30 Mr. H. T. Colebhooks on the Philosophy of the Hindus. 



1. Nature, Pracriti or Mula-pracnti, the root or plastic origin of all : 

 termed Prad'hdna the chief one : the universal, material cause ; identified 

 by the cosmogony of the Purdnas (in several of which the Sdnc'hya philoso- 

 phy is followed) with Mdj/d or illusion ; and, by mythologists, with Brdhmi 

 the power or energy of Brahmd. It is eternal matter, undiscrete ; undistin- 

 guishable, as destitute of parts ; inferrible, from its effects : being produc- 

 tive, but no production. 



2. Intelligence, called Budd'hi and Mahal or the great one : the first 

 production of nature, increate, prolific ; being itself productive of other 

 principles. It is identified by the mythological Sdnc'hya with the Hindu 

 triad of Gods. A very remarkable passage of the Matsya-purdna cited in the 

 Sdnc'hya-sdra, after declaring that the great principle is produced " from 

 modified nature," proceeds to afiirm, " that the great one becomes distinctly 

 known, as three Gods, through the influence of the three qualities of good- 

 ness, foulness, and darkness ; ' being one person, and three Gods,' (ecd 

 murtis trayo devdh) namely, Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheswara. In the 

 aggregate it is the deity ; but, distributive, it appertains to individual 

 beings." 



3. Consciousness, termed Ahancdra, or more properly egotism, which is 

 the literal sense of the term : the peculiar and appropriate function of it is 

 {abhimdna') selfish conviction, a belief that, in perception and meditation, 

 " I" am concerned ; that the objects of sense concern me ; in short, that 

 I AM. It proceeds from the intellectual principle, and is productive of 

 those which follow. 



4, — 8. Five subtile particles, rudiments, or atoms, denominated Tan- 

 mdtra ; perceptible to beings of a superior order, but unapprehended by the 

 grosser senses of mankind : derived from the conscious principle, and them- 

 selves productive of the five grosser elements, earth, water, fire, air, and 

 space. 



9 19. Eleven organs of sense and action ; which also are productions of 



the conscious principle. Ten are external : viz. five of sense, and five of 

 action. The eleventh is internal, an organ both of sense and of action, 

 termed 7nanas or mind. The five instruments of sensation are, the eye, the 

 ear, the nose, the tongue, and the skin. The five instruments of action are, 

 1st, voice, or the organ of speech ; 2d, the hands ; 3d, the feet ; 4th, the 

 excretory termination of the intestines j 5th, the organ of generation. 



