Mr. H, T. CoLEBROOKE on the PJnlosophy of the Hindus. 'i.d 



and declaring the existence of God, which for argument's sake, and not 

 absolutely and unreservedly, he had denied. 



Of the six lectures or chapters, into which the sutras are distributed, the 

 three first comprise an exposition of the whole Sanc'hya doctrine. The 

 fourth contains illustrative comparisons, with reference to fables and tales. 

 The fifth is controversial, confuting opinions of other sects : which is the 

 case also with part of the first. The sixth and last treats of the most 

 important parts of the doctrine, enlarging upon topics before touched. 



The Cdricd, which wQl be forthwith mentioned as the text book or 

 standard authority of the Sdnc'hj/a, has an allusion to the contents of the 

 fourth and fifth chapters ; professing to be a complete treatise, of the science, 

 exclusive of illustrative tales and controversial disquisitions.* The author 

 must have had before him the same collection of siitras, or one similarly 

 arranged. His scholiast expressly refers to the numbers of the chapters.! 



Whether the Tatwa-samdsa of Capila be extant, or whether the sutras 

 of Panchasic'ha be so, is not certain. The latter are frequently cited, 

 and by modern authors on the Sdnc^hya : whence a presumption, that they 

 may be yet forthcoming. 



The best text of the Sdnc'hya is a short treatise in verse, which is 

 denominated Cdricd, as memorial verses of other sciences likewise are. The 

 acknowledged author is Iswaua-Crishna, described in the concluding lines 

 or epigraph of the work itself, as having received the doctrine, through a 

 succession of intermediate instructors from Panchasic'ha, by whom it was 

 first promulgated ; and who was himself instructed by Asuri, the disciple 

 of Capila.J 



This brief tract, containing seventy-two stanzas in dryd metre, has been 

 expounded in numerous commentaries. 



One of these is the work of Gaudapada the celebrated scholiast of the 

 Upanishads of the Vedas, and preceptor of Sancara Acharya, author 

 likewise of numerous treatises on divers branches of theological philosophy. 

 It is entitled Sdnc'hya-bhd^hija. 



Another, denominated Sdnc'hya-diandricd, is by Narayana Tirt'ha, 

 who seems from his designation to have been an ascetic. He was author 

 likewise of a gloss on the Yoga-sdslra, as appears from his own references 

 to it. 



* Cur. 72. \Nur.T. t Cu>. 70 and 71. 



