Ancient Indian Sámkhya sages thought in the highest generalisations about the nature of this material world. Behind the myriad manifestations of matter, they saw a consistent pattern of forces, working both in man and matter, in mind and nature and they formulated the theory of the Gunas (1).
The Gunas are the ingredients or constituents of Prakrti or original producers of the material world. They are the three all-comprehensive functions of mind, body and life. They are also called fundamental qualities, or attributes. The Gunas are also likened to three strands of a rope.
The three Gunas are Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas. Sattwa is luminosity, Rajas is activity and Tamas is inertia. Sattwa is also referred to as goodness, Rajas as passion and Tamas as darkness.
This metaphysical explanation from Sámkhya philosophy has been explained in physics also, as follows: all properties can be reduced to their simplest elements: wave motion as Prakaša (Sattwa), vibration as Kriya (Rajas) and position as Sthiti (Tamas).
The word Sattwa comes from the Sanskrit root Sat - to be; it facilitates enlightenment. The aim in Yoga is to increase the Sattwika quality.
Rajas refers to impurity and passion. It inspires our desires, likes and dislikes and competition and will for the enjoyment of the world.
"Tamas is referred to as dark and black. Tamas is made manifest in the dull stupidity of the more self-centered and self-satisfied...in those who acquiesce in whatever happens as long as their personal slumber, safety or interests are not disturbed".
GUNAS: A BELIEF IN THE PARALLELISM OF MIND AND MATTER
These three constituent forces of Prakrti (Primal Nature), that function in mind and matter are explained poetically by Swami Ananda Acharya: "That there is a correspondence between our moods, temperaments and attitudes and the sights and sounds of nature is felt by all who are endowed with a poetic turn of mind. This sympathy between man and nature is explained on the principle that they are related to each other because both are manifestations of a fundamental reality which functions as rhythm, motion and rest. Rhythm finds expression through the human mind in the form of goodness, love, pity, sympathy, intelligence etc. and in nature if manifests itself in the higher forces such as sound, light and ether. In the mind, the will, the tendency to do, interest, enthusiasm etc. are expressions of Universal motion, which in nature manifests itself as mechanical pressure, heat and growth" (2).
"The principle of rest expresses itself in mind as arrest of sympathy, of intelligence, of goodness-that is apathy, stupidity, wickedness -while in nature it actualises in the shape of inert substances such as stone or in negative things such as darkness and empty space. These three-rhythm, motion and rest - are to be conceived as real forces, bringing about the conjunction and disjunction, creation and destruction of things."
PRAKRTI AND THE GUNAS: INTERRELATIONSHIP
According to Sámkhya metaphysics Prakrti (or Primal Nature) is eternal and uncreated. The creative forces in Prakrti are called the Gunas: Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas. Before starting a cycle of creation, the three Gunas lie dormant in a harmonious state. Thus, the harmonious state of the Gunas is called Prakrti.
When Puruşa, impelled by the Law of Karma, enters into matter to gain experience, the equilibrium of the three Gunas, lying in a quiescent stage, is disturbed and creation begins.
According to Samkhya sage Pañcaśikā, “The primordial causes are the three Gunas. As they have been allied with the Puruşa from time without beginning, their modification in the shape of Buddhi (intelligence), the organs and their objects like sight, sound etc. are also eternally allied to the Purusa" (3).
Prakrti is held to be the ultimate principle at the background of the Universe. It is unmanifested, undifferentiated, ubiquitous, undecaying and unconscious. It has 3 constituents which are called the Gunas. They are infra-atomic quanta of reals, rather forces than substances. The Gunas in their original form are very subtle while it is their effects only that become manifested.
FUNCTIONING OF THE GUNAS: OPPOSITION AND COLLABORATION
Although mutually opposed, the Gunas function in unison. Just as the wick and oil, though opposed to the activity of the fire, can cooperate even when in contact with the Gunas.
The characteristic mark of the Samkhya and Yoga schools of philosophy is their Guna theory, which holds that all things (mental and material) except the pure Self are made up of an admixture, or rather combination in different proportions, of three classes of reals called Gunas (4).
Note 1: Tattwajñāna, Ch. Guņas, by Swami Ananda Āchārya).
2: H.Zimmer, Chapter on Sämkhya Psychology, "Philosophies of India".
3: Yoga Sūtra and Vyasabhaśya II.18.19,
4: H.Zimmer, ibid.