Purusha and Prakriti – Spirit and Nature

Purusha: Of the two companion principles, Purusha is consciousness that is untainted, ever-pure. It is self-existent, standing alone from other identities of individuality; conscious being-ness; the principle of spiritual energy.

Purusha (Spirit) is transcendental and changeless; it is the Witness of manifestation, of prakriti or maya.

Purusha (Spirit) is Being, Existing, beyond Creation, and therefore unaffected by it.

Purusha (Spirit) is the cause of the Universe

Purusha (Spirit) activates Prakriti (Nature)

Prakriti: The other of the two companion principles, Prakriti is the unconscious, unmanifest, subtlest of the material aspect of energy. It is the primordial state of matter, even prior to matter as we know it in the physical sense. Prakriti manifests as the three gunas and the other evolutes.

Prakriti, (Nature, Cosmic Energy, Maya, Creative Force) is the first Manifestation. It contains all the knowledge of the Universe.

Ahamkara: This is the process of ego, by which consciousness can (incorrectly) take on false identities. The I Ness principle, it believes that perceptions are true.

Atman or the Self is part of Purusha (Spirit). When it is involved in the realm of matter, it identifies with it and thinks it is the personality self.

Once the Atman or Self realizes its oneness with Purusha (Spirit) the Ego disappears. This is liberation

Purusha (Spirit) is the Universal aspect of the Self

Atman or Self is the self revealing essence in everyone

To the enlightened person Atman and Purusha are the same

We may ask the question, is the world real or unreal?

The world and its manifestation are real when seen through the perception of the Ego or Ahamkara, but for the realized one, the world of matter ceases to exist as it merges with Purusha without any distinction.

Rediscovery of pure consciousness: The process of Self-realization is one of reversing the process of manifestation, of retracing consciousness back through the levels of manifestation to its source. To have a general understanding of this process is extremely useful.

Senses experiencing the Elements: Notice below that the Senses and Instruments of action (Indriyas) emerge out of unmanifest matter, or Prakriti.

 Notice that the five Elements also emerge out of Prakriti. Thus, one set of evolutes (Senses and Instruments of action) are relating to another set of evolutes (the five Elements in the form of many objects).

This is one way of explaining the mechanics of how one can appear to be multiplicity.

Senses experiencing the Elements: Notice that the Senses and Instruments of action (Indriyas) emerge out of unmanifest matter, or Prakriti. Notice that the five Elements also emerge out of Prakriti. Thus, one set of evolutes (Senses and Instruments of action) are relating to another set of evolutes (the five Elements in the form of many objects). This is one way of explaining the mechanics of how it can be that all is one can appear to be multiplicity.

These descriptions are intended to give a feel for the inner process, not to be literal, step by step instructions. The specific practices are the subject of the Yoga Sutras. But this systematic journey gives a general understanding of the process and supplements what was learned when we studied the sutras.

 

Meditation on I-am-ness: Most of the time we mistakenly think that "who I am" is my mind and personality. However, as we gradually come to witness the subtle elements, the senses, and the mind itself, we come to see that there is a still subtler aspect, which simply declares "I am!" When it stands alone in this way, it is independent of the other manifestations.

To be aware of this "I-am-ness" (Ahamkara) is a further stage along the journey to realization of pure Consciousness (Purusha). This Ahamkara (literally "I-maker") becomes the coloring agent for attachments and aversions, which define our personalities and false identities.

In meditation on this subtle level, those have subsided along with the senses.

Notice, once again, that the process is similar to dealing with gross objects of meditation, as well as the elements and senses. Something emerged from something, and now we are simply becoming aware of that substratum, letting go of the more surface manifestations. (Take a look at the third level of concentration in Yoga Sutra 1.17, which is on I-ness.

Meditation with Buddhi standing alone: Still subtler is Buddhi, which is the individuated intelligence itself. It doesn't yet declare itself to be this or that identity, but is the very intelligence, which supports the ego (Ahamkara), the senses and instruments of actions (Indriyas), and the constructs of the inner objects and physical body, the Tanmatras.

One of the final resting places of the individuated person is to know oneself as Buddhi, this most fine vehicle of consciousness (Purusha). It is still constructed of Prakriti, leaving that final discrimination or uncovering yet to be done. To know oneself at this level of Buddhi is sometimes called the level of bliss or ananda, as all of the other levels and false identities have temporarily come to rest or been transcended.

Purusha resting in itself:

Finally Purusha, pure consciousness, rests in itself, alone, separate from all evolutes of Prakriti. When the aspirant on the path of Self-realization seeks even a minute moment of this highest glimpse of Realization, he or she continues to purify the remaining samskaras and karmas. (See Yoga Sutras 1.3 and 3.56)

Keep it simple: As already said above, these descriptions are intended to give one a sense of this inner process, but not to be taken as literal, step by step instructions.

The specific practices are the subject of the Yoga Sutras. The journey is systematic, and flows much more smoothly by having a general understanding of the process.