Jnana Yoga Path for Sankhyas

Jñāna-Yoga Path for Sāṅkhya-s (=Knowers) from Śaṅkara Gītā Commentary

II.21 The Knower (jñānin) has nothing to do with action.
(Question) What then has he to do?
(Answer) This is answered in III.3: ‘The Sāṅkhya-s should resort to jñāna-yoga.’

For the Knower and seeker of Liberation, who sees that the Self is actionless, there is qualification for renunciation-of-all-action alone (avikriyātma-darśino viduṣo mumukṣo ca sarva-karma- saṃnyāse eva adhikāra).

II.55 The Knower (vidvat), having renounced, makes efforts in jñāna-niṣṭhā.

The above quotations illustrate the path of Knowledge-yoga (jñāna-yoga). It begins with the rise of Knowledge, which distinguishes the Sāṅkhya. The path consists of (1) renunciation-of-action (saṃnyāsa): this renunciation is not necessarily of things, but is characterized as freedom from the notion ‘I do’; (2) establishment-in-Knowledge (jñāna-niṣṭhā), sustained meditations to throw off disturbances, by memory-illusions, of the naturally continuing current of Knowledge. When jñāna-niṣṭhā reaches its end (avasāna) in being-Brahman (anubhava), it is Freedom (mokṣa).

Here follow a few passages to illustrate Śaṅkara’s scheme. He does not spell out all the stages each time: for instance, saṃnyāsa may include jñāna-niṣṭhā.

Rise of KnowledgeSaṃnyāsajṅāna-nisthaMoksa
II.10,11self-knowledgesaṃnyāsaend of
(atma-jña) jñānin-Sāṅkhyajṅāna-yogasamsara
21seer of Self (ātma-darśin)saṃnyāsa
21Knower=vidvat=Sāṅkhyasaṃnyāsa
by mind (5.13)
54,55vidvatsaṃnyāsajṅāna-yoga-nisthaBrahman
satmādhi-sthii(2.56-72)
69ātma-jñasaṃnyāsajñāna-niṣṭhā
III intro.jṅānasaṃnyāsajṅāna-nistha
III.3Sāṅkhya-ātma-jñasaṃnyāsajñāna-niṣṭhāGoal
III.4rise of Knowledgejñāna-niṣṭhā
17Sāṅkhya Self-knowersaṃnyāsinātma-jñāna-niṣṭhā
IV.39jṅāna-labhaquicklymokṣa
V intro.ātma tattva-vid Self-knowersaṃnyāsajñāna- yoga -niṣṭhā
Sāṅkhyasaṃnyāsinjñāna-niṣṭhā
jṅānasaṃnyāsasiddhi (perfection)
V.4Sāṅkhya-Knowersaṃnyāsa
5Sāṅkhyasaṃnyāsinjñāna-niṣṭhāmokṣa
6paramātma-jṅāna paramārthaka-paramitma-
saṃnyāsajñāna-niṣṭhā
12jñāna-prāpatisarva-karma-jñāna-niṣṭhāpeace
saṃnyāsamoksa
13paramārtha-darśin;vidvatmental saṃnyāsarests happy
17Sāṅkhyajñāna-niṣṭhālive in
(S.2.69)Brahman
25samyag-darśinsaṃnyāsaBrahma-
nirvāṇa
26,27Samyag-darśanasaṃnyāsasamyag- darsanamokṣa
jñāna-prāpatiniṣṭhā
VIIl.16-18jñāninsamadhi oncomes to
tattva-vidI am VāsudevaMe
19jñāna-vatparipāka-jñānacomes to
Me
IX.22paramārtha-darśinsaṃnyāsin'Lord as Self'
(=jñāna-niṣṭhā, Ś on18.66)
X.8paramārtha-intense
tattva-vidmeditation (bhavana)
X.10samyag-darśanabuddhi-yoga
11jñānawithdrawaldhyāna visionbliss
XII.4jñāninsaṃnyāsinmeditationOne with Me
5paramātma- darśanajñāna-niṣṭhāmokṣa
10jñāna-prāptisiddhi
12samyag-darśinsaṃnyāsa
13,14jñānin (of 7.17) mumukṣusaṃnyāsajñāna-niṣṭhāimmortality
-2.19
XIII.31parainartha-paramahamsajñāna-niṣṭhā
darsin=Sāṅkhyaparivrājaka
XIV.1jñānasaṃnyāsamanana-śīlamokṣa
23-25ātma-vid = Sāṅkhya (3.5)saṃnyāsinmumukṣu
26,27saṃnyāsinjñāna-niṣṭhāmokṣa
jṅāna-yoga
XVIII.3tattva-vid = Sāṅkhyaperceives no painmeditate:
in Self'I do nothing'
10jṅānamind-saṃnyāsajñāna-niṣṭhā
12paramārtha-darśinparamahamsakevala-samyag-end of
parivrājakadarśana-niṣṭhāsaṃsāra
45,46jñāna-niṣṭhā
49jṅānamind-saṃnyāsajñāna-niṣṭhāa = naiṣkarmyasiddhimokṣa

 

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