Liberation (Mukti or Kaivalya)

Mukti or kaivalya is the highest aim of Sāṃkhya Philosophy. The two kinds of mukti are recognized by Sāṃkhyasūtras. These are jīvanmukti and Videhamukti. Jīvanmukti refers to the emancipation of a soul, while he is still living in the mind body enclosed in a case. After death, the liberated self attains what is called Videhamukti. Mukti or kaivalya is not a temporary release. It is a state of everlasting release from the three fold sorrows through the knowledge of the discrimination of Prakṛti and Puruṣa. The Sāṃkhya system has started with an analysis of three kinds of sorrows that generally destroy the pleasure of life. These are the Ādhyātmika pain. It is caused by the disorders of the mind-body system. It includes under it fever, anger, greed, fear etc. Ādhibhautika pain is produced by external agents like other men, beasts and natural forces etc. The Ādhidaivika pain is produced by supernatural causes e.g. the pains inflicted by ghosts and demons etc. Sāṃkhya regards human existence as seat of intense suffering. Avidyā is regarded as the root cause of suffering and bondage. The discriminative knowledge leads to Mokṣa, involves the discrimination between Prakṛti and Puruṣa. The Sāṃkhya says that through virtue is ascent to a region above, through vice descent to a region below, by knowledge is deliverance, by the reverse i.e. ignorance, bondage. By seven forms Prakṛti viz; Dharma, Adharma, Ajñāna, Vairāgya, Avairāgya, Aiśvarya, Anaiśvarya. The primal nature binds her by herself; by one form she releases herself for the deliverance of the spirit.^[1] When Prakṛti, the primal nature as her object is accomplished, has ceased to be active and when separation from the body has taken place, the spirit attains deliverance that is both absolute and final.