The University of Nalanda c15.34

c15.34

Thus showing that he was thoroughly conversant with the Sāmkhya philosophy, he turns to its refutation. Addressing the heretic he said, " You say that in the presence of your twenty-five principles, the character of the Soul is distinct and diverse but by intermingling with the other twenty-four it becomes substantially and intimately one. And you say that Nature (*Prakṛti*) is hypnotised by union with the three *guṇas* of *sattva*, *rajas* and *tamas*, and by intermingling of these three, is perfected the *mahat* and other twenty-three principles; thus you affirm that these twenty-three principles are perfected by the three *guṇas*. But if you constrain your *mahat* and the others, to lay hold of the three and so to become perfect, as in case of a crowd or a forest and without this intermingling they are false,—how then do you say that ‘all things are true?’