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Three Gunas

Sattva-Rajas-Tamas. Equilibrium-Distraction-Inertia. Neutral-Active-Passive. Neutral-Positive-Negative. Intelligence-Motions-Body. Virtue-Passion-Darkness. Neutral-Subject-Object. Witness-Agent-Matter.

Prakriti is matter, Purusa is Spirit, and Gunas are modes or attributes. Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas are white, red and black.

Unmanifested Prakriti holds these three qualities in equilibrium, in which Rajas and Tamas are merged into Sattva. In manifestation, the three qualities differentiate, with Sattva giving rise to the mind, Rajas generating the life force and Tamas creating form and substances through which the physical body comes into being.

Sattva, Rajas and Tamas are compared to a tricycle with Sattva and Tamas forming the rear right and left wheels and Rajas forms the front wheel. If the front wheel moves to the right, Positive valence of Sattva is dominant and if it moves to the left, the negative valence of Tamas is dominant.

Purusa is weak in its limbs and has vision and consciousness, and the Prakriti is blind but has the brawn and the brute strength. The all-seeing Purusa rides on the shoulders of the muscular Prakriti. Prakriti is unthinking and its products are unconscious; Purusa has the vision and consciousness and therefore we become aware of Prakriti. When Purusa is riding on the shoulders of Prakriti, it deludes itself into thinking that it acts and does the walk. Buddhi (discerning intellect) and Manas (Mind), and other products of Prakriti, are unconscious elements, but are the instruments of Purusa’s consciousness. When Buddhi decides on a course of action under the aegis of Purusa, the Indriyas (organs) carry out the order and do the work. Purusa is the King and sits at the top of hierarchy, Buddhi is the Prime Minister, the Manas is the commander-in-chief, and the Indriyas are the workers, soldiers, or bureaucrats.

Prakrti consists of three gunas and reflects Brahman. Prakrti having Pure Sattva Guna is Maya; Prakrti having all Gunas is Avidya; Consciousness, reflected in Maya Mirror, is called Isvara; Consciousness, reflected in Avidya Mirror, is Jiva. Brahman with Maya is Isvara; Brahman with Avidya–ignorance– is Jiva or individual soul. Isvara has two sides, transcendent and immanent; He is transcendent when he is Brahman, He is immanent when he creates the world. Brahman is beyond human thought and imagination, as human beings are beyond the imagination of a worm. Since Avidya has many combinations and permutations by virtue of its Gunas, the Jiva has many aspects or modes of behavior.

Other Correspondences of the Three Gunas:

Color
1. Sattva – White, purity and harmony
2. Rajas – Red, action and passion
3. Tamas – Black, darkness and delusion

Time
1. Sattva – Day, clarity
2. Rajas – Sunrise and Sunset, twilight, transition
3. Tamas – Night, darkness

Energy
1. Sattva – neutral or balanced
2. Rajas – positive, sets things in motion
3. Tamas – negative, retards motion

Worlds
1. Sattva – heaven or space, the region of peace
2. Rajas – atmosphere, the region of storms
3. Tamas – earth, the realm of gravity and inertia

Levels of Cosmos
1. Sattva – causal or ideal
2. Rajas – subtle or astral, pure form
3. Tamas – gross or physical

Kingdoms of Nature
1. Sattva – spiritual beings: Gods, Goddesses and sages
2. Rajas – human realm
3. Tamas – mineral, plant and animal kingdoms

States of Consciousness
1. Sattva – waking
2. Rajas – dream
3. Tamas – deep sleep