Systems of Indian Philosophy

Author(s): Virchand R Gandhi
Publisher: Mahavir Jain Vidyalay

Page 64

THE SANKHYA PHILOSOPHY
7. Let us now see how Kapila defines this Prakriti. It is सत्वरजस्तमसां साम्यावस्था प्रकृतिः-Prakriti is the state of equipoise of सत्त्व, रबस् and तमस्-goodness or passivity, passion, energy or activity and darkness or grossness15. These three qualities passivity, activity and grossnessare not qualities in the ordinary sense. Qualities in the ordinary sense are attributes which can be connoted of certain things but in the Sankhya system they are not the attributes of Prakriti, they are rather the cords which when in a state of equipoise constitute Prakriti. On account of the disturbance of this state of equilibrium the whole world comes out. Kapila says: प्रकृतेर्महान् महतोऽहंकारः अहंकारात् पंचतन्मात्राणि उभयमिन्द्रियम् तन्मात्रेभ्य स्थूलभूतानि पुरुष इति पंचविंशतिर्गणः-From Prakriti proceeds Mind (HET), from Mind self-consciousness (
P T), from selfconsciousness the five subtle elements (
C T) and two sets of organs (EPS) external and internal, and from subtle elements gross elements (
P CA)16. Thus Prakriti is the first basic primordial essence, the second principle evolved out of it is Mind, from Mind comes out the third principle 375R, self-consciousness or individuality, from individuality come our five subtle elements and two sets of organs. These five subtle elements are Tage a t:-sound, tangibility, form or colour, taste and smell or odour17. The two sets of organs are external organs and internal organs. The external organs are again organs of sense and organs of action. The organs of sense are ear, skin, eye, nose, tongue; the organs of action are larynx, hand, foot, and the excretory and generative organs. These ten are external organs. The eleventh is the mind-the
15. SS 1.61 16. SS 1.61; Sk 22 17. Ani. 1.81