Question about gunas

[Afun 0]

Hi,

 

why are there 3 gunas and not 1 or 2, etc?

 

Regards

[suchandra 1]

 

Hi,

 

why are there 3 gunas and not 1 or 2, etc?

 

Regards

 

 

That's how this world was created, material nature consists of three modes, or gunas: sattva-guna, rajo-guna, and tamo-guna, or the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance - good, bad and something in between so to speak. Another meaning of guna is "rope" indicating that we are tied up by these ropes. Rope is made by twisting in three small strands, then three of them are twisted together, then again three of those are twisted together. In this way the rope becomes very strong. Similarly, the three modes of nature-goodness, passion, and ignorance-are mixed after which they produce some by-product. Then they are mixed again and then again. Thus they are "twisted together" innumerable times. Take for example swans they are tied up to live at clean lakes, mode of goodness, nothing could induce them to live at a garbage dump, mode of tamas, a place where crows like to live. So these gunas are really strong and pull us like marionettes. Why this specific type of gunas to pull us was installed, quality of work and desire for sensual pleasure activated in our past lifetimes.

 

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni

guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ

ahańkāra-vimūḍhātmā

kartāham iti manyate

 

SYNONYMS

 

prakṛteḥ — of material nature; kriyamāṇāni — being done; guṇaiḥ — by the modes; karmāṇi — activities; sarvaśaḥ — all kinds of; ahańkāra-vimūḍha — bewildered by false ego; ātmā — the spirit soul; kartā — doer; aham — I; iti — thus; manyate — he thinks.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of false ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature.

 

PURPORT

 

Two persons, one in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and the other in material consciousness, working on the same level, may appear to be working on the same platform, but there is a wide gulf of difference in their respective positions. The person in material consciousness is convinced by false ego that he is the doer of everything. He does not know that the mechanism of the body is produced by material nature, which works under the supervision of the Supreme Lord. The materialistic person has no knowledge that ultimately he is under the control of Kṛṣṇa. The person in false ego takes all credit for doing everything independently, and that is the symptom of his nescience. He does not know that this gross and subtle body is the creation of material nature, under the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such his bodily and mental activities should be engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The ignorant man forgets that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is known as Hṛṣīkeśa, or the master of the senses of the material body, for due to his long misuse of the senses in sense gratification, he is factually bewildered by the false ego, which makes him forget his eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

[gHari 0]

I remember how Srila Sridhara Maharaja would speak about the three leanings of the conditioned living entity: exploitation, renunciation, and dedication. In my mind they equate mechanically to the modes of passion, ignorance and goodness respectively. That is, passion to exploit the senses; ignorance to sleep to avoid the whole ordeal; goodness to engage in the eternal pastimes of the soul, in dedication to God.

[suchandra 1]

 

I remember how Srila Sridhara Maharaja would speak about the three leanings of the conditioned living entity: exploitation, renunciation, and dedication. In my mind they equate mechanically to the modes of passion, ignorance and goodness respectively. That is, passion to exploit the senses; ignorance to sleep to avoid the whole ordeal; goodness to engage in the eternal pastimes of the soul, in dedication to God.

Thanks gHari, it is amazinging how so many things develop out of the three modes. I remember having heard the example of the three modes are like the basic colours, red, blue and yellow. Out of these three colours, by mixing, millions of other colours can be generated. This is how the variety of the material world is created.

 

[Afun 0]

 

I remember having heard the example of the three modes are like the basic colours, red, blue and yellow. Out of these three colours, by mixing, millions of other colours can be generated. This is how the variety of the material world is created.

Why 3? Why not start with 2?

 

Can't we generate all other colours from just 2 basic colours?

 

( ttp://answers./question/index?qid=20060627172002AABv2xT, etc.)

 

Regards

[Bishadi 0]

 

Hi,

 

why are there 3 gunas and not 1 or 2, etc?

 

Regards

 

all material nature is comprised of the interrelation of 3 gunas.

 

in each sect of beliefs there are the interpretations of these three and what they are and how they relate.

 

What often confuses folk is how they are used to define selfishness or the isolation from existence.

 

these ideas are from the purports (see below)

 

IN one idea, often people associate the properties to food stuff while another suggests it is the basis to karma, and then another in the idea of how choices are made.

