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Welcome viewers. Today, we will discuss Sāmkhya theory of evolution, which is a part of Sāmkhya
metaphysics. Sāmkhya philosophy is a system. Discover that satkāryavāda is a theory or
a doctrine responsible for the creation of the whole products. They said that, satkāryavāda
means theory of causation; everything that we see, everything that we feel in this earth,
is a product of Prakruti and the doctrine behind that, is known as satkāryavāda. When
they said satkāryavāda, they mean that, every effect exist in its material cause,
prior to its production. They say that, if you see that there is a
pot, that means, the material cause will be mud. If you see that, there is a table made
of wood, then, the material cause of the table will be wood. In the same way, they said that,
if there is an effect, it exists in its material cause prior to its production.
Further they said that, there are many objects exist in this earth, both being as well as
non-being. Who will be responsible for creating the whole being and non-being in this earth?
In that case, Sāmkhya theory argued that, it is Prakruti which is eternal, inactive
or jada, is responsible for creating the whole objects in this earth, in a multiple manner.
Further they said, being Prakruti is an inactive, being Prakruti is unconscious; how can Prakruti
being the responsible or the cause for each and every product in this earth? In this earth,
that we find both the human beings, non-human beings, animals, reptiles and also inanimate
products. Now, the question arises, who is the real responsible or which is real material
cause for creating the diversified objects in this earth? Sāmkhya said that, if all
this things that we see, both animate and inanimate objects in this earth, these are
the effect, then, the material cause will be Prakruti, which will be an eternal one.
So, the material cause is known as pradhana or Prakruti, the sole cause for creating the
diversified object in this earth. Sāmkhya further claimed that, Prakruti being
an inactive, unconscious, eternal, reality cannot create the whole product until and
unless there is an efficient cause; that means, in a ordinary way, or an example if I give
you, the mud itself cannot produce the pot; there is an efficient cause involved in it,
to bringing out a pot from the mud. Hence, they said that, we need an efficient cause.
And in this regard, Sāmkhya claimed that, it is Purusa, which is eternal and a pure
consciousness. On the one hand, they said that, Prakruti is active, but unconscious;
on the other hand, they said that Purusa or the efficient cause is inactive, but having
pure consciousness. So, now, this two eternal reality, responsible
for creating the different products in this earth, Purusa has been the consciousness involved
in creating many objects that we see, have life in this earth. For example, human beings,
animals, reptiles, insects, etcetera etcetera, even the tree. Those objects, which does not
have a life in this earth or inanimate objects, the creation because of the Prakruti. It is
the Prakruti responsible to create or produce all this inanimate objects as well as the
animate objects. Now, let us see, in this class, how this Prakruti
and Purusa involved, in which way or in which direction or in which method, so that, all
the beings and non-beings comes to the existence in this earth. The question arises, how the
evolution starts? How the evolution begins? Because, Prakruti in one hand is an eternal
object, with different features or the material cause responsible for the whole animated and
non animated objects in this earth. On the other hand, Purusa is being pure consciousness
and inactive; however, it is eternal and ubiquitous. Since there are two sides, of two eternal
realities, and they are not just coming with each other accidentally. If this is so, how
the evolution starts. Because, Prakruti it itself cannot create the objects of this earth
independently of Purusa; and also Purusa independently cannot create the animate objects in this
earth. Now, let us see how they become, gets closer;
whether there is a proper interaction, proper contact happening between Purusa and Prakruti
or not; but Sāmkhya claims that, it is Prakruti and Purusa, this two eternal realities responsible
for creating the all objects in this earth.
Now, if you see my slides, they said, the Sāmkhya philosophy subscribes the theory
of causation, the satkāryavāda and there are two eternal realities; on the one hand
Purusa, and the other hand is Prakruti. Purusa is inactive, pure consciousness and eternal;
on the other hand Prakruti is jada or material, responsible for creating the all objects in
this earth. Now, the immediate question arises, how this evolution begins or how the objects
of this world created? Is it just because the Purusa and Prakruti get close with each
other or the contact between Purusa and Prakruti causes the creation of the products in this
cosmos. To responding this question, Sāmkhya said
that, there is no real contact that you find between Prakruti and Purusa. What they said
is that, since you do not find there is a, a pure contact between Purusa and Prakruti,
but still, we find there is a evolution. They argued that Purusa and Prakruti, their mere
closeness with each other, since they are coming close to each other… The Prakruti
is a female; it is shy; it vibrates. So, that the gunas, that sattva, rajau, tamas gunas,
that you find in the Prakruti, get disturbed. Once this gunas get disturbed, what happens?
