The Sánkhya Aphorisms Of Kapila

Aph. 1.* The origination of the diversified [world of sense] is from that which has no difference.

Aph. 2.* Therefrom, of the Body.

Aph. 3.* From the seed thereof is mundane existence.

Aph. 4.* And, till there is discrimination, there is the energizing of these, which have no differences.

Aph. 5.* Because of [the necessity of] the other’s experiencing.

Aph. 6.* It [Soul,] is now quite free from both.

Aph. 7.* The Gross [Body] usually arises from father and mother; the other one is not so.

Aph. 8.* To that which arose antecedently it belongs to be that whose result is this; because it is to the one that there belongs fruition, not to the other.

Aph. 9.* The seventeen, as one, are the Subtile Body.

Aph. 10.* There is distinction of individuals, through diversity of desert.

Aph. 11.* From its being applied to it, [viz., to the Subtile one], it is applied to the Body, which is the tabernacle of the abiding thereof.

Aph. 12.* Not independently [can the Subtile Body exist], without that [Gross Body]; just like a shadow and a picture.

Aph. 13.* No, even though it be limited; because of [its] association with masses; just like the sun.

Aph. 14.* It is of atomic magnitude; for there is a Scripture for its acting.

Aph. 15.* And because there is Scripture for its being formed of food.

Aph. 16.* The mundane existence of is for the sake of Soul; just like a king’s cooks.

Aph. 17.* The Body consists of the five elements.

Aph. 18.* Some say it consists of four elements.

Aph. 19.* Others say that it consists of one element.

Aph. 20.* Intellect is not natural [a natural result of organization]; because it is not found in them severally.

Aph. 21.* And [if the Body had intellect natural to it,] there would not be the death, &c., of anything.

Aph. 22.* If [you say that Intellect results from organization, and that] it is like the power of something intoxicating, [the ingredients of which, separately, have no intoxicating power, we reply, that] this might arise, on conjunction, if we had seen, in each [element, something conducive to the result].

Aph. 23.* From knowledge [acquired during mundane existence, comes] salvation, [Soul’s chief end].

Aph. 24.* Bondage [which may be viewed as one of the ends which Soul could arrive at only through the Subtile Body,] is from Misconception.

Aph. 25.* Since this [viz., knowledge,] is the precise cause [of liberation], there is neither association [of anything else with it, e.g., good works,] nor alternativeness, [e.g., of good works, in its stead].

Aph. 26.* The emancipation of Soul does not depend on both [knowledge and works, or the like]; as [any end that one aims at is not obtained] from dreams and from the waking state, [together, or alternatively, which are, severally,] illusory and not illusory.

Aph. 27.* Even of that other it is not complete.

Aph. 28.* Moreover, it is in what is fancied that it is thus [illusory].

Aph. 29.* From the achievement of [the worship termed] meditation there is, to the pure [Soul], all [power]; like Nature.

Aph. 30.* Meditation is [the cause of] the removal of Desire.

Aph. 31.* It [Meditation,] is perfected by the repelling of the modifications [of the Mind, which ought to be abstracted from all thoughts of anything].

Aph. 32.* This [Meditation,] is perfected by Restraint, Postures, and one’s Duties.

Aph. 33.* Restraint [of the breath] is by means of expulsion and retention.3

Aph. 34.* Steady and [promoting]* ease is a [suitable] Posture.

Aph. 35.* One’s Duty is the performance of the actions prescribed for one’s religious order.

Aph. 36.* Through Dispassion and Practice.

Aph. 37.* The kinds of Misconception are five.

Aph. 38.* But Disability is of twenty-eight sorts.5

Aph. 39.* Acquiescence is of nine sorts.

Aph. 40.* Perfection is of eight sorts.

Aph. 41.* The subdivisions [of Misconception] are as [declared] aforetime.

Aph. 42.* So of the other [viz., Disability].

Aph. 43.* Acquiescence is ninefold, through the divisions of ’the internal and the rest.'

Aph. 44.* Through Reasoning, &c., [which are its subdivisions,] Perfection [is eightfold].

Aph. 45.* Not from any other [than what we have just stated does real Perfection arise; because what does arise therefrom, e.g., from austerities, is] without abandonment of something else, [viz., Misconception].

Aph. 46.* [The creation is that] of which the subdivisions are the demons, &c.

Aph. 47.* From Brahmá down to a post, for its [Soul’s,] sake is creation, till there be discrimination [between Soul and Nature].

Aph. 48.* Aloft, it [the creation,] abounds in [the quality of] Purity.

Aph. 49.* Beneath, it [the creation,] abounds in Darkness.

Aph. 50.* In the midst, it [the creation,] abounds in Passion.

Aph. 51.* By reason of diversity of desert is Nature’s [diverse] behaviour; like a born-slave.

Aph. 52.* Even there there is return [to miserable states of existence]: it is to be shunned, by reason of the successive subjections to birth, [from which the inhabitants of Heaven enjoy no immunity].

Aph. 53.* Alike [belongs to all] the sorrow produced by decay and death.

Aph. 54.* Not by absorption into the cause is there accomplishment of the end; because, as in the case of one who has dived, there is a rising again.

Aph. 55.* Though she be not constrained to act, yet this is fitting; because of her being devoted to another.

