Samkhya thoughts in the Mahabharata
by Shini M.V. | 2017 | 51,373 words
This page relates 鈥楤ranches of Samkhya鈥� of the study of Samkhya thought and philosophy as reflected in the Shanti-Parva of the Mahabharata. Samkhya represents one of the six orthodox schools of Indian Philosophy and primarily deals with metaphysical knowledge and explains the Universe without the need to introduce God. The Mahabharata is an ancient Sanskrit epic which includes many Sankhya theories while expounding twenty-five principles.
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Branches of 厂腻峁僰丑测补
The four streams are designated as:
These are further subdivided in to sub branches. 础丑辞谤腻迟谤补 in four, 碍腻濒补 in seven, Atri in five and twenty of the 笔谤补诲丑腻苍补.
础丑辞谤腻迟谤补-艣腻办丑补
The first stream expounds its principle in terms of creation and dissolution termed as 础丑辞谤腻迟谤补, the night referring to the stage when the 笔谤补办峁泃颈 is in equilibrium, whereas the day signifies the agitation of 笔谤补办峁泃颈 and the beginning of the process of creation or evolution.
(1) The first sub branch of this stream is found in the pari艣i峁ａ弓a in the Nirukta of 驰腻蝉办补.[1]
(2) The second sub branch is represented by the 础丑辞谤腻迟谤补 yoga in the 骋墨迟补.[2]
(3) The third sub branch is expounded in the Durg膩spata艣ati, in the M膩rka峁嘾eyapur膩峁嘺 in its section entitled Pr膩dh膩nika rahasya.
(4) In the 惭补苍耻蝉尘峁泃颈 chapter one presents the principles of the fourth sub branch.
(5) In the V膩yu pur膩峁嘺 the fifth sub branch is found.[3]
碍腻濒补-艣腻办丑补
In the list of tattvas, k膩la is included in the second stream. In the svet膩艣vataropani峁d,[4] it is found in the earliest acceptance of k膩la as a tattva.
(1) The first sub branch of this school as expounded in the 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补, names 笔耻谤耻峁 as 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 and 笔谤补办峁泃颈 as k膩la and without recognising Mahat, traces Manas and 础丑补峁僰腻谤补 directly from Buddhi.[5]
(2) The second sub branch as expounded in the 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 mentions 笔谤补办峁泃颈 in the place of k膩la, naming it as avyakta also. It describes k膩la as the cause of the transformation of all the tattvas and objects. It believes in six 惭补丑腻产丑奴迟补蝉, but does not name the sixth one.[6]
(3) Devala in the 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 is presented by the third sub branch. Here k膩la is mentioned as distinct from both 笔谤补办峁泃颈 and 笔耻谤耻峁. The teachers of this sub branch are named as 叠丑奴迟补 cintaka and Adhy腻迟尘补 cintaka. This sub branch designates the tattvas as 谤腻艣墨蝉. it numbers the mah膩bh奴tas as eight, adding the k膩la, 产丑腻惫补 and a产丑腻惫补 to the well-known five, and parallel to them, numbers the j帽膩nendriyas also as eight adding citta, Manas and Buddhi to the well-known five ones. It numbers the tattvas variously as sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, twenty and twenty five by adding new ones. In its scheme the inclusion of 奴峁补 as a tattva is very significant.[7]
(4) The fourth sub branch is described in the 碍奴谤尘补辫耻谤腻峁嘺. Its teachers are referred to as tattvacintaka and 产谤补丑尘补惫腻诲颈. According to it, both k膩la pradh膩na and 笔耻谤耻峁 emanate from avyakta, k膩la which represents the connection between two events, is described as an膩di.[8]
(5) The fifth sub branch recorded in the 痴颈峁ａ箛耻pur膩峁嘺 was expounded by 笔补谤腻艣补谤补 and given to Maitreya. According to it, in the stage of equilibrium, 笔谤补办峁泃颈 笔耻谤耻峁 remains aloof from it, and is termed as k膩la.[9]
(6) The sixth sub branch is found in the 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 and is communicated by Kapila to Dev膩huti. Here k膩la is mentioned as the twenty fifth tattva, which causes stirrings in the 笔谤补办峁泃颈 in its stage of equilibrium.[10]
(7) The seventh sub branch is also found in the 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, it accepts a number of new tattvas, such as dravya, karma, k膩la, svabh膩vya, 箩墨惫补 and Brahma or 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补.[11]
Atrisiddh膩nt墨ya-艣腻办丑补
The Atri siddh膩nt墨ya is the third stream. The functioning of the internal and external organs is investigated in the text on Ayurveda is mainly based in it. In the Ayurveda Atri was the earliest authority, and is included in the list of 厂腻峁僰丑测补 teachers.
