The role of the three Gunas in the Hindu vision of the Cosmos
To tackle this question we need to look at the way in which the Gunas are incorporated into the Hindu vision of the Cosmos. I will base a lot of my essay on the Bhagavad-Gita.
The three gunas, exist in all beings and govern the events of the world. They are sattva (goodness, virtue), rajas (power, passion) and tamas (dullness, inertia). All earthly events, like the laws of nature, are guided by one of the three gunas or a combination of some of them. There should be a balance between them for harmonious workings of the world. Disequilibria will lead to chaos, war, suffering, corruption and destruction. The concept of gunas is well documented in Sri Krishna's rendition of the sermon (Bhagavad-Gita) to Arjuna in the battlefield of Kurukshetra
In the fourteenth chapter of the Gita, Lord Krishna gives us a very detailed description and definition of the three gunas.
'Sattva is pure, without impurities, illuminating and free from sickness. It binds the soul through attachment with happiness and knowledge. Rajas is full of passion and is born out of intense desire and attachment. It binds the soul through attachment with action. Tamas is the darkness and the crudeness in man. It is born of ignorance and is the cause of delusion. It binds the soul through recklessness, indolence and sleep.'
The three gunas compete among themselves for supremacy while they exist in the beings. Sattva exists by suppressing Rajas and Tamas. Rajas exist by suppressing Sattva and Tamas. And Tamas by suppressing both Sattva and Rajas.
In the eighteenth chapter we come across detailed description of how men with these three qualities act and behave differently and engage themselves in different religious and spiritual activities.
The purpose of such a big description of these three qualities in the Gita is not to encourage us to become sattvic or eliminate other qualities. The gunas whether it is sattva or rajas or tamas, are part of Prakriti and are responsible for our illusion and all suffering on earth. The Gita therefore aims to make us free from these qualities completely by making us clearly understand the nature of these qualities and how they tend to keep us in bondage and illusion. Even cultivation of "sattva" is not an end in itself. It is the only ...
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The purpose of such a big description of these three qualities in the Gita is not to encourage us to become sattvic or eliminate other qualities. The gunas whether it is sattva or rajas or tamas, are part of Prakriti and are responsible for our illusion and all suffering on earth. The Gita therefore aims to make us free from these qualities completely by making us clearly understand the nature of these qualities and how they tend to keep us in bondage and illusion. Even cultivation of "sattva" is not an end in itself. It is the only the means to rise above passion and lack of knowledge and so achieve self-realization through the cleanliness of the mind and the heart. One should forget that it it actually binds us to the human world through its tendency to attach itself to happiness and knowledge. It is but an instrument of Prakriti, intended to serve its purpose, by keeping us chained to the earthly life, under the sovereign control of its false master. Hence one should go beyond these three gunas and attain immortality and freedom from birth, death, old age and sorrow.
'What are the qualities of the person who has transcended these three gunas? how does he behave and how does he does he actually achieve it? When a man overcomes the three gunas, he neither likes illumination, activity and delusion when present nor dislikes when they are absent.' He remains unshaken, unconcerned, knowing that the gunas are carrying out their actions.'
Prakriti has three constituent gunas. Combinations of these gunas in various proportions tie the individual soul to the worldly objects, and delude him to think that he is a kind of body-mind complex. Further, depending on the predominance or preponderance of a particular guna, the individual soul manifests different qualities in his/her nature.
"Of these sattva being immaculate, is illumining and flawless; it binds the soul through self-identification with happiness and wisdom.", "Rajas, which is of the nature of passion, as born of cupidity and attachment, binds the soul through attachment for action and their fruits." And lastly, "Tamas deludes all embodied beings, as born of ignorance; and it binds through error, sloth, and inertia ."
Every soul has inherent predominance of one or more gunas, and the combination changes with time and place giving rise to different natural reactions at different time and in different place. Sometimes sattva prevails making the person happy and elated, pure and selfless, while when rajas rules, suppressing sattva and tamas, with passion and action as the dominant natural tendency. Tamas leads to lethargy, delusion, and vices.
The three Gunas are related to the caste system of India. With this system those at the lower end will have no chance to upgrade themselves, as the upper class only can be rulers, priest, study scriptures and writing. The lower class has to listen to what the upper class priests say and preach, whether right or wrong.
In all Hindu traditions the Universe is said to precede not only humanity but also the gods. Fundamental to Hindu concepts of time and space is the notion that the external world is a product of the creative play of maya (illusion). Accordingly the world as we know it is not solid and real but illusionary. The universe is in constant flux with many levels of reality; the task of the saint is find release (moksha) from the bonds of time and space.
They are basically a state of mind. Tamas or inertia, binds the spirit by laziness, ignorance and too much sleep. Tamas attaches you to ignorance by hiding knowledge from you. Tamas dominates by suppressing Rajas (activity) and Sattva (goodness). Ignorance, laziness, carelessness, and delusion arise when Tamas is predominant. If you die while Tamas rules, you are reborn again as a Taamasika person (someone in whom Tamas is ruling). If you do anything while Tamas is ruling in your life, the consequence will be ignorance.
Rajas or selfish activity is seen in people that are chasing materialistic or egocentric dreams. Rajas binds you to action. Rajas rules by suppressing Tamas and Sattva. Greed, activity, restlessness, passion, and the doing of selfish works arise when Raja is ruling in your life. If you die while Rajas rules in your life, you are re-incarnated as a person in which Rajas rules. The consequence of Raajasika action (a selfish action) is pain. Raajasika persons are reborn in the mortal world, or earth.
Sattva or goodness is calm and clear. If Sattva rules in a person, they always do the right thing. Sattva binds the spirit to the body with happiness and knowledge. Sattva rules by suppressing Rajas and Tamas. When goodness and wisdom are present in your whole being, flows out from your whole self - then Sattva is ruling. If you die while Sattva rules in your life, you go to heaven, the pure world where the knowers of the Supreme live. The consequence of Saatvika action (a good action) is pure. Knowledge comes from Sattva. Those who are established in Sattva go to heaven.
The Hindus treat the Gunas a cyclical motion of birth, life and rebirth. They are the qualities that are forever inherent in your everyday life. They like samsara, which is the endless cycle of becoming, exist as a never-ending principle.
Those who can conquer the Gunas, according to the Bhagavad Gita, get to abide in the eternal Happiness. When you realise that you can conquer the Gunas, you are free from birth, old age, disease and death.
When you are completely free from the Gunas, you are neither a Saatvika, or Raajasika or Taamasika person. When you can stand above the Gunas and see everything as one, for example: you treat everybody the same way, stone or gold are the same to you, one is not more precious than the other. When you do not become proud because people praise you, or angry when they disgrace you, you treat enemies and friends alike. When you have managed to do all these, it is said that you have overcome the Gunas.
Bibliography
Essays on the Gita- Sri Aurobindo
Hinduism-Biardeau
A survey of Hinduism- Klaus Kloustermaier
www.bbc.co.uk
The role of the three Gunas in the Hindu vision of the Cosmos.
0257078 8/12/02
