Description: Explores the Sāṃkhya system and the delicate relationship it articulates between witness consciousness (Puruṣa) and manifest realities (Prakṛti), providing a path to freedom through knowledge.
Brief description: Christopher Key Chapple is Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology, Loyola Marymount University. His previous books include Yoga and the Luminous: Patañjali's Spiritual Path to Freedom and Living Landscapes: Meditations on the Five Elements in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain Yogas, both published by SUNY Press.
Review Quotes:
"...The Sāṃkhya System is a masterful compilation ... The volume is an essential addition to the libraries of those seeking a nuanced interpretation of India's most foundational philosophical architecture. It is a dense, rewarding, and deeply analytical work that proves that Sāṃkhya is not just a way of counting, but a way of seeing. This book offers a robust, dualistic alternative to those who find modern spiritualities lacking in metaphysical depth." - Reading Religion
"This book offers a fresh look at Sāṃkhya, treating it as a living philosophical tradition worthy of sustained attention. In addition, the new translation of the Sāṃkhya Kārikā at the beginning of this work, plus the in-depth grammatical analysis in the appendix, will be invaluable to students of Sāṃkhya looking for an accessible version of the text." - Andrew J. Nicholson, author of Lord Śiva's Song: The Īśvara Gītā
"Sāṃkhya is a fascinating and profound philosophy that deserves much more scholarly attention. This book takes a multifaceted approach to the tradition, engaging with several different academic disciplines-philology, philosophy, history, sociology, anthropology, and textual studies. The contributors do an excellent job of firmly locating Sāṃkhya as a living religious philosophy that in many respects permeates all of Indian culture." - D. E. Osto, Massey University of New Zealand