(1) The first stream of this first branch is recorded in the Nirukta. According to it, by following the path of dharma, anybody can become 莫艣惫补谤补 or become immortal, getting involved in passions a man suffers repeated births and deaths.
(2) The second sub branch made remarkable advancements in the area of 笔补帽肠补 惭补丑腻产丑奴迟补蝉, physics and botany. It expounded the principle of life even in plants[12].
(3) The third sub branch finds a detailed exposition in the two 厂补峁僪颈迟补 texts associated with the names of Caraka and 艢u艣ruta.
Mukhyastambh墨ya-艣腻办丑补
Mukhya stambh墨ya, 笔谤补诲丑腻苍补-stambh墨ya or K膩pil墨ya is termed as the main stream of 厂腻峁僰丑测补. It covers all the important expressions of 厂腻峁僰丑测补 principles.
(1-3) The first three sub branches are indicated when 厂补苍补迟办耻尘腻谤补 refers to the views mentioning the numbers of tattvas as twenty three or twenty four, where as he himself takes them to be twenty five.
(4) The fourth sub branch is represented by 驰腻箩帽补惫补濒办测补 who mentions the tattvas to be twenty six.[13]
(5) The fifth sub branch mentions the order of creations as 补办峁谤补, 办丑补峁�, 惫腻测耻, jyoti, jala, jagati and jagat.[14] Without assigning any place to 笔耻谤耻峁 brahma, Mahat or 础丑补峁僰腻谤补.
(6) The sixth sub branch presents three cycles of evolution and dissolution. Here we find four terms 补办峁谤补, 箩帽腻苍补, 辫补帽肠补 腻办峁泃颈 and 蝉奴办峁补, which are used in a special sense, not found elsewhere. In the third cycle the term 腻迟尘补 signifies 笔耻谤耻峁. This sub branch presents an elaborate order of tattvas.[15]
(7) The seventh sub branch is characterized by a special terminology about 笔耻谤耻峁, 惭补丑腻辫耻谤耻峁 in its twenty fourth tattva, 惭补丑腻辫耻谤耻峁 惫补颈办峁泃补 or 惭补丑腻诲别惫补 is the twenty fifth tattva, and Bhagavan is the twenty sixth tattva. The order of its evolution is also distinctive.
(8) The eighth sub branch designates the tattvas as 产丑腻惫补s and describes all of them as evolutes of sva产丑腻惫补.[16]
(9) Allied to this is the ninth sub branch which holds the order of evolution to be 惭补丑腻产丑奴迟补, Cetana, 膧tma, Manas (aha峁僰膩ra) and Buddhi.[17]
(10) The tenth sub branch is also associated with the sva产丑腻惫补v膩dins. The order of evolution according to this sub branch is Indriyas, 笔补帽肠补 迟补苍尘腻迟谤补蝉, Manas and Buddhi. Buddhi is also described as 腻迟尘补 in human beings.[18] In all these sub branches no place is assigned to 惭奴濒补辫谤补办峁泃颈 and 笔耻谤耻峁.
(11) The eleventh sub branch was expounded by 痴补蝉颈峁ａ弓丑补. It speaks of two types of creations. 叠丑奴迟补sarga relating to 笔补帽肠补 迟补苍尘腻迟谤补蝉 and 笔补帽肠补 mah膩bh奴tas, and Bhautika sarga concerning five Karmendriyas and five J帽膩nendriyas. It assigns the highest place to 贬颈谤补峁噛补驳补谤产丑补, also designated as Buddhi, Mahat and Viri帽ji.[19]
(12) The twelfth branch resulted from the dressing up of 厂腻峁僰丑测补 in the garb of 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫颈s峁�.[20] According to it, in the beginning there was only 箩帽腻苍补, from which came out pradh膩na 迟谤颈驳耻峁嘺 尘补丑腻尘腻测补 or 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫颈 笔谤补办峁泃颈 which is also designated as sva产丑腻惫补.
(13) The thirteenth sub branch, as known from the 惭补苍耻蝉尘峁泃颈[21] represents the most developed form of 厂腻峁僰丑测补 Yoga. According to it, in the beginning there was the state of equilibrium, first emerged the 蝉惫补测补尘产丑奴, who created water, in which he sowed seeds which became the golden egg. From it emerged Brahma, who divided the egg in to two parts. The order of evolution is buddhi, manas, aha峁僰膩ra, 迟补苍尘腻迟谤补, mah膩bh奴ta, j帽膩nendriyas and karmendriyas.
