To try to talk about something basically unknown to another person presents a rather difficult challenge. As such, one needs to first initiate the unfamiliar person into the new field of study. In this endeavour it’s always helpful to begin from the direct experience of the audience and then try to apply the new information to their experience. As such, in introducing my subject of study, let me begin by posing the following question:
What are the underlying causes behind the great variety of physical and psychological conditions and attributes we daily experience in life?
We see so many species on earth, in the sky and in the water. We meet people of different personality types, some are similar to us, and some are not. Sometimes we feel alert, peaceful and happy, and everything in life runs smoothly. Other times we feel restless and impulsive and our life is in turmoil. Again, at other occasions we don’t feel like doing anything. We are lazy and everything seems to be so difficult to do. We might feel unhappy and prefer to just go to sleep. What causes all this conditions and changes?
We see so many species on earth, in the sky and in the water. We meet people of different personality types, some are similar to us, and some are not. Sometimes we feel alert, peaceful and happy, and everything in life runs smoothly. Other times we feel restless and impulsive and our life is in turmoil. Again, at other occasions we don’t feel like doing anything. We are lazy and everything seems to be so difficult to do. We might feel unhappy and prefer to just go to sleep. What causes all this conditions and changes?
In studying Indian philosophy we encounter a concept referred to as “the three Gunas”. These are sattva, rajas and tamas. We read that the gunas are associated in a very fundamental way with material nature (prakriti), and that they exert their influence in both the physical and the psychological realm. The theme of the three gunas thus occupies a central position, especially in the system of Sankhya. Nevertheless, the topic is rather obscure, and it is my intention to get a better hold of it through this assignment.
The system of Yoga is seen to be closely related to that of Sankhya as the metaphysical knowledge put forth by the Sankhya system constitutes to a large degree its intellectual content. As such, I will also look into how the three-gunas scheme is adopted within the system of Yoga.
Prakriti & Puruna
Prakriti & Puruna
As these two categories have a central position in the topic at hand, let us start by first defining them.The word prakriti (fr. pra, “before” + ka-, “to make, produce”) denotes a primary substance or original source. Prakriti is Nature, the insentient, passive power for creating the material world. All physical bodies are derived from it.
Distinguished from prakriti is the principle of consciousness or the puruna. It accounts for the experience of matter, as opposed to the structures of matter. Purana is the knowing self and prakriti is the object which is known. Puranas are innumerable. For the upcoming discussion on the three gunas of material nature, it’s important to keep in mind the distinction between matter and spirit.
Sankhya is one of the six schools of Indian philosophy and is regarded as the oldest amongst them. The Sankhya system is atheistic. It does not admit an intelligent creator of the world. Furthermore, the objective and the ultimate ideal of Sankhya philosophy is the eradication of the three kinds of pain and the attainment of spiritual aloofness (kaivalya), or separation from prakriti, by the purana.
I will not study the three-guna scheme in the context of the classical Sankhya philosophy, but according to the philosophy of Vedanta, as it is expounded by the Bhagavata creed. The latter recognizes a super-soul (uttama-purana), who is recognized as the source of both matter and consciousness. According to the Vedanta philosophy, prakriti is always under the control of the uttama-puruna. It cannot do anything by itself. The uttama-puruna gazes at prakriti, and only then it is put in motion, and it begins to create. Prakriti is only a helper (sahakarin) in the process of creation. Furthermore, separation from prakriti is not conceived here as the ultimate ideal, but only as a means to an end. The goal of life, as represented by the Bhagavata creed, is the attainment of unswerving devotion to a personal God, celebrated as Vasudeva .
I will not study the three-guna scheme in the context of the classical Sankhya philosophy, but according to the philosophy of Vedanta, as it is expounded by the Bhagavata creed. The latter recognizes a super-soul (uttama-purana), who is recognized as the source of both matter and consciousness. According to the Vedanta philosophy, prakriti is always under the control of the uttama-puruna. It cannot do anything by itself. The uttama-puruna gazes at prakriti, and only then it is put in motion, and it begins to create. Prakriti is only a helper (sahakarin) in the process of creation. Furthermore, separation from prakriti is not conceived here as the ultimate ideal, but only as a means to an end. The goal of life, as represented by the Bhagavata creed, is the attainment of unswerving devotion to a personal God, celebrated as Vasudeva .