m m .• .-** $$>* . n £*- A LECTURE ^s* »<^ ^* ^ ^s^* ♦^ ON THE ms* M^ ?gs>* ~s# ^* B A N K H Y A P H 1 1 "8 P H Y . . l,iliii V y & Class Book- ttfOBfiF QQLL&H11&U* rrc =>» !«v. A LECTURE ON THE SA'NKHYA PHILOSOPHY EMBRACING THE TEXT OF THE T A T T W A S A 31 A' S A PRINTED FOR THE USE OF THE BENARES COLLEGE BY ORDER OF GOVERNMENT N. W. P. ORPHAN SCHOOL PRESS :—SUPT. R. 0. MATHER. 1850. •33^3313 125b WEBER COLLECTmm* PREFACE This Lecture, delivered in the session of 1849, is a sequel to those on the Nydya Philosophy delivered to the senior class of pupils in the English Department of the Benares College, in 1848, (C with the view of introducing them to the philosophical terminology current among their learned fellow-countrymen the pandits.' For selecting the Tattiva-samdsa as the text-book, there were two motives — the simplicity of its arrangement, and the extreme rarity of the work. Mr. Colebrooke (at p. 233. vol. 1st of his Essays) speaks of it as being uncertain whether the work were still extant ; and few of the pandits appear to know it except by name, J. R. B, Benares College,^ 31s/ My, 1850. J SYNOPSIS OF THE CONTENTS. The twenty-five Principles — consisting of — No. 5. — The eic.iit producers : — Viz. No. G. — The Undiserete — „ No. 8.— Intellect— „ No. 17. — Self-consciousness — ■ „ No. 19.— The five Subtile Elements- No. 26. — The sixteen Productions : — Viz. No. 27- — The eleven Organs — „ No. 31.— The five Gross Elements- No. 34.— Soul. The operation of the Principles — consisting in No. 54. — Developemcnt — No. 55. — Reabsorption — No. 73. — Bondage — No. 74. — Liberation. The Sankhya theory of Evidence — involving No. 7G.— Perception — No. 77. — Inference — No. 78. — Testimony. A LECTURE ON THB SANKHYA PHILOSOPHY No. 1. — [The founder of the Sdnkhya school of philosophy was Kapila, Two treatises are attributed to him — the Sdnkhya-pra- vachana and the Tatwa-samdsa. The latter will form the text of the] following observations. The commentary commences thus : — ] No. 2. — Salutation to Ganesa ! Salutation to the great sage Kapila ! Salutation to that great sage Kapila who, at the first creation, obtained, merely by birth, a knowledge of the twenty- five principles (tatwa). Now we shall explain the aphorisms of the Sdnkhya, which con- stitute what is called the Compendium of Principles. [ In saying that Kapila obtained his knowledge " merely by birth/' the author means that Kapila differed from those other tea- 2 A LECTURE ON THE chers who, after being born, received instruction before they were qualified to teach. Kapila is regarded as an incarnation of the deity.] No. 3. — A certain brahman, aggrieved by the three kinds of pain, had recourse to the great sage Kapila, the teacher of the Sdnkhya. Having declared his family, his name and race, and his desire of instruction, he said — " Holy Sir ! What is of all things the most important ? What is actual truth ? And what must I do in order that I may have done what is fitting to be done ?" Kapila replied — u I shall tell you." [ The Aphorisms of Kapila here follow.] *A« V^ STT^: 1VUI ^ SR^TffTFT: 1\^ II T^^^Tf%- ^ i\8D ^sif^^nmcfw: iviii ^t^^tt ^f%; im^rsr- ^g^Pnft *T?nra : R°u fafMt *rnrt^: \^\\\ f*Pr- vftfFW w*A f*fin?t*TO: «#l f^fr* *nntf i^8« SANKHYA PHILOSOPHY. 