(14) The fourteenth sub branch also represents a developed state and is found in the 痴腻测耻辫耻谤腻峁嘺. The dark stage is termed as 笔谤补诲丑腻苍补 and 笔谤补办峁泃颈. From it emerges mahat variously named as Manas, mahat, mati, brahma, 辫耻谤补岣�, Buddhi 办丑测腻迟颈, 墨艣vara, 辫谤腻峁嘺, citti, 蝉尘峁泃颈 蝉补峁僾颈诲 and vipuri. The three 驳耻峁嘺蝉 developed in it and are termed as linga, the 办峁迟谤补箩帽补 resides in it. When the rajas 驳耻峁嘺 is predominant 础丑补峁僰腻谤补 is evolved, and when the tamas 驳耻峁嘺 is predominant, 笔补帽肠补 迟补苍尘腻迟谤补蝉 are evolved from which come out 笔补帽肠补 惭补丑腻产丑奴迟补蝉[22].
(15) The fifteenth sub branch is recorded in the Brahma pur膩峁嘺. It represents a detailed account of the developed system. It is expounded by 痴补蝉颈峁ａ弓丑补 and delivered to 碍补谤腻濒补箩补苍补办补. It mentions Buddhi tattva as the parama tattva and the 腻迟尘补 tattva. All the tattvas are characterized by several 驳耻峁嘺蝉 and each has its own 痴颈诲测腻.[23]
(16) The sixteenth sub branch is found in the Dev墨bh膩gavatapur膩峁嘺. Here also the 厂腻峁僰丑测补 Yoga system is superimposed by 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补 terminology. Many names for 笔谤补办峁泃颈 is given by the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺. Tapas, tamas, jadata, 箩帽腻苍补, 尘腻测补, pradh膩na, prak峁泃i, 艣补办迟颈, aja, citta and sa峁僾itta. The creation is said to be automatic and natural. There was only citta in the beginning. The Devi claims to be citta and in conjunction with 笔耻谤耻峁, produces 础丑补峁僰腻谤补 and the subsequent evolutes. Avidya is also described as M膩ya and satv膩tmika. 莫艣惫补谤补 when reflected in it, is called J墨va.
(17) The seventeenth sub branch, as traced in the 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 has a distinctive character. Here the 驳耻峁嘺蝉 of the 笔补帽肠补mah膩bh奴tas are said to be six, 尘奴谤迟颈 being the sixth, though in actual enumeration only four are named. The tattvas include four 惭补丑腻产丑奴迟补蝉 and six 驳耻峁嘺蝉 with citta as the eleventh and Buddhi as the twelfth. This sub branch omits 腻办腻艣补 as a tattva and salida as a驳耻峁嘺.[24]
(18) The eighteenth sub branch is found in the K奴rma pur膩峁嘺.[25] It is presented by 艢颈惫补 himself. The order of the tattvas in an ascending sequence is indrias, manas, aha峁僰膩ra, mahat, avyakta, puru峁, 辫谤腻峁嘺, vyoma, agni.
(19) The nineteenth sub branch is found in the Buddhacarita of 础艣惫补驳丑辞峁. It is presented by ar膩岣� (ar膩岣峚). The 厂腻峁僰丑测补 philosophers are designated as 腻迟尘补cintakas. 笔耻谤耻峁 or 腻迟尘补 is termed as 办峁迟谤补箩帽补 and also as vyakta, as distinguished from avyakta. A箩帽腻苍补 karma and t峁涐梗峁嘺 are the three causes of birth. There are five causes of 补惫颈诲测腻. Vipatyaya, aha峁僰膩ra, sandeha, abhisamplava, 补惫颈艣别峁 and anup膩ya and six effects of it; tama, moha, 尘补丑腻尘辞丑补, t膩mi艣ra, avap膩ta and 补苍诲丑补迟腻尘颈艣谤补. The system subscribes to the principles of 厂补迟办腻谤测补惫腻诲补.[26]
(20) In the 础驳苍颈辫耻谤腻峁嘺 the twentieth sub branch is traced. According to it, Brahma entered 笔耻谤耻峁 and 笔谤补办峁泃颈 which was followed by an explosion in Mahat and 础丑补峁僰腻谤补 appeared as evolutes. The creation which followed is of three types, 惫补颈办腻谤颈办补 taijasa and 产丑奴迟腻诲颈.[27]
Footnotes and references:
[2]:
叠丑补驳补惫补诲驳墨迟补, X, 12-27.
