[INDOLOGY] Silent witness

[Dipak Bhattacharya]

30
3 13
Re:
Sākṣi-caitanya
Dear
Colleague,
I
hesitated to comment so far for self-evident reasons. I shall be glad if the
following could be of any use to those who are interested. 
The
concept of sākṣi-caitanya, lit. ‘witness consciousness’ frequently occurs in
traditional Indian philosophical parlance, particularly in the mixed Vedānta-Sāṅkhya
circles. As far as I know there has been no extensive treatment of the matter
in English. But Jhalakikar’s Nyāyakośa (BORI 1928) treats it in sufficient
detail under ’Sākṣī’. His discussion is in Sanskrit.
In
the 16th-17th cent. the sākṣī was understood as pure
consciousness with ‘upādhi’ on the universal plane, while in the individual
plane it was consciousness endowed with mind. This interpretation will be found
in the Vedāntaparibhāṣā. For obvious reasons the Sāṅkhya-Yoga concepts are
different. 
Long
ago (1984) I hesitatingly noted that the idea of ‘witness-god’ had been apprehended
in the ritual-cosmogonic hymns of the Atharvaveda, particularly in the concept
of Vena and some other concepts of unsystematized philosophy.  Edgerton did not have any such idea. And my
idea did not create much impression among the scholars concerned, excepting
mildly in India. The matter, along with many accompanying concepts, was mostly received
by reviewers (Karel Werner JRAS April 87, Mylius JIP) as too obscure.
I
hope this will not be taken as shameless self-promotion, the fear that kept me
in check so long. The story is one of defeat
Best
DB
                                                                                                           



________________________________
 From: patrick mccartney <psdmccartney at gmail.com>
To: indology at list.indology.info 
Sent: Friday, 29 March 2013 12:28 PM
Subject: [INDOLOGY] Silent witness
 

Dear List, 
I am seeking clarification of the term from yoga /vedanta  known as the silent witness. 
In several modern yoga textbooks I  have so far found only a poor  transliteration as sakshi dreer.
Could someone please confirm whether it is actually sAkSin + indriya, or something else.
I would also appreciate knowing in what texts it is mentioned.
Thanks
Patrick McCartney
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