Jñāna-Yoga Path for Sāṅkhya-s (=Knowers) from Śaṅkara Gītā Commentary
II.21 The Knower (jñānin) has nothing to do with action.
(Question) What then has he to do?
(Answer) This is answered in III.3: ‘The Sāṅkhya-s should resort to jñāna-yoga.’
For the Knower and seeker of Liberation, who sees that the Self is actionless, there is qualification for renunciation-of-all-action alone (avikriyātma-darśino viduṣo mumukṣo ca sarva-karma- saṃnyāse eva adhikāra).
II.55 The Knower (vidvat), having renounced, makes efforts in jñāna-niṣṭhā.
The above quotations illustrate the path of Knowledge-yoga (jñāna-yoga). It begins with the rise of Knowledge, which distinguishes the Sāṅkhya. The path consists of (1) renunciation-of-action (saṃnyāsa): this renunciation is not necessarily of things, but is characterized as freedom from the notion ‘I do’; (2) establishment-in-Knowledge (jñāna-niṣṭhā), sustained meditations to throw off disturbances, by memory-illusions, of the naturally continuing current of Knowledge. When jñāna-niṣṭhā reaches its end (avasāna) in being-Brahman (anubhava), it is Freedom (mokṣa).
Here follow a few passages to illustrate Śaṅkara’s scheme. He does not spell out all the stages each time: for instance, saṃnyāsa may include jñāna-niṣṭhā.
Rise of Knowledge Saṃnyāsa jṅāna-nistha Moksa II.10,11 self-knowledge saṃnyāsa end of (atma-jña) jñānin-Sāṅkhya jṅāna-yoga samsara 21 seer of Self (ātma-darśin) saṃnyāsa 21 Knower=vidvat=Sāṅkhya saṃnyāsa by mind (5.13) 54,55 vidvat saṃnyāsa jṅāna-yoga-nistha Brahman satmādhi-sthii (2.56-72) 69 ātma-jña saṃnyāsa jñāna-niṣṭhā III intro. jṅāna saṃnyāsa jṅāna-nistha III.3 Sāṅkhya-ātma-jña saṃnyāsa jñāna-niṣṭhā Goal III.4 rise of Knowledge jñāna-niṣṭhā 17 Sāṅkhya Self-knower saṃnyāsin ātma-jñāna-niṣṭhā IV.39 jṅāna-labha quickly mokṣa V intro. ātma tattva-vid Self-knower saṃnyāsa jñāna- yoga -niṣṭhā Sāṅkhya saṃnyāsin jñāna-niṣṭhā jṅāna saṃnyāsa siddhi (perfection) V.4 Sāṅkhya-Knower saṃnyāsa 5 Sāṅkhya saṃnyāsin jñāna-niṣṭhā mokṣa 6 paramātma-jṅāna paramārthaka- paramitma- saṃnyāsa jñāna-niṣṭhā 12 jñāna-prāpati sarva-karma- jñāna-niṣṭhā peace saṃnyāsa moksa 13 paramārtha-darśin;vidvat mental saṃnyāsa rests happy 17 Sāṅkhya jñāna-niṣṭhā live in (S.2.69) Brahman 25 samyag-darśin saṃnyāsa Brahma- nirvāṇa 26,27 Samyag-darśana saṃnyāsa samyag- darsana mokṣa jñāna-prāpati niṣṭhā VIIl.16-18 jñānin samadhi on comes to tattva-vid I am Vāsudeva Me 19 jñāna-vat paripāka-jñāna comes to Me IX.22 paramārtha-darśin saṃnyāsin 'Lord as Self' (=jñāna-niṣṭhā, Ś on18.66) X.8 paramārtha- intense tattva-vid meditation (bhavana) X.10 samyag-darśana buddhi-yoga 11 jñāna withdrawal dhyāna vision bliss XII.4 jñānin saṃnyāsin meditation One with Me 5 paramātma- darśana jñāna-niṣṭhā mokṣa 10 jñāna-prāpti siddhi 12 samyag-darśin saṃnyāsa 13,14 jñānin (of 7.17) mumukṣu saṃnyāsa jñāna-niṣṭhā immortality -2.19 XIII.31 parainartha- paramahamsa jñāna-niṣṭhā darsin=Sāṅkhya parivrājaka XIV.1 jñāna saṃnyāsa manana-śīla mokṣa 23-25 ātma-vid = Sāṅkhya (3.5) saṃnyāsin mumukṣu 26,27 saṃnyāsin jñāna-niṣṭhā mokṣa jṅāna-yoga XVIII.3 tattva-vid = Sāṅkhya perceives no pain meditate: in Self 'I do nothing' 10 jṅāna mind-saṃnyāsa jñāna-niṣṭhā 12 paramārtha-darśin paramahamsa kevala-samyag- end of parivrājaka darśana-niṣṭhā saṃsāra 45,46 jñāna-niṣṭhā 49 jṅāna mind-saṃnyāsa jñāna-niṣṭhāa = naiṣkarmyasiddhi mokṣa