Sankhya Darshan: a foundational premise of Yoga and Ayurveda
Sankhya Darshan
Spirit is called Purusha. When spirit takes form it is called prakriti. Every object as prakriti is an expression of purusha. Matter expressing Spirit. This world of Matter expressing Spirit is formed by the 5 elements. They are the building blocks of The Vedic Sciences. Their properties provide the archetypes that underpin all aspects of Vedic thinking.
First there was the absolute unmanifest state, avyakta. Within this there is the pure changeless unmanifested consciousness and witness of creation (formless and passive awareness), Purusha (Shiva or spirit). It is the transcendental state of being and existence or pure energy before creation of the cosmos. Also, within this avyakta and also the creative energy of Prakriti (shakti or nature). Purusha is passive, this is important. Prakriti is action. It holds all the knowledge of the universe within it. It holds the three qualities of excitement (rajas), obscuring (tamas) and illumination (sattva) (Traigunya or the three attributes). Prakriti is the creative force of Purusha and is also maya (illusion).
The story goes, when Shakti turns and sees Shiva that the actual realization of consciousness or duality is created and the cosmos begins. Purusha remains the unchanged witness in all of the creation and maya that is from its energy of action principle of Prakriti. It is only for the sake of enjoyment and liberation that consciousness continues to manifest. Mahat is pure potentiality, the great principle that comes from this union of Purusha and Prakriti. Buddhi (ascertainment, will or intellect) evolves in Mahat. Now remember that the Traigunya or the three atributes of excitement (rajas), obscuring (tamas) and illumination (sattva) are within Prakiti, these act upon the Buddhi (intellect).
Ahamkara or “i former” or egoness evolves out of Mahat. Ahamkar is the ignorance and individualism that is formed. It is the self assertiveness. Atman or the soul or self, consciousness of Purusha, is then created from this. It is an individual distinction in the maya, only seen as self or individual because of the maya. This is the “we all are one”, non-dual idea but we can only see ourself, individual from everyone else because of ego, juxtapose. This is also where good and bad come into play as they are just all the same but seen only by the ego judged as good or bad. If you find a lucky penny while walking down the street, it was lost by another so would be an unlucky penny for them. This is only a way of creation and destruction, the ongoing process of creation as seen only from the ego. It is just subjective. In reality there is no creation or destruction.
Okay, in review I am going to put this down quickly because i know it gets hairy, so hold on.
Avyakta, unmanifest state
Purusha, passive witness spirit
Prakriti, creative energy of Purusha or nature, action (oh, but still unmanifest)
Purusha and Prakriti unify
Purusha is changeless
Out of Prakriti, due to from the differentiations of the Traigunya (3 attribute or Sattva, Rajas and Tamas), evolves Mahat or the great potentiality which holds inside it the Buddhi (will and intellect)
From this evolves Ahamkara (the i-ness)
SIDEBAR: The internal instruments (trayasaya) or the Buddhi, Ahamkara and the Manas, their own characteristics are their functions. The modifications of the instruments is Prana or the five vital airs. Prana, Udana, Samana, Apana, and Vyana. (more to come on these in another blog)
Out of the Ahamkara comes 2 sets. Because of the vaikrta (goodness) part of Ahamkara abounding in Sattva (illumination) evolves the set of 11 sense organ. Because of bhutadi (dark) part of Ahamkara abounding in Tamas (obscuration) evolved the 5 Tanmatras or primary elements. Both these sets evolve because of Rajas (taijasa) or activity.
SIDEBAR:
It is interesting that the ancient text says that these two sets (vaikrtia, bhûtâdi) form of the taijasa part of Ahamkar, which means “the part of egoism in which foulness dominates over goodness and darkness.” It is saying that the active principle is foulness. I will have to look up the etiology of taijasa to find deeper meaning but Tejas is fire or a principle of transformation and intensity. I would guess that this is where the root is from.
And on with our story….
The 5 Buddhendriya (organs of knowledge) are:
Eye, ear, nose, tongue and skin
Their functions are;
hearing of the ear, touch perception by the skin. sight of the eye, smelling of the nose and tasting of the tongue
They are organs or instruments but not what is doing the knowing.
The 5 Buddhendriya have gross (Bhutas) and subtle (Tanmatras) objects that they perceive.
The subtle perceptions (Tanmatra) of the ears perceive sound, skin perceives touch, eyes perceive form, tongue perceives taste, nose perceives smell
The gross perceptions of the Buddhendriyas are the bhutas (gross elements). they are Ether to the ears, Air to the skin, Fire to the eyes, Water to the tongue and Earth to the nose.
The 5 Karmendriya (organs of action) are:
the speech, the hand, the feet, the excretory organ and the organ of reproduction
Their functions are:
speech is of the voice, manipulation of the hands, locomotion of the feet, excretion of those organs and gratification (anandah) by the reproductive organs.
Awoken Conciousness – Active Self-Conscious–Element–Energy Expression
Ears – Hearing ———-Mouth – Sound ———Ether —-Nuclear energy —–Expansion
Skin – Touch ————Hands – Grasp ———-Air ——Electrical energy —Mobility
Eye – Form ————-Leg – Locomotion ——-Fire ——Radiant energy —–Friction
Tongue – Taste —Excretory organ – Excretion -Water—Chemical energy –Condensation
Nose – Smell ——-Genitals – Reproduction —-Earth –Mechanical energy -Crystallization
Manas (mind) possesses the nature of both these sets of organs of knowledge and action. It is the 11th sense organ. It is called a sense organ because it possesses properties common to the sense organs and is also under the modifications of the Traigunya. It possesses the characteristics of both the action and knowledge organs.
The knower knows things through the sense organs and attention is the outer expression of the soul.
With a strong understanding of who you are and how you move through the world the Ahamkara and dharma is strong and and the body is healthy.
- Purusha Transcendent self, unchanging consciousness
- Prakriti Nature. The Three Gunas: Sattva, Rajas and Tamas
- Mahat Cosmic will setting creation into motion.
- Ahamkara Individuation of Mahat
- Manas Provides the object for Ahamkara
Indriyas:
Senses of perception
- Ears
- Skin
- Eyes
- Tongue
- Nose
Organs of action
- Mouth
- Hands
- Legs
- Sex organs
- Excretory organs
Tanmatras
- Sound Shabda
- Touch Sparsha
- Form Rupa
- Taste Rasa
- Smell Gandha
Mahabutas
- Space Akasha
- Fire Tejas
- Air Vayu
- Water Apas
- Earth Prithivi
Reference: Sankhya Karika
Here is a link to a video on all that was disussed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_qmGQg4yB8w
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