Sūtra 3.54

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Sūtra 3.54:

सत्त्वपुरुषयोः शुद्धिसाम्ये कैवल्यम् इति ॥ ३.५४ ॥

sattvapuruṣayoḥ śuddhisāmye kaivalyam iti || 3.54 ||

sattvapuruṣayoḥ—of the objective essence and the consciousness. buddhi—of the purity, sāmye—on their becoming equal. kaivalyam—absolute independence.

54. When the purity of the Objective-Essence and that of the Puruṣa become equal, it is absolute independence.—160.

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]

In the case of him who has obtained discriminative knowledge as well as in the case of him who has not obtained discriminative knowledge, it is absolute independence (kaivalya), when the purity of the Objective Essence and the Puruṣa become equal. When the essence of the Will-to-be with the dirt of the Rajas and the Tamas removed, has the notion of the distinctness of the Puruṣa as its sole remaining object, and all the seeds of affliction have been burnt up, then does it, as it were, assume a state of purity similar to that of the Puruṣa. In that state the purity of the Puruṣa consists in the absence of that enjoyment which is attributed to him, as it were, figuratively. In that state comes absolute independence (kaivalya), whether it be to the master or to the ordinary man, to him who is possessed of discriminative knowledge or to him who is not.

He in whom the seed of affliction is burnt up, has no longer any need of knowledge anywhere. It is as the means of purifying the substance of the Will-to-be that knowledge and the powers born of trance have been touched upon. In reality ignorance is removed by knowledge. On its cessation there are no longer any afflictions. When there are no afflictions, there is no fruition of actions. The Guṇas in that state have fulfilled their object. They, therefore, no longer present themselves to be seen by the Puruṣa. Then the Puruṣa shining in his own pure light, becomes absolutely independent (kevala)—160.

The Gloss of Vachaspati Mishra

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

Having now described the means of absolute independence, the Saṃyamas together with the attainments, the author now introduces this aphorism in order to show that the knowledge of the distinction between the Objective Essence and the Puruṣa is the direct means of absolute independence:—‘In the case of him who has obtained, &c.’ The meaning is that the knowledge born of discrimination does, all the same, become the means of absolute independence, whether or not there is the knowledge born of discrimination. ‘It is absolute independence (kaivalya) when the purity of the Objective Essence and that of the Puruṣa become equal.’

‘The master’ is he who has by the performance of Saṃyama obtained the power of knowledge and action. The ordinary man is he who has not obtained these powers. To him who is possessed of discriminative knowledge by the performance of Saṃyama described just before, or, to another who has obtained knowledge otherwise, in either case, the attainments are never under requisition for the purpose. ‘He in whom the seeds of affliction, &c.’

Well, but if they are unnecessary for absolute freedom their teaching is useless. For this reason the Commentator says:—‘As a means of the attainment of the purity of the Objective Essence, &c.’

The attainments are not absolutely unnecessary in attaining absolute independence. They are not its direct means. The knowledge born of discrimination and that which is obtained by the successive performance of Saṃyama is only an indirect cause. The principal cause is the knowledge of distinction. This is the meaning. Ignorance is removed by knowledge. Knowledge means the Highest Intellection.—54.

In this chapter the direct means of Yoga have been described. Also the evolutionary changes have been dilated upon. Also the conjunction with the elements by Saṃyama. Also the knowledge born of discrimination. This is the third chapter of VĀCASPATI’S GLOSS on Vyāsa’s Commentary of the aphorisms of Yoga. The third Chapter, the Chapter On Attainments, is finished.