The Sánkhya káriká, or Memorial verses on the Sánkhya philosophy, tr. by H.T. Colebrooke

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1837 Excerpt: ...Bauddha saint, can, by virtue of this faculty, convert poison into ambrosia, and administer it as means of vitality.' XXIV. Consciousness is egotism. Thence proceeds a twofold creation. The elevenfold set is one: the five elemental rudiments are the other. BHASHYA. The elevenfold set: the eleven organs. The five elemental rudiments: elementary matter of five kinds, or the rudiments, sound, touch, form, flavour, and odour. What sort of creation proceeds from that which is thus defined is next explained. COMMENT. The third category is here specified, and described as the source of the senses and their respective objects. The term here given as the synonyme and definition of ' egotism,' ahankdra, is abhimdna, translated 'consciousness.' The ordinary sense 6f both words is pride, and the technical import is ' the pride or conceit of individuality;' 'self-sufficiency;' the notion that ' I do, I feel, I think, I am,' as explained by Vachespati: 'I alone preside and have power over all that is perceived and known, and all these objects of sense are for my use. There is no other supreme except I; I Am. This pride, from its exclusive (selfish) application, is egotism.' The principle, therefore, is something more in Hindu metaphysics than mere consciousness, or conscience. It might be better expressed, perhaps, by 'le moi,' as it adds to the simple conception of individuality the notion of self-property, the concentration of all objects and interests and feelings in the individual. The other synonymes of this category express rather modifications of it, as the next stanza intimates. Taijasa, 'the active' or 'the ardent,' from tejas, ' light, splendour, ardour,' refers to its animating or exciting influence on human actions, in connection with the quality of foulness....