1) prime matter
(Prakriti),
2) cosmic mind (Mahat),
3) ego (ahamkara),
4) mind (manas),
5-9)the five tanmatras or prime qualities or root principles of sound, touch, sight, taste
and hearing,
10-14) the five sense organs; ear, skin, eye, tongue, nose,
15-19) the five organs of action; mouth, hands, feet, sexual organ, anus,
20-24)the five gross elements of ether, air, fire, water and earth.
Purusha or Pure Consciousness may be listed among these as the first but strictly speaking
it is outside of manifestation.
All the other systems have similar lists of principles based upon the organs and elements
(called "aggregates" or "skandhas" in Buddhist thought). Some Tantric
systems expand this list to 36.
Sankhya teaches that there are two ultimate principles; the principle of consciousness or
the seer, called the Purusha and the principle of appearance or the seen, called Prakriti.
Purusha is the ground of consciousness. Prakriti is the essential stuff of experience. The
purpose of yoga is to move from identification with the seen back into the pure
consciousness of the seer, which is ever free, blissful and infinite.
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