Insights from Sankhya and Yoga Darshana about the Basic Tenets of Consciousness and their Modulation Strategies

Abstract Most of the sufferings in modern times may be attributed to the vicious tendencies of human beings like jealousy, ego, greed, hatred, etc., and any modern science based effective methodology for mitigating these and nurturing virtuous ones is not readily available. Virtuous and vicious tendencies are basic tenets of human consciousness. Modern science mostly sees consciousness associated with living beings only, i.e. those who show some kind of physical behavior in response to a stimulus, and only the material aspects are primarily addressed; thus, the aspect of vicious tendencies is largely left unanswered. The approach of ancient Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) for understanding consciousness is holistic. The sages of IKS looked at a much wider and deeper aspect of consciousness, including physical, subtle and causal. This knowledge has been well preserved in the IKS texts like Vedas, Upanishadas, Puranas, Darshanas, etc., and regularly referred to by the practitioners of various applied IKS streams of knowledge like Yoga, Ayurveda, etc. These applied IKS streams present several techniques by which the vicious tendencies of humans can be mitigated. So, in the present study, the basic tenets of consciousness given in Sankhya Darshana have been explored. These include the Purusha and Prakriti, the 23 sub-elements under Prakriti, and the 3 Gunas (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas), which together define the different levels of consciousness and various conscious experiences, both vicious and virtuous. Next, Yoga Darshana has been explored as a technique for modulating various tenets of consciousness. For example, Yoga Darshana presents the technique of Kriya Yoga as Tapa, Swadhyaya and Ishwara Pranidhana, and tells that by properly practicing these, the Kleshas (vicious tendencies) like Avidya, Asmita, Raaga, Dwesha, and Abhinivesha may be resolved. The study primarily refers to the authoritative commentary of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya on Sankhya and Yoga Darshana.