Samkhya or Sankya (/ˈsɑːŋkjə/; Sanskrit सांख्य), IAST: sāṅkhya) is a dualistic school of Indian philosophy. It views reality as composed of two independent principles, puruṣa ('consciousness' or spirit); and prakṛti, (nature or matter, including the human mind and emotions). Puruṣa is the witness-consciousness. It is absolute, independent, free, beyond perception, above any experience by mind or senses, and impossible to describe in words.