There are two kinds of disturbances you find in Prakruti; one is svarupa; that means, each
gunas has own changes; its own changes; in case of virupa, each guna try to dominate
others. Prakruti is nothing, but as you know, it is straightaway equilibrium of three gunas,
sattva, rajau, tamas, When Purusa comes close to the Prakruti, the three gunas of Prakruti
get disturbed. When this three gunas get disturbed, whether they are associating or dissociating
constantly, the evolution starts. Because, of three gunas are mixed up in a different
proportionate way, we find different objects in this earth.
Therefore, they say that, it is not the real contact happening between Purusa and Prakruti
for creating all products in this earth; however, their mere closeness with each other, really
responsible for creating both the animate and inanimate objects in this earth. Since
the Prakruti having three gunas and three gunas getting disturbed when Purusa comes
closer to the Prakruti, we find, the evolution starts or the evolution begins. So, this is
the root cause that the evolution starts.
Sāmkhya also said that, the two types of transformation occur in gunas. One is svarupa;
that is, the gunas are changing within themselves, without disturbing others. In that case, they
said that, sattva changes within sattva; rajau changes within rajau; tamas changes within
tamas; this transformation of the gunas is called svarupaparinama or the changes into
homogeneous. In this stage, the gunas neither create nor destroy nor produce in this objects;
however, it energizes the gunas to be remain active. It accumulates some force, atoms or
energy in case of svarupa; but in case of another change, you find, when the gunas of
the Prakruti get mixing up with each other, that is known as virupa.
In virupa, you find each gunas try to dominate others; since each guna tries to dominate
others, you find that, there are many objects, I mean, with sattva guna; there are many objects,
with a rajas guna; there are many objects with a tamas guna. As you know that, tamas
is a kind of laziness, rajas is an active and sattva is a shining one. So, you find
different object has a different guna. For example, in a mirror, if you can see your
image, that is a sattva guna. If you think that something is moving, it is a rajas guna;
in that case, in that object, rajas is dominating sattva as well as tamas. But in other cases,
like a wooden table exist in a particular place for a long time. It is a tamas guna;
it is a laziness; it is a darkness or a heaviness. In that case, tamas guna tries to dominate
sattva and rajas. So, it is a basically heterogeneous in nature.
When this three gunas are mix up in a heterogeneous way, we find clearly evolution starts. Because,
we find there are different objects in this earth; hence, there are different gunas, you
find in different objects. They are mixing up with each other in a different proportion.
Therefore, we claim that, Sāmkhya philosophy subscribes that, it is because of Purusa and
Prakruti truly responsible for creating the different objects in this earth.
We also see or we will also discuss that, how the order of evolution starts.
Now, if you see the next slides, I said that, virupa guna, about the virupa guna. The same
thing I have stated clearly. In case of virupa guna, it is the heterogeneous of nature, when
the gunas, three gunas are mixing up with each other in a different proportion, and
the same time, each guna tries to dominate other two gunas. If this is so, if this is
the situation, then, this true sense of evolution starts. An example is given to understand
the closeness of Purusa-Prakruti and how this evolution starts.
Sāmkhya philosophy has given an very interesting example, that you find in a different books
in Indian philosophy. They said that, Purusa, let consider as an lame man and Prakruti is
a blind man; and this two, blind and lame man wants to go somewhere, to reach in a some
destination. So, in that case, what happens, the lame man will be sitting on the shoulder
of the blind man and guides the blind man to go to a particular direction, so that,
they can reach together to a particular destination. This example, will be fit for this evolution
purpose, to understand the concept evolution. Sāmkhya said that, it is Purusa and Prakruti,
they comes closer together or nearness; as a result the evolution starts. It is like
oil and lamp; the oil and flame both are contradictory with each other; both have a different nature;
however, the lamp to be burn, we need both flame as well as oil. In the same way, they
said that, though Prakruti and Purusa are two different characteristics or they are
two different eternal realities; however, they mix up or their closeness with each other
really causes the evolution to start; really causes all the product, that we see in this
earth. Thus they said that, like a lame man and a
blind man, how they will be helping with each other to reach a particular destination, in
the same way, Purusa-Prakruti are getting closer to each other, is responsible for creating
the different objects in this earth.
