Samkhya or Sankya (/ˈsɑːŋkjə/; Sanskrit सांख्य), IAST: sāṅkhya) is a dualistic school of Indian philosophy.[1][2][3] It views reality as composed of two independent principles, puruṣa ('consciousness' or spirit); and prakṛti, (nature or matter, including the human mind and emotions).[4] Puruṣa is the witness-consciousness. It is absolute, independent, free, beyond perception, above any experience by mind or senses, and impossible to describe in words.[5][6][7] Unmanifest prakriti is matter or nature. It is inactive, unconscious, and is a balance of the three guṇas(qualities or innate tendencies),[8][9] namely sattva , rajas, and tamas. When prakṛti comes into contact with Purusha this balance is disturbed, and Prakriti becomes manifest, evolving twenty-three tattvas,[10] namely intellect (buddhi, mahat), ego (ahamkara) mind (manas); the five sensory capacities; the five action capacities; and the five "subtle elements" or "modes of sensory content" (tanmatras), from which the five "gross elements" or "forms of perceptual objects" (earth, water, fire, air and space) emerge,[8][11] in turn giving rise to the manifestation of sensory experience and cognition.[12][13]
Jiva ('a living being') is the state in which purusha is bonded to prakriti.[14] Human experience is an interplay of the two, purusha being conscious of the various combinations of cognitive activities.[14] The end of the bondage of purusha to prakriti is called liberation or kaivalya (isolation).[15] -- Wiki
Kapila is a Sage and founder of the Samkhya school. He lived sometime in (1500 BCE to 500 BCE), which places him before Buddha, and after Abraham of the Old Testament. His influence on Buddhist thought is the subject of much discussion.
