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The Third Lesson: The Sankhya System.1165
the materialistic school are approached. But still, the Sankhyas are far from
being materialists, for they positively deny to Prakriti, the essence Matter,
any intelligence, mind, or sentiency, ascribing the latter to the action of
Purusha, or Spirit, which is above mind just as Prakriti is below it.
One may read Ernest Haeckel, the German scientist, with new
understanding, if he will interpret it by the light of the Sankhya teaching—
Haeckel’s “soul of the atom” being understandable in the light of Kapila’s
theory, as in no other way. Kapila undoubtedly inspired the German
philosopher, Schopenhauer and his successors, who took from the Hindu
philosopher at least a portion of his fundamental conception. Kapila’s
thought renders Materialism thinkable, as it adds a new element which
explains the activities and evidences of sentiency in low material forms, and
the evolution therefrom—whereas the gross Materialism of the last century
is unthinkable in its denial of mind, or soul qualities. And to think that all
this was thought out by Kapila some 2500 years ago, and that his teaching
was based on still older teaching! And yet, the West speaks of the poor,
ignorant, heathen Hindu, crying for the knowledge of the West! And not
only this philosophy, but many others of India, anticipated by over two
thousand years many of the latest conceptions of modern Western science
and philosophy! Verily, History repeats itself.
Kapila teaches that the Prakriti, since its junction with, or impregnation
by, Purusha, has been in a state of constant change and evolution, from
succeeding form, and combination, the original condition of Prakriti having
been altered so that it is difficult for the mind to conceive of its original and
primitive or virgin condition. From a state far more ethereal than any form of
ether known to science, it has assumed atomic combinations, and molecular
arrangements, until in response to the never-ceasing demands of the Purushas
to manifest in action and life, the Prakriti has been compelled to assume
many gross and unethereal forms. In response to the developing senses
of the mind occasioned by the evolving manifestations of the embodied
Purushas, Prakriti has assumed forms and appearances recognizable by the