Ancient Indian Philosophy - Samkhya Yoga

Philosophies of India

India boasts a diverse tradition of abundant literature covering various subjects such as philosophy, Ayurveda (health science), geometry, astrology, music, and sculpting.

While the Vedas and Upanishads are revered as our sacred scriptures, their language poses a challenge for the average person to fully grasp and benefit from their timeless teachings. This is where philosophy steps in. The six Indian philosophies, known as "Shad Darshan," are essentially interpretations of the teachings found in the Vedas, presented in a more accessible language for the common man. Each of these six philosophies, penned by different sages, offers a unique perspective on the Vedas' teachings. Referred to as the "astik" branch of Indian philosophy, these philosophies adhere to and uphold the beliefs of the Vedas without contradicting them.

These are:

However, the important Darshans that are mostly referred to are:

Samkhya Darshan &

Yoga Darshan

We will discuss Yoga Darshan separately.

Samkhya Darshan

Samkhya darshan deals with the theory of evolution. How this universe came into being.

Maharshi Kapil says that there are three types of pains in the world:

1. Adhyatmik - These are of two types:

   1. bodily diseases like cough, cold, fever, diabetes, heart problem, etc

   2. mental diseases like tension, anxiety, depression, etc.

2. Aadhibhautik - It is pain given by others like dog bite, snake bite or accidents.

3. Adhidevik - It is nature's fury like flood, famine, draught, earthquake, fire, etc.

To ease these pains permanently, Samkhya talks about discrimination between Prakriti and Purusha.

What is Prakriti?

Prakriti is this physical world. It is inanimate jada जड़ Tattva. Whatever we see, other than ourselves, is Prakriti, including our body and mind. Prakriti consists of three Gunas - Satva, Rajas, and Tamas.

What is Purusha?

Purusha, on the other hand, is the animate or Chetan tattva, that is our soul;

Please note that there is no relation to male gender here.

What are other differences between Prakriti and Purusha?

Prakriti is a creative force that is unmanifest, eternal, constantly changing, and composed of three gunas.

Purusha is eternal and unchanging, pure consciousness चैतन्य, not a doer अकर्ता, devoid of gunas, and simply observes like a seer दृष्टा.

How does this evolution takes place?

When the three gunas are in balance, known as साम्य अवस्था, prakriti remains unmanifest in an invisible form. With only one other element, Purusha, when Prakriti observes it, the equilibrium of gunas is disturbed, and Prakriti begins to evolve. As Prakriti evolves, the first thing that emerges is Mahat (the universal intelligence principle). Mahat produces Ahamkara. Ahamkara generates or produces a set of sixteen elements.

• These are five sense organs(jnanendriyas) (eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin),

• Five organs of action (karmendriyas) -(legs, hands, speech, excretory organ (anus or Gudå) and reproductive organ (upasth),

• Five subtle elements called tanmatras (sense of sight, hearing, smelling, taste and touch) and,

• Mind.

From five subtle elements, five gross elements - panch mahabhootas - fire, water, air, earth and sky are produced.

These are termed as 25 elements of Samkhya.

What is Mahat?

Mahat represents universal or cosmic intelligence. This intelligence is also present within us as चित्त. It serves as our faculty for discrimination and decision-making. It determines what is right and wrong, and it guides us on what actions to take or avoid. In the realm of prakriti, mahat is responsible for this planning. The arrangement of planets, galaxies, celestial bodies like the sun and moon, their positions, and movements are all governed by mahat. Similarly, the creation of mountains, oceans, forests, and the diverse range of species, including birds, animals, insects, and humans, are all part of the design orchestrated by mahat.

What is ahamkara? What role does it play?

Ahamkara represents the individualistic aspect of Prakriti. Everything created by Prakriti is distinct and one-of-a-kind. Prakriti does not duplicate its creations. Despite millions of people being born every day for centuries, each individual is unique, as is the case in the animal kingdom. While cows may seem similar at first glance, each one is actually different. Consider a world where all humans, animals, trees, and birds were identical - it would result in chaos and confusion.

So what is the philosophy of Samkhya?

According to Samkhya philosophy, the attraction towards Prakriti is because of its association with the body. Since both the body and Prakriti are composed of the same elements (three gunas and panch mahabhootas), they entice us to indulge in various pleasures in the form of material possessions, favorable circumstances like fame and power. However, this pursuit leads to three types of suffering throughout our lives. Therefore, Samkhya recommends discerning between Prakriti and Purusha as a solution.

Purusha is the term for the soul. We are Purusha, distinct from Prakriti, unchanging, timeless, and beyond the influence of the gunas. By keeping this distinction in mind, we can liberate ourselves from suffering. When we mistakenly identify with the body and mind, becoming attached to Prakriti, we experience suffering. The truth is that we are not the body and mind; we are the soul. By recognizing our soul as our true identity and acting accordingly, we can transcend the dualities of Prakriti: birth and death, pleasure and pain, profit and loss, praise and criticism, and so forth.

The soul is beyond the reach of these things as it transcends Gunas. Therefore, according to Samkhya philosophy, one should recognize oneself as the soul and lead life accordingly. This has been the teaching of all scriptures, including the Bhagwad Gita.

How does it translate into ordinary life?

According to the Vedas, our essence is pure love, complete joy, immense light, and profound wisdom. The Vedas proclaim Tat Twam Asi - You are that. You embody supreme happiness and everlasting bliss. Your joy diminishes only when you overlook this truth, when you lose touch with your authentic self, when you fail to recognize your connection to the Divine. It is the absence of self-awareness, this Avidya, that leads to unhappiness. Associating your identity solely with the physical body breeds discontent. How can you seek fulfillment externally when your inner being is shrouded in darkness?

How do we cultivate this feeling of identification with the soul?

Ask yourself: does owning possessions such as a TV, car, house, and having a higher income make you happier than when you had nothing? Even though you now have all these things and a successful career, you still feel unsatisfied. This feeling may persist until you retire. So, what went wrong? Why aren't we happier now compared to our earlier years when we had nothing? The truth is that material possessions cannot bring us happiness, even though they may appear to do so. We are incomplete, inadequate, and imperfect; only the divine is whole. Therefore, the key is to identify ourselves with our soul - our soul is complete, whole, and lacks nothing. It is a divine essence within us. By recognizing this, we achieve completeness, we are whole, no longer lacking or incomplete. We no longer rely on external objects for happiness; our soul is pure love, ultimate bliss, and everything we desire. This way, we can lead a truly fulfilling and satisfying life.