The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
does it less and another more. The first is Sattvaguna, the function of which, relative to the other Gunas, is to reveal consciousness. The greater the presence or power of Sattvaguna, the greater the approach to the condition of Pure Consciousness. Similarly, the function of Tamas Guna is to suppress or veil consciousness. The function of Rajasguna is to make active—that is, it works on Tamas to suppress Sattva, or on Sattva to suppress Tamas.¹ The object and the effect of evolution, as it is of all Sādhanā, is to develop Sattvaguna. The Gunas always coexist in everything, but variously predominate. The lower descent is made in the scale of nature the more Tamasguna prevails, as in so-called “brute substance,” which has been supposed to be altogether inert. The higher ascent is made the more Sattva prevails. The truly Sāttvik man is a divine man, his temperament being called in the Tantras Divyabhāva². Through Sattva-guna passage is made to Sat, which is Chit or pure Consciousness, by the Siddhayogī, who is identified with Pure Spirit.
Prakriti exists in two states, in one of which (so far as any effect is concerned)³ She is quiescent. The Gunas are then in stable equilibrium, and not affecting one another. There is no manifestation. This is the unmanifest (Avyakta), the potentiality of natural power (natura
1 In the words of Professor P. Mukhyopadhyaya, dealing with the matter monistically, these are the three elements of the Life-Stress on the surface of pure Consciousness—namely, presentation (Sattva), movement (Rajas), and veiling (Tamas), which are the three elements of creative evolution (“The Patent Wonder,” p. 19).
Those in whom Rajas Guna is predominant, and who work that Guna to suppress Tamas, are Vīra (hero), and the man in whom the Tamasguna prevails is a Pashu (animal).
3 The three gunas are essentially changeful. Nāparinamya kshanamapyavatishthante gunāh (the gunas do not remain for a moment without movement). Vāchaspati Misra; Sāngkhya-Tattva-Kaumudī, 16th Kārikā. The movement is twofold: (a) Sarūpaparināma or Sadrisha parināma in dissolution, and (b) Virūpaparināma in creation.
naturans).¹ When, however, owing to the ripening of Karma, the time for creation takes place, there is a stirring of the Gunas (Gunakshobha) and an initial vibration (Spandana), known in the Mantra Shāstra as Cosmic Sound (Sabdabrahman). The Gunas affect one another, and the universe made of these three Gunas is created. The products of Prakriti thus evolved are called Vikāra or Vikriti.² Vikriti is manifest (Vyakta) Prakriti (natura naturata). In the infinite and formless Prakriti there appears a strain or stress appearing as form. On the relaxation of this strain in dissolution forms disappear in formless Prakriti, who as power (Shakti) re-enters the Brahman-Consciousness. These Vikritis are the Tattvas issuing from Prakriti,³ the Avidyā Shakti—namely, the different categories of Mind, Senses, and Matter.
The bodies are threefold: causal (Kāranasharīra, or Parasharīra, as the Shaivas call it), subtle (Sūkshmasharīra), and gross (Sthūlasharīra). These bodies in which the Ātmā is enshrined are evolved from Prakriti Shakti, and are constituted of its various productions. They form
1 This is, in fact, the definition of Prakriti as opposed to Vikriti: Sattvarajastamasāng sāmyāvasthā prakritih. Sāngkhya Kaumudi Kārikā 3: Sāngkhya Pravachana, I. 61.
2 Vikāra or Vikriti is something which is really changed, as curd from milk. The former is a Vikriti of the latter. Vivartta is apparent but unreal change, such as the appearance of what was and is a rope as a snake. The Vedāntasāra thus musically defines the two terms:
Satattvato’nyathāprathā vikāra ityudīritah
Atattvato’nyathāprathā vivarta ityudīritah.
Under V. 40 of the Shatchakra the commentator speaks of Vikriti as a reflection (Pratibimbatā) of Prakriti. It is Prakriti modified.
