 The Sāṃkhya theory of evolution has been described as teleological because on this view the entire process of evolution takes place for the sake of the enjoyment and liberation of puruṣa, the pure Self. As such, puruṣa stands outside the process of evolution. When puruṣa is reflected in the first evolute of Ur-Nature, cosmic intelligence, it conflates its own identity with the first evolute and appears to have enjoyment and suffering. When it once again comes to realise its own nature by attaining discriminatory knowledge, it is liberated. Certainly there are problems in the Sāṃkhya admission of a conscious but inactive principle, puruṣa. Puruṣa is eternal and ubiquitous like prakṛti, but if these two are always in contact the start of the creation process remains inexplicable. Again, it is not easy to understand why Ur-Nature should ensnare the pure self into bondage and then liberate it through discriminatory knowledge. Sāṃkhya philosophers say that the enjoyment of the pure self is a sham enjoyment, and so is the liberation because the pure self is eternally free. Then, however, the teleology loses its force, something that is perhaps inevitable because the Sāṃkhya teleology had always been proto-naturalistic, as is evident from two examples used in the literature. Just as non-sentient cow-milk flows merely from its own nature for the nourishment of the young calf and non-sentient rain clouds naturally yield rain for the sustenance of life on earth, so Ur-Nature ensnares the pure self for the latter’s enjoyment and liberation. The Sāṃkhya theory has never upheld a conscious teleology, rather it has spoken of the natural directedness of Ur-Nature and its evolutes towards satisfaction of another’s need.