How Sāṃkhya and Kriya Yoga Lead to Authentic Spiritual Experience
By: Ryan Kurczak
This article was made possible by our Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community.
In the quest for spiritual awakening, two elements are essential: a map and a vehicle. The map reveals the landscape of the inner world, while the vehicle offers the means to move through it. In the classical Indian tradition, Sāṃkhya provides the map—a precise, philosophical blueprint of reality—while the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali offer the vehicle, the practical steps for navigating that map. Together, they form a complete path, leading to the direct, transformative experience of samādhi, spiritual insight, and growth. It is the most rewarding path a human being can travel.
Sāṃkhya, one of the oldest philosophical systems in India, charts the terrain of existence through 25 tattvas (principles), clearly distinguishing between Puruṣa (pure consciousness) and Prakṛti (matter and mind). It tells us that suffering arises from the confusion of the two—from mistaking the mind for the self. This is the map: it shows what is real, what is illusion, and where freedom lies. But knowing the map alone does not move us. We have to take action. We have to practice Kriya Yoga to experience what the map represents.
This is where Patañjali’s Yoga comes in. His Yoga Sūtras provide a disciplined method to walk the path revealed by Sāṃkhya. Through the eight limbs of aṣṭāṅga yoga—ethical observances, physical postures, breath control, sensory withdrawal, concentration, meditation, and ultimately samādhi—the practitioner trains the mind to see clearly, to cease identifying with its fluctuations, and to realize the Self as Puruṣa. The inner psychological peace and physical well-being that modern yoga promises becomes accessible, and even beyond that a metaphysical experience like that of the great mystics becomes available to us.
When these two systems are united—when we understand the metaphysics of Sāṃkhya and apply the practical tools of Yoga—a real transformation begins. The abstract becomes personal. The map becomes a lived journey. And samādhi—once a distant concept—becomes an immediate, felt reality. It is here that insight flowers, not as borrowed philosophy, but as direct, unshakable inner knowing. We gain direct inner intuitive knowledge of the essence of our being.
In this union of understanding and practice, we find spiritual growth. With each step, the fog of ignorance clears, the soul untangles itself from the bonds of illusion, and the light of true Self-awareness shines through. The destination, then, is not somewhere new—it is a return to what we have always been.
The Hidden Engine of Yoga: Why Sāṃkhya Philosophy Is Essential to Understanding Patañjali’s Yoga
To the casual observer, yoga may appear to be a system of physical postures, breath control, or meditative techniques aimed at well-being. But this modern image of yoga obscures its deeper, ancient roots. The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali, the foundational text of classical yoga, is a systematic path toward liberation (kaivalya), meticulously constructed upon the metaphysical framework of Sāṃkhya philosophy.
To truly understand and authentically practice the yoga of Patañjali, one must look beneath its techniques and into its worldview. At the core of that worldview lies Sāṃkhya—a dualistic philosophical system that provides the metaphysical engine driving every concept, every practice, and every goal laid out in the Yoga Sūtras. Sāṃkhya is indispensable; without it, Patañjali’s yoga would be unmoored from its purpose, its language stripped of meaning, and its goal rendered incoherent. This is why so many explanations of theYoga Sūtras do not help students achieve the goal of Yoga, Samadhi and spiritual illumination. The culmination of yogic practice remains a myth reserved for story book character yogis.
Sāṃkhya as the Philosophical Foundation of Patañjali’s Yoga
Sāṃkhya is arguably the most ancient systematic metaphysics. It is fundamentally dualistic, asserting two eternal principles:
These two coexist, but liberation (kaivalya) only comes when Puruṣa realizes it is not Prakṛti. This is the core idea that Patañjali’s entire system of yoga aims to reveal experientially.
Though Patañjali introduces some theological innovations—such as Īśvara, or a special Puruṣa—he does not deviate from Sāṃkhya’s metaphysical structure. Rather, he translates it into a practical path. In essence, Yoga is Sāṃkhya in motion.
