The Samkhya Philosophy gives us very clear and logical answers regarding the creation of the Universe. The understanding of the Rishis regarding the Divine or Universal Consciousness and its characteristics are intellectually acceptable. The further explanations of the vibration of Aum and the separation of Purusha and Prakriti from Brahman, their union and the birth of Mahat or Divine Intelligence, the Ahamkar , the three Gunas, the further evolution of senses, mind and elements are extremely systematic and laid out clearly. The physical body is at the bottom end of line of Universal Creation Map. The Rishis started at the bottom with the human body and went upwards to understand the process of creation and chart it out. They labelled out every part of the process of creation with its nature, characteristics and appearance and usage in the daily life of man. They have clearly stated out that man is made from the same elements that the Universe is created from and is a manifestation of the Supreme Consciousness.
The Rishis speak out the close relationship between man, all living entities and non living entities and the Cosmos. They state categorically that the source of all existence is the Cosmic Consciousness which manifests as the male and female energy – the Shiva and the Shakti. The human body which is made up of three gunas, five elements, the senses, mind, buddhi, ego and houses the atman is a reflection of the Purusha, Prakriti and Brahman. When an individual does not have realisation of true state of Purusha, he is mislead by Prakriti and will be caught up in the world of senses, desires, vices and ego. Committing endless acts to fulfill his desires, he is trapped in the never ending spiral of karma.
By starting with the human body and studying it, we can understand the process of creation, the Purusha, Prakriti and Brahman. As understanding of Brahman is beyond the senses, gunas, mind, intellect and buddhi, we need to drop all these elements aside and remain in perfect witness mode. Then the Universal Self or the Brahman is revealed within us. Following this reasoning, the Rishis have formulated the Ashtanga Yoga in which we are taught to overcome the vagaries and vices of mind, build a strong base of good and noble habits which helps us to function well in society and in personal life, keep a fit body, learn to breath properly, draw our senses within us, focus on one subject, meditate and reach the stage of Samadhi. This is a gradual growth and measured progression in understanding ourselves and the Universe.
The Samkhya regards ignorance as the root of all bondage and suffering in this world. It emphasizes the importance of a pure mind to make our lives worth living in this world. Unless we get rid of all the gross elements from our mind, it is not possible to achieve a state of eternal bliss. For overcoming ignorance and understanding self, one of the best tools is meditation.
The study of Samkhya is deeply inspiring and transformative. We learn the secrets of our creation and the creation of this world. We learn to unravel the greatest mystery of our lives - ourselves. The Samkhya philosophy systematically maps out every part of our being. We are taught about the lowest level of mortal existence to the highest level of Universal Consciousness. The Samkhya must be approached through three ways:
- Reading - comprehend the terminology and philosophy
- Contemplation and Meditation – to feel and experience the philosophy
- Yoga Practice - applying the philosophy so that our understanding results in inner transformation and experience
May good come to us from all sides.
