Prakṛti
Sign in to savePrakriti ( ) is "the original or natural form or condition of anything, original or primary substance". It is a key concept in Hinduism, formulated by the Samkhya school, where it does not refer merely to matter or nature, but includes all cognitive, moral, psychological, emotional, sensorial and physical aspects of reality. Prakriti has three different innate qualities (guṇas), whose equilibrium is the basis of all empirical reality, which is in the form of the pancha bhutas (five basic elements) – Akasha, Vayu, Agni, Jala, and Prithvi. Prakriti contrasts with Puruṣa, which is pure awareness
Article
12 sectionsContents
- Etymology and meaning
- ''Pancha Prakriti''
- Samkhya
- Yoga Sutras
- Bhagavad Gita
- Vedanta
- Jainism
- See also
- References
- Citations
- Works cited
- External links
Prakriti ( ) is "the original or natural form or condition of anything, original or primary substance". It is a key concept in Hinduism, formulated by the Samkhya school, where it does not refer merely to matter or nature, but includes all cognitive, moral, psychological, emotional, sensorial and physical aspects of reality. Prakriti has three different innate qualities (guṇas), whose equilibrium is the basis of all empirical reality, which is in the form of the pancha bhutas (five basic elements) – Akasha, Vayu, Agni, Jala, and Prithvi. Prakriti contrasts with Puruṣa, which is pure awareness and metaphysical consciousness. The term is also found in the texts of other Indian religions such as Jainism and Buddhism.
==Etymology and meaning== Prakriti (Sanskrit: प्रकृति) is an early Indic concept meaning "making or placing before or at first, the original or natural form or condition of anything, original or primary substance". The term is discussed by Yāska (~600 BCE) in Nirukta, and is found in numerous Hindu texts. It connotes "nature, body, matter, phenomenal universe" in Hindu texts.