With reference to the history of philosophical thought in India, consider the following statements regarding Sankhya school:
- Sankhya does not accept the theory of rebirth or transmigration of soul.
- Sankhya holds that it is the self-knowledge that leads to liberation and not any exterior influence or agent.
Which of the statements given above is /are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect
- Sankhya is one of the six orthodox (astika) schools of Indian philosophy. Sankhya explicitly accepts the doctrine of rebirth and the transmigration of the soul. It posits that liberation (Moksha) involves the cessation of the cycle of rebirths.
Statement 2 is correct
- Sankhya holds that liberation is achieved through ‘discriminative knowledge’ (viveka-jnana). This involves the realization of the fundamental distinction between Purusha (pure consciousness) and Prakriti (matter). According to this school, it is the self-knowledge of the true nature of Purusha as an eternal observer, separate from the material world, that leads to freedom from suffering and the cycle of birth and death. This process is internal and rational, emphasizing systematic analysis rather than external divine intervention.
