9. "consciousness": purusha. In Sankhya philosophy, the universe is divided into two parts: nature (prakriti), which consists of the combination of the three qualities (triguna), and consciousness (purusha). Consciousness is many separate consciousnesses (you and me, for instance) and can intervene in the process of nature. Of the two, however, consciousness is above nature. Although consciousness is under the illusion of being a part of nature, the goal of consciousness is to be liberated from nature.