Understanding Universe and Life – Samkhya Philosophy- 9
The physical body of man is made with a mixture of
- the five elements- earth, water, fire, wind, space
- the three gunas -satwa, rajas, tamas
- the elements of the Mind
- the jnanendriyas, or five sensory organs -ears, skin, eyes, tongue, and nose
- the karmendriyas, or five organs of action- tongue, hands, legs, reproductive & excretory organs
- the tanmatras, or five senses - sound, touch, vision, taste, and smell
STAGES OF EXISTENCE
Through self will and self projection, the Atman or the Eternal Soul descends to the material plane of existence. It is entrapped within successive temporary bodies made of matter (Prakriti). Everything that is made of Prakriti undergoes three stages of existence:
1. it is created
2. it remains for some time and
3. it is inevitably destroyed
These three phases of existence correspond to the three gunas – qualities or modes of material nature. Passion (rajas) creates, goodness (sattva) sustains and ignorance (tamas) destroys. The gunas are ranked with Satwa being the highest, Tamas or ignorance being the lowest and Rajas being inbetween. Each member of the Hindu Trimurti- Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh- represents one of the three gunas.
We can understand this material world through gunas. All creation is made up of mixes of the three gunas. Depending on the soul’s preference for a particular mode, it takes on a corresponding body.
- A person influenced mainly by satwa/goodness will be elevated to the heavenly planets at death.
- Those in whom the rajas/passion dominates, stay in human society
- Those overcome by tamas/ignorance take on forms of lower species
- Those souls who transcend all the three gunas attain liberation/moksha and escape the entanglement of Prakruti or matter
All physical things on earth, even the most subtle are built by combination of the five elements. Our experiences of the world come to us also through the combination of the five elements.
• The sense of sound is received through reception of vibration
• The sense of touch is through the contact of things or vibrations
• The sense of sight depends on the actions of fire and light.
• Through water is the sense of taste and
• By earth is the sense of smell.
All our experiences are basically a response to vibratory contacts between force and force. Through this understanding our Rishis were able to bridge the gap between the Pure Force and the final modification of Force which we perceive in this world. When we perceive the world, we see it as something solid, tangible and durable. It is impossible for us to understand that all the solid material forms that we see around are actually a temporary phenomena and that there is One Cosmic Force which is pure energy and intangible.
That which cannot be perceived by our senses is permanent and the actual reality!
Brahmam Satyam, Jagad Mithya – The Brahman is real and this world is an illusion