 

this shares how it has been confused

 

 

 

Chpt 7

 

Text 13

 

tribhir guna-mayair bhavair

ebhih sarvam idam jagat

mohitam nabhijanati

mam ebhyah param avyayam

 

 

 

Synonyms

tribhih--three; guna-mayaih--consisting of the gunas; bhavaih--by the states of being; ebhih--all these; sarvam--whole; idam--this; jagat--universe; mohitam--deluded; na abhijanati--does not know; mam--Me; ebhyah--above these; param--the Supreme; avyayam--inexhaustible.

 

Translation

Deluded by the three modes [goodness, passion and ignorance], the whole world does not know Me, who am above the modes and inexhaustible.

 

Purport

The whole world is enchanted by three modes of material nature. Those who are bewildered by these three modes cannot understand that transcendental to this material nature is the Supreme Lord, Krsna.

 

Every living entity under the influence of material nature has a particular type of body and a particular type of psychological and biological activities accordingly.

 

 

but there is another way to observe as well.

 

the corporeal, the spiritual and the transcendent; the trinity to existence.

 

i.e.... life exists within the three gunas of existence.

 

in a scientific frame, then mass (corporeal), energy (spirit) and time (transcendent). In which now the three can be combined with physical existence of comprehension.

 

 

here is another way of looking at it

 

 

chapter 13

Text 21

 

karya-karana-kartrtve

hetuh prakrtir ucyate

purusah sukha-duhkhanam

bhoktrtve hetur ucyate

 

 

Synonyms

karya--of effect; karana--and cause; kartrtve--in the matter of creation; hetuh--the instrument; prakrtih--material nature; ucyate--is said to be; purusah--the living entity; sukha--of happiness; duhkhanam--and distress; bhoktrtve--in enjoyment; hetuh--the instrument; ucyate--is said to be.

 

 

Translation

Nature is said to be the cause of all material causes and effects, whereas the living entity is the cause of the various sufferings and enjoyments in this world.

 

Purport

The different manifestations of body and senses among the living entities are due to material nature.

 

 

but then in another area see how the definition come together

 

 

chapt 14

 

Text 5

 

sattvam rajas tama iti

gunah prakrti-sambhavah

nibadhnanti maha-baho

dehe dehinam avyayam

 

 

Synonyms

sattvam--the mode of goodness; rajah--the mode of passion; tamah--the mode of ignorance; iti--thus; gunah--the qualities; prakrti--material nature; sambhavah--produced of; nibadhnanti--do condition; maha-baho--O mighty-armed one; dehe--in this body; dehinam--the living entity; avyayam--eternal.

 

Translation

Material nature consists of three modes--goodness, passion and ignorance. When the eternal living entity comes in contact with nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, he becomes conditioned by these modes.

 

Purport

The living entity, because he is transcendental, has nothing to do with this material nature. Still, because he has become conditioned by the material world, he is acting under the spell of the three modes of material nature. Because living entities have different kinds of bodies, in terms of the different aspects of nature, they are induced to act according to that nature. This is the cause of the varieties of happiness and distress.

 

 

Text 6

 

tatra sattvam nirmalatvat

prakasakam anamayam

sukha-sangena badhnati

jnana-sangena canagha

 

 

Synonyms

tatra--there; sattvam--the mode of goodness; nirmalatvat--being purest in the material world; prakasakam--illuminating; anamayam--without any sinful reaction; sukha--with happiness; sangena--by association; badhnati--conditions; jnana--with knowledge; sangena--by association; ca--also; anagha--O sinless one.

 

Translation

O sinless one, the mode of goodness, being purer than the others, is illuminating, and it frees one from all sinful reactions. Those situated in that mode become conditioned by a sense of happiness and knowledge.

 

food for thought

 

 

 

here is where i any one can find a little something to read on matters of such

 

http://www.iskcon.org/books/bg/bg.php?ch=2

 

enjoy

[Bart Happel 0]

Christian believe systems also speak of a unity of 3: the father, the son, and the holy ghost. The father is God, the son is men, and the holy ghost is some conscious state of men in between.

 

Kind regards, Bart

[Bishadi 0]

 

Christian believe systems also speak of a unity of 3: the father, the son, and the holy ghost. The father is God, the son is men, and the holy ghost is some conscious state of men in between.

