Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s7.t10.3

v1.c7.s7.t10.3

The word, *Samkhya*, is based on the Sanskrit word sāmkhya, which arguably has multiple meanings. Some claimed that it had something to do with “number” or “enumeration” as the school specifies the number and nature of the ultimate constituents of the universe, around which it built its basic theoretical system. Still others contended that the word meant “search” or “reflection”. In Chinese Buddhist scriptures, in addition to being referred to as Samkhya, the school was also variously called “Jiapiluo Lun”, “Yuzhong Waidao”, or “Seng Qu”.