[3]:
yaddhi s峁涐梗峁璭stu sa峁僰hy膩ta峁� 尘补测腻 k膩l膩ntarandvij膩岣� |
etat k膩l膩ntara峁� j帽eyamaharvai p膩rame艣varam || 惫腻测耻pur膩峁嘺m, 辫补帽肠补modhy膩ya岣�, 1.
[5]:
辫耻谤耻峁峁� 蝉补苍腻迟补苍补峁� 惫颈峁ａ箛耻峁� ya峁� ta峁� vedavido vidu岣� | svargapralaya kart膩ramavyakta峁� brahma 艣膩艣vatam ||
arhastvamasi 办补濒测腻峁嘺峁� 惫腻谤峁ａ箛别测补峁� 艣峁涐箛uyatparam |
k膩lacakraman膩dyanta峁� bh膩v膩产丑腻惫补svalak峁峁嘺m || 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 XII, 210 -10, 13.
[6]:
[7]:
惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 XII 275, 4-7.
[8]:
[9]:
k膩lasvar奴par奴pa峁� tad vi峁ａ箛ormaitreya varttate |
k膩lasvar奴pa峁� tad vi峁ａ箛ormaitreya parivartate || 痴颈峁ａ箛耻pur膩峁嘺 I.2.27.
[10]:
[11]:
诲谤补惫测补峁� karma ca k膩la艣ca svabh膩vo 箩墨惫补 eva ca |
v膩sudevat膩tparo brahma c膩nyo'rtho'sti tatvata岣� || 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, II.5.14.
[12]:
惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 XII, 184, 10-18.
[13]:
te naitann膩bhinandanti 辫补帽肠补vi峁兣沘kamacyutam |
janmam峁泃yubhay膩d bh墨t膩 yog膩岣� 蝉腻峁僰hy膩艣ca k膩艣yapa ||
峁岣峷i峁兣沘manupa艣yanta岣� 艣ucayastat辫补谤腻ya峁嚹佱弗 || 艢膩ntiparva 318. 79.
[14]:
XII, 200-10,13.
[15]:
惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 XII, 202-9, 10, 15, 23.
[16]:
Mbh.XII, 222-65, 66.
[17]:
Ibid 239, 6-16.
[18]:
[19]:
艢膩ntiparva , 302鈥�18, 24 -27.
[20]:
艢膩ntiparva , 238, 17 -21.
[21]:
amatyait膩ni 峁峁� jaghv膩 办峁沜肠丑谤补峁� 蝉腻ntapana峁� caret |
测补迟颈肠腻苍诲谤腻测补峁嘺峁� 惫腻辫颈 艣e峁峁Ｅ玴avasedaha岣� || 惭补苍耻蝉尘峁泃颈, 1.5.20.
[22]:
tathaiva cukrodhanamekavi峁兣沘ti 辫谤补箩腻 viv峁沝dhay膩rpitak膩rya艣膩sanam |
pur膩tan膩napya辫补谤腻峁兣沜a 艣膩艣vat膩峁僺tathaiva c膩ny膩n saga峁嚹乶avasthit膩n pit峁泇anmanyam膩nast膩n putr膩n pr膩dhy膩yata 辫谤补产丑耻岣� | pitaro hyupapak峁Ｄ乥hy膩峁�
r膩tryahnorantar膩s峁沯at | tasm膩tte pitaro 诲别惫腻岣� putratvantena te峁 tat ||
惫腻测耻pur膩峁嘺m, 3-4, 9-11.
[23]:
karmendriy膩峁嚹佱箖 sarve峁Ｄ佱箖 vidy膩 产耻诲诲丑墨苍诲谤颈测补峁� s尘峁泃补尘 |
buddh墨ndriy膩峁嚹佱箖 ca tath膩 惫颈艣别峁Ｄ� iti na 艣rutam || vi峁y膩峁嚹佱箖 manaste峁Ｄ佱箖 vidy膩m膩hurman墨峁峁噊 |
尘补苍补蝉补岣� 辫补帽肠补 产丑奴迟腻苍颈 vidy膩 ityabhicak峁te || 叠谤补丑尘补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 136-45, 132 -82, 136 -84.
[24]:
惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 XII, 219-12, 34.
[25]:
tasm膩dan膩dimadhy膩nta峁� vastveka峁� 辫补谤补尘补峁� 艣ivam |
sa 墨艣varo mah膩devasta峁� vij帽膩ya pramucyate || 碍奴谤尘补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, uttar膩rdham, 10, 12.
[26]:
Buddhacarita, XII, 17 -39.