Sūtra 3.18

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Sūtra 3.18:

संस्कारसाक्षात्करणात् पूर्वजातिज्ञानम् ॥ ३.१८ ॥

saṃskārasākṣātkaraṇāt pūrvajātijñānam || 3.18 ||

Saṃskāra, of residual potencies, Sākṣāt Karaṇāt, by the bringing of into consciousness. pūrva—of previous, jāti—life: status. jñānam—knowledge.

18. By bringing residual-potencies into consciousness, the knowledge of previous life-states (jāti)—124.

The Sankhya-pravachana commentary of Vyasa

[English translation of the 7th century commentary by Vyāsa called the Sāṅkhya-pravacana, Vyāsabhāṣya or Yogabhāṣya]

[Sanskrit text for commentary available]

Residual potencies are two-fold,—those appearing as habits and causing memories and afflictions; and those appearing as virtue and vice and causing fruition. These are the unconscious characteristics of the mind-change (pariṇāma), activity (ceṣṭā), suppression (nirodha), ideation in action (śakti), physical life (jīvana), characterization (dharma), now appearing along with them as they have been potentialized in previous births. Saṃyama over these has the power of achieving the direct knowledge of the residual potencies. And their direct knowledge is not possible without the knowledge of space, time and operative cause. Thus is it that a Yogī brings into consciousness the previous life-states by obtaining direct knowledge of residual potencies. Similarly is obtained the knowledge of the life-states of others by obtaining direct knowledge of their residual potencies.

The following story is heard in this connection:—Bhagavān Jaigiṣavya obtained the knowledge of the distinction between the real and the unreal after he had seen the direct succession of live-changes during ten great creations by having obtained direct knowledge of his residual potencies. The holy Āvaṭya, having taken a body asked him: ‘You have lived and thereby become chastened through ten Great Kalpas. The essence of your Will-to-know has not been overpowered. You have experienced the troubles of life in hells, among animals and in wombs. You have been born again and again among men and gods. Have you through all this life experienced the greater quantity of pleasure or of pain,—which?

Jaigiṣava replied to Bhagavān Āvaṭya:—‘I have lived through ten great creations. My mental essence has not been overpowered. I have experienced the troubles of hell and animal life. I have been born again and again among men and gods. I consider all that 1 have experienced as pain only.’

Said the revered Āvaṭya:—‘This mastery of your reverence over the the First Cause and this invaluable joy of contentment of yours,—do you place these too to the credit of pain?

The revered Jaigiṣavya said—‘The joy of contentment is invaluable only in comparison with the pleasures of sensation. Compared to

the bliss of absolute freedom (kaivalya) it is pain only. The possession of the three qualities is of the nature of the essence of the Will-to-know and whatever is possessed of the three qualities is thrown to the side of avoidable pain. The chain of desire is of the nature of pain. It has been said that when the anxiety of the pain of desire is removed, then comes joy, calm, undisturbed, all-embracing.’—124.

The Gloss of Vachaspati Mishra

[English translation of the 9th century Tattvavaiśāradī by Vācaspatimiśra]

The residual potencies born of cognitions are the causes of memories. The potencies of Nescience, &c., are the causes of the fruition of the afflictions of Nescience, &c. Fruition has the form of life-state, life-experience and life-period. The causes have the forms of virtue and vice.

‘Potentialized in previous births’:—Brought about their causes in previous lifestates. The characteristics of the mind are change, activity, suppression, active ideation, physical life and characterization. Like them are these potentializations too unconscious. The characteristics have been heard about and inferred. Saṃyama performed over these along with their sub-heads has the power of producing the direct knowledge of both the residual potencies.

Well; if this be so, the two residual potencies may be directly known. But how can the previous life-states be known in this way? For this reason the Commentator says:—‘And their direct knowledge is not possible without the knowledge of space, time and operative cause.’ Operative cause is the former body and the organs of the powers of sensation and action. The meaning is that the knowledge of the residual potencies together with the circumstances of their fruition, is not different at all from the direct knowledge of life-state, &c. Now he says that the Saṃyama over one’s own potencies applies to others also:—‘Similarly is obtained the knowledge, &c.’

For the purpose of creating faith in this he relates the story of the dialogue between the revered Āvaṭya and Jaigiṣavya:—‘The following story, &c.’ The great Kalpa is the Great Creation.

‘Having taken a body’:—This means possessed of the glory of a Nirmānkāya. ‘Chastened’ denotes the state from which the dirt of Rajas and Tamas has been removed.

‘Mastery over the First Cause’ is godhead. It is by the possession of that, that he sets the Pradhāna, the First Cause, into motion and gives to whomsoever he pleases such powers of body and sense as he wishes; and having made for himself thousands of bodies and powers he goes about as he pleases in heaven, midheaven and earth.

Contentment is the destruction of desire, the characteristic of calmness of the essence of the Will-to-be.