Welcome to Non-Dual Sāṃkhya

Sāṃkhya and Philosophy

[Mt. Kailash]
Figure 1: Mt. Kailash, Mythical Abode of Lord Śiva

Sāṃkhya is an ancient Indian philosophy (darśana).  Specifically, it’s one of six orthodox philosophies (āstika) which accept the authority of the Vedas. 1  They’re the oldest foundational texts of Hinduism, consisting of the Ṛg Veda, Yajur Veda, Sāma Veda, and Atharva Veda.  In addition to Sāṃkhya, the other five orthodox philosophies are Nyāya, Pūrva Mīmāṃsā, Uttara Mīmāṃsā (Vedānta), Vaiśeṣika, and Yoga.  Being the oldest of the six, Sāṃkhya greatly influenced the others. 2  It was originally expounded by the Sage Kapila, sometimes considered the father of Indian philosophy. 

Sāṃkhya and Science

[James Webb Space Telescope]
Figure 2: James Webb Space Telescope

In ancient times, there was no division between philosophy and science.  The sages (ṛṣis) simply described reality as they saw it.  But they didn’t use microscopes or telescopes as we do today.  Nor did they use purely objective means to gather data.  Instead, they relied on their subjective experience, simple logic, and intuition.  Nevertheless, they adhered to a scientific method of experiment, deduction, and corroboration (pratyakṣa, anumāna, and śabda). 3  Thus, Kapila discovered a set of twenty-five principles (tattvas) that describe the fundamental properties of the universe.  Unlike modern materialistic science, they include both physical and metaphysical principles.

Sāṃkhya and Yoga

[Coin]
Figure 3: Two Sides of the Same Coin

Yoga subsequently adopted these principles, making Sāṃkhya the theoretical basis of Yoga. 4  Conversely, Yoga is the practical application of Sāṃkhya.  So, they’re really two sides of the same coin.  Therefore, Yoga is more than a collecion of stretching, breathing, and meditation techniques as it is often presented.  It has a rich philosophical side to it as well.  Furthermore, its practice (sādhana) is based on its philosophy.  Consequently, it’s unwise to cherry-pick its techniques without understanding the underlying philosophy.

Sāṃkhya and Non-Duality

[Shankaracharya]
Figure 4: Statue of Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, Founder of Advaita Vedānta,
at Kedernath Temple, Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand

Many people associate non-duality strictly with Advaita Vedānta.  However, any philosophy can be non-dual, provided that it posits only one absolute reality (pāramārthika satya).  As the theoretical basis of Yoga, Sāṃkhya determines whether Yoga is non-dual.  Historically, Sāṃkhya was dualistic (dvaita) because it posited two absolute realities, spirit and nature (puruṣa and prakṛti).  But it was recently recompiled into a non-dual version which posits one absolute reality, the unqualified source (nirguṇa brahman).  To understand it, we must first review it’s predecessor.

Dual Sāṃkhya

[Spirit and Nature]
Figure 5: Spirit and Nature

[Twenty-Three Evolutes]
Figure 6: Twenty-Three Evolutes

Sāṃkhya Kārikā

Sāṃkhya was originally recorded in the Science of Sixty Topics (Ṣaṣṭitantra), which is no longer extant. 1  But thankfully, it’s survived by the Sāṃkhya Kārikā 5 of Īśvarakṛṣṇa.  It contains seventy-two verses (kārikās).  It’s considered an atheistic work because it doesn’t include God (īśvara) 6.  It defines “Dual Sāṃkhya” (Dvaita Sāṃkhya).

Spirit and Nature

Dvaita Sāṃkhya presents a dualistic view where spirit and nature (puruṣa and prakṛti) are two ultimate yet separate realities. 7  They don’t share a common origin (mūla), nor do they ever resolve into each other.  Spirit is the conscious (cetana) witness.  Nature is the subconscious (jaḍa) actor.  It merely reflects the consciousness of spirit.

One Primary Evolvent

In this context, “evolution” refers to the manifestation of a complex existence from a simpler, unmanifest existence.  An evolvent is a cause of evolution; an evolute is an effect of evolution.  In Dvaita Sāṃkhya, spirit isn’t an evolvent.  Instead, all evolution occurs through the three qualities (triguṇa) 7 of nature.  They are purity, passion, and darkness (sattva, rajas, and tamas).  They’re the basic building blocks of all manifestation.  Though, nature and its qualities are counted as one.

