-
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:- Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
- Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
- Access to private conversations with other members.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
Samkhya Definition
- Thread starter EtuMalku
- Start date
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
EtuMalku, let me first point out the various threads in which Samkhya has been discussed. Here: http://www.religiousforums.com/search/11387485/?q=Samkhya&o=date&c[title_only]=1
EtuMalku
Abn Iblis ابن إبليس
I did explain in my OP how I already searched for those threads only to become more confused by the multiple points of view . . . was hoping to get a definitive understanding here, in this thread.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
Sāmkhya philosophy regards the universe as consisting of two realities; puruṣa (consciousness) and prakriti (matter). Samkhya is strongly dualist. Samkhya accepts three proofs: pratyakṣa (perception), anumāṇa (inference) and śabda (āptavacana, word/testimony of reliable sources Vedas being one). In the context of ancient Indian philosophies, Samkhya refers to the philosophical school in Hinduism based on systematic enumeration and rational examination. Sometimes described as one of the rationalist school of Indian philosophy, this ancient school's reliance on reason was neither exclusive nor strong. The existence of God or Supreme Being is not directly asserted, nor considered relevant by the Samkhya philosophers. Sāṃkhya denies the final cause of Ishvara (God)*.
Samkhya is known for its theory of guṇas (qualities, innate tendencies). The interplay of these guṇas defines the character of someone or something, of nature and determines the progress of life. While the prakriti is a single entity, the Samkhya admits a plurality of the puruṣas in this world. The Samkhya system is called so because "it 'enumerates' twenty five Tattvas or true principles; and its chief object is to effect the final emancipation of the twenty-fifth Tattva, i.e. the puruṣa or soul." Satkaryavada is the Samkhya theory of the pre-existent effect, which states that the effect (karya) already exists in its material cause and therefore, nothing new is brought into existence or produced in the process of creation, i.e., when Purusa and prakriti combine, creation follows naturally.
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samkhya#Arguments_against_Ishvara.27s_existence
Acknowledgement: The post is wholly based on Wikipedia information on Samkhya.
25 Purushas and one Prakriti. Sure, Samkhya is a bit difficult to understand.
Samkhya is known for its theory of guṇas (qualities, innate tendencies). The interplay of these guṇas defines the character of someone or something, of nature and determines the progress of life. While the prakriti is a single entity, the Samkhya admits a plurality of the puruṣas in this world. The Samkhya system is called so because "it 'enumerates' twenty five Tattvas or true principles; and its chief object is to effect the final emancipation of the twenty-fifth Tattva, i.e. the puruṣa or soul." Satkaryavada is the Samkhya theory of the pre-existent effect, which states that the effect (karya) already exists in its material cause and therefore, nothing new is brought into existence or produced in the process of creation, i.e., when Purusa and prakriti combine, creation follows naturally.
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samkhya#Arguments_against_Ishvara.27s_existence
Acknowledgement: The post is wholly based on Wikipedia information on Samkhya.
25 Purushas and one Prakriti. Sure, Samkhya is a bit difficult to understand.
Last edited:
निताइ dasa
Nitai's servant's servant
It depends what Sankhya you are talking about. There is a philsophy of Sankhya which is set forward as one of the 6 philosophical schools of Hinduism. In order to study that you would need to study the sankhya sutras by Kapila (who I call Kapila A). The is another similar philosophy of Sankhya found in Srimad Bhagavatam also spoken by LordKapila (who I call Kapila B, the avatar of Visnu). I've only read up on the latter one, so I can give you a little description:
Sankhya essentially deals with analysic description of creation and its components (i.e what is material nature, what is the soul, what is God, prakriti and purusha etc). It is a dualistic philosohpy that believes in a difference between the mind (consciousness arising from soul) and matter (i.e non conscious mass):
"
The Sankhya philosophy is another system. The principal aim is to analyze the distinctions between matter and spirit. The study of the twenty-four material elements was originally developed as a complex science by Lord Kapila, as elaborated in Srimad-Bhagavatam. But later, there was another Kapila who presented an atheistic Sankhya system. Therefore, in other schools of this system, the existence of God is considered irrelevant. This is because the universe is regarded as a system of cause and effect. In other words, the cause of the universe is that which is eternal but ever-changing, or prakriti, the ever-changing material energy. God is eternal and non-changing, so, within this atheistic view of Sankhya it is considered that God cannot be the cause of the universe. Obviously, there are limitations in this analysis, such as not defining where prakriti came from and how could prakriti, which is inert, form the material universe without any guidance, and so on. So, gradually, there were additional arguments that again led to an acceptance of God in the philosophy of Sankhya.
