SANKHYA PHILOSOPHY – THE OUTER WAY

Sankhya expounds the why of religion, Vedanta describes the end to be attained, and yoga provides the method for that attainment. Together, these concepts constitute true religion, whose purpose is to sow humanity how to avoid suffering and how to contact the bliss of the Supreme One.

Sankhya philosophy offers a framework for all the levels of manifestation, from the subtlest to the grossest.

Samkhya uses terms as prakriti (matter), purusha (consciousness),

Buddhi or mahat (intelligence), ahamkara (ego), 3 gunas (attributes of nature) lightness, activity and stability, manas (mind), cognitive and active senses (indriyas), five subtle and gross elements, earth, water, fire, air, ether (space).

The evolvement of prakriti as being here presented gives practical information to gain an understanding that will facilitate personal meditative practices and will also show, how to reverse the journey back to the source.

Through meditation, we direct our attention inward toward Self Realization and not merely for relaxation or stress management, as useful as it may be.

As one progresses in the practice of meditation, insights into the subtler realms will occur.

REAL AND UNREAL

Sankhya like Yoga views anything that is subject to change even death or decay as being unreal rather than real. So what appears as real is ultimately unreal in that the form is forever changing. What is considered real is that final sub stratum which never changes – purusha (consciousness}.

EVERYTHING COMES FROM SOMETHING

Pots evolve out of clay. Objects are made of compounds. Compounds are made of molecules, molecules are made of atoms, atoms are made out of even finer particles, and particles are made of finer sub-stratums.

This gives us the sense, that everything is connected to everything else.

While one evolves out of the other, all of these levels in reality co-exist and interact with one another.

Humans are also multi-leveled, with the next level emerging out of the previous one. We are physical, mental and from even subtler levels (prakriti).       

FAMILIAR HUMAN RESPONSES

When our mind is quiet, it brings up memories and emotions. These cause change of thoughts, which further emerge into actions and speech. Each of these is a process emerging out of the previous one, while each of these levels still exists on its own.

EVOLVING OF PRAKRITY

Similarly, our whole being, in a spiritual sense, is multi leveled, with the next level emerging or evolving out of the previous one. This is the subject of prakriti, which can be described as un-manifest, primordial matter (this is subtler than the realm of quantum physics}.

The prakriti matter is infused with pure consciousness, which is Purusha. Here we are not just talking about change of thought and emotion, but also about the instrument by which we think and emote. This is taking us to the core of our Being.

EXPERIENCING CONSCIOUSNESS

Yoga has been described as a process of realizing the direct experience of consciousness (purusha) as independent of all levels of false identity (manifestation of prakriti).

Purusha is at all times independent of the interplay, but has become falsely identified with prakriti or form. 

PRACTICAL YOGA FOR DIRECT EXPERIENCE

The yoga system teaches about all levels of one’s being. It is best described in the yoga sutras of Patanjali, leading us step by step from the field of phenomenon to the centre of consciousness.

DUALISM AND NON - DUALISM

We may believe in one or the other philosophy. We can view dualism and non- dualism as either contradictory or as complimentary.

When we want food, sex or feel threatened, we automatically respond from dualism.

When transcending the mind, we experience aspects of Ultimate Reality.

TRANSCENDING THE MIND

The process of mindfulness helps us toward a calm inner state.

What is this process? It includes observing our thoughts and feelings, without being attached to them. This way we can make clear life enhancing choices.

Self - observation, self- examination and self- training clear the clutter from our mind. This is a useful step in preparation for more advanced practices leading toward higher states of being.

UNCOVERING FALSE IDENTITIES

Much of Yoga involves a way of systematically overcoming the false identities we have taken on by commingling purusha (consciousness) with prakriti (matter).

Everything in nature emerges from prakriti and is then infused or enlivened with purusha.

Purusha is untainted consciousness; it is self - existend, standing alone from other identities of individuality.

Prakriti is unconscious, un-manifest, the subtlest of the material aspect of energy. It is the primordial state of matter and manifests as the three gunas, sattva, rajas and tamas (Attributes of nature).

MAHAT (BUDDHI) OR INTELLECT

It refers to the Universal aspect of intelligence.

AHAMKARA – is the process of ego by which consciousness takes a false identity.

GUNAS – has three qualities or attributes: Sattva, (lightness), Rajas (activity), and Tamas (stability). These three combine and re combine to form the various aspects of mind, senses, and the elements of earth, water, fire, air and ether or space.

MIND (manas) – the instrument or driving force behind action, speech and thinking,

It is the recipient of sensory input.

SENSES (INDRYAS)

The five senses and the five instruments of expression are like entrance and exit doors. When we go into dreamless sleep, the senses seem to go away, yet they return after sleep. Where did they go? They have receded into the field of mind from which they arose in the first place.

ELEMENTS

Further outpouring of prakriti manifests as space. From space and within space emerge air, then fire, then water, then earth. When these five elements are in the subtle realm, they are known as tanmatras. When they express further, they manifest as the physical world and we experience them as the many objects in expression.

We have traced the expression of the creative process as it applies to SANKHYA YOGA in order to obtain a better understanding of our inner and outer world.

Sankhya is primarily concerned with the external world and leaves the internal world to Vedanta. In order for us to obtain a complete understanding of our existence or Self knowledge, we need to look also at Vedanta.

The most complete way to Self Realization is through the teachings of Sankhya, Yoga and Vedanta.

Retracing our way back: The reason this is important is that the process of enlightenment (or awakening) is one of reversing the process, of tracing our way back through the stages of evolutes.