Sankhya Darshana Through the Sankhya Karika – Part I

Introduction:

The Sankhya Darshana or philosophy is an ancient system of thought that seeks to provide a permanent solution to the problems associated with the human condition, such as birth, death, old age, disease, and sorrow. The Sankhya Karika, a short text of only 72 Karikas, is a succinct exposition of Rishi Kapila’s Sankhya Darshana. This two-part course series aims to explore the principles of Sankhya philosophy in-depth, based on the Sankhya Karika of Ishvara Krishna.

Course Content:

The course comprises two parts, with the first part focusing on the first 30 Karikas of the Sankhya Karika. Students will gain a deep understanding of Sankhya philosophy, its epistemology of the cosmos, and the place of the human being within that cosmos. The course will cover the fundamental building blocks of the universe or the twenty-five Tattvas, which are key to understanding the permanent solution to human suffering proposed by Sankhya.

Course Learning Objectives:

By the end of the course, students will be able to understand the fundamentals of Sankhya philosophy, acquire a thorough grasp of the technical Sanskrit terms required, develop the foundations to understand other texts such as the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita, appreciate other schools of philosophy, and develop deep insights into the concepts of ‘mind’, ‘atma’, ‘ego’, ‘intellect’, and the creation of the universe.

Class Structure:

The class is structured to promote discussion and debate based on self-study and reflection each week. There will be a minimum of one contact hour of 90 minutes with one or more faculty every week. While the content being discussed in each class will be concluded within 60 minutes, the discussion time will be free format and can continue for an additional 30 minutes maximum. Students will be expected to write small notes on the Karikas discussed, based on their self-reflection on what they have learnt and assimilated so far.

Prerequisites:

Prior knowledge of Sanskrit or Sankhya philosophy is not necessary to take this course. A PDF file of each Karika with Devanagari and Roman script along with the word-meanings and brief explanations will be shared with the students. Additional supplementary reading material will also be provided in PDF form.

Conclusion:

Sankhya philosophy is an important foundation for understanding other Vedic philosophical systems such as Yoga and Vedanta. The Sankhya Karika of Ishvara Krishna provides a succinct and profound exposition of Sankhya philosophy. Through this course, students will gain new insights into Sankhya philosophy and appreciate its relevance to our lives.