Understanding the Language of the Yoga Sūtras
The Yoga Sūtras are terse, aphoristic verses packed with meaning, and many of their key concepts are directly inherited from Sāṃkhya. Consider just a few terms:
Without understanding Sāṃkhya, these concepts are easily misinterpreted. For example, modern readers might conflate Puruṣa with the ego or assume that kaivalya means psychological peace. In Sāṃkhya (and Yoga), however, Puruṣa is not the personal self—it is pure awareness. Kaivalya is not tranquility—it is absolute liberation.
Thus, Sāṃkhya is the lens through which the Yoga Sūtras must be read. Strip it away, and the text loses its coherence.
The Role of Sāṃkhya in Diagnosing the Problem of Suffering
The Yoga Sūtras aim at eliminating a problem: suffering (duḥkha). In Sūtra 2.15, notes that for the discerning person, everything is suffering because of the constant instability of existence caused by the shifting guṇas of Prakṛti. This is lifted directly from Sāṃkhya, which teaches that Prakṛti, with its constant transformations, cannot offer lasting peace.
Sūtras 2.3–2.5 enumerate the kleśas—ignorance (avidyā), egoism, attachment, aversion, and fear of death—as the root of bondage. These afflictions are not psychological habits but ontological confusions, misperceiving the temporary as eternal and the not-self as the Self. Again, this analysis depends entirely on the Sāṃkhya doctrine that the Self (Puruṣa) is distinct from the mind, body, and world.
Only when this metaphysical error is corrected through viveka-khyāti—clear discriminative knowledge—can the yogi attain liberation. This is pure Sāṃkhya logic, made actionable through Patañjali’s disciplined path.
Sāṃkhya as the Blueprint for Yoga Practice
Every limb of the eightfold path (aṣṭāṅga yoga) can be seen as a step toward this discriminating knowledge:
Each of these steps has meaning only within the Sāṃkhya framework. Samādhi is not relaxation—it is the cessation of identification with Prakṛti. Pratyāhāra is not disinterest—it is the turning away from the illusion of external objects. These are not psychological tricks. They are metaphysical tools.
Sāṃkhya and the Ultimate Goal of Yoga: Kaivalya
In both Sāṃkhya and Yoga, liberation is not union—it is disentanglement. This sets them apart from other Indian systems like Vedānta, which seeks union with a universal Self. Patañjali’s final sūtra, 4.34, states: “Kaivalya is the return of the guṇas to their source, having fulfilled their purpose; Puruṣa abides in its own nature.”
This is Sāṃkhya’s endgame verbatim. The goal is kaivalya—absolute freedom, the metaphysical isolation of consciousness from the fluctuations of existence. To practice Yoga without understanding Sāṃkhya is like building a temple with no foundation. The asanas, breathwork, and meditations may bring temporary clarity or balance, but without the discernment between Puruṣa and Prakṛti, they miss the mark. Yoga, as taught by Patañjali, is not about self-improvement—it is about Self-realization, in the most radical and metaphysical sense.
Sāṃkhya provides the blueprint, the vocabulary, and the philosophical clarity to make this journey coherent. It explains the nature of bondage, the structure of the cosmos, and the path to freedom. Without Sāṃkhya, Yoga is a body without a soul. With it, Yoga becomes what it was meant to be: a science of liberation, a metaphysical pilgrimage back to the untouched witness within.
The Metaphysical Mirror: Sāṃkhya Foundations in Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras
Though Patañjali adapts aspects of Sāṃkhya, the structure, assumptions, and goals of the Yoga Sūtras remain firmly rooted in its principles. This intimate relationship is especially visible in the shared emphasis on dualism—between Puruṣa (consciousness) and Prakṛti (matter)—the doctrine of the 25 tattvas (principles of reality), and the ultimate goal of kaivalya (liberation).
Pāda I – Samādhi Pāda: The Nature of Consciousness
The very beginning of the Yoga Sūtras sets the tone with Sūtra 1.2: yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ — “Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind (Not the human mind, but the field of consciousness itself).” This principle echoes Sāṃkhya’s concern with the turbulence of citta (the mind-stuff), which obscures the pure light of Puruṣa. In Sāṃkhya, liberation is attained not by changing the world or the self, but by discerning the eternal witness, the Puruṣa, from the mutable mind and senses.