Now, we will see that, the order of creation. Kapila, as he says, as a founder of the Sāmkhya
philosophy has believed, has described the order of creation. Sāmkhya philosophy never
say that, every things appear in this earth accidentally. There is a order of creation.
Since Prakruta and Purusa involve in the product of different objects in this earth, therefore,
there is a creation; there is a proper order you find.
And now, we will be discussing, what are the really order, that we find as a result, we
find different objects in this earth. The first product of the evolution will be Mahat.
They say that, Mahat is the first product of the evolution. What is Mahat? Mahat is
a cosmic entities; it has a psychological attributes known as Buddhi or intellect. What
it means, Buddhi or intellect cannot be understood, same as consciousness; because, consciousness
is an eternal,where as Buddhi is not eternal. It is the intellect which helps us to take
a decision on a particular issue; it is basically an intellectual site.
So, therefore, Buddhi is not an eternal entity. So, Buddhi cannot be understood as consciousness.
Buddhi really helps to take a decision, to identify object, to cognize an object with
its own nature. If you identify a object called table as a table, then, it is because of our
Buddhi and if you can make a discriminate between table and chair, you say that, a table
is not a chair, also it is because of the Buddhi. Sāmkhya says that, it is the first
product of evolution; it is cosmic in its nature and the psychological aspect of Mahat
is known as intellect or Buddhi. Buddhi should be understood not as consciousness,
because consciousness is an eternal entity, whereas Buddhi is an material entity. Buddhi
is an part of memory, which helps us to take a decision on a particular issue. In this
case, Sāmkhya argues that, sattva as a guna dominates the other two gunas, that is rajau
and tamas. And in this case, in the first product, it helps us, it helps the jiva or
the soul or the human beings, to identify the real nature of self or soul. As a result,
human beings understand the true nature of the spirit or what is the understanding behind
the concept aatman. Therefore, Sāmkhya said that, Buddhi or Mahat is a product, is responsible
for understanding the supernatural entity known as aatman. It also helps to take a particular
decision on a particular object or an issue. It also helps us to identify the object with
its own nature.
Now, move to the second product of evolution is known as ahamkāra. What is ahamkāra?
Ahamkāra is a Sanskrit word. It is understood in English as a ego. Every individual has
a ego. If you say, this is mine; this is my pen; this is my children; they are my parents;
this is my table; these are my books. Here, the mine, I-ness is the ego. Since every individual
has a Buddhi, and this ego is an practical aspect of Buddhi; therefore, all human beings
possesses ego. It is because of ego, we are in the ignorance. We discriminate us from
others. As a result we suffer in this earth. It is because of ego, we identify objects,
which has a particular nature and also claiming that, this object is mine.
In case of ego, what happens? Our sense organs contact to a particular object and the mind
try to analyze that object and also sends the information through our mental process,
saying that, try to identify the particular nature of that object. Once we try to identify
the particular nature of the object, it is because of the Mahat, we also identify the
object name is so and so. Henceforth, we can claim that, that object is so and so and this
is mine, because I perceived it and henceforth I know it.
