दृष्टवदानुश्रविकः स ह्यविशुद्धिक्षयातिशययुक्तः ।
तद्विपरीतः श्रेयान् व्यक्ताव्यक्तज्ञविज्ञानात् ॥ २॥
dṛṣṭavadānuśravikaḥ sa hyaviśuddhikṣayātiśayayuktaḥ ।
tadviparītaḥ śreyān vyaktāvyaktajñavijñānāt ॥ 2॥
Dṛṣṭavat=like the available means; ānuśravikaḥ=revealed, scriptural; saḥ=that (scriptural means); hi=indeed; aviśuddhi=impurity; kṣaya=decay; atiśaya=excess; yuktaḥ=liked with; tad=its; viparītaḥ=opposite; śreyān=superior; vyakta=manifest; avyakta=unmanifest; jña=knower; vijñānāt=from the knowledge of
Similar to the obvious means, the means prescribed in the scriptures (vedas) are also ineffective as they are linked with impurity, decay and excess. The means contrary to both, derived from the discriminatory knowledge of the Manifest, Unmanifest and the Knower (soul/Purusha), are superior.
In SK-1, the futility of “obvious and visible” means to end suffering was mentioned. In continuation of a similar argument, some others may say, “the Vedas provide rituals to be performed that can give us our desired results, including going to heaven.” In heaven, there is no pain or suffering. The devatas (gods) who live in heaven have attained immortality after drinking the Soma juice.
Samkhya counters the above view by stating that these means are no different from the “obvious and visible” means mentioned in SK-1. Samkhya claims that the means described in the Vedas have these major drawbacks – impurity, decay and inequality.
Impurity: many of the sacrificial offerings (yajnas) prescribed in the Vedas involve animal sacrifice. In fact, one of the most prestigious sacrifice, known as “ashvameha yajna” involves the killing of a large number of animals (597 to be precise). Even though the killing is done based on a Vedic injunction, it does not take away the fact that killing is sinful and produces bad karma. Even though you may attain heaven, when you get back to the human birth after spending the pre-determined time in heaven, you will still have to reap the negative results of your sinful acts of killing the animals.
Decay: Even the attainment of heavenly abode is temporary. As mentioned above, one has to return to a human birth after spending the allocated time in heaven. Even Indra, the king of gods, is simply a title. According to our ancient texts many such Indras and other gods have come and gone. Thus, attainment of heaven and its associated benefits are all temporary in nature.
Inequality: Even among gods, there are ranks – Indra is the highest ranked and following him are many gods, like the gods of wind, fire, rain etc. This gradation leads to dissatisfaction and jealousy among those who are treated as being lower.
Samkhya, thus, asserts that both, the “obvious and visible” means mentioned in SK-1 and the Vedic rituals mentioned in SK-2, do not provide a remedy that is complete and forever.
So, what does Samkhya propose as the means to remove suffering? It claims that a clear and perfect understanding of the vyakta (manifest), avyakta (unmanifest) and the jna (knower) will lead to complete and final alleviation of suffering.
- Unmanifest (avyakta): Mula Prakriti (the root Prakriti wherein the three gunas – sattva, rajas, and tamas – are balanced)
- Manifest (vyakta): the 23 elements (tattvas) – mahat (buddhi/intellect), ahamkara (ego), manas (mind), 5 organs of action, 5 organs of perception, 5 subtle elements, 5 gross elements
- Knower (jña): Purusha (pure consciousness)
With the right knowledge of these three, we can eliminate all suffering without incurring impurity, decay and inequality.
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