 

Kind regards, Bart

 

even saw an idea

 

 

In classical literature (e.g. Mahabharata, Bhagavata Purana and Bhagavad Gita), a guṇa is an attribute of the five elements, five senses, and five associated body parts:

 

• ether, associated with the guṇa śábda ("sound") and with the ear.
  
• air, associated with the guṇa sparśa ("feeling") and with the skin.
  
• fire, associated with the guṇa rūpa ("appearance", and thus color and tangibility) and with the eye.
  
• water, associated with the guṇa rasa ("taste", and thus also flavor and tangibility, as well as shape) and with the tongue.
  
• earth, associated with all the preceding guṇas as well as the guṇa gandha ("smell") and with the nose.

or even

 

 

"The things that have evolved are many in number, and limited in space and name. The source is one, eternal and all-pervasive. The things evolved have activities and parts; the source is imminent in all, but has neither activities nor parts."

 

Kapila argued that the process of development of the unevolved is through the activities of three constituents of which it is made up, Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. These are called three Gunas.

 

 

The three constituents act essentially in close relation; they overpower and support one another, and intermingle with one another. They are like the constituents of a lamp, the flame, the oil, and wick.

 

When the three Gunas are in perfect balance, none overpowering the other

 

 

 

appears in most every culture on this earth, they have each tried to define the combining parts to existence.

 

Perhaps based in the same humble seeking to what makes us alive.

[gHari 0]

 

I remember how Srila Sridhara Maharaja would speak about the three leanings of the conditioned living entity: exploitation, renunciation, and dedication. In my mind they equate mechanically to the modes of passion, ignorance and goodness respectively. That is, passion to exploit the senses; ignorance to sleep to avoid the whole ordeal; goodness to engage in the eternal pastimes of the soul, in dedication to God.

 

A waste of time I guess: smart answers to dumb questions.

[Afun 0]

gHari,

sorry if you think like that.

Personally i find it like an information to (try to) remember but i do not understand it now...

[suchandra 1]

 

gHari,

sorry if you think like that.

Personally i find it like an information to (try to) remember but i do not understand it now...

 

 

Sri Sri Radha Govinda

 

Could be that there's no logical reason why there're three gunas. It is just created by Lord Krishna like that - with three modes/gunas. On the other hand the three gunas directly correspond with the material desires of the jivas, how the jivas want to lord it over the material nature. The whole spectrum of material desires of the jivas are thus being taken care of, good activities, bad actions and those in between. What else should there be too?

[weallshineon 0]

 

 

 

The Three Gunas

 

 

 

Guna: a constituent, strand, or dimension of prakrit

 

The Gunas, whose natures are pleasure, pain, and indifference,

(serve to) manifest, activate and limit.

They succesively dominate, support, activate, and interact with each other.

Sattwa is buoyant and shining

Rajas is stimulating and moving

Tamas is heavy and enveloping.

They function for the sake of purusha like a lamp

Sattwa - Samkhya: accounts for thought and intelligibility, experienced psychologically as pleasure, thinking, clarity, understanding and detachment. Classical Yoga: - when sattwa (purity, illumination through comprehension) predominates, consciousness manifests itself as prakhya - vivacity, illumination, mental clarity and serenity.

Rajas - accounts for motion, energy and activity. Experienced psychologically as suffering, craving and attachment. Classical Yoga: - when rajas (energy) predominates, consciousness is pravritti - active and energetic, tense and willful.

Tamas - accounts for restraint and inertia. Experienced psychologically as delusion, depression and dullness. Classical Yoga: - when tamas (obscurity, heaviness) predominates, consciousness is sthiti - inert, punged into a state of repose and torpor

As the three primary qualities of phenomenal nature (prakriti) and of embodied consciousness, the concept of the three gunas has had great influence, becaming a basic concept running through Hindu culture.

An analogy can be made with the gunas and the yin-yang polarity of Chinese thought. Sattwa clearly represents Yang, Tamas Yin, and Rajas has qualities of both. The three pillars or columns of the Kabbalistic tree is another example, although the correspondence is less clear. Both the central column of Balance and the right-hand column of Mercy would represent Sattwa, while the column of Severity on the left combines Rajas and Tamas.

[Bart Happel 0]

Yet another analogy: In physics, systems containing 2 particles (that interact by means of some force) can usually be solved analytically. 3-particle systems, however, can't be solved analytically. The behavior of such systems is called 'complex' and is beyond mathematical analysis.

 

Kind regards, Bart