3 No. 4. — M (1) The eight ' producers' (prakriti) ; (2) the six- " teen c productions' (vikdra) ; (3) ' Soul' (purusha); (4) the " c triad of qualities' (traigunya); (5) ' emanation' or ' develope- " ment' (sanchara); (6) ' re-absorption' or 'dissolution' (pratisan- " chara); (7) the ' ministers of Soul' (adhydtma) ; (8) the 'pro- H vince of an organ' (adhibhuta); (9) the respective ' presiding " deity' (adhidaivata) ; (10) the five ' perversities of understand- " ing" (abhibuddhi) ; (11) the five 'sources of action' (karmma- cc yoni); (12) the five ' airs' (vdyuj ; (13) the five ' which consist " of action' (karmmdtma) ; (14) 'ignorance' (avidyd) under five " divisions ; (15) 'disability' (as'akti) of twenty-eight kinds; (16) Ci ' acquiescence' or 'indifference' (tushti) of nine kinds; (17) " ' perfectness' (siddhi) of eight kinds; (18) the 'radical facts' " (mulikdrtha) of ten kinds ; (19) ' benevolent nature/ (anugra- (t ha-sarga) ; (20) ' created existences' (bhuta-sarga) of ten des- " criptions; (21) 'parental creation' (dhdtu-sansarga) of three dis- " criptions ; (22) three-fold ' bondage' (bandha) ; (23) three-fold "'liberation' (moksha) ; (24) three-fold 'proof (pramdna) ; (25) "three-fold 'pain' (du'kha): — in this consists all actual truth. " He who shall have thoroughly understood this, will have done " all that is to be done. He will not again be obnoxious to the " three sorts of pain." Such are the Aphorisms of the Sdnkhya, entitled the ' Com- pendium of Principles.' [ The commentator then proceeds to dilate on each of the fore- going topics.] 4 A LECTURE ON THE No. 5. — Now which are those eight 'producers 5 ? To this it is replied — (1) the ' undiscrete' (avyaJcta) ; (2) e intellect' (buddhi); (3) ' self- consciousness' (ahankdra) ; and (4 — 8) the five ' subtile rudiments' (tan-mdtra) ; — these are the eight * producers.' [ Each of these eight 'producers' is now taken up in its order.} No. 6. — Now the ' undiscrete' is described. As, in this world, jars, webs, vases, and couches are made manifest, not so is the e undiscrete 5 : — that is to say — it is not apprehended by the hearing or by any other sense. Why ? Because it has neither begin- ning, middle, nor end ; nor is it made up of parts. The inaudible, intangible, invisible, indestructible, and likewise eternal, devoid of savour and odour, — without beginning or middle, anterior in or- der to mind, firm and chief — thus do the learned designate it. Subtile, devoid of characteristic attributes, unconscious, without beginning or end, — so too whose nature it is to produce, without parts, one only, the common [source of all] — such is the e undis- crete.' 8ANKHYA PHILOSOPHY. 5 No. 7- — Synonymes of the ' undiscrete' are the following — viz : the ' undistinguished,' ' unseparated/ or 'imperceptible' (avyak- ta); the 'chief (pradhdna); the 'source of emanation* (brahma): the 'receptacle' or 'abode/ (pura); the 'permanent' (dhruva) ; the 'chief/ or ' that in which all generated effect is comprehen- ded' (pradhdnaka) ; the ' indestructible' (akshara) ; the ' site' or 'field' (kshetra); 'darkness' (ta?7ias); the ' productive source' (pra- suta). [Several of these terms are not, strictly speaking, synonymes, further than as they are all applicable to the ' undiscrete*. They are epithets employed for reasons which may appear in the sequel. A similar remark applies to the- various lists of synonymes which will be met with further on. We now come to the second of the eight ' producers' (No. 5) — viz 'intellect'.] *IV* TOT: I ?Srt^TR T ST*: I T^T *ff : I No. 8.