The three Gunas Flashcards
What is everything made from?
Prakriti/matter, all matter is created, sustained and destroyed, these three stages correspond to three Gunas.
What are the three Gunas?
Sattvas- which sustains and is associated with goodness. Rajas- which creates and is associated with passion. Tamas- which destroys and is associated with ignorance.
How do the Gunas relate to character?
According to the soul’s preference for a particular mode, it takes on a corresponding body. Those influenced by goodness will be elevated to the heavenly planets, those influenced by passion remain in the world and those influenced by ignorance will enter into a lower species.
Give an analogy to explain the Gunas
From the three primary colors a whole range of colors can be made, in the same way, a whole range of characters can be made from the three Gunas. In the same way the color chart has sections consisting of reds/yellows/blues, society is mainly effected by Rajas, whilst those in the heavenly realm are mainly effected by Sattvas.
How can varnashramadharma be linked to Gunas?
VAD is based on a understanding of how matter conditions the soul, it was originally based on personal character and inclinations, members of each varna were thought to be under the influence of each respective Guna.
How do the varnas link to Gunas?
Brahmins- mainly Sattvas. Kshatriyas- mixture of Rajas and Sattvas. Vaishyas- mixture of Rajas and Tamas. Sudras- only Tamas.
What other behavior can be analyzed in terms of the Gunas?
They can be applied to many moral and social issues such as the environment, health, lifestyle, sustainability, sex impulses and drug abuse.
Give some sattvic foods
Nourishing foods which promote calmness and health- most fruits/vegetables, brown rice, lentils and oats.
What are some rajasic and tamasic foods?
Rajas foods- make the mind aggressive and emotional, onions, garlic, spices and fizzy drinks. Tamas foods- metal dullness and lethargy, they make Rajas manifest violently, red meat, deep fried food, fermented food and mushrooms.
What does the Bhagavad Gita say about the Gunas?
“From the mode of goodness, real knowledge develops, from the mode of passion, greed develops and from the mode of ignorance develops foolishness.”
