Samayasara

Author(s): A Chakravarti
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

Page 77

INTRODUCTION
59
Evolution of the cosmos from the Primeral Prakrti-This Praksti is uncreated and self-existing. It is from this Praksti all other things emanate except the Puruşa. This primeval matter or Praksti is endowed with three gupas or qualities. Whenever the harmonious equilibrium of the quality in the Praksti is disturbed it begins on the career of manifestation or differentiation. This process of differentiation really constitutes the process of the building up of the Cosmos. The first thing that emanates from this unmanifested Praksti is Buddhi or Mahat-the Great. The term Buddhi is sometimes translated as intellect but we should remember this fact that it is mainly of the nature of matter since it evolves from acetana reality--Praksti. Intellect in modern psychology suggests a relation to a mind or self but Praksti in Kapila's system corresponds to Descarte's unthinking thing. Therefore Buddhi which is evolved from this Praksti subtle though it be is still a material mode. This Buddhi or Mahat must therefore mean in the Samkhya system some sort of subtle material environment quite in the proximity of the Purusa or self. It is only through the medium of this Buddhi that Puruşa has knowledge of the external world. Samkhya writers compare Buddhi to a sort of mirror which reflects the knowledge of the external world for the benefit of Puruşa. On the one hand, it reflects the outer world and on the other it reflects also the Puruşa. Buddhi is that peculiar medium in which the Puruşa and his material environments are brought into relation which is the ultimate source of Saṁsāra. It is because of this relation of Buddhi between the self and the non-self that there is a chance for the Purusa to mistake his true nature and to identify himself with Prakrti and thus to imagine that he is responsible for all the changes in the material environments. The next step is the birth of "ahamkāra" from Buddhi. Ita is the I or the Ego which is the ground of our personal identity. Here also we have to notice that ahamkāra, the Sámkhya ego is not quite identical with the conception of the Ego or self of modern psychology. The ego of modern psychology corresponds to Purusa whereas the Samkhyan ahamkāra merely means some further modification of the subtle Buddhi which itself is a modi. fication of acetana Prakşti. The Sámkhyan Ego probably refers to a process of individuation, a process culminating in organic body. The self or Purusa becomes an organic individual through the means of ahamkāra. Next we have the origin of the five senses known as the Tanmatras. This term is a ; technical term of the Samkhya school meaning the sense-qualities. These subtle sense-qualities emanate from that principle of individuality known as ahamkara. The Tanmatras are five in number, sound, touch, smell, taste and visibility. Even these Tanmatras we have to remember are material categories. These sense-elements or Tanmätras form the primary basis for the evolution of the grosser matter. This grosser matter which is derived from these Tanmatras is again of five kinds, the Pañcabhatas. Akaša (Ether), air, earth, water and fire. Ether arises from sound, air from touch,