— What is ' intellect' ? To this it is replied—' intellect' is 'ascertainment' (adhyavasdya). This it is from which, in re- gard to a cow or any other thing, there is the determination ' This is so and so, and not otherwise' — ' This is a cow, not a horse' — c This is a post, not a man.' Such is 'intellect' or 'un- derstanding.' [The various aspects under which this faculty is regarded as presenting itself, are next specified.] O A LECTURE ON THE t^TTO %%t^ ^trifw ir^rf% wf ^T*f Vniqfrqrg f fir- frf I No. 9. — Of this e intellect' there are eight forms— (1) ' virtue' (dharma); (2) e knowledge' (jnydna) ; (3) l dispassion' (vairdgya); (4) superhuman c power' (aiswarya) — [the remaining four being the opposites or negatives of these. See No. 14.] Pre?: ^r^r^r^w: i No. 10. — f Virtue* {dharma) is the opposite of 'vice' (adharma) ; it is what is enjoined in the e scripture' (s'ruti) and in the ' law' (smriti) ; not opposed to the practice of the pious — of which the symptom is felicity [ — prosperity being regarded as the fruit of former virtue, and adversity as that of former vice.] No. 11, — ' Knowledge' (jnydna) is the opposite of ' ignorance' (ajnydna) — an acqaintance with the ' principles' ( tatwa ), the * forms' of intellect (bhdva~l$o, 9.), and the 'elements' (bhuta« No 31.) No. 12. — c Dispassion' (vairdgya) is the opposite of e passion' (avairdgya) : — it consists in not concerning one's self about sounds or any other c objects of sense' (vishaya). No. 13. — Superhuman F power' (aiswurya) is the opposite of 6 powerlessness' (anaiswarya) ; it consists of the eight qualities/ SANKHYA PHILOSOPHY. / [the capacity of assuming a form of the utmost] ' minuteness' (animd) fyc. These four [kinds of ' intellect' — Nos. 10. — 13.] are [regarded as] e partak-ing of the quality of goodness' (sdtwika). [See No. 50]. fr ^TTft I No. 14. — 'Vice' (adharma), c ignorance' (ajnydna), 'subjec- tion to passion' (avairdgyd), and ' powerlessness' (anaiswarya), [are next described]. ' Vice' is the opposite of ' virtue' — opposed to Scripture and Law — opposed to the practice of the pious — and of which the symptom is adversity. [See No. 10] . * Ignorance' is the opposite of ' knowledge' — the reverse of an acquaintance with the e principles', the ' forms' of intellect, and the ' elements'. [See No. 11.] c Subjection to passion' is the opposite of ' dispassion' : — it con- sists in perseveringly concerning one's self about sounds and other objects of sense. * Powerlessness' is the opposite of superhuman ' power' : — it is the being destitute of [the capacity of] 'minuteness' &c. These four [kinds of 'intellect'] are [regarded as] f partaking of the quality of Darkness' (tdmasa). [See No. 52]. 8 A LECTURE ON THE [What consequences severally appertain to the above-described modifications of c intellect/ is next stated.] t^T^w fSrf*nT i sraffrasr: i ^^f^r^5rrTrf?r 5 ffnTfw- No. 1 5. — Through ' virtue/ as a cause, there is c elevation in the scale of being* (urdhwa-gamana) ; through ' knowledge/ as a cause, there is e liberation' from existence (moksha) ; through ' dispassion/ as a cause, there is * absorption into nature/ {prakri- ti-laya) ; through superhuman ' power/ as a cause, there is 6 unimpeded movement' [even through solid rocks and the like], (iapratihata-gati) . Thus has ' intellect/ in its eight forms [No. 9] been described. No. 16. — The following words are synonymes — [See No. 7] — of ' intellect' — viz : c mind* (manas) ; ' understanding' (mati) ; the ' great' principle (mahat) ; the e Creator' (brahmd) ; ? familiar knowledge' (khydti) ; e wisdom' (prajnyd) ; * intelligence through report' (s^uti) ; ' resolution' (dhriti) ; a ( train of thought' (praj- nydna-santati) ; * memory' (smriti) ; and c meditation' (dhi) ; in such terms is f intellect' spoken of. [We now come to the third of the eight ' producers' (No. 5) — viz * self-consciousness' — that which is implied in a man's employ- ing the pronoun c I' — a pronoun the employment of which de- clares the speaker's belief that he possesses an individuality of his own.] SANKHYA PHILOSOPHY. 