Sankhya Philosophy is one of the 6 major philosophies accepted by Ayurveda. While all 6 philosophies are important, Sankhya philosophy develops the skeletal structure and lays the groundwork for Ayurveda and its principles.
Image taken from: Textbook of Ayurveda, Vol. 1: Fundamental Principles of Ayurveda 1st Edition by Dr. Vasant Lad
sat – truth • khya – to realize
Sankhya is a philosophy that offers the 24 (25) basic principles of existence. These are the building blocks from which everything is created:
Puruṣa
- Pure, passive awareness
- The origin of creation
- Masculine
- Unaffected by the material world
Prakṛti
- Creative nature
- Diversity
- Feminine
- The potential of realization
Mahat & Buddhi
- Mahat: Cosmic intelligence
- Budhi: Individual intelligence
There is an innate and personal intelligence in everything that yields proper placement and action.
Ahaṁkāra
- Ego; identification
- The feeling of “I am”
- The need to differentiate oneself
Manas
- The Mind
- Emotions and ideas
- Takes in sensations and thoughts
- Can travel beyond the body
Pañcajñānendriyaṇi
The 5 sense organs perceive sound, touch, vision, taste and smell. Entire knowledge of the universe is obtained through these:
- Karṇa – ears
- Tvak – skin
- Cakṣus – eyes
- Jihvā – tongue
- Ghrāña – nose
Pañcakarmendriyaṇi
The 5 organs of action
- Vāk – speech, talking
- Pāṇi – hands, grasping
- Pāda – feet, walking
- Upastha – genitals, procreation
- Pāyu – anus, elimination
Tanmātra
The 5 sense objects
- Śabda – sound
- Sparśa – touch
- Rūpa – form, appearance
- Rasa – taste
- Gandha – odor
Mahābhūta
The 5 great elements
- ākāśa
- ether/space
- intelligence
- creative, clever, mental agility, diplomatic, mercury/rahu/ketu, good planners, speakers, traveling
- vāyu
- air/wind
- intuition
- mobility, mental disposition, intellectual, drawn to letters, writing, numbers, analytical, critical
- agni
- fire
- intellect
- aggression, confidence, pride, bold, rude, quick to act/react, sharp, lead/control, like to be in charge
- āpas
- water
- emotions
- flexibility of mind, intuitive, counseling, nurturing, lubricating
- pṛtvi – earth
- earth
- resources
- focus, stability, dedication, devotion, practical, grounding
“Life (ayu) is the combination (samyoga) of body, senses, mind and reincarnating soul. Ayurveda is the most sacred science of life, beneficial to humans both in this world and the world beyond.”
– Charaka Samhita, Sutrasthana, Chap. 1/42-43