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Yoga
Sutras 4.13-4.14:
Objects and the Three Gunas
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 All impressions manifest from the
three gunas: All of the subconscious mental impressions
discussed in the last section (4.9-4.12)
are made of the same stuff. There is no more straightforward, simple
English way to say it. All of these subconscious mental impressions
manifest from the three primal elements or gunas. (4.13)
Characteristics appear as one unit:
The three gunas (4.13) all manifest together, and the
result is the appearance of a single object, rather than seeing the parts
which make up the whole. Only the composite is seen, not the components. (4.14)
Little to know, as the gunas recede:
The subconscious impressions (which are all constructed from these three
gunas) are all witnessed by pure consciousness or purusha (4.18).
In these extremely subtle experiences or realizations, one comes to see
that there is really very little to know (4.31),
and gradually the three gunas recede back into the prakriti from which
they arose, along with the realization of liberation or kaivalya (4.34).
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4.13
Whether these ever-present characteristics or forms are manifest or
subtle, they are composed of the primary elements called the three gunas.
(te vyakta suksmah guna atmanah)
- te = they, these
- vyakta = manifest
- suksmah = subtle
- guna = elements,
prime qualities, constituents, attributes; (three gunas of sattvas,
rajas, tamas)
- atmanah = the
nature of, composed of
The photos are all made of ink: In
the last section (4.9-4.12), the nature
of the subconscious impressions was described, including a statement that
past and future exist in the present reality, although appearing to be
different because of having different characteristics or forms. The
metaphor of a photo album (4.12)
was used to describe how both past and future were like the photos all
being in the here and now photo album. However, in this current
sutra (4.13), a new comment is being added. That is, all of these
different photos, whether appearing to be past or future, and regardless
of characteristics or form, are all made entirely of ink,
and nothing but ink (Remember, this is a metaphor, and we are
ignoring the fact that the ink is on paper). In addition, the ink in all
of the photos is only of three primary colors (blue, yellow, red)
and these create the appearance of different photos by virtue of
the different shapes in which the ink is formed.
All mental impressions are made of
gunas: In the case of the mental impressions, all of the
thought patterns (4.9-4.12)
in the chitta (1.2) are made of the
same stuff, just as the photos are all made of ink. The
nature of the stuff of which the thought impressions are made, are called
gunas, and are metaphorically like the three primary colors (blue, yellow,
red), which make up all of the photos. The three gunas are sattvas, rajas,
and tamas.
Three gunas: The three aspects or
elements (gunas) of prakriti (the subtlest primordial matter or primary
constituent) are rajas, sattvas, and tamas:
Sattvas: The aspect of the
subtlest primordial matter (prakriti), which has the nature of
existence, light, illumination, sentience, harmony, or clearing.
Rajas: The aspect of prakriti,
which has the nature of activity, motion, energy, movement, or changing.
Tamas: The aspect of prakriti,
which has the nature of stability, stasis, darkness, dullness, heaviness,
insentience, obstructing, and veiling.
Equilibrium between the gunas:
When there is perfect equilibrium between the three gunas, there is no
manifestation of the universe. It is only when there are fluctuations or
modifications (vikaras or vikritis) among them that there begins to be
manifestation.
Gunas are at all levels, including the
subtlest: The principle of the three gunas operate at all levels. For
example, one might eat sattvic (light) food, rajasic (spicy) food, or
tamasic (heavy) food, which will lead to a sattvic (clear) state of mind,
a rajasic (restless) state of mind, or a tamasic (lethargic) state of
mind. However, this sutra (4.13) relates mostly to the subtlest
operation of the three gunas, which is to say that the subtlest,
subconscious impressions are all entirely constituted of only these
three gunas.
The same core process of
discrimination: Because of the veiling process of ignorance or avidya
(2.5), we do not usually see things
as they are. We see only the composite, which is a combination of the
underlying parts, like the photo metaphor above. This principle was also
described in relation to gross thoughts and how impressions, words, and
meaning combined to form the appearance of a whole (1.42).
At both that grosser level and the subtlest level (the subject of these
current sutras) the core process is the same, and that is discrimination (2.26-2.29).
We separate this from that so that the underlying truth or
reality can be seen. Ultimately comes the discrimination between the seer
and all forms of seen objects. (1.3,
4.26)
Little to know, as the gunas recede:
The subconscious impressions are made of the three gunas of prakriti, and
are all witnessed by pure consciousness or purusha (4.18).
In these extremely subtle experiences or realizations, one comes to see
that there is really very little to know (4.31),
and gradually the three gunas recede back into the prakriti
from which
they arose, along with the realization of liberation or kaivalya (4.34).
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4.14
The characteristics of an object appear as a single unit, as they
manifested uniformly from the underlying elements.
(parinama ekatvat vastu tattvam)
- parinama = of
change, transformation, result, consequence, mutative effect,
alteration
- ekatvat = due to
oneness, uniformity, sameness, coordinated
- vastu = a reality,
real object, existent
- tattvam = essence,
reality, that-ness
Characteristics appear as one unit:
The three gunas (4.13) all manifest together, and the
result is the appearance of a single object, rather than seeing the parts
which make up the whole. Only the composite is seen, not the three
components.
The inks appear as one picture: In
the metaphor of a photo being a combination of three colors of ink (4.13),
this sutra is making note of the fact that when they combine, there
appears to our awareness only the one photo. The object in the photo is
taken to be a single object, while the underlying nature of the components
is obscured or not seen.
Seeing past the subtlest veil:
When we come to see that one hundred percent of the objects blocking the
realization of the Self (1.4) are
constructed only through the interplay of the gunas, a very deep
simplicity is seen in the process of Self-realization. To become free from
identity with the three gunas brings freedom from all of their
manifestations. Here, in this final chapter we are not just talking about
non-attachment of the grosser objects, such as food, money, or
relationships, or even subtle realm objects (1.15),
but of the very finest forms of non-attachment and transcendence of the
subtlest building blocks of the mind and reality (1.16).
The
next sutra is 4.15
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