Modern Science and Technology
There are two factors that give modern western culture a unique perspective on the Samkhya philosophy. The first factor is our science and technology. We understand the world in a way that was not possible for ancient people. But we are struck by the similarity of certain Samkhya concepts to our own. For example, the Samkhya doctrine of existent effects is similar to the law of physics: that matter can neither be created nor destroyed. Kapila’s insistence on the use of evidence and reason in the acquisition of knowledge also is similar to modern methods. These teachings stand in stark contrast to the reliance on the divine authority of the Vedas that was so prevalent in ancient India.
The fact that Samkhya is so ancient makes it all the more intriguing. Modern people may tend to dismiss the ancient teachings in favor of modern scientific knowledge, but the similarity of the Samkhya teachings to our own should give us pause.
Freedom From Religious Constraints
The second factor is our freedom from religious constraints. The keepers of Indian philosophical thought were the priests and Brahmins of the Vedic religion. They were bound by their belief in the supernatural origin and authority of the Vedas, and rejected any philosophy that appeared to conflict with them.
Vijnana-Bhiksu, in his commentary on the Samkhya-Pravachana-Sutram, went to great pains to show that Samkhya does not conflict with the Veda. But there is evidence that this is not the case. In fact, in certain instances, Kapila’s teaching appears to explicitly reject the Vedic teaching. Nevertheless, the religious interpretation permeates the Samkhya texts in a way that almost certainly distorts the original meaning.
In contrast, we are not bound by allegiance to the Vedic religion. This frees us to take a fresh look at the Samkhya philosophy, and to interpret it in the light of modern scientific knowledge and the belief that Samkhya is non-Vedic in origin. We may be in a position to rediscover some of Samkhya’s true meaning which has been lost in time. But at the same time we should be careful not to impose our own bias.
