Verses on Sāṃkhya 22

On this, [the opponent] says: Regarding 'Therefore, from that conjunction'—if it is the conjunction of primordial matter and spirit, what is this conjunction? For conjunction is of many kinds: born from the action of one [of the two], as of a post and a falcon; or born from mutual collision of both, as of two fingers in space; natural, as of fire and heat; caused by capacity, as of fish and water; or fortuitous, sudden, as of two eagles. Hence there is a doubt. To this, it is replied: The conjunction is not one born from the action of one [of the two] for primordial matter and spirit, because of their omnipresence and inactivity. Nor is it natural either; because of their eternity, liberation would not exist, since there would be no separation. The same applies if it were caused by objects or caused by capacity. On this, [the opponent] says: What, then, is the conjunction of primordial matter and spirit? To this, it is replied: It has purpose as its cause. And what that purpose is, [the author] states here:

For the spirit's perception [of nature] and likewise for the sake of the isolation of primordial matter, / their conjunction is like that of the lame and the blind; creation is brought about by that. //

First, the union is for the spirit's seeing. The spirit unites with primordial matter [with the thought], 'I will see nature composed of good constituents'—this is the purpose. Likewise, the union is for the isolation of primordial matter, [which thinks], 'I will bring about isolation for this poor spirit who abides in knowledge.' 'Isolation' means liberation. Just as a king unites with a servant, [thinking], 'He will carry out my dispatch,' and the servant also unites with the king, [thinking], 'He will give me a livelihood'—in this way, their connection is caused by a purpose; just so, the connection—the union—between primordial matter and the spirit is caused by a purpose. Furthermore: 'The union of both is like that of the lame and the blind.' And there is an illustrative story here: A certain blind man set out for Pāṭaliputra together with a caravan, and that caravan was attacked by bandits. The blind man, having barely survived, escaped with great difficulty. Deprived of all his companions, wandering here and there, unable to see the path, and walking all around, he was seen by a certain lame man who was in the middle of the forest, who said to him: 'O blind man, do not be afraid! I am lame, skilled in discerning the path, but unable to walk.' The blind man replied: 'O lame man, just as you are incapable of walking, so too I am unable to see, but I have the ability to walk. By virtue of your ability to see, taking you upon my shoulders, I will go. Thus let the accomplishment of the purpose, characterized by the removal of suffering for both, take place.' Just as their connection and union, caused by the attainment of their own interests, are reciprocal, exactly so must primordial matter and the spirit be regarded, like the lame man and the blind man. The spirit is to be regarded as like the lame man; primordial matter as like the blind man. The capacity to see belongs to the spirit; the capacity for action belongs to primordial matter. Thus, primordial matter also, having brought about the liberation of the spirit, ceases. The spirit, having seen primordial matter, attains liberation. Furthermore: 'Creation is produced thereby.' By the word 'thereby,' primordial matter and the spirit are connected. That which is produced by both primordial matter and the spirit is 'creation produced thereby.' Just as a son is born from the union of a woman and a man, so the emergence of creation takes place from the union of primordial matter and the spirit. By the word 'creation,' they mean the emergence of the subtle body, beginning with the intellect.