Classical Sāṃkhya: An Interpretation of Its History and MeaningThe tradition of Samkhya is one of the oldest and most influential in the intellectual history of India. The fundamental notions of Samkhya namely prakrti, purusa, buddhi, ahamkara, manas and the three gunas provided the conceptual framework in which much of Indian philosophizing occurred, and the classical formulations of Yoga and Vedanta together with many traditions of Buddhist philosophy and meditation developed vis-a-vis the intellectual perspective of the Samkhya. Similarly on a general cultural level the influence of Samkhya was profound and important over many centuries in such areas as law, medicine, ancient science and mathematics, logic, mythology, cosmology and ritual. This study traces the history of the Samkhya not only in the Indian intellectual tradition, but also in the traditions of historical criticism. The book also offers a new interpretation of the philosophical significance of the Samkhya, with special reference to the classical interpretation of the interaction of prakrti and purusa. In this edition author has also included a Chart of the Twenty-five Basic Principles of the Samkhya, a Glossary of Samkhya Terminology, an additional Appendix which surveys recent scholarly work in the area of Samkhya together with a discussion of Samkhya in the Purana-s and a revised Bibliography. |
Contents
15 | |
22 | |
33 | |
41 | |
Erich Frauwallner | 48 |
J W Hauer | 57 |
Debiprasad Chattopadhyaya | 63 |
Bhattacharya | 90 |
AN INTERPRETATION OF THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT | 106 |
Ancient Speculations | 112 |
AN INTERPRETATION OF THE MEANING OF CLASSICAL | 154 |
prakṛti gunas and satkāryavāda | 160 |
ProtoSamkhya Speculations | 168 |
Renaissance or Later Samkhya | 284 |
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Common terms and phrases
according to Kārikā ahamkāra analysis ancient appears Atharva Veda ātman avyakta basic Bhasya bhāvas brahmanical Buddhacarita buddhi Buddhist Buitenen causal system Chapter characterized classical Samkhya commentaries consciousness context cosmic creation darśana Dasgupta discrimination discussion doctrine dualism Early Samkhya Edgerton edition existence followers of Samkhya Frauwallner functions Garbe Geschichte der indischen gunas Ibid Indian Philosophy inference interpretation Isvarakṛṣṇa jñāna Johnston kaivalya Kārikā Katha Keith khya kind knowing knowledge later Samkhya linga Mahābhārata manas manifest world means Mokṣadharma mulaprakṛti nature Paramartha's Chinese version passages pradhāna prakṛti and puruşa principles problem puruşa and prakṛti rajas references salvation Samkhya and Yoga Samkhya notion Samkhya Philosophie Samkhya position Samkhya System Samkhyakārikā Samkhyayoga Sankara Sanskrit Sanskrit text satkāryavāda sense simply smṛti speculations śruti Studies in Samkhya subtle body suffering supra tamas tanmātras tattvas theory thirteenfold three gunas tion tradition trans translation transmigrates ultimate unmanifest Upanisads Vasubandhu Veda verse Yoga Yuktidipikā
Popular passages
Page 83 - It thought, May I be many, may I grow forth. It sent forth fire. That fire thought, May I be many, may I grow forth.
Page 85 - Two birds, companions (who are) always united, cling to the selfsame tree. Of these two, the one eats the sweet fruit and the other looks on without eating.
Page 83 - In the beginning, my dear, this world was just Being, one only, without a second. To be sure, some people say : "In the beginning this world was just Non-being, one only, without a second ; from that Non-being Being was produced.
Page 100 - Him, by uniting with Him, by reflecting on His being more and more, there is complete cessation from the illusion of the world.
Page 83 - That (infinite) indeed is below. It is above. It is behind. It is in front. It is to the South, it is to the North ... I, indeed, am below. I am above. I am behind. I am in front. I am to the South. I am to the North. I am, indeed, all this.
Page 83 - I, indeed, am below. I am above. I am to the west. I am to the east. I am to the south. I am to the north. I, indeed, am this whole world.
Page 67 - ... commentators. In such systematic works as we have, one seems to have a hazy view of a grand system of speculative metaphysics. There is so much that is clothed in a poetic or mystic garb on which commentators do not help us much but which are suggestive enough to tempt us to construct the system anew. The interpretation of all ancient systems requires a constructive effort; but while in the case of some systems where we have a large volume of literature and a continuity of tradition, the construction...
Page 7 - I. Because of the torment of the threefold suffering, (there arises) the desire to know the means of removing it. If (it is said that) this (desire — ie, inquiry) is useless because perceptible (means of removal are available), (we say) no, since (perceptible means) are not final or abiding.
Page 198 - These are mahat (the pure mindstuff), egoism, the internal organ or the mind, the five organs of perception, the five organs of action, the five subtle elements, and the five gross elements, all 'of which have successively evolved from prakrti.
Page 97 - He is not born, nor does he ever die; Nor, having come to be, will he ever more come not to be.