3 As already explained, there are Tattvas which precede the Purusha-Prakriti Tattvas. Etymologically Tattva is an abstract derivation from the pronoun “Tat” (that), or Thatness, and may, it has been pointed out, be compared with the Hæcceitas of Duns Scotus. The Tattva in a general sense is Truth or Brahman But in the Sānkhya it has a technical sense, being employed as a concrete term to denote the eight “producers,” the sixteen “productions,” and the twenty-fifth Tattva or Purusha.
does it less and another more. The first is Sattvaguna, the function of which, relative to the other Gunas, is to reveal consciousness. The greater the presence or power of Sattvaguna, the greater the approach to the condition of Pure Consciousness. Similarly, the function of Tamas Guna is to suppress or veil consciousness. The function of Rajasguna is to make active—that is, it works on Tamas to suppress Sattva, or on Sattva to suppress Tamas.¹ The object and the effect of evolution, as it is of all Sādhanā, is to develop Sattvaguna. The Gunas always coexist in everything, but variously predominate. The lower descent is made in the scale of nature the more Tamasguna prevails, as in so-called “brute substance,” which has been supposed to be altogether inert. The higher ascent is made the more Sattva prevails. The truly Sāttvik man is a divine man, his temperament being called in the Tantras Divyabhāva². Through Sattva-guna passage is made to Sat, which is Chit or pure Consciousness, by the Siddhayogī, who is identified with Pure Spirit.
Prakriti exists in two states, in one of which (so far as any effect is concerned)³ She is quiescent. The Gunas are then in stable equilibrium, and not affecting one another. There is no manifestation. This is the unmanifest (Avyakta), the potentiality of natural power (natura
1 In the words of Professor P. Mukhyopadhyaya, dealing with the matter monistically, these are the three elements of the Life-Stress on the surface of pure Consciousness—namely, presentation (Sattva), movement (Rajas), and veiling (Tamas), which are the three elements of creative evolution (“The Patent Wonder,” p. 19).
Those in whom Rajas Guna is predominant, and who work that Guna to suppress Tamas, are Vīra (hero), and the man in whom the Tamasguna prevails is a Pashu (animal).
3 The three gunas are essentially changeful. Nāparinamya kshanamapyavatishthante gunāh (the gunas do not remain for a moment without movement). Vāchaspati Misra; Sāngkhya-Tattva-Kaumudī, 16th Kārikā. The movement is twofold: (a) Sarūpaparināma or Sadrisha parināma in dissolution, and (b) Virūpaparināma in creation.
naturans).¹ When, however, owing to the ripening of Karma, the time for creation takes place, there is a stirring of the Gunas (Gunakshobha) and an initial vibration (Spandana), known in the Mantra Shāstra as Cosmic Sound (Sabdabrahman). The Gunas affect one another, and the universe made of these three Gunas is created. The products of Prakriti thus evolved are called Vikāra or Vikriti.² Vikriti is manifest (Vyakta) Prakriti (natura naturata). In the infinite and formless Prakriti there appears a strain or stress appearing as form. On the relaxation of this strain in dissolution forms disappear in formless Prakriti, who as power (Shakti) re-enters the Brahman-Consciousness. These Vikritis are the Tattvas issuing from Prakriti,³ the Avidyā Shakti—namely, the different categories of Mind, Senses, and Matter.
The bodies are threefold: causal (Kāranasharīra, or Parasharīra, as the Shaivas call it), subtle (Sūkshmasharīra), and gross (Sthūlasharīra). These bodies in which the Ātmā is enshrined are evolved from Prakriti Shakti, and are constituted of its various productions. They form
1 This is, in fact, the definition of Prakriti as opposed to Vikriti: Sattvarajastamasāng sāmyāvasthā prakritih. Sāngkhya Kaumudi Kārikā 3: Sāngkhya Pravachana, I. 61.
2 Vikāra or Vikriti is something which is really changed, as curd from milk. The former is a Vikriti of the latter. Vivartta is apparent but unreal change, such as the appearance of what was and is a rope as a snake. The Vedāntasāra thus musically defines the two terms:
Satattvato’nyathāprathā vikāra ityudīritah
Atattvato’nyathāprathā vivarta ityudīritah.
Under V. 40 of the Shatchakra the commentator speaks of Vikriti as a reflection (Pratibimbatā) of Prakriti. It is Prakriti modified.
3 As already explained, there are Tattvas which precede the Purusha-Prakriti Tattvas. Etymologically Tattva is an abstract derivation from the pronoun “Tat” (that), or Thatness, and may, it has been pointed out, be compared with the Hæcceitas of Duns Scotus. The Tattva in a general sense is Truth or Brahman But in the Sānkhya it has a technical sense, being employed as a concrete term to denote the eight “producers,” the sixteen “productions,” and the twenty-fifth Tattva or Purusha.
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