Purusha & Pakriti II

Patanjali Yoga Sutra Chapter 2 Verse 19

णवशषाणवशषणरङ्गभात्राणरङ्गाणन गिऩवाणि ॥ १९॥

visheshavisheshalinggamatralinggani gunnaparvani

The states of the qualities are the defined, the undefined, the indicated only, and the signless. The system of Yoga is built entirely on the philosophy of the Sankhyas.

According to the Sankhyas, nature is both the material and efficient cause of this universe. In this nature there are three sorts of materials, the Sattva, the Rajas, and the Tamas. The Tamas material is all that is dark, all that is ignorant and heavy; and the Rajas is activity. The Sattvas is calmness, light. When nature is in the state before creation, it is called by them Avyaktam, undefined, or indiscrete; that is, in which there is no distinction of form or name, a state in which these three materials are held in perfect balance. Then the balance is disturbed, these different materials begin to mingle in various fashions, and the result is this universe. In every man, also, these three materials exist. When the Sattva material prevails knowledge comes. When the Rajas material prevails activity comes, and when the Tamas material prevails darkness comes and lassitude, idleness, ignorance.

According to the Sankhya theory, the highest manifestation of this nature, consisting of these three materials, is what they call Mahat, or intelligence, universal intelligence, and each human mind is a part of that cosmic intelligence. Then out of Mahat comes the mind. The mind function is simply to collect and carry impressions and present them to the Buddhi, the individual Mahat, and the Buddhi determined upon it. So, out of Mahat comes mind, and out of mind comes fine material, and this fine material combines and becomes the gross material outside—the external universe. The Buddhi is the finest state of existence of the materials, and then comes Ahamkara, egoism, and next to the mind comes fine material, which they call Tanmatras, which cannot be seen, but which are inferred.

According to the Sankhya philosophy, beyond the whole of this nature is the Purusa, which is not material at all. Purusa is not at all similar to anything else, either Buddhi, or mind, or the Tanmatras, or the gross material; it is not akin to any one of these, it is entirely separate, entirely different in its nature, and from this they argue that the Purusa must be immortal, because it is not the result of combination.

Indian philosophy, goes beyond both intelligence and matter, and finds a Purusa, or Self, which is beyond all intelligence, and of which intelligence is but the borrowed light.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra Chapter 2 verse 21

तदथ एव दृश्मस्यात्मा ॥ २१॥

tadarth eva drishyasyatma

The nature of the experience is for him. Nature has no light of its own.

As long as the Purusa is present in it, it appears light, but the light is borrowed; just as the moon’s light is reflected. All the manifestations of nature are caused by this nature itself, according to the Yogis; but nature has no purpose in view, except to free the Purusa.

Taken from Swami Vivikenanda Patanjali Yoga Sutras