Sutra 3.15

क्रमान्यत्वं परिणामान्यत्वे हेतुः॥१५॥

kramānyatvaṁ pariṇāmānyateve hetuḥ ॥15॥(3.15)

krama = succession; anyatvaM = change; pariNaama = transformation; anyatve = in change; hetuH
= the cause;

Sw. Satchidananda

"The succession of these different phases is the cause of the difference in stages of evolution."

Bryant

"the change in the sequence [of characteristics] is the cause of the change in transformation [of objects]"

Taimni

"The cause of the difference in transformation is the difference in the underlying process."

Aranya

"Change Of Sequence (Of Characteristics) Is Cause Of Mutative Differences."

In our example of the pot and clay, we can see the following sequence – dirt in the powder form is made into a clod; the clod is changed to a pot; when dropped, the pot is broken into small pieces; the pieces eventually turn back into dirt. With every step in the sequence, we notice the clay going through a different transformation. This change represents “dharma parinama” (transformation related to characteristics). At every step in the sequence, the clay goes through a different transformation. Thus, as stated in the sutra, the sequence becomes the cause of the dharma transformation.

In a similar manner, we can see the sequence that brings about the “lakshana parinama” (temporal change). For example, the clod has the pot in the future state; once in the pot form, the clod is in the past. As a pot, its getting back into the state of dirt is in the future. Once in that state, the pot is in the past. So, here the sequence is future to present and present to past.

The sequencing in the “avastha parinama” (transformation of condition) can also be seen in a similar manner. If the pot is left for a long time, due to the constant, although imperceptible, change going on, it will eventually disintegrate back to the form of dirt. Here the sequence is a very slow transformation going on the in the object.

So far, we have been talking of the clay as being the dharmi (substratum) which goes through different transformations. However, when we look back at the Samkhya evolution chart (see notes on sutra 1.45), we notice that clay itself is a dharma of the tanmatra smell. When we go up the chain to more subtler evolutes, we find that the tanmatras are the dharma of ahamkara (ego); ego is a dharma of the buddhi (intellect); and finally, buddhi is the dharma of mula prakriti (unmanifest prakriti). As we have seen before, prakriti, being the source of all, is not a dharma of anything subtler.

Vyasa, in his commentary adds that the chitta has two types of dharmas – seen and unseen. Anything that creates an active vritti (fluctuation) in the mind, that we can experience, is ‘seen’ (paridrishta). The five vrittis listed in sutra 1.6 (right knowledge etc.) fall under this category. The states of the chitta representing nirodha (total restraint) or ekagrata (one-pointedness) fall in the ‘unseen’ category as they are not directly experienced. Vyas further adds that these ‘unseen’ can be any one of these seven types:

1. Nirodha (total restraint): can be known through anumana (inference)
2. Dharma: This includes good deeds (punya), bad deeds (papa) which can be inferred through happiness or suffering etc.
3. Samskara: these can be only inferred through memory
4. Parinama (transformation): being of a subtle nature, the moment to moment transformation can only be inferred
5. Jivanam (life): can be inferred through the cycle of breathing
6. Cheshta (action): The effort put forth by the chitta is inferred through the action of the sense organs and limbs of the body.
7. Shakti (power): The power of the chitta is also inferred as we go through likes (raga) and dislikes (dvesha).