Before we get into discussing the verses from the Samkhya Karika, I am presenting below two verses: The first one is from the Shvetashvatar Upanishad indicating that the concepts of Samkhya are ancient and were known to the sages of the Upanishads.
अजामेकां लोहितशुक्लकृष्णां बह्वीः प्रजाः सृजमानां सरूपाः।
अजो ह्येको जुषमाणोऽनुशेते जहात्येनां भुक्तभोगामजोऽन्यः॥
ajāmekāṁ lohitaśuklakṛṣṇāṁ bahvīḥ prajāḥ sṛjamānāṁ sarūpāḥ |
ajo hyeko juṣamāṇo’nuśete jahātyenāṁ bhuktabhogāmajo’nyaḥ ||
There is One (mula Prakriti), unborn, white (sattva guna) and black (tamas guna) and red (rajas guna), who is ever bringing forth many creatures with forms and her one unborn loves and cleaves to and lies with her; another unborn (Purusha) abandons, when all her enjoyments have been enjoyed.
(Shvetashvatar Upanishad, ch. 4, verse 5)
As you will notice, the verse does not mention the word “Samkhya” by name. However, all the attributes mentioned are exactly those that describe Samkhya. The colors white, black and red represent the three gunas – sattva, tamas and rajas respectively. The first mention of the “unborn” refers to the Mula Prakriti (unmanifest), the second “unborn” to the “jiva” or the Purusha when it is completely entangled with the buddhi (intellect) and the ego, and the third “unborn” refers to Purusha which has attained liberation.
The second verse is an invocation, paying tribute to the creators of Samkhya, starting with Sage Kapila, the original author of Samkhya and some of his disciples who carried on the Samkhya knowledge to the subsequent generations.
कपिलाय महामुनये मुनये शिष्याय तस्य चासुराये ।
पञ्चशिखाय तथेश्वरकृष्णायैते नमस्येमाः ।। २ ।।
kapilāya mahāmunaye munaye śiṣyāya tasya cāsurāye ।
pañcaśikhāya tatheśvarakṛṣṇāyaite namasyemāḥ ।। 2 ।।
We bow down to the greatest of Munis, Sage Kapila, and his disciples āsurī, pañcaśikhā, and īśvarakriśṇa.
Samkhya Karika (SK) 1
दुःखत्रयाभिघाताज्जिज्ञासा तदभिघातके हेतौ ।
दृष्टे साऽपार्था चेन्नैकान्तात्यन्ततोऽभावात् ॥१ ॥
duḥkhatrayābhighātājjijñāsā tadabhighātake hetau ।
dṛṣṭe sā’pārthā cennaikāntātyantato’bhāvāt ॥1 ॥
Duḥkha=suffering; traya=three-fold; abhighātāt=from the assault of; jijñāsa=desire to know; tad=its; abhighātake=termination of; hetau=into the means of; dṛṣṭe=visible, ordinary (means); sā=that (enquiry); apārthā=meaningless; cet=if its is said; na=no; aikānta= entirely; ātyantataḥ=forever; abhāvāt=absence
“From the torment caused by the three kinds of suffering, a desire arises for inquiry into the means of terminating this suffering. If it is said that this desire is superfluous since visible means exist, we reply, not so; because these visible means provide a solution which lacks certainty and permanency.”
The first karika starts out by saying that we are constantly attacked by three types of suffering. IK does not mention what the three categories are. However, every commentator agrees that the reference here is to the following three kinds of suffering:
- Ādhyātmika (internal)
- Physical – At the physical level, suffering can be caused by physical injury, fever, or any ailment or disease. Most commentators point to Ayurveda where it is stated that disease is caused by the imbalance of the three doshas – vata, pitta, kapha;
- Mental – separation from loved one; inability to get rid of objects of dislike; six enemies of the mind (shad-ripu) – lust (kāma), anger (krodha), greed (lobha), infatuation (moha), arrogance (mada), jealousy (mātsarya); fear; grief etc.
- Ādhibhautika (external) – caused by man, beast, birds, reptiles, plants and other inanimate objects. In the ancient text, Vāyu Purāna, the following classification is given for all living beings:
- Udbhija (उद्भिज): Sprouting – trees, plants etc.
- Jarāyuja (जरायुज) creatures born of wombs – viviparous beings – mammals (humans, animals etc.)
- Svedaja (स्वेदज). born of sweat or moisture, Ants, worms, etc.
- Aṇḍaja (अण्डज) oviparous – born out of eggs – Birds, Fish etc.
- ādhidaivika (divine) – cyclone, tsunami, earthquake, fire, plague, flood, famine etc.
As we see suffering all around us, there is a natural desire to enquire into the means of eliminating this suffering. Some might say, “why go through such protracted enquiry when obvious, visible means of eliminating suffering are available?” What are some of these means?
- Ayurveda (medicine, in general) offers solutions for physical pain
- Mental pain can be removed by objects of enjoyment – opposite sex, pleasing drinks/food, cosmetics, ornaments etc.
- Other forms of suffering can also be overcome by various obvious means.
To those offering these visible, obvious means, Samkhya says a categorical “NO” because these means do not offer a remedy that is certain (aikānta) and permanent (ātyantataḥ). We all know that medicines etc. provide only temporary relief from ailment and disease as these cannot be uprooted permanently from their roots. Hence there is a need for enquiry into other means which can remove suffering completely and forever.
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