Samkhya Philosophy

Samkhya is one of the six systems of Indian Philosophy (Shad-Darshana). It is of 2 types – Seshwar Samkhya (believe in God) Nirishwar Samkhya (don’t believe in God), Samkhya is regarded as the most ancient of the Indian Schools of thought. The only available Samkhya works now are Samkhya Sutras of Panchshikha and Samkhya Karika of Ishwar Krishna, Currently, the text that is widely studied as the original text on Samkhya is “Samkhya Karika” by Ishwar Krishna. A philosophy founded by the sage Kapil, author of the Samkhya Karika’s which gives a complete knowledge of Prakriti and Purusha.

Samkhya word also denotes knowledge & number, Samkhya literally means correct proper discriminative knowledge as it discern everything through analysis. It enumerates 25 principal elements of cosmic evolution. 25 Tatvas of the universe are first mentioned in this Darshana hence known as a Sankhya Darshana.

Samkhya is primarily concerned with the “25 categories of existence/evolution – tattvas”. It gives a complete knowledge of Prakriti and Purusha, prakriti—the dual polarity, viewed as the foundation of all existence. Prakriti, out of which all things evolve, is the unity of the three gunas: sattva, rajas and tamas. Sankhya and Yoga are considered an inseparable pair whose principles permeate all of Hinduism.

Samkhya is realistic and dualistic philpsophy, which upholds 2 ultimate realities Purusha (consciousness or spirit) and Prakriti (everything that is not conscious). Of these, Purusha is not changeful, and Prakriti is made up of the three Gunas and is changeful, Prakriti evolves into Mahat or Buddhi (pure intellect), which evolves into Ahamkara (ego or & "I-ness"). When Sattva predominates, Ahamkara evolves into ten Indriya (sense organs) e.g., five Karmendriyas (organs of action) and five Jnanendriyas (organs of perception) which receive instructions from Manas (supervisor of the senses). When Tamas is predominant, Ahamkara evolves into five Tanmatras (rudimentary or subtle elements), which further evolve into the five Mahabhutas - Prithvi, Jal, Tejas, Vayu and Akasha. These Pancha-mahabhutas (five great element are the grossest evolutes of Prakriti and the entire material world is composed of a combination of them.

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