Sāṅkhya yoga (साङ्ख़्य योग)

Sāṅkhya yoga (साङ्ख़्य योग)

Given below the flow chart of sāṅkhya yoga for easy understanding.

For pdf file of the above flowchart please click here

Explanation:

The ONE which is ever present is called as Purusha which is Universal Awareness and Universal Consciousness. This is the unmanifested form of the Universe. This when gets expressed into manifested form is called as Prakruti which will have limited consciousness and hence called as unconscious. (The word consciousness here should not be considered as the word that we use in general forms that of related to mind.)

The Prakruti gets expressed into the Cosmos that we perceive and see. For this Prakruti to get expressed in various forms, it splits into three characteristics called as Triguna - Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas. While the Rajas characteristic takes care of activity, the Tamas characteristic takes care of the inertia. The Sattwa characteristic takes care of the equilibrium of activity and inertia. What ever we see, perceive and experience in this cosmos is a combination or recombination of these three characteristics.

While the three characteristics makes the framework for the manifestation of the cosmos, it is further manifested into 23 elements. The first is the Mahat tattwa which forms the basis for the Buddhi or Cosmic Intelligence. The Buddhi gives rise to Ahankara. Ahankara with the help of Sattwa characteristic expresses into the subtle substance of thoughts called as Mind, 5 organs of perception called Jnanendriyas, 5 organs of action called Karmendriyas. The same Ahankara with the help of Tamas characteristic expresses into the 5 gross elements called Pancha Bhutas and 5 subtle elements called Pancha Tanmatras. The Rajas characteristic provides energy for the evolution and existence of these 21 elements.

Since the most subtle part of these 21 elements is mind, the Saints advice to quieten the mind and prescribe various methods of practices. While the Yama, Niyama, Asana methods of practice reduce the effect of Rajas characteristic; the Pranayama, Pratyahara reduces the effect of Tamas Characteristc and makes the aspirant to look into its mind through Dharana. During the Dhyana the mind is perceived as something else. And, during Samadhi the mind is treated as nothing but a bundle of thoughts and is just a wave which is part of the ocean, hence is completely ignored. This rises to Atma Jnana where the aspirant (henceforth called as Spirit) clearly realizes that It (He/She) is not only different from Prakruti and also a part of it which was its temporary existence and is beyond the three characteristics or Triguna and goes beyond duality. Then Once the Spirit completely realizes the transitoriness and the impermanence of the manifested cosmos as only an expression of the Purusha or Unmanifested, It merges into That - rather is constantly in that Universal Awareness.