Tracing Back to Samkhya Philosophy

The theoretical core of the practice of Ayurveda is allied with the four principle Vedas, the substance of which is carefully expounded in a six-pronged approach. These six limbs or angas, as they are called, refer to the six Darshanas or perceptions of the Vedas that explicate the philosophy of the Vedas in a rationalistic approach. They are Nyaya, Vaiseshika, Samkhya, Mimamsa, Yoga and Vedanta.

Ayurveda mainly draws to a large extent from the first three and to a lesser extent from the others. Thus the philosophical orientation of Ayurveda is through Samkhya, which is based on the theory of transformation. Propounded by Sage Kapila, it is derived from two Sanskrit words ‘sat’ (truth) and ‘khya’ (to know). It does not acknowledge a creator or an act of creation. It explains existence as a mutual relationship between two basic principles – Purusha and Prakruti.