This leads directly to 1.3: tadā draṣṭuḥ svarūpe ‘vasthānam — “Then the seer abides in its own nature.” The draṣṭṛ here is unmistakably Puruṣa, the eternal, passive observer distinct from Prakṛti. Sāṃkhya posits that the confusion between the two is the root of all suffering, and Patañjali confirms that only in the stillness of mental modifications can the true self be recognized.
Conversely, Sūtra 1.4 warns: vṛtti-sārūpyam itaratra — “At other times, the seer is identified with the fluctuations.” This misidentification is the exact condition Sāṃkhya aims to remedy. In both systems, liberation begins when one sees that they are not the mind, but the eternal witness beyond it.
Pāda II – Sādhana Pāda: The Mechanics of Misidentification
This section delves deeper into the Sāṃkhya framework. Sūtra 2.15 (pariṇāma-tāpa-saṁskāra-duḥkhair guṇa-vṛtti-virodhāc ca duḥkham eva sarvaṁ vivekinaḥ) underscores the omnipresence of suffering due to the instability of the guṇas—the three fundamental qualities of Prakṛti. These qualities—sattva (clarity), rajas (activity), and tamas (inertia)—shape all material experience, and their ceaseless interplay creates existential discomfort for the discerning (vivekin).
Sūtra 2.17 identifies the cause of this suffering: draṣṭṛ-dṛśyayoḥ saṁyogaḥ heya-hetuḥ — “The cause of suffering is the conjunction of the seer and the seen.” This is perhaps the clearest articulation of Sāṃkhya’s core thesis in the Yoga Sūtras: the problem is metaphysical confusion. We suffer because consciousness (Puruṣa) forgets its nature and entangles itself with Prakṛti.
Patañjali does not reflect Sāṃkhya here; he expands its implications in Sūtra 2.18: prakāśa-kriyā-sthiti-śīlaṁ bhūtendriya-ātmakam bhoga-apavarga-artham dṛśyam — describing the dṛśya (the seen, i.e., Prakṛti) as possessing light (cognition), action, and inertia for the sake of experience (bhoga) and liberation (apavarga). This aligns with the Sāṃkhya view that the world exists not for its own sake but to serve the evolution of the soul toward enlightenment.
Further, Sūtras 2.19 through 2.24 form a condensed articulation of Sāṃkhya cosmology, illustrating the metaphysical structure upon which the entire yogic path rests:
These verses do not merely touch on Sāṃkhya—they are Sāṃkhya in yogic language. They present a metaphysical anatomy of the human condition, diagnosing the source of suffering and prescribing the means of liberation: viveka (discrimination) and disciplined yogic practice.
Pāda III – Vibhūti Pāda: The Powers and Their Source
While this section is often read for its extraordinary claims about yogic powers (siddhis), it too rests on Sāṃkhya foundations. Sūtra 3.35—puruṣa-artha-śūnyānāṁ guṇānāṁ pratiprasavaḥ kaivalyaṁ svarūpa-pratiṣṭhā vā citi-śaktiḥ iti—”Experience does not distinguish between the constituents of matter and the Self. By perfect contemplation on what exists of itself as distinct from that which exists for experience, knowledge of the Self is revealed”—offers one of the most succinct summaries of Sāṃkhya’s telos: kaivalya, the return of the guṇas to their source and the isolation of Puruṣa. Liberation is not the acquisition of divine powers, but transcendence; it is a metaphysical solitude, where the observer stands alone, unentangled.
