To: K-list
Recieved: 1999/11/01 02:51
Subject: [K-list] gunas 2
From: Dharma deva
On 1999/11/01 02:51, Dharma deva posted thus to the K-list:
Literally translated, the word guna means "thread".
[ The better intepretation is binding principle. The loose interpretation
is rope. But that interpretation as with thread is generally intended to
convey less subtle concepts and for an audience who cannot appreciate the
more subtle context of the words]
In the context of Tantra, the gunas are three qualities inherent in
various
proportions in all things.
[yes, that is generally correct]
They are:
Sattva
This is the quality of light, truth and divinity. It is considered as the
quality of purity. It is usually symbolized by the color white.
Rajas
This is the quality of heat, passion and motion. It is usually symbolized
by
the color red.
Tamas
Tamas is the quality of darkness, inertia and ignorance. It is usually
symbolized by the color black.
All material things are considered to possess some mixture of these three
qualities; no material thing is purely one of the three.
[Largely OK.
Some further explanation is needed though.
As the result of the initial impact of the Operative
Force (Prakrti) on the witnessing Purusottama (Divine Consciousness
seeeing
all thing), there awakens in the Supreme Consciousness
the sense of existence, which, in the language of philosophy
is called Mahattattva, and the Operative Force concerned,
whereby this Mahattattva comes into being is called
Sattvaguna or the Sentient Principle of Prakrti.
Guna means
binding principle.
The second impact of the operative Force
of Prakrti results in the sense of doer-ship or authorship.
This changed expression of the Purusa (Cosmic Consciousness) is called
Ahamtattva
or 'doer I' and the Operative Force concerned is called
Rajoguna or the Mutative Principle of Prakrti.
Finally,
through the greater impact of the Operative Force of
Prakrti, in the wake of her successive attacks comes the
crudest objectivity or complete objectivation of Purusa (The
crudest objective counterpart of the subjective cosmos).
This condition of the Purusa is called Citta or mind stuff.
The Operative Force concerned, whereby such objectivation
takes place, is called Tamoguna or Static Principle of
Prakrti.
That is to say, with the onset of desire and
attachment (Pravrtti) the centrifugal action (Saincara)
issues right from one and the same Purusa through the
gradual process of the binding principles (Gunas).
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symbol.