Aph. 56.* [He who is absorbed into Nature must rise again;] for he becomes omniscient and omnipotent [in a subsequent creation].

Aph. 57.* The existence of such a Lord is a settled point.

Aph. 58.* Nature’s creating is for the sake of another, though it be spontaneous;—for she is not the experiencer;—like a cart’s carrying saffron [for the sake of its master].

Aph. 59.* Though she be unintelligent, yet Nature acts; as is the case with milk.

Aph. 60.* Or as is the case with the acts [or on-goings]—for we see them—of Time, &c.

Aph. 61.* From her own nature she acts, not from thought; like a servant.

Aph. 62.* Or from attraction by Deserts, which have been from eternity.

Aph. 63.* From discriminative knowledge there is a cessation of Nature’s creating; as is the case with a cook, when the cooking has been performed.

Aph. 64.* Another remains like another, through her fault.

Aph. 65.* [The fruit of Nature’s ceasing to act], the solitariness of both [Nature and Soul], or [which comes to the same thing,] of either, is liberation.

Aph. 66.* Moreover, [when Nature has left off distressing the emancipated,] she does not desist, in regard to her creative influence on another; as is the case with the snake, [which ceases to be a terror,] in respect of him who is aware of the truth in regard to the rope [which another mistakes for a snake].5

Aph. 67.* And from connexion with Desert, which is the cause.

Aph. 68.* Though there is [on Soul’s part, this] indifference, yet want of discrimination is the cause of Nature’s service.

Aph. 69.* Like a dancer does she, though she had been energizing, desist; because of the end’s having been attained.

Aph. 70.* Moreover, when her fault is known, Nature does not approach [Soul]; like a woman of good family.

Aph. 71.* Bondage and Liberation do not actually belong to Soul, [and would not even appear to do so,] but for non-discrimination.

Aph. 72.* They really belong to Nature, through consociation; like a beast.

Aph. 73.* In seven ways does Nature bind herself; like the silk-worm: in one way does she liberate herself.

Aph. 74.* Non-discrimination is the cause [not the thing itself]; [so that] there is no disparagement of sense-evidence.

Aph. 75.* Discrimination is perfected through abandonment [of everything], expressed by a ‘No, No,’ through study of the [twenty-five] Principles.

The means not efficacious everywhere. Aph. 76.* Through the difference of those competent [to engage in the matter at all], there is no necessity [that each and every one should at once be successful].

a. Since there is a division, among those competent, into the sluggish, &c., though study be made, there is no certainty that, in this very birth, Discrimination will be accomplished: such is the meaning. Therefore, every one should, by strenuousness in study, acquire for himself the highest degree of competency: such is the import.

b. He states that Liberation takes place solely through the effecting of Discrimination, and not otherwise:

Imperfect Discrimination inefficacious. Aph. 77.* Since what [Pain] has been repelled returns again, there comes, even from medium [but imperfect,] Discrimination, experience, [which it is desired to get entirely rid of].

a. But sluggish Discrimination [lower even than the p. 279 middling variety], antecedently to direct intuition, consists only of Hearing, Pondering, and Meditating: such is the division [of Discrimination].

Of Liberation during life. Aph. 78.* And he who, living, is liberated.

a. That is to say: he, also, who, while living, is liberated is just in the condition of medium Discrimination.

b. He adduces evidence for there being some one liberated, though still living:

Proof that this may be. Aph. 79.* It is proved by the fact of instructed and instructor.

a. That is to say: it is proved that there are such as are liberated during life, by the mention, in the Institutes, on the subject of Discrimination, of the relation of preceptor p. 280 and pupil; i.e., because it is only one liberated during life that can be an instructor [in this matter].

Further proof. Aph. 80.* And there is Scripture.2

a. There is also Scripture for there being persons liberated during life.

b. But then, merely through hearing, too, one might become [qualified to be] an instructor. To this he replies:

A suggestion repelled. Aph. 81.* [And not through merely hearing is one qualified to become an instructor]: otherwise, there were blind tradition.

a. That is to say: otherwise, since even a person of sluggish Discrimination [but who, yet, had heard,] would be an instructor, we should have a blind handing down [of doctrines which would speedily become corrupted or lost].

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b. But then, when, through Knowledge, one’s works [which are the cause of mundane existence,] have perished how can there [still] be life? To this he replies:

How life is compatible with Liberation. Aph. 82.* Possessed of a body, [the emancipated sage goes on living]; like the whirling of a wheel.

a. Even on the cessation of the action of the potter, the wheel, of itself, revolves for some time, in consequence of the motal inertia resulting from the previous action. So, after knowledge, though actions do not arise, yet, through the [self-continuant] action of antecedent acts, possessing an energizing body, he remains living, yet liberated;2 [and, if he did not, but if every one who gained true knowledge were, on gaining it, to disappear, true knowledge would cease to be handed down orally; and Kapila, probably, did not contemplate books, or did not think these a secure depository of the doctrine]: such is the meaning.

Aph. 83.* This [retention of a body] is occasioned by the least vestige of impression.

Aph. 84.* That which was to be done has been done, when entire Cessation of Pain has resulted from Discrimination; not otherwise, not otherwise.