Prakriti

Definition

Prakriti is the fundamental, primordial substance or material cause from which the entire universe, including all living beings, is said to have originated according to classical Indian philosophy. It is the primal matter or nature that forms the basis of all existence.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Prakriti is considered the primordial, unmanifest, and undifferentiated state of nature from which the entire universe emerges.
2. Prakriti is believed to be composed of the three gunas - sattva (purity, harmony), rajas (passion, activity), and tamas (inertia, darkness) - which interact to produce the diverse phenomena of the world.
3. Prakriti is eternal, uncreated, and the material cause of all things, while Purusha is the eternal, conscious, and spiritual principle that interacts with Prakriti.
4. The interplay between Prakriti and Purusha is central to the Samkhya school of Indian philosophy, which seeks to understand the nature of reality and the path to liberation.
5. The ultimate goal in classical Indian philosophy is to achieve a state of equilibrium among the three gunas within Prakriti, leading to liberation from the cycle of rebirth and suffering.

Review Questions

• Explain the concept of Prakriti and its role in classical Indian philosophy.
  • Prakriti is the fundamental, primordial substance or material cause from which the entire universe, including all living beings, is said to have originated according to classical Indian philosophy. It is the primal matter or nature that forms the basis of all existence. Prakriti is believed to be composed of the three gunas - sattva, rajas, and tamas - which interact to produce the diverse phenomena of the world. The interplay between Prakriti and Purusha, the eternal conscious principle, is central to the Samkhya school of Indian philosophy, which seeks to understand the nature of reality and the path to liberation.
• Describe the relationship between Prakriti and the three gunas in classical Indian philosophy.
  • According to classical Indian philosophy, Prakriti, the primordial material substance, is composed of the three fundamental qualities or tendencies known as the gunas: sattva (purity, harmony), rajas (passion, activity), and tamas (inertia, darkness). The interplay and dynamic balance of these three gunas within Prakriti is believed to be the driving force behind the creation, sustenance, and transformation of all phenomena in the universe. The ultimate goal is to achieve a state of equilibrium among the three gunas, leading to liberation from the cycle of rebirth and suffering.
• Analyze the role of Prakriti and Purusha in the Samkhya school of Indian philosophy and their significance in understanding the nature of reality.
  • The Samkhya school of Indian philosophy posits Prakriti and Purusha as the two fundamental principles underlying all of reality. Prakriti is the primordial, unmanifest, and undifferentiated material substance from which the entire universe emerges, while Purusha is the eternal, conscious, and spiritual principle that interacts with Prakriti. The interplay between these two principles is central to Samkhya's understanding of the nature of reality and the path to liberation. Samkhya seeks to achieve a state of equilibrium among the three gunas (sattva, rajas, and tamas) within Prakriti, which is believed to lead to the realization of Purusha's true nature and the ultimate freedom from the cycle of rebirth and suffering.

Related terms

Purusha:

Purusha is the eternal, conscious, and spiritual principle in classical Indian philosophy, which is distinct from and interacts with Prakriti, the material principle.

Gunas: The three gunas - sattva, rajas, and tamas - are the fundamental qualities or tendencies inherent within Prakriti that govern the nature and behavior of all things in the universe.

Samkhya: Samkhya is one of the six orthodox schools of Indian philosophy that posits Prakriti and Purusha as the two fundamental principles underlying all of reality.