the fire transforms the wood into the more refined air and ether disperses it. There are subtle psychological and spiritual correlations to these aspects too like everything in the creation. This will be delved into as we move further in our coursework. These ideas of the gross elements are an overarching framework and have many associations within the physical. I know when I was young I would often dismiss such frameworks as archaic because I would only think of the element of fire as literally fire, or water as water. This seemed impractical to me considering our modern day notions of the elements of the periodic table. I figure many others who dismiss these theories do much of the same. However, these elements are of a completely different nature and are far more encompassing and pattern based. These concepts have many associations within the manifested world. For example, the water element is part of a larger pattern that can include everything from nurturing maternal qualities to our satisfaction with life to the literal water 23 ©thedarshanproject.org

of the ocean. It is a more poetic, organic, and encompassing model of reality than what we are used to. We will be delving deeper into the elements in later modules, as they are the glue that holds together the practical side of these systems. Let this serve as an introduction and don’t worry if it seems too nebulous at this point. This “old” way of thinking qualitatively about the world has been largely lost since western models have overtaken the sciences. However if you can just try and start to enter into this different frame of reference you will come to see that there is a logical system in place within all the Vedic sciences. They do have use and utility within the world and your life in ways you never would have thought of. They will change the way you view the world and yourself if you can train yourself and understand these things practically.

SO? Now that we have come to the end of our journey some of you may be saying so what? Where do we go from here? Most of us tend to constantly look for gratification outside of  ourselves and through our senses, and get caught up in that downward pattern of the earth element that we have been thrown into. Yet Sankhya points out that there is no further evolution on the physical level. There may be mutations and adpatations (i.e. cloning DNA), but the basic materials will not change. In this day and age we are pushing the limits of  physical realities when we try to alter our realties with science. It is this urge to understand the basics of creation which drives science. However, Sankhya teaches us that the only purpose of this entire life is for us to experience ourselves as the Purusha. Experience is truly the purpos e of Purusha and the manifested world. We must eventually come to a point in our life where we realize that we will never fulfill our worldly urges, which are endless, nor will they give us the bliss our soul seeks. This is the only real purpose of our sensory life. To see that it is limited and there is no end to what we can experience, but that it will not bring us anything but more and more experience and temporary happiness. If this is what you desire, then Sankhya says it is fine. However you will be constantly in the flux of the gunas and never achieve peace or true happiness as long as you see the world in this fashion. It is considered that our subtle body continuously takes on different gross physical bodies in order for us to accomplish this task. We are propelled along in the creation by the fruits of  our karma, the topic of our next lesson, until we start to figure out what is really going on with this life. This may take some of us longer than others. This is okay. This is natural. However, the sooner we can realize our true purpose and make conscious efforts to alleviate the suffering, the better not only we will be, but the world will be as well.

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Many critics of the Sankhya system take issue to the base fundamentals of its philosophy  – namely the connection and nature between Purusha and Prakriti. This included the Buddhists who posited the absence of an eternal self and the void, Sankaracharaya and his advaita (non-dualism) Vedanta, the aforementioned tantric sects that equated Purusha and Prakriti as the same energy with different form, and the yogis who p osited a God or Isvara beyond Purusha. In essence it is this point of divergence that can really qualify the main differences between most of these schools on a broad level. However, it is important to point out that while these commentators had some issues with the philosophy, many of them (though not all) accepted much of the constituent outline it provided. Most poignantly is the fact that they were all preoccupied with it and shows its high status as opposed to lesser philosophies that have died out over time (Nyaya, Vaisheshika, etc.). Once again, it was more often than not the fundamental question of the connection between the self, God, and soul that was the main point of debate. Since Sankhya is truly more concerned with the individual and its suffering than the origination of the cosmos, it takes a very individualistic look at the creation and is where many of these problems likely arise. Due to this individualism, it said that Purusha, the soul or consciousness, is individual to the person and that there are a limitless number of them. It did not talk of a universal reality that someone could realize or tap into. It merely suggested you could realize the truth of your soul as separate from matter and then you would cease to incarnate. It is also suggested that Purusha and Prakriti were entirely separated from each other and only appeared to interact with each other. These problems were most likely due to the fact that much of the classical system was arrived at by reasoning and inference as opposed to direct experience like many of the other paths. It seems as if Kapila and later sages started with the senses and worked backwards until they could only reason about the subtler aspects of philosophy. This is a valid means of  knowledge in India and is a large part of the path of Jnana Yoga of which this idea of  reflecting the ultimate reality is THE central practice. It is important to remember however, that many earlier forms of Sankyha did agree with the concept of Atman, or an individual soul connected to a Godhead (Brahman) as found in the Upanishads and philosophy of Vedanta. Why the classical text of Sankhya ( Isvara 25 ©thedarshanproject.org