9 ^T SOTpnTR: I ^ ^r"^" ^ ^TO ^f ^ ^TT T^ I ^ TR* ^ ^TT'Tt S^RfT^: I ^ ^Nft w w j5t- *nRt s^t wt 'frr: I *sp* ^n?T ^f%f*r: imT^T "3; ih" r^frTT: I No. 17. — To the question — what is 'self-consciousness'? — it is replied that e self-consciousness' is a e conceit' (abhimdna) — the conceit or fancy that ' I am the embracer in the case of sound' [i.e., fe: 1 sfff I ^T: I *T*r: \ SANKHYA PHILOSOPHY. 19 *IZ\ faNft 5^ ^Tfa 5^SJK *TT^ ^H^: II No. 37. — Now the synonymes of this ' soul' — the 'reposer in body' (purusha) ; ' self (dtmci) ; ' the male' (puns) ; ' that which superadds the quality of reason to mere animal life' {yun-guna- jantu-jiva) ) the ' knower of body' (kshetra-jna); the c man' (rca- r«) ; the ' poet' {Jcavi) ; i deity' (brahma) ; the 'indestructible' akshara) ; c life' or ' vital air' (prcina) ; ' who/ 'who' ? ' he,' ' this/ Thus have the twenty-five ' principles' (tativa) been explained — viz :, the eight ' producers' [No. 5], the sixteen c productions' [No. 26], and 'soul' [No. 34] . " He who knows the twenty-five principles, whatever order of life he may have entered, and whether he wear matted hair, a top-knot only, or be shaven, he is liberated : — of this there is no doubt." ^rq-re i "°*o*: f£ ^Tff ^rafiRf?r i ^f% ^mf inpsn No. 38. — Here it is asked — is 'soul' an agent, or not an agent ? If 'soul' were an agent, it would do only good actions — it would not adopt the c triad of habits.' [ What the three ' habits' are, is next stated.] No. 39. — The 'amiable' (sdtwika) habit consists of virtue. 20 A LECTURE ON THE kindliness, restraint [of the senses], regulation [of the organs], freedom from enmity, correct judgment, the attainment of knowledge and supernatural power [see No. 13.] T17T: WV*\ %T*T: ^*rf^TT%T Sf^T^' Goodness' (sattwa) is endlessly diversified, accor- dingly as it is exemplified in calmness, lightness, complacency, at- tainment of wishes, kindliness, contentment, patience, joy, and the like. Summarily, it consists of happiness. No. 51. — 'Foulness' (rajas) is endlessly diversified, according- ly as it is exemplified in grief, distress, separation, excitement, anxiety, fault-finding, and the like. Summarily, it consists of pain. No. 52.—' Darkness' (tamas) is endlessly diversified, accordingly as it it is exemplified in envelopement, ignorance, disgust, abject- ness, heaviness, sloth, drowsiness, intoxication, and the like. 58 A LECTURE ON THE Summarily, it consists of delusion. No. 53.— So far ( i. e. in Nos. 50, 51, and 52,) has the e triad of qualities' been expounded. One should regard c goodness' as e illuminating ;' one should regard c foulness' as \ exciting' ; one should regard e darkness' as ' non-illuminating' ; — such is what is named the ( triad of qua- lities.' «\ No. 54.— The next question is— what is ( meant by) 'developement* and 'resolution' (sanchara and pratisanchara — the 5th and 6th in Kapila's enumeration of topics — No. 6) ? To this it is replied — 'development' is production: — c reabsorption' [pratisanchara) is dissolution. [ The order of ] ( production' is as follows ; — from the e undiscrete' beforementioned [No. 7L superintended by Soul, which is another [ than Nature, and for whose use is the assemblage of sensible objects,] and omnipresent, 'intellect' is B^NKHYA philosophy. 27 produced. ' Intellect 1 is of eight kinds — [No. 9]. From the prin- ciple of ' intellect' ' self-consciousness' [No. 17] is produced. 