The Sānkhya Kārikā, with the Bhāshya of Gauḍapāda — trans. H. T. Colebrooke and H. H. Wilson (1837)

dualized. In like manner nature is not different from the qualities, but is the aggregate of them. ‘Ingredients or constituents of nature,’ therefore, would be a preferable term perhaps to ‘ quality ;’ but ‘ quality’ is the more ordinary acceptation of the word guna, and it may therefore be used, remembering only the distinction made by the Sankhyas of its materiality, as a constituent part of nature itself; the qualities being, in fact, only the conditions of things, and therefore not separable from the things themselves. It may be thought possible that there is some connection between the gunas which are the constituents of prakriti, and the qualities, passions, or affections of primary matter of the older philosophers, alluded to by Aristotle; from the changes produced by which on one unaltered substance all things originated : Tis uév oteias trouevotons, trois Ge rabeot peraBadXovens, TovTO ororxeiov kal Tavray tev ytwv Ti apyiv pacw eva. Metaph. I. 3. Another analogy may be conjectured in the identification of the two gunas, satwa and rajas, with priti, ‘affection,’ and apriti, ‘aversion,’ as they thus correspond with the Ata and veixos, the ‘ love’ and ‘strife’ of Empedocles, as the principles of creation; respectively the source of what is good or evil.

The sense in which the several terms for the three gunas is employed is sufficiently clear from the explanation given of them in the text; and the meaning of the equivalents which Mr. Colebrooke has assigned them must be understood according to the same interpretation. Prof. Lassen renders them essentia, impetus, and caligo; which, similarly understood, are equally unobjectionable: but as the name of a ‘ quality,’ safwa, is not perhaps well rendered by ‘ essence,’ or even by ‘existence,’ which is its literal purport, ‘ goodness,’ denoting exemption from all imperfection, seems to be preferable. Jmpetus is rather the effect of rajas, than the quality ; and the term ‘ foulness,’ derived from its etymology from ranj, ‘to colour or stain,’ will better comprehend its characteristic results. The quality bears a striking analogy to the perturbatio of the Stoics, and might be rendered by that word, or by ‘ passion,’ in its generic acceptation. ‘Darkness,’ or caligo, expresses both the literal and technical signification of tamas.

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NHI.

Goopness is considered to be alleviating and enlightening: foulness, urgent and versatile: darkness, heavy and enveloping. Like a lamp, they cooperate for a purpose (by union of contraries).

BHASHYA.

Goodness is alleviating, &c—When goodness predominates, the frame is light, the intellect is luminous, and the senses are acute. Foulness is urgent and versatile.—What urges, urgent, exciting : as a bull, upon seeing another bull, exhibits vehement excitement; that is the effect of foulness. Foulness is also seen to be versatile ; that is, a person under its influence is capricious, Darkness is heavy and enveloping—Where darkness prevails, the members of the body are heavy, the senses obtuse, or inadequate to the performance of their functions. But here it may be said, If these qualities are contraries to one another, what effect can they produce by their several purposes, and how therefore can it be said, they cooperate, like a lamp, for a (common purpose). Like a lamp, their operation is for a

,(common) purpose: as a lamp, which is composed of the opposites, a wick, oil, and flame, illuminates objects, so the qualities of goodness, foulness, and darkness, although contrary to one another, effect a (comnon) purpose,

This question involves another. It was said (in ver. 11) that a discrete principle, as well as the chief one, has the three qualities, and is indiscriminative, objective, and the like. Admitting this to be true of the chief one (or nature), how is it ascertained that intellect and the rest have also the three qualities, and are indiscriminative, and the like? This is next explained.

COMMENT.

The description of the three qualities is continued in this verse.

Goodness is alleviating ; laghu, ‘light; it is matter, clastic and elevating, generating upward and lateral motion, as in the ascent of flame, and the currents of the air. It is the cause of active and perfect functionality

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