Krishna’s) did not align with this idea is up for debate. However, this reality of a ground of  being and seeming appearance of individualized existence is recognized by most earlier as well as later scholars, sages, and revealed texts. To complicate this issue more, the ideas of Vedanta are just one approach to this issue surrounding God. Later Tantric sects took this philosophy and expounded upon the principles of creation. Some of them included states of consciousness beyond the Purusha as well as within Prakriti. Since this is a practical approach to the topic of Sankyha primarily, I do not care to engage in the debates or delve into the various schools in these approaches as even this section is getty a little too technical. These debates are well documented in other places and should really only concern scholars or practitioners within their specific paths. Everyone will be drawn to a d ifferent approach in their attitudes and path to the ground of being, and it seems that every person in the world ( even atheists with their science) recognize some ground of being yet cannot define or understand it in only logical sense. From my own lineage I would tend to side with this underlying cosmic reality based on the large amount of tes timony from realized saints and personal experience. The crux of the problem, I feel, is that when we get close to the source of creation and beyond our ego / rational mind it is very difficult to talk about in language since these aspects of reality are so far removed from our day to day existence. Language itself poses a problem as these are states to be experienced first and foremost and what I would urge people to focus on most. Language and thought is a limited construct and must be transcended if we are to truly experience these realities. As mentioned in our opening paragraphs, keeping it simple and remembering that these are just maps to aid us in our experience is the best course of action. There are many ways to the top of the mountain (to be cliché) and it is important that you find one that suits your temperament and which you can wholeheartedly commit to. This in itself is bound to take you there. However, in the end there are no practices, methods, or maps that will bring you to the final state of realization. A guru, pranayama, right diet, thinking good thoughts, etc. all may help in varying degrees and may even be essential at certain stages in the spiritual life. It is up to you and your efforts when it comes to practices in the so called spiritual life but it is ultimately grace and surrender that will take you the rest of the way.

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1. In one or two sentences give your own definition for the following: Purusha: Prakriti: Mahat: Buddhi: Ahamakara: Jnanendriya: Manas: Karmendriya: Tanmatras: Mahabhutas: God: 2.

Make a list of things five things you might associate with Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas (i.e. Sattva could be light, nature, wind, meditation,etc.).

3. Make a list of five things you might associate with Air, Ether, Fire, Water, Earth (i.e. Fire could include the color red, anger, the sun, sweating, etc.).

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SANSKRIT TERMS

These are the transliterated Sanskrit terms from the text for your practice and p ronunciation. Some slight variation may exist depending on the scholar. Please see our Sanskrit lesson to learn more. Purusha Prakriti

पुǽष  ήकृित 

महत  Buddhi बुƨ 

Mahat

अहंकार  jðÀnendriya £ानेÛ]य  ahamkÀra

manas

मनस 

कमȶÛ]या  tanmÀtrÀs तÛमस 

karmendriya

शÞद  sparsha ·पश[ shabda

Ǿप  rasa रस 

rÂpa

गÛध  mahabhÂtas महाभुतस  ÀkÀsha आकाश  gandha

वायु agni अÊन  vÀyu

आपस  prithvÁ ήØवी  Àpas

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