FREE online courses on Concepts of Ayurveda - Samanya
The term Samanya refers to the 'community'
or the 'general' to which the 'thing' belongs. It represents our notion of the
'genus' and is also know as 'Jati' Samanya connotes the qualities and features
shared in common by many 'objects' or 'things'. Charaka describes Samanya
(general) as, " the cause of increase of all things and at all times, and the
general combine, for, the element of agreement is the general."
The term 'Samanya' is, therefore, used to
signify 'identity' or 'sameness' between 'concepts and 'things'. True identity
is the 'sameness' or 'oneness' of things as they are Samanya is responsible for
increase of the concerned Bhavas.
Samanya is of two kinds viz.,
(i) Para - Samanya, and
(ii) Apara - Samanya.
Para - Samanya, ( the 'higher' ) in modern
parlance, corresponds to 'Gunas,' and the Apara Samanya, (the 'lower') to
'species.