1 Self-consciousness' is of three kinds [No. 18] — the ' modifying,' the ' active,' ' ardent,' or ' urgent,' and the ' origin of the ele- ments.' From the ' modifying self-consciousness' the gods and the senses are produced; from [self-consciousness as] 'the origin of the elements' the ' subtile elements' (No. 19) are produced. From the ' active' both proceed, [for, without the 'active,' both the others are held to be inert]. From the x subtile elements [are produced] the [gross] * elements :' — such is [ the order of] 'development.' i sfN^T siwrcr: i No. 55. — f Reabsorption' [No. 6] is as follows : — the ' ele- ments' are resolved into the ' subtile elements ;' the ' subtile ele- ments' and the 'senses' into 'self-consciousness ;' ' self-conscious- ness' into 'intellect;' 'intellect' into the ' undiscrete.' The • undiscrete' is nowhere dissolved. Why? Because it was not produced out of anything (into which it might be resolvable). Regard Nature and Soul as being both eternal. Thus has ' reab- sorption' been explained. 28 A LECTURE ON THE CI 9S. No. 56. — Now it is asked — what is meant by the * ministers of soul' [No 6], the ' province of an organ/ and the 'presiding deity ?' To this it is replied : — ' intellect' is a ' minister of soul ;' 'whatever is to be understood' constitutes its ' province;' and its 'presiding deity' is Brahma. ' Self-consciousness' is a ' minister of soul ;' whatever is ' to be believed' constitutes its ' province ;' and Rudra is its 'presiding deity.' 'Mind' is a 'minister of soul;' whatever is ' to be resolved on' constitutes its 'province;' the Moon is its ' presiding deity.' The ' hearing' is a ' minister of soul;' whatever is ' to be heard' constitutes its ' province;' the Ether is its ' supernatural presiding power.' The ' touch' is a ' minister of soul ;' whatever is ' to be touched' constitutes its 'province;' the air is its ' supernatural presiding power.' The 'sight' is a ' minister of soul ;' whatever is ' to be seen" consti- tutes its ' province ;' the sun is its ' presiding deity.' The SANKHYA PHILOSOPHY. 29 ' taste' is a ' minister of soul ;' whatever is ' to be tasted' con- stitutes its ' province ;' Varuna [the god of the waters] is its ' presiding deity.' The 'smell' is a ' minister of soul ;' what- ever is 'to be smelled' constitutes its ' province;' the Earth is its 'supernatural presiding power.' The ' voice' is a ' minister of soul ;' whatever is ' to be uttered' constitutes its ' province ;' its 'presiding deity' is either Saraswati or Fire. The 'hands' are ' ministers of soul ;' whatever is ' to be grasped' constitutes their ' province;' Indra is their ' presiding deity'. The feet are ' mi- nisters of soul ;' whatever is e to be gone over' constitutes their 'province;' Vishnu is their 'presiding deity.' The e organ of excretion' is a ' minister of soul;' whatever is ' to be excreted' constitutes its 'province;' Mitra is its 'presiding deity'. The \ organ of generation' is a ' minister of soul ;' what is ' to be en- joyed' constitutes its 'province;' Prajapati is its 'presiding deity.' Such, in the case of each of the thirteen kinds of instruments [ of the soul], is the respective 'minister,' ' province,' and 'presi- ding deity'. ?r Thrift %T ^^Rt wre* i gw^TMf^W^ i f%^- II Tf?T rpr^T^: II No. 57. — Whosoever is correctly acquainted with the 'princi- ples' [viz. the 8 ' producers', 16 'productions,' and 'soul'], the nature of the 'qualities,' and the ' presiding deities' [ No. 56], being liberated from his sins and released from the whole of his defects, enjoys [the various pleasing effects of] the ' qualities,' (while he remains in the world) and is liberated from the 'quali- ties' (when he attains to final emancipation). 30 A LECTURE ON THE So much for the discussion of the [25] ' principles' (tattwa) . urt *rff fipn 1 ^nrrf^ra