Now, some of the descriptions given in my slide, you can see. Ego is identified as I
or mine feeling of an individual; that means, when you say that, this is my pen, here the
my-ness is an ego of an individual. Every individual has Buddhi. Ahamkāra is a practical
element of Buddhi. Ego or this my-ness is a practical aspect of Buddhi. Hence, it is
found in all creatures in this earth. Because of ego, the Purusa looks upon himself as an
active agent. Desire and strive for the ends that he or she achieves, in his or her life
and possesses characteristics. An individual perceives object and mind reflects on that
object, while determining its nature and finally, the attitude of mine is attributed to that
object. But really issue happens here is that, it
is a Purusa, because of ego; Purusa is an eternal entity and pure consciousness. Because
of ego, it tries to get the maximum pleasure from different objects in this earth. It desires
for different objects. It has a different expectation from different worldly objects
and henceforth, Purusa thinks that, it is everything for him. As a result, the ego attributed
to the Purusa. Since Sāmkhya believes there are not only one Purusa, there are many Purusa
or plenty of Purusa, you find different animals which has a jiva, which has a aatman, have
a ego. So, this is the second product of the evolution.
Now, we will move to the third product. Before moving to the third product, here, we would
like to focus a point, that is, that in this product ahamkāra, that all gunas of Prakruti
operate; it is not only one guna, rather different gunas of Prakruti operates. Now, the third
product is known as Mānas or mind. As you know that, mind is known as the sixth sense
organ. It is because of the mind, we identify a particular object. All sense organs sends
information to the mind and mind helps us to identify a particular object. Minds also
helps us to take a decision on a particular issue. Mind operates through Buddhi; through
intellect. Intellect is a very subtle element, where mind, you find is a broader form.
It is a intellect, which is found from mind. It resides in the mind and helps to take the
decision on a particular object. Now, according to Sāmkhya philosophy, mind is neither eternal
nor atomic; because for Sāmkhya philosophy, there are two eternal reality; one is Purusa
and Prakruti. Mind is constituted with parts; thus, can come into contact with the different
sense organs simultaneously. It helps to analyze and synthesize the sense-data into determinate
perception. Being an internal sense organ, it is aware of the objects belonging to past,
present and future. The mind not only helps to identify a particular
object as it is, but also, helps to identify that, the human being, the initial stage,
whatever they are identifying, it is not permanent for all the times. There are many cases, we
find that, there is a silver instead of a cell. There are many cases, we find there
is a snake for a rope. But it is because of the mind, later, we conclude that, this is
not really a snake rather a rope. We should not mistaken rope as a snake; though the rope
appears as a snake to us, because of same nature, same attribute; however, mind rectify
it. Mind clarifies it, that this is not a snake rather it is a rope.
So, it is the product of evolution which helps us to identify the real nature of objects.
Mind is neither eternal nor atomic, because it is parts and also, it take the information
from all the sense organs; that we have five sense organs; it takes this information from
five sense organs and try to analyze, synthesize it and later, conclude it about the particular
and the true nature of that object.
Now, we will move to the next product of that evolution known as Jñānendriyas. Jñānendriya
means, there are indriyas, through which we get knowledge. Jñānendriyas are known as
five sense organs. These are nose, ears, eyes, skin and tongue. On Sāmkhya views, sense
is an imperceptible energy of force which exists in the perceived organs and apprehends
the object. What they mean is that, nose is a sense organ, but the sense is the indriyas.
They said that, sense is an imperceptible energy that you cannot perceive. What you
perceive is that nose or ear, but the smell, you cannot perceive. It is an imperceptible.
The ear as a sense organs, that you can perceive it, but the hearing, that you cannot perceive
it. So, therefore, they said that sense is an
imperceptible object. And it is known through our, this five sense organs. When it is imperceptible,
but it is, it can only be inferred. It is inferred through its products. For example,
if you hear particular sound through your ear, you can identify from which direction
the sounds is coming. If you can have a good smell, also you can identify that, whether
if the smell is coming from a kitchen or some other places. So, therefore, the sense is
an imperceptible energy. It is found in case of sense organs; however, the sense of sense
organs can be inferred. Here, if you can see that, the sense is not
the ears, but also the power of hearing. The sense are not perceptible; however, they can
be inferred. They are inferred from the functions that they perform. The five sense organs produce
knowledge of touch, color, smell, hear and taste. All these exist, because of the Purusa
and they are the result of ahamkāra of Purusa. So, there are five Jñānendriya, from which
we accumulate knowledge; through which we identify object as it is. It is the five sense
organs known as Jñānendriya and also the sixth sense organs, mind, responsible for
identifying an object as it is. If this is so, Sāmkhya said that, all this things is
because of Purusa. Purusa has a ego or a ahamkāra and try to enjoy the maximum in this earthen
life, from the different products of this earth. Therefore, every jiva has all these
features. Every human beings have all these features. As a result, human beings able to
identify a object as it is. It is the Jñānendriya; it is the product of evolution.
