Samkhya Pravachana Sutra

The Samkhya Pravachana Sutra (Sanskrit: सांख्यप्रवचन सूत्र Sāṁkhyapravacanasūtra) is a collection of major Sanskrit texts of the Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy. It includes the ancient Samkhya Sutra of Kapila, Samkhya karika of Ishvarakrishna, Samkhya Sutra Vritti of Aniruddha, the Bhasya (commentary) of Vijnana Bhikshu, the Vrittisara of Vedantin Mahadeva, Tattva Samasa and commentary of Narendra, and works of Gaudapada, Vachaspati Mishra, and Panchashikha.[1]

The text provides foundational doctrines of one of the influential schools of Hindu philosophy, such as "nothing can come out of nothing, and nothing can altogether vanish out of existence" in its doctrine of Sat-Karya-Siddhanta,[2] a debate on the two theories for the origin of the world - the creationists (Abhava Utpatti) and the evolutionists (Vivarta, changing from one state to another),[3] the doctrine of Parinama (transformation),[4] among others.

Samkhya Pravachana Sutra is also known as Samkhya Sutra.[5]

  1. ^ Samkhya Pravachana Sutra NL Sinha, The Samkhya Philosophy, page i
  2. ^ Samkhya Pravachana Sutra NL Sinha, The Samkhya Philosophy, page ii
  3. ^ Samkhya Pravachana Sutra NL Sinha, The Samkhya Philosophy, page iii
  4. ^ Samkhya Pravachana Sutra NL Sinha, The Samkhya Philosophy, page iv
  5. ^ SC Banerji (1989), A Companion to Sanskrit Literature, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120800632, page 315