Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c12.s3.t4.52

v2.c12.s3.t4.52

The school held that the cause for association of the Seer with things seen is the darkness of unwisdom. If the darkness of unwisdom were eliminated, the combination could not exist. In order to eliminate the darkness of unwisdom and make the Seer get rid of the Seen, we must obtain the help of discrimination (viveka-khyati). One significant commentary on the *Yoga-sūtra* by Vyasa states that “viveka-khyati is a perception of the different nature of *prakriti* and *purusha*”. As soon as the differences between the seer and the seen can be perceived, the combination of the two will come to an end, terminating reincarnation, thereby allowing people to escape sorrow and pain. Therefore, it is of vital importance to acquire “viveka-khyati”, according to the philosophies of the Samkhya school and the Yoga school, the latter of which claimed that to acquire the “vivekakhyati” one will need to rely on a particular set of Yoga practices, ie The Eight Limbs of Yoga.