Now, moving to the next product, known as Karmendriya. Karmendriyas is understood as
the five sense organs of action, which reside in mouth, ear, feet, *** and the sex organs.
This Karmendriya is the product of evolution, known as five organs of action. And these
are the five organs of action, which performs really, to act many things. This five sense
organs functions respectively as speech from mouth; we will have utter something, that
is a speech; through the ear, we hear many things; and we identify that this voice is
different from that voice; and this voice is made by so and so, but not by so and so.
Through feet we move. Any human beings, any jiva in this earth, move through the feet.
Excretion is a ***; it helps us to make our body clean and the sex organs responsible
to reproduce one after another. As a result, we find the different generation in this earth.
The cause of this creation of this organs is the desire of Purusa, for his experiences.
Because Purusa is being a pure consciousness, try to enjoy the all the product of Prakruti.
So, since there are different sense organs, this is different attribute. The Purusa try
to enjoy through different sense organs. So, these are the five organs of actions prescribed
by Sāmkhya philosophy known as Karmendriya.
Now, move to the next product is known as Tanmātrās. What is Tanmātrās? There are
five Tanmātrās as you know. This is a sabda means sound; sparsa means touch; rupa means
a form; every object has a form, is known as rupa; you touch an object and you feel
whether it is a hard or soft; there is a rasa or taste; every object has its own taste,
flavor. A curry, if you eat it, you find a different flavor; if a mango, you eat it,
it is a different flavor; because it is a product of Prakruti. And also gandha or smell,
you find a different smell of a different product. And these are the Tanmātrās that
you find. And Tanmātrās are the production from the evolution or the product of the evolution.
All these are very subtle elements; like sparsa, touch; touch you cannot see, only infer. The
taste, you cannot identify this taste or that taste as an object; you can identify object
like chair and table, but you cannot identify a curry, so and so, taste; like a satisfaction,
you cannot identify; however, you can know it or you can infer it. So, these are the
subtle elements that you find, which is known as five Tanmātrās. This is subscribed by
Sāmkhya philosophy. All these are the subtle elements, because, they are the elements of
the objects. Hence they cannot be perceived, but only inferred.
Sāmkhya school expressed that, these five elements, earth, water, air, fire; there are
five Mahābhutas and this five Mahābhutas have their origin in the five Tanmātrās.
Sāmkhya truly believes that, earth, water, air, fire, ether or akāsa, these are the
five Mahābhutas, really the product or have their origin in the five Tanmātrās, known
as sabda, sparsa, rupa, rasa and gandha, or in English, it is sound, touch, form, taste
and smell.
Now, Mahābhutas as I said that, there are five kinds of Mahābhutas known as air, fire,
Akāsa, water, Prathivi. See, when I say air, it is known as Vāyu; fire, it is known as
Agni; Akāsa is known as ether; water is known as Jala; Prathivi is known as earth. So, these
are the five Mahābhutas, have their own origin in this five Tanmātrās. Their respective
qualities are touch, color, sound, taste and smell. Air we can touch; the fire has a different
color; the attribute of fire, the qualities of fire, is a color, whereas a sound we can
hear it; it is the, it is the quality of Akāsa and the taste, you get from the water and
also smell from the Prathivi or earth. Therefore, many people claims that, after rain it is
a good smell in this earth. So, these are the products that we find in
the evolution process and these are the proper order given by the Kapila. Kapila is the founder
of Sāmkhya philosophy and these are the order, truly accepted or prescribed by the Sāmkhya
philosophy.
