Sankhya Main Text

7/29/2019 Sankhya Main Text

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It is fair to say that one cannot properly practice or use any of the systems from India

without having at least a basic familiarity with Sankyha. Sankhya philosophy, along with

Yoga, are the two strands of traditional Indian philosophy that have withstood the test of

time. This system was the basis of Patanjalis 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

and is why I have explicated it so 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 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 Isvarakrsnathat 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 ofthe philosophy of the whole world3. 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.

1See Classical Samkhya by Gerald James Larson

2India in Greece by E. Pococke

3Swami Vivekenanda Complete Works Vol. 2 Practical Vedanta and Other Lectures.


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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 individuals 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 cant entirely see. Many of these 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 theway 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 souls 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 resemblanceto 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 ofPrakriti. 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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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 thebliss 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

shouldnt 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 youre still wrapped up in the subtle world and Prakriti which will dissolve whenall 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 working towards it


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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 ultimatelyleads to one realizing that I am not this (body, mind, senses, etc.) and that this is not mine.

When you realize that youre 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 set 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 depending

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. blindness) 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 arein 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 objects cannot correct.

This speaks to the vital importance of spiritual and self-

reflective 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 thefirst 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 minimal 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,


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very few have had actual deep experiences regarding these topics let alone being 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 authorityfigures 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

dont get me wrong!), or even a politician such as George Bush and base their whole reality

around someones 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 sages 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 often 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 isnt 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 presenting 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 peoples 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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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 opposed 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 spirit 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 stirringmulaprakriti 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


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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 dont 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.


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From the universal intelligence we next move to the first seeds 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 theindividual. 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


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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 yogic technology that teaches us howto 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

isnt 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 buddhi 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


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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 experience 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 themanas 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 thebuddhi.

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


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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 theseeds 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

doesnt work or properly describe reality and is the reason for its continued use.


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PURUSHA PRAKRITI

MAHAT

BUDDHI

Ahamkara

Rajas with Sattva Rajas with Tamas

TANMATRAS

MANAS SOUND TEXTURE FORM

JNANENDRIYAS KARMENDRIYAS MAHABHUTA

ETHER AIR FIRE WATER EARTH

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

JNANENDRIYAS Karmendriyas Tanmatras Mahabhutas

Hearing Potential Speech Potential Sound Potential (shabda) Ether (akasha)

Touch Potential Grasping Potential Texture Potential (sparsha) Air (vayu)

Vision Potential Walking Potential Form Potential (rupa) Fire (agni)

Taste Potential Procreation Potential Flavor Potential (rasa) Water (apas)

Smell Potential Elimination Potential Odor Potential (ghanda) Earth (prithvi)


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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 intothe 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 theperiodic 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


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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 posited 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 soulor 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


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Krishnas) 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 principlesof 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 different 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 testimony 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 clich) 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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SANSKRIT TERMS

These are the transliterated Sanskrit terms from the text for your practice and pronunciation.

Some slight variation may exist depending on the scholar. Please see our Sanskrit lesson to

learn more.

Purusha

Prakriti

Mahat

Buddhi

ahamkra

jnendriya ]]]]manas

karmendriya ]]]]

tanmtrs

shabda

sparsha [[[[

rpa

rasa

gandha

mahabhtas ksha

vyu

agni

pas

prithv


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