In the ancient Indian philosophical school of Samkhya, it is said that there are 3 forces penetrating the universe and all its inhabitants. These forces are known as the three gunas. The three gunas can be found woven through ancient scriptures for centuries. They are described in The Yoga Sutras, Charaka Samhita, Carakavarttika, The Bhagavad Gita and The Upanishads and they come up in many more places too. In this article, I will explore the three gunas as they are recorded in The Samkhya Karika, a 2nd-century BCE text, which states they are responsible for the creation, maintenance, and destruction of this universe.
The three gunas are sattva, rajas and tamas. They are believed to be the driving forces behind the universe and all of life. Sattva is linked with purity, harmony, balance, and wisdom. It is considered to be the highest of the three gunas and is associated with spiritual development and enlightenment. Rajas is connected to activity, passion, and desire. It is considered to be the middle of the gunas and is associated with our experiences of pleasure and pain. Tamas is related to darkness, inertia, and ignorance. It is considered to be the lowest of the three and is associated with the experience of delusion and suffering. According to the Samkhya philosophy, the balance of the gunas in an individual's mind and body determines their physiological state. A balance of sattva leads to spiritual development and enlightenment, an excess of rajas leads to suffering, and an excess of tamas leads to ignorance and delusion. According to the Samkhya Karika, a key text in the tradition, "When the three Gunas are in equilibrium, the embodied self attains steadfastness, intelligence and happiness" (SK 14).
One way to achieve balance is through the practice of yoga, which is said to purify the mind. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, another key text in the tradition, states that, "Yoga is the restraint of the fluctuations of the mind" (YS 2.1) and "the fluctuations of the mind are of five kinds, and are either painful or painless" (YS 2.11). The five fluctuations are described as the natural states or movements of the mind, which include:
Pramana: Correct knowledge or perception
Viparyaya: Mistaken or false knowledge
Vikalpa: Imagination or fantasy
Nidra: Sleep
Smriti: Memory
According to Patanjali, an Indian sage from the 2nd Century, the mind is constantly in a state of flux, and these fluctuations are caused by the influence of the three gunas. Patanjali suggests that Sattva, associated with the state of the mind when it is clear, balanced and calm, corresponds to two of the fluctuations of the mind: Pramana (correct knowledge) and Smriti (memory).
Rajas is associated with the state of the mind when it is active, dynamic, and driven by desire, and it is said to correspond to the next two fluctuations of the mind: Viparyaya and Vikalpa.
Tamas is associated with the state of the mind when it is dull, heavy and inactive, and it is said to correspond to the last fluctuation of the mind: Nidra (sleep).
Often, an advanced goal of yoga is to achieve the balance between the three gunas. By doing so, one can reach a state of inner peace and the higher goals of yoga; a cessation of the fluctuations of the mind and the attainment of Samadhi: a deep meditative state.
Meditation, self-reflection, and other spiritual practices contribute to balancing the gunas. By becoming more aware of one's thoughts, emotions, and behaviour, we can learn to recognise when we need to make conscious efforts to adapt our behaviour.
According to the Samkyha Krita, a consistent balance of the gunas leads to spiritual liberation, named Kaivalya. This is described as, "the state of absolute freedom and separation from all association with pain" (SK 17).
In Samkhya philosophy, the gunas correspond to the concepts of Prakriti and Purusha. Prakriti is the principle of material nature and is considered to be the source of all physical matter. Purusha is the principle of consciousness and is considered to be the unchanging and eternal observer of the material world.
The three gunas are considered to be the essential qualities of Prakriti and are said to be the building blocks of the material universe. According to Samkhya Karika, "The three Gunas are the causes of the origin, preservation and destruction of this whole [universe]" (SK 4).
Prakriti and Purusha are said to be in a state of eternal separation and only interact with each other through the medium of the mind. The three gunas are said to be responsible for the interaction between Prakriti and Purusha and are said to influence the mind, which in turn, affects the relationship between the two principles. The balance or imbalance of the three gunas in the mind can lead to different states of consciousness.
Additionally, the ultimate goal of Samkhya philosophy is to achieve a state of balance between the three gunas, and a state of separation between Prakriti and Purusha, in which the individual's consciousness can transcend the material world and attain the state of pure awareness and liberation. The concept of the three gunas can be considered central to yoga. One way that the three gunas are applied in yoga is through the practice of asanas or physical postures. Each asana is said to have a specific effect on the three gunas, with some postures being grounding and centring, while others are more energizing and stimulating.
The practice of pranayama, or breath control, is said to affect the three gunas. Certain breathing techniques balance the gunas and bring about a state of inner calm and balance.
Meditation is another spiritual practice that is related to the concept of the three gunas. The goal of meditation is to still the mind and achieve a state of inner peace. Whilst practising meditation, people may find it useful to use the three gunas to map and explore their experiences.
Additionally, some spiritual practices such as self-study and discrimination, surrender and devotion, and service and devotion, are also believed to bring balance to the three gunas and lead to spiritual liberation.
It is important to note that the balance of the three gunas is considered a dynamic process. The goal of yoga and spiritual practices is not to eliminate any of the gunas, but to balance them so that the individual can experience a higher state of consciousness.
In Samkhya philosophy, sattva, rajas, and tamas play an important role in the process of evolution and liberation. According to the Samkhya doctrine, evolution begins with the coming together of Prakriti and Purusha, which causes the three gunas to become active and give rise to the material universe. The three gunas are said to be in a state of constant flux, with one guna prevailing at any given time.
According to Samkhya, the mind and intellect develop and mature through time. This allows the individual to increasingly discriminate between the real and the unreal, and to understand the true nature of Prakriti and Purusha. This understanding, in full effect, leads to the liberation of the individual from the cycle of birth and death, and the attainment of a state of pure awareness and spiritual enlightenment.
Notes on Translations The Karika is a scripture from the Samkhya tradition of ancient Indian philosophy, and it has been translated into English several times throughout history. One of the earliest English translations of the Samkhya Karika was completed by the British Indologist, Brian H. Hodgson, in 1832. This translation was done from the original Sanskrit text, and was published as a part of Hodgson's "Essays on the Languages, Literature, and Religion of Nepal and Tibet."
In 1884, an English translation of the Samkhya Karika was done by the British Indologist, James R. Ballantyne, and it was published as a part of his "Samkhya Philosophy" book. In 1927, another translation was done by the Indologist, Gerald James Larson, which was published in his "Samkhya: A Dualist Tradition in Indian Philosophy."
In 2003, a new translation of the Samkhya Karika was done by the Indian philosopher, Vijnana Bhikṣu, and it was published as "Sāṃkhya-Kārikā of Īśvarakṛṣṇa: A Critical Edition". More recently, in 2016, another English translation of the Samkhya Karika was done by the Indian philosopher and translator, Dr Rajendra Prasad Dwivedi, it was published as "Samkhya Karika of Ishvarakrishna: A New Translation."
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