Now, in the diagram, we will see that, how this order happens. Now, as you can see, this
diagram, this is the Sāmkhya theory of evolution. In the above, you see that, Purusa and the
left side you can see the Prakruti. When Purusa and Prakruti comes closer with each other,
the three gunas of Prakruti get disturbs and also you find two kinds of disturbances; one
is homogeneous; another is heterogeneous. In homogeneous, each guna try to activate
itself, but in case of heterogeneous in their nature, one guna try to dominate other two
gunas. So, therefore, you find, the first product is known as Mahat; second product
is ahamkāra. Ahamkāra is an ego and Purusa is a super consciousness or pure consciousness,
as his ego. Therefore, try to enjoys as maximum as possible,
from the products of Prakruti. Because, Prakruti, being an unconscious active element, cannot
enjoy its own product. To enjoy the Prakruti product, we need Purusa, which is a pure consciousness.
And because of pure consciousness, it has its own ahamkāra. After ahamkāra, you find
Mahābhuta. There are five Mahābhuta known as, Akāsa, Vāyu, Agni, Jala and Prithivi.
Also, you find Tanmātrās; it is a product of Sāmkhya evolution. There are five Tanmātrās
known as sabda, sparsa, rupa, rasa, gandha. Also, they said that, Jñānendriya, through
which we identify object as it is, through which we accumulate knowledge, is a five sense
organs known as the eyes, skin, ears, nose, tongue. They also said that, karmendriya;
that means, organs of actions- mouth, hand, feet, *** and sex organs.
So, these are the graphs. This is the pictures through which we can understand the Sāmkhya
theory of evolution. And as you know that, everything has its purpose. Nothing will be
happened in this earth without any purpose; like, every event has a cause; nothing will
happen in this earth without a cause. Therefore, Sāmkhya said that, these are the
order we prescribed, because there is a purpose behind this. And the purpose they made, is
nothing, but a teleological purpose; that means, if every things, all the products were
different nature, different attributes in this earth and Purusa and Prakruti involve
to create the all products in this earth, then, what is the purpose of it. Sāmkhya
argues that, Prakruti being a material cause, is responsible to create all this objects
in this earth, but who will be enjoying it? For whom it is created? So, therefore, the
purpose, that Purusa should enjoy all the product. For that, the whole different way
of objects get created in this earth and we find, it is, all this products, because of
their different nature and different purposes, it is useful for us and we use the different
object differently.
In my slide, if you see, the evolution of Sāmkhya is not the mere combination of atoms;
it is a teleological evolution, as I said now. All objects in this world are created
for the self, soul, aatman or Purusa. Every object indirectly fulfils the purpose of the
Purusa, because Purusa being an eternal and pure consciousness. Hence, it resides in all
jivas. Henceforth, Purusa thinks that, all the products of Prakruti should be enjoyed
purposefully and intentionally. All the Prakruti and Purusa are contradictory with each other;
however, they helps each other to create all the objects in this earth.
For example, Sāmkhya said that, the oil as well as flame, both are contradictory in their
own nature; however, when the lamp is to be burned, we need both fuel, we need both oil
as well as the flame. Without these two, the lamp would not be burnt. Henceforth, in that
way, Purusa and Prakruti really involves with each other to get different products in this
earth.
Now, there are few criticism made against Sāmkhya theory of evolution. People argued
that, Sāmkhya clearly mention that, in this earth, we have different objects, we have
different animate and inanimate objects and Purusa is involved for creating the animated
objects, which is a life; therefore, they claim that, there is not only one Purusa,
there are plenty of Purusa. In the other hand, they said that, there are many inanimate objects
also you find; this is a product of Prakruti; because Prakruti is the material cause.
The question arises, if Purusa and Prakruti is responsible for creating the whole objects
in this earth, then, how they become eternal? Because, all the energy comings from them
and still, they are eternal. And when they said that, these are the sequence of the product
of the evolution, what is the logical behind this? Is it necessary that, without karmendriya,
Jñānendriya cannot be understood? Or if karmendriya does not exist, Jñānendriya
cannot exist? Is it necessary that, first Jñānendriya, then, after that karmendriya
should follow? Is it necessary that, ahamkāra followed by Mānas? Not necessary. Therefore,
many of the school, many of this later period of philosopher claim that, the Sāmkhya theory
of evolution and the Kapila prescribes the order of the creation, order of the evolution,
does not fulfill the logical necessity as well as metaphysical necessity.
