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Appendix D : Sankhya System
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(8) When mind becomes still and gains equilibrium, 'Puruşa' realizes its real nature and status just like a king's son who being unknown about the origin of his birth was believing himself to be a poor begger, immediately gained self confidence the moment it was revealed that he was the son of a king and entitled to rule.
Ontology of Saňkbya
We may shortly consider how Sankhya metaphysics works. Prakṛti, the basis of unified universe The first postulate of Sankhya philosophy is that all objects and experiences of the phenomenal world possess an element of continuity. No part of universe can exist independently of the other with the result that there is unbroken continuity from the lowest inorganic form to the highest organic form. This element of continuity can be inferred from certain common characteristics such as capacity to cause pleasure and pain, hopes and dispairs and such other effects from the enjoyment of the material objects of this universe. If all worldly objects are capable of producing these common effects, it would be easy to trace a common cause because every effect is the result of a prior cause. Cause is an unspecialized state of a specialized effect and inheres in every effect. The 'causal reality' which we can trace from various specialized effects having common characteristics as stated above, is nothing but 'Prakrti', which is the common cause of all effects. It is this 'Prakrti' which eventually manifests in the phenomenal world. The reality of 'Prakṛti' can thus be established only by 'Anumana', i. e., inference and that is why it is considered invisible and inexpressible, i. e., 'Avyaktam'.
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Two States of Prakyti · The Prakrti which is thus the original cause of all the activities of this universe has two states, namely - 1. Quiescent, i. e., dormant state which is the state of equilibrium called 'Samya' and 2. Emergent state which is the state of instability, called 'Vaişamya'. This is the state of clash as well as co-operation.
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