Samkhya thoughts in the Mahabharata
by Shini M.V. | 2017 | 51,373 words
This page relates 鈥楶ramanas (independent sources of valid knowledge)鈥� of the study of Samkhya thought and philosophy as reflected in the Shanti-Parva of the Mahabharata. Samkhya represents one of the six orthodox schools of Indian Philosophy and primarily deals with metaphysical knowledge and explains the Universe without the need to introduce God. The Mahabharata is an ancient Sanskrit epic which includes many Sankhya theories while expounding twenty-five principles.
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笔谤补尘腻峁嘺s (independent sources of valid knowledge)
Three 辫谤补尘腻峁嘺蝉 are admitted by the 厂腻峁僰丑测补. They are鈥�
- 笔谤补迟测补办峁 or 诲峁涐梗峁璦 [诲峁涐梗峁璦m], direct sense, perception,
- 础苍耻尘腻苍补 logical inference and
- 艢补产诲补 or 膧ptavacana verbal testimony.
笔谤补尘腻峁嘺 forms one part of a tripudi.
Pram膩ta鈥攖he subject, the knower;
笔谤补尘腻峁嘺鈥攖he means of obtaining the knowledge;
Prameya鈥攖he object, the knowable.
The 辫谤补尘腻峁嘺蝉 or the independent sources of valid knowledge accepted by the 厂腻峁僰丑测补s are three in number[1].
Tattvakaumudi describes 辫谤补尘腻峁嘺蝉
pratyak峁syasarvapram膩峁噀峁jye峁ａ弓hatv膩ttadadh墨natv膩cc膩num膩n膩d墨n膩峁僺arvav膩din膩mavipratipatte艣ca || [2]
Perception is definite sense cognition. Pratyk峁 is defined as Prativi峁y膩dhyavas膩ya.[3] 础诲丑测补惫补蝉腻测补 is knowledge got by the exercise of Buddhi and Prativi峁ya signifies the contact of sense organs with the objects. Perception is of two kind鈥檚, direct sensory perception (anubhava) and such perception remembered (蝉尘峁泃颈). Inference (anum膩na) is based on perception, but is able to arrive at conclusions that may not be directly open to perception.
Three kinds of inference has been declared that is鈥�
- P奴rvavat; priori;
- 艢e峁vat; posterior and
- S膩m膩nyatod峁涐梗ta, based on general observation[4].
Inference follows from perception. It is only right that it should be defined after perception. P奴rvavat, 艢e峁vat types of inference are based on causal relations while S膩m膩nyatod峁涐梗ta inference is based on the cognition of 蝉腻尘腻苍测补. S膩m膩nyatod峁涐梗ta gives cognition to the subtle elements which cannot be seen. The statement of a reliable person is 膧ptavacana. The word (艣abda) is in the first place, the Veda, which is considered to be inherently valid. The S膩峁僰ya Philosophy recognizes the validity of 艢谤耻迟颈 though with reservation and there by gives validity to 艢补产诲补 as one of the means of knowledge.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
诲峁涐梗峁璦manum膩nam膩ptavacana峁� ca sarva辫谤补尘腻峁嘺蝉iddhatv膩t | 厂腻峁僰丑测补k膩rik膩 4.
[2]:
Tattvakaumudi 5.
[3]:
厂腻峁僰丑测补k膩rik膩, 5.
[4]:
Tattvakaumudi, V膩caspatimi艣ra, p-17.