Twenty-Three Evolutes

The union (saṃyoga) of spirit and nature produces the creation (sarga) 8.  Consequently, twenty-three principles (tattvas) evolve from nature. 9  Intellect (buddhi) is the primary evolution of nature.  From it, ego (ahaṃkāra) is the secondary evolution.  From it, the group of sixteen (ṣoḍaśaka), including mind (manas), the ten senses (indriyas), and the five subtle elements (tanmātras) are the tertiary evolution.  And from the mind, the five gross elements (mahāhūtas) are the quaternary evolution.  Like nature itself, these twenty-three evolutes are insentient.

Non-Dual Sāṃkhya

[Spirit, Nature, and the Oversoul]
Figure 7: Spirit, Nature, and the Oversoul

[Seven Evolutes]
Figure 8: Seven Evolutes

Advaita Sāṃkhya Sūtras

Like the Sāṃkhya Kārikā 9, the Advaita Sāṃkhya Sūtras of Sam K. Vyās 10 contain seventy-two aphorisms (sūtras).  They define “Non-Dual Sāṃkhya” (Advaita Sāṃkhya).  Advaita Sāṃkhya inherits and builds upon the tradition of Kapila using compatible insights from modern science and other ancient philosophies.  It doesn’t blindly assert non-duality, though.  Instead, it shows how all the pieces fit together into one whole.  Like the Yoga philosophy, it includes God (īśvara), which is translated as the “oversoul.”

The Unqualified Source

Advaita Sāṃkhya states that the unqualified source (nirguṇa brahman) is the absolute reality (pāramārthika satya). 11  It has no qualities (guṇas) yet it’s the origin (mūla) of all qualities.  Therefore, it’s beyond description.  The universe (jagat) is merely the vibration (eva the spanda) of the unqualified source. 12  But it’s not an evolvent, at least not directly.  To accomplish this, it requires three qualities.

Three Primary Evolvents

In addition to “quality,” the term “guṇa” also means “string.”  Hence, the qualities can be considered vibrating strings.  Three strings (triguṇa) 13 preexist inside the origin.  They are spirit, nature, and the oversoul (puruṣa, prakṛti, and īśvara).  The oversoul is the union (saṃyoga) of spirit and nature. 14  Spirit and nature are like the positive and negative poles of a magnet, and the oversoul is like the magnetic field.  Consequently, all three together are evolvents.

Seven Evolutes

From these three evolve existence, bliss, consciousness, the soul, mind, emotion, and physics (sat, ānanda, cit, jīva, sattva, rajas, and tamas). 15  This is the primary evolution.  Next, each of the seven strings (saptaguṇa) are evolvents of a tenfold principle (daśatattva). 16  They include the classical intellect (buddhi or vijñāna) 17, ego (ahaṃkāra) 17, mind (manas) 18, senses (indriyas) 19, subtle elements (tanmātras) 20, and gross elements (mahābhūtas) 21.  This is the secondary evolution.

References

  1. Flood, G. D. (1996). An Introduction to Hinduism. p. 231. New York: Cambridge University Press.
  2. Flood, G. D. (1996). An Introduction to Hinduism. p. 232. New York: Cambridge University Press.
  3. Īśvarakṛṣṇa. Sāṃkhya Kārikā 4.
  4. Flood, G. D. (1996). An Introduction to Hinduism. p. 235. New York: Cambridge University Press.
  5. Bawra, B. V. et al. (2012). Samkhya Karika With Gaudapadacarya Bhasya. p. 97. USA: Brahmrishi Yoga Publications.
  6. Īśvarakṛṣṇa. Sāṃkhya Kārikā.
  7. Flood, G. D. (1996). An Introduction to Hinduism. p. 234. New York: Cambridge University Press.
  8. Īśvarakṛṣṇa. Sāṃkhya Kārikā 21.
  9. Īśvarakṛṣṇa. Sāṃkhya Kārikā 22.
  10. Vyās, S. K. Advaita Sāṃkhya Sūtras.
  11. Vyās, S. K. Advaita Sāṃkhya Sūtras 4.19.
  12. Vyās, S. K. Advaita Sāṃkhya Sūtras 7.1.
  13. Vyās, S. K. Advaita Sāṃkhya Sūtras 4.10.
  14. Vyās, S. K. Advaita Sāṃkhya Sūtras 4.7.
  15. Vyās, S. K. Advaita Sāṃkhya Sūtras 4.13.
  16. Vyās, S. K. Advaita Sāṃkhya Sūtras 5.1.
  17. Vyās, S. K. Advaita Sāṃkhya Sūtras 5.7.
  18. Vyās, S. K. Advaita Sāṃkhya Sūtras 5.8.
  19. Vyās, S. K. Advaita Sāṃkhya Sūtras 5.12.
  20. Vyās, S. K. Advaita Sāṃkhya Sūtras 5.13.
  21. Vyās, S. K. Advaita Sāṃkhya Sūtras 5.14.