Philosophical Foundation of Education

1. SANKHYA
PHILOSOPHY
Dr. Jugnu Khatter Bhatia
Principal
Satyug Darshan Institute of Education and Research

2. INTRODUCTION
The word “Sāṅkhya” is derived from the Sanskrit noun sankhyā
(number) based on the verbal root khyā (make known, name) with the
proverb sam(together). “Sāṅkhya” thus denotes the system of
enumeration or taking account.
• SAM – number, balanced, equal, harmonious
• KHYA- knowledge, understanding, wisdom

3. HISTORY AND DEVELOPEMENT
▪It was propounded by Maharshi Kapila
▪It is also known as Kapila Tantra or Kapila Darshana
▪The book Sankhya Kaarika written by Ishvara Krishna, is
presently the most popular primer for the study of Sankhya.
▪Samkhya means the knowledge or number.
▪Samkhya is one of the earliest philosophical school of thought in
India.
▪The Samkhyapravacana Sutra and the Tattvasamasa were
actually composed by him.

4. HISTORY AND DEVELOPEMENT
• According to a modern scholar Surendranath Dasgupta, the
doctrine of the earliest school of samkhya is found in an
ancient Indian medical treatise, Charaka Samhita.
▪Another early extant text of this school is Samkhya Karika of
Isvarakrsna. (3rd century)

5. EPISTOMOLOGY
According to the
Samkhya school, all
knowledge is possible
through three
Pramanas (means of
valid knowledge).
• Direct sense perception.Pratyaksha
• Logical InferenceAnumana
• Verbal testimonySabda

6. METAPHYSICS
Samkhya system classified all objects into one of
the two categories:
1. PURUSHA
2. PRAKRITI
Samkhya maintains an intermingled duality between the two.
 All physical events are considered to be manifestations of
the evolution of Prakriti, or primal nature (from which all
physical bodies are derived).

7. METAPHYSICS
 Samkhya provides an alternate viewpoint, intimately
related to substance dualism , by drawing a metaphysical
line between consciousness and matter — where matter
includes both body and mind.
 The end of this bondage is moksha.

8. PURUSHA
 Puruhsa is the transcendental self and pure consciousness. It is
absolute, independent, free, imperceptible and unknowable,
above any experience and beyond the words and explanation.
 It remains pure, “nonattributive consciousness”.
 Puruṣa is neither produced nor does it produce. It is held that
unlike Advaita Vedanta and like Purva- Mimamsa, Samkhya
believes in plurality of the Puruṣas.

9. PRAKRITI
 Prakriti is the first cause of the manifest material universe
— of everything except the Puruṣa.
 Prakriti accounts for whatever is physical, both mind and
matter-cum-energy or force. Since it is the first principle
(tattva) of the universe, it is called the Pradhāna, but, as it
is the unconscious and unintelligent principle, it is also
called the Guna.

10. PRAKRITI
 It is composed of three essential characteristics (trigunas).
These are:
1. Sattva- poise, fineness, lightness, illumination, and joy;
2. Rajas- dynamism, activity, excitation, and pain;
3. Tamas - – inertia, coarseness, heaviness, obstruction,
and sloth.

11. MAIN FEATURES OF SAMKHYA
PHILOSOPHY
There are three types of pain and suffering. Real freedom is attaining
freedom from these. These are:
PAIN & SUFFERINGS
PHYSICAL
PSYCHOLOGIC
AL
/ EMOTIONAL
SPRITUAL

12. PHYSICAL
• Five things help to prevent and overcome physical pain and
suffering: proper diet, proper exercise, balanced conduct /
behavior, going to bed on time, and waking up on time.
• If some illness has already occurred, seek help from doctors
and medicines, along with lifestyle changes.
• Ayurveda is an important tool here

13. PSYCHOLOGICAL/EMOTIONAL
• This type of suffering needs help from both outside and inside—body
and mind.
• From inside, changing your attitude toward yourself—trusting and
believing in yourself—creates psychological support. This, combined
with external measures to alleviate physical suffering, helps to
overcome sorrow and grief.
• The first four limbs of Yoga address mental /emotional suffering.

14. SPIRITUAL
• To overcome spiritual pain and suffering, dive deep into
yourself and know your pure being. Work toward removing
all non-essentials—all that which is not the Self.
• The way to do this is covered by the last four limbs of
Yoga—the meditative aspects—which are the purest form of
Yoga and are all internal. These are pratyahara, dharana,
dhyana, and samadhi.

15. Samkhya as the Philosophy of Education
Aims of Education
➢Samkhya states the ultimate aim as attaining the perfection
of Purusha through discrimination, leading to its salvation.
Curriculum
➢Physical science and yoga will also form part of the
curriculum since samkhya believes only a healthy and
focussed individual can attain salvation.

16. Samkhya as the Philosophy of Education
➢The curriculum will involve the study of all disciplines, with stress on the
natural sciences, senses to understand prakriti is to discriminate between
Purusha and Prakriti and the arts, so as to develop an appreciation and
understanding of the work of authorities.
Methods
➢Experiential learning with maximum involvement of the senses.
➢Activity based learning include projects, practical work, etc enabling the
development of observation and logical reasoning.

17. Samkhya as the Philosophy of Education
Discipline
➢Samkhya recommends a high degree of discipline.
➢One can deduce that it should be self- imposed.
Role of Teacher
➢The teacher is to be a facilitator of the development of
➢the innate potentiality of the child.

18. Samkhya as the Philosophy of Education
Place of Student
➢Since, Samkhya believe in the multiplicity of Purusha, it
follows that education must be individualised and child
centred.

19. THANKYOU