The 3 Gunas

Wisdom Teachings
The 3 Gunas

The birth of a universe is described as a wave on the surface of the Absolute. The Absolute itself is beyond all attributes, but with the first impulse Nature emerges and differentiates into three qualities: Dynamism, inertia and poise. They are also called the three Gunas, Rajas, Tamas and Sattva. Their interrelations bring about the different patterns of creation.

Dynamism works as the creative principle, inertia as the matter-forming principle. It brings about the various properties of the elements and compounds. Through this principle everything follows its own nature. On the vital and mental planes it forms the habits of the beings. Sattva causes the equilibrium between the two other forces, it is related to rhythm and the pulsating principle.

The three principles of consciousness related to them are activity (Rajas) Love/Wisdom (Sattva) and Will (Tamas, the dissolving force). Their colours are golden yellow, blue and red. In the eastern teachings they correspond to Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, and Siva the Destroyer.

The bodily functions and the vital force in man are created according to the blends of the three qualities. They cause the bodily functions as three whirlpools of forces. One whirlpool produces precipitation of matter through the construction of the cell tissues. Another whirlpool produces combustion; it decomposes the cell tissues to use the calories to work out the functions of the body. The third whirlpool creates the peristalsis of the matter and thus brings about the poise between the two others. Tamas is especially related to the physical body; from Rajas the mind and the sensory functions are born and from Sattva intelligence and understanding. When we develop conditions to maintain Sattva, our intelligence will be constructive and our logic leads us to truth.

In a poised state the three qualities work as an equilateral triangle; the forces are in harmony, the awareness is undisturbed and the soul radiates through the personality. When we lose the thread of equipoise, we get onto the sideways of inertia or of hyper-activity. Like a pebble thrown into a still lake creating ripples, over-activity creates a disturbance of the equilibrium in some area of life and the sense of be-ness gets lost. Excessive activity and inertia are distortions and cause entanglements in life.

At present the entire humanity is charged with over-activity, especially the big cities. Everything is done in excess. We eat and consume more than required. Everywhere there is a competition to outdo others and to overstep laws and norms. Whether it is the conquest of foreign countries, the proselytization of other people or the conquest of new markets through economy, in all you see over-activity.

Over-activity has a possessive attitude: possessing property, riches and power, controlling people or ideas. Progress is measured according to possession rather than awareness. The illusion of “mine” creates at the same time also fear to lose property or people.

Another quality of an over-active person is that he or she doesn’t do anything without a motive. There is always a hidden, selfish motive driving them to action and presenting themselves differently from what they are. Over-active people tend to manipulate others. They suffer from continuous strain, sleeplessness and fear of loss, this being particularly strong with people who have abused society. Over-active persons get into all kinds of indulgences, of which they are even proud – concerning eating, drinking, or sex. Here we quickly think of friends and acquaintances considering them to be over-active, but it is better to look into ourselves in order to see where we have to adjust ourselves.

People in whom inertia is prevalent lose their inner brightness. With all activities they ask themselves: “Why should I do it?” They have a strange logic which makes them distort things. Inertial leads to a lack of activity, lack of understanding and a wrong presentation. This causes many mistakes. Unconsciousness is a quality of inertia; we experience it in sleep. This way the body compensates again the over-activity of the day. Too little activity leads to forgetfulness, to delaying things and missing opportunities. For such a person the most important is that he can sleep and eat well and has to work as little as possible. Over-active individuals tend to come too early, inert persons come late, poised ones at the right time.

Many people fall asleep when meditating or when wisdom classes are given. For through meditation or wisdom teachings light is conveyed, their body tissues, however, are still too dense and contain a lot of Tamas. When we are engaged in the direction of spiritual activities and with a master, he guides us into dynamism and doesn’t allow us to be lazy. He sees that the bodies are made transparent, so that they can assimilate more light.

A poised person takes care of a good balance between activity, food and rest. He does as much as is needed and uses the time in a way that no tension is created. Thus he does much more work than a dynamic person. He keeps on progressing, in knowledge and wisdom, and also in activities of good will. In the outer he is busy improving the living conditions. In himself awareness and discriminations are growing. Through his thoughts, words and deeds light and enlightenment are spread. There more light is in him, the less he judges and condemns. Balance is a state of purity, continuous vibration and radiance. The energies can be better balanced when a man and a woman live together. It is a partnership, where no one dominates the other, but where there is cooperation.

He who is in poise spreads the magnetic radiance of be-ness. This has a calming effect on the people who are looking for this kind of equilibrium. He inspires without motives and not in order to use people for himself. To be without motives is only possible when we are poised. Then the events come to us and we react on them, without an impulse of personal prestige.

Through poise we can ascend, but when we grow, there is also always the possibility to become proud and to fall. This is a danger with many people on the spiritual path. For how bright the day may be, it is turning again towards dusk. It is a cyclic movement, which can be compared to a wheel. Thus even poise works as a limitation. It is part of the triangle and doesn’t lead beyond.

In order to come out of this cyclic movement, the wheel of creation, but yet to remain in creation, the yoga path has been given as the key. Yoga signifies union; this means to remain in union with the divine. Yoga teaches acting in detachment. Therefore yoga says: “Remaining in yoga conduct the action.”

The state of be-ness is beyond balance and imbalance. In be-ness there is no desire. It is only being, the state of liberation. The seers and masters of wisdom demonstrated to us a life as liberated beings. Nothing can restrict them, neither a lack of food or water nor a lack of health. Whatever they seem to be lacking, they don’t have themselves the feeling that they are lacking anything or that they are not going well. For them everything is contained in the Divine. When something is made available to them, they accept it, if it is not available, they don’t ask for it.

We too can reach this state through the path of yoga by transcending the boundaries of the three qualities and attaining the centre. Thus we are absorbed into THAT which forms the basis of the centre. Being connected with the centre we then act without getting entangled into action. Thus we are liberated.

Sources: K.P. Kumar: Occult Meditations / notes from seminars / E. Krishnamacharya: Spiritual Psychology. The World Teacher Trust - Dhanishta, Visakhapatnam, India.