Sūtra 2.20 [Puruṣa]

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of sūtra 2.20 [puruṣa]:

द्रष्टा दृशिमात्रः शुद्धोऽपि प्रत्ययानुपश्यः ॥ २.२०॥

draṣṭā dṛśimātraḥ śuddho'pi pratyayānupaśyaḥ || 2.20||

(20) The Seer is Absolute Knower; although pure, modifications (of buddhi) are witnessed by him as an onlooker.

Ancient and Modern interpretation:

Puruṣa the principle of consciousness attains a separate identity only when it activates prakriti forming different centres of consciousness in it.

Puruṣa as individul ‘self’ then lies in the conglomeration of cosmic forces—

puri śete iti puruṣaḥ^[1]

Puruṣa remains as individual-self so long as the phenomenon lasts, movement the phenomenon is over puruṣa realizes his original state—svarūpāvasthā.

Sāṅkhyakārikā 17 says, ^[2] the spirit exists because,

1) The aggregate is for another’s sake;
2) The absence of three gunas and other properties;
3) There must be some controller;
4) There must be some experiencer and
5) Of the tendency of activities towards final beatitude.

Then in next kārikā 18,^[3] they explain multiplicity of puruṣa as—

The multiplicity of puruṣa (spirit) is verily established:
1 )From individual allotment of birth, death and the instruments;
2) From the non-simultaneity of activities and;
3) From the diverse modifications due to three guṇas.

In kārikā 19,^[4] they give characteristics of puruṣa as—

From the contrast it is established that the spirit is pure witness.He is solitary, neutral, spectator and is a non-agent.

Patañjali says—

[Read sūtra 2.20 above]

Bhāsvati has distinguished buddhi from puruṣa as:

1. Buddhi is mutable, puruṣa is immutable.
2. Buddhi is means, puruṣa is an end in himself.
3. Buddhi is unconscious, puruṣa is unconditioned consciousness.

So, the concept of ‘I am knowing’ is the mistaken for similarity between buddhi and puruṣa.

Osho says,^[5]

“The seer, although pure consiousness sees through distortions of the mind.When sadhaka is in body, he will have to use all layers of body.”

Īśāvāsya-Upaniṣad gives beautiful simile for this^[6] —

“2A golden disc covers the face of the truth. Oh Sun, remove that lid for the sight of this seeker of Truth.”

Like the aura of light covers sun, same ways the the supreme consciousness is hidden behind cittavṛttis.So, as we wrongly presume aura as sun itself,we feel that instead of jīva,the soul is experiencing the worldly affairs. Taimni has also given similar example of an electric lamp covered with semi-transparent globes around.A man who has never seen an electric lamp cannot distinguish by observing reflected light through electric globe. How real electric lamp shines?

Our concept of knowledge is based in reflections.Our mind absorbs sensory perceptions.

In Bhagavadgītā, Kṛṣṇa says^[7] ,

“They say that senses are superior (to the body); superior to the senses is the mind; superior to the mind is the intellect; one who is even superior to the intellect is He (the ātman).”

This is complete outline of self discovery as given by Lord Kṛṣṇa. The technique of meditation lies in the conscious withdrawal of all our identifications with our body, mind and intellect.To this seer from leela of Prakṛti is told by Muni Pantajali in next sūtra.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Raja Radha Kant Dev, Śabdakalpadruma, Vol.35, Nag Publishers, Delhi, 1988, p.182

[2]:

Īśvara Kṛṣṇa, Virupākṣānanda ( Tr),op.cit.,karika 17-19 — [...] ||17||

[3]:

Ibid, — [...]

[4]:

Ibid, — [...] ||19||

[5]:

Osho, op.cit., p. 10

[6]:

Ishavasya Upanishad15 — [...] ||15||

[7]:

Bhagavadgītā III-42 — [...]