The Origin of Samkhya and Its Basic Aspect

Maharshi Kapila propounded the Samkhya Darshana. The canonical text of Samkhya was the Shashtitantra either by him or later by Panchashikha. Or perhaps Shashtitantra refers to 60 topics covered by this school. Asuri was an early acharya of Samkhya, taught by none other than Kapila. All three may be legendary rather than historical. However some quotes attributed to them can be found in later commentaries. The oldest extent work on Samkhya is the Samkhya Karika of Ishvarakrishna. It claims to be an epitome of the Shashtitantra. It's importance is shown in that it is one of the few non-Buddhist works found in the some Buddhist texts. Indeed one of the earliest commentaries on the Karika is known only from a Chinese translation. Vachaspati Mishra, though he commented on the sutras of other darshanas, commented on the Karikas only for Samkhya. The work called Samkhya Sutra is actually comparatively late. All the commentaries on it date from the 15th century or later and reflect an already Vedantic orientation. What does Samkhya do? Samkhya gives us the basic knowledge of the individual Purusha and Prakriti and how Purusha got involved with Prakriti. Yoga is the practice that is required to give the Purusha the realisation of that knowledge through the practice of any of the ways such as Karma, Bhakti or Jnana. Therefore Lord Krishna considers Samkhya and Yoga as one, as both are complementary to each other. The practice of Yoga is for removing the wrong knowledge which keeps the Purusha in bondage or the skill for doing so. That is possible if one knows that the individualised state is only due to our involvement with Prakriti. Once one knows or sees or realises that, then the individual separate existence gets automatically and convincingly overcome. But to make this overcoming of the individual self permanently imprinted in the chitta one has to do practice, so that a pathway is formed in the chitta. One can do that through Karma or Bhakti or Jnana and a proper understanding of the concepts will follow, even though initially it may appear to be a mere mechanical effort. Purusha, Prakriti and Pradhana are the threefold divisions that that the Samkhya-yoga system attributes to the creation of the Universe. Purusha mingles with Prakriti and begins the jouney of the individual souls. Pradhana is the material cause. When Purusha through discrimination realises that he is essentially free, then Prakriti departs from him just like a dancer departs from the scene. As long as the individual Purusha is enamoured by Prakriti it does not remember its transcendental nature. It also does not remember that it is the master of Prakriti, as long as the individual Purusha identifies itself with Prakriti. Once we do nishkama karma of the Gita or the neither white nor black karma of the Yoga Sutra, we transcend our individual self. When this habit is formed without exception then the idea of the separate individual state or existence vanishes forever and this Karmayogi can

eventually attain the highest. Similarly an ardent Bhakta denies his individual self and lives in the universal Self day in and day out. So also a true Jnani transcend his individual self permanently. Lord Krishna hinted that for some the knowledge of Samkhya alone is sufficient to realize the ultimate state. As the clutch of Prakriti is no longer there on the released Purusha, Prakriti ceases to exist for that released Purusha. But Prakriti continues to remain very much there for the other enamoured Purushas. Individual Purusha without involvement with Prakriti is the freed Purusha. Then the Drashta Seer abides in itsel!! Life is now Consciousness just by itself.