Sūtra 2.16

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Sūtra 2.16:

हेयं दुःखम् अनागतम् ॥ २.१६ ॥

heyaṃ duḥkham anāgatam || 2.16 ||

heyam—the avoidable. duḥkham—pain. anāgatam—not-yet-come.

16. Pain not-yet-come is the avoidable.—67.

The Sankhya-pravachana commentary of Vyasa

[English translation of the 7th century commentary by Vyāsa called the Sāṅkhya-pravacana, Vyāsabhāṣya or Yogabhāṣya]

[Sanskrit text for commentary available]

The pain which lias passed away has been spent up by experience. It cannot, therefore, fall within the sphere of the avoidable. And that which is present, is being experienced at the time of its existence; it cannot, therefore, be considered as the avoidable with reference to the future moment of time. Hence that pain alone which has not yet been experienced, troubles the Yogī who is sensitive as the eye-ball; it does not trouble any other knower. Hence that alone is the avoidable pain. It is the cause of this avoidable pain only that is to be discussed.—67.

The Gloss of Vachaspati Mishra

[English translation of the 9th century Tattvavaiśāradī by Vācaspatimiśra]

By the use of the words ‘not yet come,’ the past and the present have been taken out of the purview. He shows the propriety thereof:—‘The pain that has passed away, &c.’

But why should pain which is present, i.e., in the process of being suffered, be not considered as falling within the sphere of the avoidable, seeing that it has not been spent up by suffering? For this reason he says:—‘And that which is present, &c.’ The rest is easy.—16.