Pāda IV – Kaivalya Pāda: The Final Dissolution
This last section of the Yoga Sūtras reflects a maturity in Patañjali’s philosophical integration with Sāṃkhya. Finally, 4.34—puruṣārtha-śūnyānāṁ guṇānāṁ pratiprasavaḥ kaivalyaṁ svarūpa-pratiṣṭhā vā citi-śaktiḥ iti—”When the cosmic forces return to their source, devoid of any remaining purpose for the Self, then there is abidance in one’s own essence.”–is a philosophical full stop. The guṇas fall back into quiescence, having served their purpose, and Puruṣa rests in its own splendor. This final state of kaivalya, or isolation, is the purest form of liberation—freedom from the illusion of identification, from the cycles of karma.
To read the Yoga Sūtras without an understanding of Sāṃkhya is to view the moon through a fogged lens—its shape discernible, but its contours obscured. Sāṃkhya is not merely a source of terminology or background ideas for Patañjali; it is the spine of his metaphysics. From the first verse to the last, the Yoga Sūtras call us to undertake a metaphysical disentanglement. By recognizing the difference between the eternal Puruṣa and the fleeting dance of Prakṛti, Patañjali invites the practitioner into the stillness beyond mind, into kaivalya—a vision shared in every breath of Sāṃkhya.
Further Considerations on the Purpose Kriyā Yoga and Its Relationship to Sāṃkhya
Sūtra 2.2 of the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali—samādhi-bhāvanārthaḥ kleśa-tanū-karaṇārthaś ca—states that Kriyā Yoga (the yoga of disciplined action) serves two purposes: cultivating samādhi (meditative absorption) and attenuating the kleśas (afflictions or causes of suffering). This simple yet profound statement resonates deeply with Sāṃkhya philosophy, particularly in how both systems view the causes of suffering and the path to liberation.
Sāṃkhya and the Problem of Suffering
At the heart of Sāṃkhya is the assertion that duḥkha (suffering) arises from the misidentification of Puruṣa (pure consciousness) with Prakṛti (material reality). This misidentification results in bondage—the soul falsely believing it is the body, the mind, or the emotions. The ultimate cause of suffering, then, is avidyā (ignorance), specifically the absence of Self-awareness: not recognizing that one’s true essence is the unchanging, eternal Puruṣa.
Sāṃkhya outlines the evolution of matter and consciousness into 25 tattvas (principles), culminating in the human experience of ego, mind, and senses. However, unless one can distinguish the seer from the seen—Puruṣa from Prakṛti—one remains caught in the cycle of suffering.
Kriyā Yoga as a Response to Sāṃkhya’s Diagnosis
Sūtra 2.2 reflects this metaphysical diagnosis by stating that the purpose of Kriyā Yoga is to diminish the kleśas—which are ultimately expressions of avidyā—and to cultivate the meditative stability (samādhi) necessary to see reality as it is.
In the context of Sāṃkhya, each kleśa (ignorance, egoism, attachment, aversion, and clinging to life) is a byproduct of Prakṛti and its play of guṇas. These afflictions bind the soul because they deepen identification with the transient aspects of existence. Kriyā Yoga—through tapas (austerity), svādhyāya (self-study), and Īśvara-praṇidhāna (devotion to a higher consciousness)—acts as a purifying agent that gradually dismantles these false identifications.
By emphasizing the reduction of kleśas, Patañjali’s Sūtra 2.2 implicitly affirms Sāṃkhya’s central insight: liberation comes through discernment (viveka)—the clear seeing that one’s true nature is not the shifting mind or body, but the immutable Puruṣa. When the kleśas are weakened, the illusion of selfhood constructed by Prakṛti begins to fall apart, revealing the silent observer within.
The Role of Samādhi
Samādhi, the other goal of Kriyā Yoga mentioned in 2.2, is the experiential realization of this truth. In deep states of absorption, the fluctuations of citta (mind) subside, allowing Puruṣa to reflect in its purest form. This directly mirrors the Sāṃkhya process of viveka-khyāti—the discriminative knowledge that sets the soul free.
Thus, Sūtra 2.2 does more than define the utility of Kriyā Yoga; it encapsulates the core metaphysical framework of Sāṃkhya. It recognizes that suffering stems from a metaphysical error—confusing the transient for the eternal—and offers a disciplined method for reversing that error. In this way, Patañjali aligns himself not just structurally but spiritually with the Sāṃkhya tradition, building a yogic path that is both practical and philosophically rigorous, aiming for nothing less than liberation through the realization of Puruṣa.
