AAP 2026 CONFERENCE

The Sāṁkhyakārikā is one of the classical texts of the Sāṁkhya philosophy. In this text, the concept of Puruṣa is regarded as 'a pure conscious being' and the ultimate reality of the universe. It relates to Prakṛti for an evolution. During evolution, if a living creature is created, an element of Puruṣa is believed to be embedded in it, i.e., life/consciousness. Since many living creatures exist on the earth, a plurality of selves exist. We consider a living creature (i.e., a person) a 'narrative self.' In contrast to a narrative self, we regard Puruṣa as the 'minimal self.' Against this backdrop, the paper examines the minimal self's origin, nature, and function. It elucidates the differences between the 'minimal self' and a 'narrative self.' It analyzes Sāṁkhyakārikā's arguments about the minimal self and narrative self by relating them to Dan Zahavi's and Shaun Gallagher's interpretations of the minimal and narrative self. The paper illustrates transcendental and empirical consciousness by considering the minimal and narrative selves. In the end, the paper submits that the minimal self is a prerequisite for the existence of a narrative self, and they have an inherence relation to their subsistence.