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Ever since the historical investigation of the Samkhya philosophy has thrown more light on the development of the system and its historical relation, a work that has been the fundamental text of the speculative Samkhya school is becoming more and more important, namely, the Sastitantram. Unfortunately this principal Samkhya work has not been preserved except for some fragments and a few references, and even as regards its author tradition is full of contradictions. Some authorities speak of Pañcasikha as its author whereas from the historical consideration of the tradition we are inclined to assign its authorship to Vrṣagana1).
The material on which our study is based are the following 2): Pañcasikha: a) References: Mahabharatam XII, 218, 6 (7886) ff.; 219, 5 (7934) ff.; 320, 60 (11783); 321, 3 (11839) f.; 322, 24 (11875) ff.; - Samkhyakārikā Kā. 70; - Paramartha's commentary p. 1058, 1059 (cp. 1061); Yuktidīpikā p. 31, 24; 61, 1; 175, 8 ff.; Gauda
1) In accordance with the Chinese tradition we shall call the head of the Samkhya speculative school Vrṣagana" to distinguish him from his followers (vārṣaganāḥ) without, however, deciding whether the real name of the head of the school was Vrsagana or Varsaganya, as he is sometimes called. cp. P. Chakravarti: Origin and Development of the Samkhya System of Thought, p. 136 f.
*) Editions consulted: La Samkhyakärikä étudiée à la lumière de sa version chinoise par M.J. Takakusu (BEFEO vol. IV), Hanoi 1904. — Yuktidipika, erit. ed. by P. Chakravarti C. S. S. Nr. 23), Calcutta 1938. - Jayamangala, ed. by H. Sarma (C. S. S. Nr. 19), Calcutta 1926. Matharavṛttiḥ, ed. by P. Vishnu Prasad Sarma (Ch. S. S. Nr. 296), Benares 1922. - Samkhyadarśanam maharṣiśrīkapilapraṇītam vijñānabhikṣuviracitapravacanabhāṣyasahitam aśubodhavidyabhusananityabodhavidyaratnābhyām samskṛtam prakāśitam, Calcutta 1936. - Vijñānabhiksu: Brahmasūtrabhāṣyam (Ch. S. S. Nr. 8), Benares 1901. Tattvasamāsasūtravṛttiḥ, Bhāvāganeśadīkṣita's Tattvayatharthyadipanam, Şimānandadikṣita's Samkhyatattvavivecanam and Sarvopakārinițīka are quoted according to the Samkhyasamgraha (Ch. S. S. Nr. 246 and 286), Benares 1918-1920. Bhartṛhari: Vakyapadiyam, ed. by Carudeva Sastri, Lahore 1934. Uddyotakara: Nyāyavärttikam (K. S. S. Nr. 33), Benares 1916. Mallavādi: Dvādaśāranayacakram with the commentary of Simhasüri is quoted according to the edition of Muni Jambuvijaya, to be brought out by the Jain Atmanand Sabha shortly. - Vacaspatimisra: Nyayavarttikatātparyaṭīkā (K. S. S. Nr. 24), Benares 1925. - Şaddarśanasamuccayah by Haribhadra, ed. by L. Suali (Bibl. Ind.), Calcutta 1905.
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