Sūtras 2.3, 2.4, and 2.5 of Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras provide a deeper exposition of the kleśas (afflictions) introduced in Sūtra 2.2, and further cement the shared metaphysical foundation with Sāṃkhya philosophy. These sūtras function as a progressive unpacking of the psychological and metaphysical conditions that obscure Puruṣa, reinforcing the idea that liberation (kaivalya) is achieved only through Self-awareness and discernment.
Sūtra 2.3 – avidyā-asmitā-rāga-dveṣa-abhiniveśāḥ kleśāḥ
“The afflictions (kleśas) are: ignorance (avidyā), egoism (asmitā), attachment (rāga), aversion (dveṣa), and clinging to life (abhiniveśaḥ).”
This verse identifies the five core kleśas, which are the subtle psychological seeds of suffering. From a Sāṃkhya standpoint, each of these kleśas is a consequence of misidentification with Prakṛti—the domain of change and attachment. They all stem from the absence of viveka (discriminative knowledge), which is the only means of realizing Puruṣa as the observer separate from the observed.
Each of these afflictions is a veil, distorting perception and reinforcing the illusion that the transient self is real.
Sūtra 2.4 – avidyā kṣetram uttareṣāṁ prasupta-tanu-vicchinna-udārāṇām
“Ignorance is the field for the others that follow, whether dormant, attenuated, intermittent, or fully active.”
This verse emphasizes the primacy of avidyā. It is the soil from which all other afflictions grow. In Sāṃkhya, avidyā is the primordial confusion—the failure to distinguish Puruṣa from Prakṛti. When avidyā dominates the intellect (buddhi), it leads to the generation of false identities and desires, which in turn fuel the cycle of birth and death (saṃsāra).
Patañjali’s use of the metaphor of avidyā as a “field” (kṣetra) aligns with Sāṃkhya’s metaphorical language of metaphysical ignorance as the root of all bondage. Just as a seed needs a field to grow, the other kleśas need avidyā to manifest. Even when dormant, their presence lingers in the subtle body, waiting for conditions to arise.
Sūtra 2.5 – anitya-aśuci-duḥkha-anātmasu nitya-śuci-sukha-ātma-khyātir avidyā
“Ignorance is taking the non-eternal, impure, painful, and non-self to be the eternal, pure, pleasurable, and the self.”
This sūtra is a direct echo of Sāṃkhya’s definition of metaphysical error. It clarifies the nature of avidyā not as a lack of intellectual understanding but as a cognitive distortion: mistaking the characteristics of Prakṛti for those of Puruṣa.
In Sāṃkhya:
Patañjali’s analysis here could be lifted directly from Sāṃkhya’s metaphysical discourse. It points to the critical need for viveka (discernment) to reverse this false identification. Only by seeing things as they truly are can one break free from the cycle of suffering.
Sūtras 2.3–2.5 serve as a map that expands on Sūtra 2.2’s aim of dissolving the causes of suffering. They trace these causes back to a singular root: avidyā, the primal ignorance about the nature of the self and reality. This is precisely the ground upon which Sāṃkhya philosophy stands.
In both traditions, liberation (kaivalya) is not gained through action alone but through viveka-khyāti—the discriminative wisdom that sees Puruṣa as separate from Prakṛti. These sūtras lay bare the anatomy of bondage and prescribe the inner path necessary for the realization of Self, aligning Yoga practice with Sāṃkhya’s metaphysical liberation.
Key Sutras For Extended Consideration
Below is a list of key sūtras in the Yoga Sūtras that either explicitly mention or clearly reflect Sāṃkhya philosophy:
Pāda 1 – Samādhi Pāda
Pāda 2 – Sādhana Pāda
Pāda 3 – Vibhūti Pāda
Pāda 4 – Kaivalya Pāda
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