The other Sankhya system, as explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam by Lord Kapila, acknowledges matter and spirit as two separate principles of reality. Thus, this Sankhya introduces a dualistic philosophy more developed than the previous three systems discussed so far. Sankhya analyzed such factors as purusha and prakriti (spirit and matter), the creation and development of matter through excitation of the purusha, how the world evolved, how the modes of nature operate and affect us, how ahankara (false ego) causes our identification with matter and bondage to the material world, the five organs of action and five senses of perception, the subtle elements, the gross elements, etc.
The goal of this system is to understand that the real self is eternal and free, but because of ignorance the soul identifies with what is temporary and, therefore, suffers. Through this kind of analysis of the material world it is expected that one will realize the difference between matter and spirit and attain freedom from false identification. After this stage is attained, release from existence in the material world is reached through spiritual training, meditation on the real self and Superself, and the practice of yoga."
Sankhya essentially deals with analysic description of creation and its components (i.e what is material nature, what is the soul, what is God, prakriti and purusha etc). It is a dualistic philosohpy that believes in a difference between the mind (consciousness arising from soul) and matter (i.e non conscious mass):
"
The Sankhya philosophy is another system. The principal aim is to analyze the distinctions between matter and spirit. The study of the twenty-four material elements was originally developed as a complex science by Lord Kapila, as elaborated in Srimad-Bhagavatam. But later, there was another Kapila who presented an atheistic Sankhya system. Therefore, in other schools of this system, the existence of God is considered irrelevant. This is because the universe is regarded as a system of cause and effect. In other words, the cause of the universe is that which is eternal but ever-changing, or prakriti, the ever-changing material energy. God is eternal and non-changing, so, within this atheistic view of Sankhya it is considered that God cannot be the cause of the universe. Obviously, there are limitations in this analysis, such as not defining where prakriti came from and how could prakriti, which is inert, form the material universe without any guidance, and so on. So, gradually, there were additional arguments that again led to an acceptance of God in the philosophy of Sankhya.
The other Sankhya system, as explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam by Lord Kapila, acknowledges matter and spirit as two separate principles of reality. Thus, this Sankhya introduces a dualistic philosophy more developed than the previous three systems discussed so far. Sankhya analyzed such factors as purusha and prakriti (spirit and matter), the creation and development of matter through excitation of the purusha, how the world evolved, how the modes of nature operate and affect us, how ahankara (false ego) causes our identification with matter and bondage to the material world, the five organs of action and five senses of perception, the subtle elements, the gross elements, etc.
The goal of this system is to understand that the real self is eternal and free, but because of ignorance the soul identifies with what is temporary and, therefore, suffers. Through this kind of analysis of the material world it is expected that one will realize the difference between matter and spirit and attain freedom from false identification. After this stage is attained, release from existence in the material world is reached through spiritual training, meditation on the real self and Superself, and the practice of yoga."
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
Now, I do not know whether A is older or B.
Ask further questions, EtuMalku. End goal always is removal of Avidya (Ignorance) and attainment of Vidya (Knowledge of truth) which is Moksha (Deliverance/salvation/ enlightenment/jnana/nirvana), Ishwra pranidhana (contemplation on God).
