SĀṄKHYA PHILOSOPHY – A Brief Note

 




SĀṄKHYA PHILOSOPHY – A Brief Note

1. Introduction

Sāṅkhya is one of the six āstika (orthodox) systems of Indian philosophy. It is considered the oldest among all classical darśanas. Its core contribution is the dualistic worldview:

Prakṛti – unconscious nature
Puruṣa – conscious, eternal self

The aim of Sāṅkhya is liberation (kaivalya) through true knowledge of the difference between Puruṣa and Prakṛti.

2. EARLY HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT

(A) Pre-Classical Period – Vedic Roots (1500–600 BCE)

Although the formal Sāṅkhya system appears later, its ideas existed in the Vedas and Upaniṣads.

Vedic references

Rig Veda speaks of the evolution of the cosmos from an undifferentiated source – the seeds of Prakṛti.
Purusha Sukta speaks about Puruṣa, the cosmic consciousness.
Nasadiya Sukta has proto-Sāṅkhya ideas of creation without a creator God.
Aitareya Upaniṣad, Katha Upaniṣad, and Svetasvatara Upaniṣad mention concepts like puruṣa, buddhi, ahaṁkāra, and pañca mahābhūtas.

Importance of Vidyā

In the Upaniṣads, Vidyā means higher knowledge leading to liberation.
Sāṅkhya, too, relies on Vidyā (knowledge) as the only means to mokṣa – not rituals, not devotion.
Hence Sāṅkhya is known as a “Jñāna-mārga darśana”.

3. CLASSICAL PERIOD – SYSTEMATISATION (600 BCE–400 CE)

(A) Kapila Muni (Traditional Founder)

Considered the founder of Sāṅkhya.
Associated with the Kapila Gītā section of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata Purāṇa.
Taught Sāṅkhya as a rational darśana explaining suffering and liberation.

(B) Āsuri and Pañcaśikha

Āsuri: Disciple of Kapila, transmitted pure Sāṅkhya.
Pañcaśikha: Major contributor who wrote about 60,000 verses on Sāṅkhya (mostly lost).
He introduced early cosmological categorisation of the 25 tattvas.

Relation to Daya

In early Sāṅkhya context, Daya means:

Compassion (Karunā) as a natural quality developed when ignorance decreases.
Compassion arises from true understanding (Vidyā) of the suffering of beings caught in Prakṛti.
Thus in Sāṅkhya, Dayā is a result of right knowledge, though not a direct means to liberation.

(C) Sāṅkhya Kārikā (c. 200 CE) – Īśvarakṛṣṇa

This is the most authoritative text available today.

Key contributions:

Codified 25 tattvas
Clear explanation of Prakṛti–Puruṣa dualism
Emphasised Duhkha-traya (threefold suffering) as reason for seeking liberation
Liberation through viveka-jñāna

Sāṅkhya Kārikā made Sāṅkhya into a formal Darśana in the classical sense.

4. DEVELOPMENT IN POST-CLASSICAL PERIOD (400–1200 CE)

(A) Commentaries

Gaudapāda’s Bhāṣya
Vācaspati Miśra’s Tattvakaumudi
Vijñānabhikṣu’s Sāṅkhya-pravachana-bhāṣya

These expanded the metaphysics, epistemology, and psychology of Sāṅkhya.

Sāṅkhya and the Idea of Darśana

Here Darśana means:

A philosophical perspective
A means of seeing reality as it really is

For Sāṅkhya:

Darśana = direct intuitive vision gained through discriminative knowledge (viveka-khyāti).


Hence Sāṅkhya Darśana emphasises:

Observation (anubhava)
Logic (tarka)
Direct insight (pratyakṣa)

Therefore, Vidya (knowledge) → Darśana (right seeing) → Dayā (compassion arising from clarity).

5. INTERACTION WITH OTHER SYSTEMS

(A) Yoga Darśana

Yoga adopts Sāṅkhya metaphysics but adds God (Īśvara) and practice.
Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras use Sāṅkhya categories.

(B) Advaita Vedānta

Accepts concepts like antaḥkaraṇa, but rejects dualism.
Uses Sāṅkhya logic to defend non-dualism.

(C) Buddhism

Shares analysis of mind but rejects permanent Puruṣa.
Sāṅkhya influenced Abhidharma psychology.

6. MODERN INTERPRETATIONS (1800–PRESENT)

Modern scholars such as Max Müller, Surendranath Dasgupta, and Radhakrishnan recognise Sāṅkhya as:

The foundation of Indian scientific psychology
A precursor to modern evolutionary thinking (in a metaphysical sense)
A rational philosophical system free from ritualism

7. SPECIAL REFERENCE TO VIDYĀ, DAYĀ, AND DARŚANA IN SĀṄKHYA

1. Vidyā in Sāṅkhya

Means right discriminative knowledge.


Refers to understanding:

The difference between Puruṣa and Prakṛti
The 25 tattvas
The root cause of suffering

Vidyā = Mokṣa-sādhana (the only path to liberation).

2. Dayā in Sāṅkhya

Though not a central concept like in Buddhism or Jainism, Dayā is explained in later commentaries:

True knowledge brings compassion because the sage sees all beings trapped in Prakṛti.


Compassion is a guna-transformation:

When Sattva increases, Dayā, Ahimsa, and Śānti naturally arise.

Thus in Sāṅkhya, Dayā is an effect of Sattva and Vidyā.

3. Darśana in Sāṅkhya

Darśana means:

Seeing reality as it is
A system of philosophical inquiry
The culmination of Vidyā

Sāṅkhya Darśana stands for:

A worldview explaining the universe without relying on God
A method of philosophical vision (viveka-darśana)
A scientific analysis of mind and matter

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