Tattvas

Tattva is a Sanskrit term meaning principle, truth, or essence; it is used in various Indian philosophical and religious traditions to denote fundamental realities or elements that together make up the world and experience. The word is often translated as “that-ness” or “principle.”

In Hindu philosophy, tattvas are a framework for understanding reality. In classical Samkhya, there are 25 tattvas comprising the manifest universe. The first two are Prakriti (primordial matter) and Purusha (conscious principle). Following them are Mahat (cosmic intellect) and Ahamkara (ego), then Manas (mind). The system further enumerates the fivejnana-indriyas (sense organs), the five karmendriyas (organs of action), the five tanmatras (subtle sense impressions), and the five mahabhutas (earth, water, fire, air, ether). These tattvas describe a progression from pure potential to concrete experience.

In Kashmir Shaivism, tattvas form a detailed cosmology of 36 principles describing the emanation of reality from pure consciousness to the physical world. The framework is used to explain the unity of existence and the pathways of realization through spiritual practice. The exact enumerations differ from Samkhya, but the core idea remains that reality unfolds through interconnected levels of principle.

In Jain philosophy, tattvas denote fundamental truths about reality and the path to liberation. Texts such as the Tattvartha Sutra describe a set of tattvas that include the soul (jiva), non-soul (ajiva), and the karmic and doctrinal categories that govern bondage and release. The Jain system emphasizes ethical conduct and knowledge as means to purify the tattvas and attain liberation.

Across traditions, tattvas provide a concise vocabulary for describing the composition and transformation of reality.