Ask further questions, EtuMalku. End goal always is removal of Avidya (Ignorance) and attainment of Vidya (Knowledge of truth) which is Moksha (Deliverance/salvation/ enlightenment/jnana/nirvana), Ishwra pranidhana (contemplation on God).
Last edited:
Realization that we are caught in the trap of māyā?
निताइ dasa
Nitai's servant's servant
Certainly that, but its even more than that. Sankhta (and also many of the other systems, like Vedanta) hold that It is attachment (to the temporary) whichis the real trap here. This attachment arises from a lackof Jnana (ahamkara or ignorance/false ego), and that is why having Jnana is so important. For example we only equate pain (physical pain of body) to suffering because we are attached to the body (which is temporary). Grief and Sorrow also arise for this reason also. Our desires are also frustrated, because we desire objects which temporary (like sexual pleasure etc), and these cannot satisfy us.
Now its really interesting here to see how the Vedanta schools differ here. Adwaita takes very similar position to Buddhism in this matter and says that in order to be free (Mukta) there must be a complete detachment (because everything other than atma is a false according to them). Liberation lies in a state of what the Buddhists call shunya, and Adwaitins call merging with Brahma (which is shunya).
We Vaishnav schools differ slightly and say that, yes while false ego is the source of suffering we also understand that there is a positive tendency for the soul to desire pleasure. Therefore the ultimate perfection lies not in the cessation of suffering but the attainment of the highest pleasure. That is attained by attaching one's desire to that which is permanent (as opposed to attaining a state of no desire) . That eternal being is called God or Lord Hari (or as Vedantins call it, Brahman). This also explains why we have the capacity for desire/attachment, because only when the capacity exists would it be possible to attach that desire to the permanent (Brahman).
shivsomashekhar
Well-Known Member
Some points about sankhya -
The sankhya-sutra is a very recent text. Historically, the oldest known (now lost) text of the sankhya tradition - attributed to the founder Kapila - is the shashti-tantra. The earliest extant text on sankhya is the sankhya-karika authored by Ishvara Krishna.(~200 CE) and this is a karika on the shashti-tantra.
Sankhya is atheistic. There is no role for an Ishvara in this doctrine. Here are some notes I am copying over from a blog I wrote on this topic a few years ago -
Atheistic or theistic Early Sankhya as described by Panchashikha (also Aradha and Caraka) is not theistic. Classical Sankhya as described by Ishvara Krishna is not theistic either. The Mahabharata states that the difference between Sankhya and Yoga is the former is atheistic and the latter is theistic. The Padma Purana criticizes Kapila for creating a Godless doctrine. The Ahirbudhnya samhita describes the Shashti tantra as a Vaishnava text (and hence, theistic). Vijnana Bhikshu claims Sankhya was theistic and he explains the atheistic flavors exist only to prove the point that Sankhya metaphysics can be explained in wholly rational terms. Obviously, this topic has drawn mixed reactions since ancient times. In general, Sankhya unlike Yoga, does not require an Ishvara, which makes a strong case for its non-theistic nature.
Relationship with Yoga Sankhya and Yoga have been associated with each other since ancient times. Aradha’s unnamed Dharma is delivered in two forms which can be identified as Sankhya and Yoga. Upanishads like Katha, Shvetashvatara, Maitrayani, etc., that talk of Sankhya, also talk of Yoga. The Arthashastra lists both Sankhya and Yoga as Anvikshiki. The Mahabharata says Sankhya and Yoga are the same, except the former is atheistic and the latter is theistic. The Gita claims the two are the same. Historically, Sankhya and Yoga have been viewed as two faces of the same coin – the former providing metaphysical theory, while the latter is more the practical side of things. Some authors have collapsed the two into a single school of philosophy when enumerating leading philosophies.
Here is the full blog -
https://shivsomashekhar.wordpress.com/2012/09/20/sankhya-history/