1. The document discusses key concepts from Samkhya philosophy including Purusha (consciousness) and Prakriti (matter), as well as their conjunction and the goal of disjunction through meditation and yoga. 2. It compares Samkhya, Yoga, and Buddhism, noting they share concepts like the conjunction and disjunction of consciousness and matter, ignorance as the root of suffering, and practices to overcome suffering. 3. Various states of sense impressions and the development of habits and addiction are also examined, along with quotes about the dangers of sense objects and the role of the three gunas in human development.

1. UNDERSTANDING
PERCEPTION, CONSCIOUS
AND SUBCONSCIOUS MIND
AND MEDITATION
Swami Surarchitananda

2. PART - I

3. Understanding Objects
■ Objects of perception can be classified into 1) sense objects and 2) ordinary objects
Properties:
Sense objects Ordinary objects
Creates delusion Doesn’t create delusion
Creates a perception of
permanence
Doesn’t create a perception of
permanence
Objects can never be satiated Objects can be satiated
Creates pain in the end Doesn’t involve pain

4. Understanding Impressions
■ Impressions of objects can be classified into 1) sense impressions
and 2) ordinary impressions
■ Impressions of objects are akin to food
■ Sense impressions are powerful and reside in our subconscious mind
■ They reside in particular states in our subconscious mind

5. The States of Sense Impressions
1. Prasupta (Dormant)
2. Vichchinna (Interrupted)
3. Udara (Active)
4. Tanu (Attenuated)
Source:
अविद्याक्षेत्रमुत्तरेषाां प्रसुप्ततनुविच्छिन्नोदाराणाम्
Avidya-Ksetram-Uttaresam-Prasupta-Tanu-Vicchinna-Udaranam
(Patanjali Yoga Sutras, 2.4)

6. Habits and Addiction
Input – Impression
Output – Action
Repetition of cycle – Habit
Repetition of habits - Addiction
Addiction – Destruction
■ Crime
■ Corruption
■ Continence

7. Quotes
■ While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops
attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from
lust anger arises
■ From anger comes delusion, and from delusion loss of memory. From the
loss of memory comes the ruin of discrimination, and from the ruin of
discrimination he perishes
Source:
ध्यायतो विषयान्ुांस: सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते |
सङ्गात्सञ्जायते काम: कामात्क्रोधोऽविजायते ||
क्रोधाद्भिवत सम्मोह: सम्मोहात्स्मृवतविभ्रम: |
स्मृवतभ्रांशाद् बुच्छि नाशो बुच्छिनाशात्प्रणश्यवत ||
(Bhagavad Gita, 2. 62-63)

8. Quotes
■ Sense Objects are more fearful than the poison of the cobra, which is
fatal only when taken; but these, on mere sight, can cause death.
(Vivekachudamani, 77)
■ Any one of these five senses is quite sufficient to cause death, as it does
with the moth, deer, elephant, fish, and bee; what then to speak of a
man, who has these five senses in full. (Vivekachudamani, 76)
Moth -> flame (form)
Deer -> music (sound)
Elephant -> touch of female ones (touch)
Bee -> fragrance (smell)
Fish -> bait (taste)

9. PART - II

10. Understanding Meditation through
Samkhya
Samkhya:
■ Existence i.e., principles of existence
■ What is the meaning of life?
■ Who am I?
■ Why do we suffer?
■ Is it possible to come out of suffering?

11. Understanding Meditation Through
Samkhya
■ Purusha – Pure Consciousness
Properties:
1) a witness
2) possessed of isolation or freedom
3) indifferent
4) a spectator
5) inactive
■ Prakriti – Matter (24 principles)
Properties:
1) Three gunas i.e., sattva, rajas and tamas
2) Unintelligent
3) Non-eternal and others

12. Understanding Meditation through
Samkhya
■ Conjunction
Proximity of Purusha and Prakriti
Analogy of a crystal and flower

13. Understanding Meditation through
Samkhya
■ Conjunction
Proximity of Purusha and Prakriti
Analogy of a social media account
Inactive user -> active
Unintelligent code -> intelligent
Inactive Purusha -> Active
Unintelligent Prakriti ->
Intelligent

14. Understanding Meditation through
Samkhya
■ Conjunction
Source:
Because of the proximity (or association) of the two—Prakriti and Purusha—
the unconscious one appears as if characterised by consciousness.
Similarly, the indifferent one appears as if characterised by activity, because
of the activities of the three gunas.
(Samkhya Karika, 20)
The proximity (or association) of the two, which is like that of a blind man
and a lame man, is for the purpose of seeing the Prakriti and for the
purpose of the isolation of the Purusha.
(Samkhya Karika, 21)

15. Understanding Meditation through
Samkhya
■ Disjunction
Separation of Purusha and Prakriti
The goal of meditation is to separate these two entities
Attaining jnana leading to isolation or separation
Summary:
1. Purusha
2. Prakriti
3. Conjunction
4. Disjunction

16. Samkhya-Yoga-Buddhism – a Comparison
Samkhya Yoga Buddhism
Avoid suffering Suffering and avoid future
suffering (PYS, 2.15-16)
First noble truth
Conjunction of Purusha and
Prakriti
Union of Purusha and
Prakriti (PYS, 2.17)
Ignorance (PYS, 2.24)
Second noble truth
Disjunction of Purusha and
Prakriti
Jnana, discriminative
knowledge leading to
liberation (PYS, 2.26)
Third noble truth
- The practice of ashtanga
yoga (PYS, 2.29)
Fourth noble truth
Source:
…दुुःखमेि सिं वििेवकनुः (PYS, 2.15)
हेयां दुुःखमनागतम् (PYS, 2.16)
द्रष्टृदृश्ययोुः सांयोगो हेयहेतुुः (PYS, 2.17)
तस्य हेतुरविद्या (PYS, 2.24)
वििेकख्यावतरविप्लिा हानोपायुः (PYS, 2.26)

17. Ashtanga Yoga
1. Yama – Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, and Aparigraha
2. Niyama – Sauca, Santosa, Tapas, Svadhyaya, and Isvara Pranidhanani
3. Asana
4. Pranayama
5. Pratyahara – control of buddhindriyas and karmendriyas
6. Dharana - concentration
7. Dhyana - meditation
8. Samadhi

18. The Noble Eightfold Path
1. Right Views
2. Right Intention
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Meditation

19. Three Gunas
Sattva – Illumination—calm, pure, light, and knowledge
Rajas – Stimulating and moving—action, attachment,
aversion, pleasure and pain, and so on
Tamas – Heavy and enveloping—inertia, laziness, violence
and ignorance

20. Three Gunas
Development of sattvic qualities
Quote:
“Religion is the idea which is raising the brute unto man, and man unto God.
– Swami Vivekananda
Development of moral codes based on sattvic qualities
Identifying the sattvic qualities for oneself

21. The Role of Prakriti
• Darsanartham
• Kaivalyartham (Samkhya Karika, 21)
The interaction with nature will gradually lead a person from:
Selfishness -> unselfishness
Attachment -> detachment
Tamas and Rajas -> Sattva
Ignorance -> Jnana
Ignorance:
Non-eternal -> eternal; impure -> pure; painful -> pleasureable; Non-self -> Self
(PYS, 2.5)
Refined view: a child vs ordinary man vs yogi

22. The Role of Prakriti
• The absence of the concept of evil and its implications
• Positive approach to human development
Quote:
“Freedom is the one goal of all nature, sentient or insentient; and
consciously or unconsciously, everything is struggling towards that goal.
- Swami Vivekananda