Verses on Sāṃkhya 28.6

28.6

tasmād acetanā api guṇā ekādaśendriyabhāvena pariṇamanti | atrāha --- gṛhṇīmas tāvad ekādaśendriyāṇy ahaṅkārād utpannānīti | eteṣām indriyāṇāṃ yathāsthānanikṣepaḥ kena kṛtaḥ | cakṣur uccaiḥ sanniviṣṭaṃ dūrālokane samarthaṃ bhaviṣyatīti | śiraḥpradeśe śrotraṃ sanniviṣṭaṃ dūrāc śravaṇasamarthaṃ bhaviṣyatīti | tvak śarīrābhyantare bahiś ca sanniviṣṭā nānāsparśagrahaṇasamarthā bhaviṣyatīti | jihvā antarmukhaṃ sanniviṣṭā nānārasagrahaṇasamarthā bhaviṣyatīti | evaṃ nāsikā vāk | evam indriyāṇāṃ nikṣepaḥ puruṣeṇa vā kṛta īśvareṇa vā svabhāvena veti | atrocyate --- iha sāṅkhye puruṣeśvarasvabhāvā na kāraṇam | kiṃ tarhi --- asminn ahaṅkāre sthitaiḥ sattvarajastamobhis tribhir guṇair nikṣepaḥ kṛtaḥ | tasmād brūmaḥ --- "guṇapariṇāmaviśeṣān nānātvaṃ grāhyabhedāc ca" | guṇapariṇāmaviśeṣād ekādaśendriyāṇāṃ bhedaḥ | grāhyabhedāc ca | grāhyā ekādaśendriyārthās teṣāṃ bhedād apīndriyāṇāṃ bhedaḥ //

Therefore, even non-conscious constituents transform in the form of the eleven sense faculties. Here someone asks: We grant, first of all, that the eleven sense faculties arise from egoity. But by whom was the arrangement of these sense faculties in their respective places made? [Thinking:] "The eye, positioned high up, will be capable of seeing far away; the ear, positioned in the region of the head, will be capable of hearing from afar; the skin, positioned inside and outside the body, will be capable of apprehending various touches; the tongue, positioned inside the mouth, will be capable of apprehending various tastes; likewise the nose, and speech." Was such an arrangement of the sense faculties made by the spirit, by God, or by inherent nature? To this it is replied: Here in Sāṅkhya, the spirit, God, and inherent nature are not the cause. What then? The arrangement was made by the three constituents—sattva, rajas, and tamas—situated in this egoity. Therefore we say: "Diversity [arises] from particular transformations of the constituents, and from difference in what is to be grasped." From the particular transformations of the constituents comes the difference among the eleven sense faculties. And from the difference in what is to be grasped: what is to be grasped are the objects of the eleven sense faculties, and from their difference, too, arises the difference among the sense faculties.