Samkhya-Yoga-Kundalini
Samkhya philosophy is perhaps best known for its enumeration of twenty-five tattvas, that is, truths or principles. The sutras that follow briefly describe them. These sutras are fairly self-explanatory, but the reader should read through the translations of individual Sanskrit words and phrases, since a lot of information is provided there. Following the sutras is a brief explanation of a few things that are not explicitly spelled out in the sutras themselves.
Prakriti is sattva, rajas, and tamas in the state of equilibrium. From Prakriti evolves Mahat, from Mahat evolves Ahamkara, from Ahamkara evolve both the five tan-matras and the Indriyas. From the tan-matras, the coarse elements. (These twenty-four) and Purusa, constitute the group of twenty-five tattvas or principles.
Since the root (Prakriti) has no root, the root is rootless.
Even in the case of a succession, at some point there must be a stop, so it (prakriti) is just a name (given to such a point).
Succession here refers to a sequence of causation from gross material objects to their ultimate material cause.
Both (Prakriti and her products) are composed of three gunas, are unconscious, etc.
There are eight prakritis.
2 types of prakriti:
Products only are sixteen. (Eleven Indriyas, five Coarse Elements)
The root prakriti is not a product of any other cause. Seven, which are Mahat, Ahamkara, and five Tan-matras, are both mother principle and product. Products only are sixteen. Purusa is neither mother principle nor product.
The author has enumerated the twenty-five tattvas or principles that make up both the natural world and the self, along with their order of evolution. The enumeration is as follows
In the state of equilibrium of the gunas, the root Prakriti is unmanifest and exists only as pure potential. When the equilibrium is disturbed, then Prakriti begins to manifest as her products, the material forms of nature. Properties common to both Prakriti and her products are:
Purusa is the opposite of the Manifest and Unmanifest in that it is not composed of the gunas, that is, not material. It does not participate in the evolution of Prakriti but it is the intelligent principle, that is, the Knower, the Self.
The author has described a system of two ultimates, Prakriti and Purusa, both of which are eternal. This is the primary difference between Samkhya and the dominant philosophy of Hinduism, Advaita Vedanta. Advaita Vedanta postulates a twenty-sixth principle, a single ultimate called Brahman that is both self and the source of the world. However, Samkhya maintains that Prakriti is not a product of any other cause.
The Samkhya description of the natural world represents the beginnings of scientific inquiry. Samkhya was an early, if not the first attempt to explain the world without reference to a deity or other supernatural influence. The tattvas were intended to be exhaustive, such that everything observed in nature could reasonably be considered to belong to one category or another.
The tattvas in general are a focus of concentration in yoga practice. The yogi must not only have knowledge about the Tattvas, he/she must gain the ability to recognize and discriminate them one by one in practice. This is said to lead to dispassion and ultimately to first-hand experience of Purusa, the true Self.
Yoga practitioners should note the distinction between coarse and subtle objects. The coarse or gross objects are perceivable by the senses, while the subtle objects are known by reasoning or by revelation. This distinction between perceivable and subtle objects is seen again and again in the Yoga Sutras.