22 Mr. H. T. Colebrooke on tJie Philosophy of the Hindus. 



It may be questioned whether Capila be not altogether a mythological 

 personage, to whom the true author of the doctrine, whoever he was, 

 thought fit to ascribe it. 



A collection of siitras, or succinct aphorisms, in six lectures, attributed 

 to Capila himself, is extant under the title of Sdnc'hya-pravachana. As an 

 ancient work (whoever may have been really its author), it must doubtless 

 iiave been expounded by early scholiasts. But the only commentary, which 

 can at present be referred to by name, is the Capila-bhdshya ; or, as the 

 author himself cites it in his other works, Sdnc'hya-bhdshya. The title at full 

 length, in the epigraph of the book, is Capila-sdnc^hya-pravachana-idstra- 

 hhdshya. It is by Vijnyana-bhicshu, a mendicant ascetic (as his designation 

 imports) who composed a separate treatise on the attainment of beatitude in 

 this life, eniiiXeA. Sane' hya-sdra ; and wrote many other works ; particularly 

 the Yoga-vdrtica, consisting of scholia on Patanjali's Yoga-sdstra and the 

 Brahme-mhndnsd-bhdshya, which is a commentary on a treatise of Veddnli 

 philosophy. 



It appears from the preface of the Capila-bhdshya, that a more compendious 

 tract, in the same form of siltras or aphorisms, bears the title of Tatwa- 

 sanidsa, and is ascribed to the same author, Capila. The scholiast 

 intimates, that both are of equal authority, and in no respect discordant : 

 one being a summary of the greater work ; or else this an amplification of 

 tlie conciser one. The latter was probably the case ; lor there is much 

 repetition in the Sdnc'hya-pravachana. 



It is avowedly not the earliest treatise on this branch of philosophy : since 

 it contains references to former authorities for particulars, which are but 

 briefly hinted in the siitras ;* and it quotes some by name, and among them 

 Panchasic'ha, + the disciple of the reputed author's pupil : an anachronism 

 which appears decisive. 



The title of Sdtic'hya-pravachana seems a borrowed one ; at least it is 

 common to several compositions. It appertains to Patanjali's Yuga-sdstivi. 

 If the authority of the scholiast of Capila may be trusted, the Tatwa- 

 samasa is the proper text of the Sdnc'hya ; and its doctrine is more fully, 

 but separately set forth, by the two ampler treatises, entitled Sdnc'hya- 

 pravachana, which contain a fidler exposition of what had been there 

 succinctly delivered : Patanjali's work supplying the deficiency of Capila's, 



* Cap. 3, 39. t Cap. 6. 