Why it is not a logical necessity? Because, it is not necessarily that, one person should
find that, mind is the prior product, then this Jñānendriya. Not necessary. And also,
it is not a metaphysical necessity, because without karmendriya, it is not necessarily
that Jñānendriya cannot exist or does not exist. And henceforth, they claim that, though
there is a order of creation prescribed by Sāmkhya philosophy, still, it does not solve
logical or metaphysical necessity. This is the first criticism made against Sāmkhya
philosophy, against their view on the order of the creation, order of the evolution of
the product. The second criticism made by Doctor Sarvepalli
Radhakrishnan. Doctor Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan is a philosopher. He is a eminent politician,
is a great thinkers and a great social worker. He was a President of India in early times.
He loves Indian philosophy and also writes Upanishads so much. He written Upanishads,
in his own view and till we also consider Upanishads view as Radhakrishan’s view.
Radhakrishan, in this account, in this regard, made criticism against Sāmkhya theory of
evolution by stating that, the Sāmkhya theory or Sāmkhya philosophy, Sāmkhya system has
developed some of its own assumptions; however, these assumptions are borrowed from this Upanishads
and they try to mix up with each other, by claiming that, these assumptions are their
own, but which is not the case. It is the first criticism made by Sarvepalli Radhakrishan.
The second criticism, according to him, Sāmkhya tries to mix up the metaphysical facts as
well as psychological facts. As a result, reached in a stage, which is very ambiguous
in its nature. Radhakrishan claim that, Sāmkhya system, instead of elaborating things to further,
they should not made it in a proper order. Once they made it order, it does not solve
neither any logical necessity nor any metaphysical necessity; rather, what he claimed is that,
Sāmkhya philosophy has mixed up its spiritual or intellectual metaphysics with psychological
facts. As a result, it violates the logical necessity of that order. Further, they said
that, since the evolution cannot find in the proper order, Sāmkhya argument is neither
adequate nor logical. So, these are the criticisms made against Sāmkhya theory of evolution.
Now, I will brief it, what we have discussed so far. First, we said that, how Sāmkhya
theory, doctrine, how Sāmkhya theory prescribe the doctrine satkāryavāda. We also said
that, how Prakruti is a material cause responsible for creating the objects in this earth and
also, we said that, Prakruti independently cannot create the objects in this earth. It
takes the help from Purusa; because, there are many subtle elements. Prakruti is not
responsible to create all these objects in this earth. For example, mind, intellect,
etcetera, etcetera; because, they are the subtle elements. And also we find, there are
life in this earth; different objects has a life; different creatures has a life.
Therefore we need, Purusa is a pure consciousness responsible for creating the different earthly
lives and the later, we conclude that, Purusa and Prakruti does not have a real contact;
rather their mere closeness to each other, makes the gunas of Prakruti vibrates and evolution
starts. And we said that, Kapila is believed to be founder of Sāmkhya philosophy, has
given a particular order of a different creation, different products in this earth, starting
with Mahat, then, ahamkāra, then mind, etcetera, etcetera; then, the last will be Mahābhutas.
After that, we said that, for stating all this particular order of product in this evolution,
there is a purpose and the purpose, Sāmkhya made it the teleological purpose; that Purusa
should enjoy each and every products of this Prakruti; for that Prakruti, try to create
different objects in this earth. Then later, after that, we discussed that,
there is some criticism made against Sāmkhya theory of evolution; that, how that, Sāmkhya
theory of evolution, the explanation are not, is a logical and metaphysic, not fulfilling
the metaphysical and logical necessity. And also, we had discussed about Doctor Sarvepalli
Radhakrishan’s criticism against the Sāmkhya theory of evolution. I hope, now, you have
understood the Sāmkhya theory of evolution. In the next class, we will be discussing the
Sāmkhya theory of epistemology, and therewith, Sāmkhya theories, Sāmkhya systems’ views
on liberation and bondage. And after that, Sāmkhya philosophy will be covered completely.
So, far, we have discussed Sāmkhya metaphysics and next class, we will be discussing Sāmkhya
metaphysics, Sāmkhya epistemology. So, metaphysics is over now. Thank you.