Fuerstein on sattva, rajas and tamas

[Guest guest]

"As most people here respect the opinions of George Fuerstein,

I submit the following from his Encyclopedic Dictionary of Yoga

(note the use of the word 'encyclopedIC'):

 

According to the Bhagavad Gita (XIII,21), the gunas are 'born of

Nature' (prakriti-ja), and they bind the individuated or embodying

self (dehin) to a particular body (deha). In the Mahabharata epic

(XII.301.15), Nature is said to unfold the gunas a hundredfold or

a thousandfold through its desire and free will and for the sake

of cosmic play. Patanjali, on the other hand, appears to think of

the gunas as three types of force or energy whose existence can

be deduced from the behaviour patterns (shila) of Nature. From

the Yoga-Bhashya (II.18), the oldest extant commentary on

Patanjali's aphorisms, we can learn that (1) although the gunas

are distinct, (2) they are nonetheless interdependent and (3) in

combination create the phenomenal cosmos, wherefore (4)

everything must be regards as a 'synergization' of these three

factors. it is not until Vijnana Bhikshu's voluminous Yoga-Varttika

(II.18), composed in the sixteenth century A.D., that the gunas

were conceived as substances existing in infinite numbers and

producing the multiple phenomena of the material and

immaterial universe.

 

The characteristics (shila) of the gunas are often described.

Thus, Patanjali, in his Yoga-Sutra (II.18), mentions their

respective disposition toward brightness (prakasha), activity

(kriya) and inertia (sthiti). Other authorities are more explicit but

generally emphasize the psychological aspects."

 

 

There is something for everyone in the above, but it seems clear

that the gunas carry physical, psychological and astral

implications for the individual.

 

Omprem

[Guest guest]

93

 

Wonderful! Have U read this what U quoted? Exactly, Feurstein`s

depiction correspond to that of Devibhakta provided. And is in obvious

contradiction to Ur views .

 

 

, "omprem" <omprem> wrote:

>

> "As most people here respect the opinions of George Fuerstein,

> I submit the following from his Encyclopedic Dictionary of Yoga

> (note the use of the word 'encyclopedIC'):

[Guest guest]

Isn't it fascinating how two people can read the same material

and come to two opposite conclusions regarding what is being

communicated. It reminds us that Devi works through the

gunas to reveal to each what they are capable of understanding

and working with at the moment.

 

Omprem

 

, "Arjuna Taradasa"

<bhagatirtha@m...> wrote:

>

> 93

>

> Wonderful! Have U read this what U quoted? Exactly,

Feurstein`s

> depiction correspond to that of Devibhakta provided. And is in

obvious

> contradiction to Ur views .

>

>

> , "omprem"

<omprem> wrote:

> >

> > "As most people here respect the opinions of George

Fuerstein,

> > I submit the following from his Encyclopedic Dictionary of

Yoga

> > (note the use of the word 'encyclopedIC'):