The Atman is Not Sattva Guna YS III - 35, 36

Yoga Sutra III- 35- HRDAYE CITTA SAMVIT - By samyama on the heart, the knowledge of the mind-stuff is obtained.

Yoga Sutra III - 36 - SATTVA PURUSAYOR ATYANTASAMKIRNAYOH PRATYAYAVISESO BHOGAH PARARTHAT SVARTHASAMYAMAT PURUSA JNANAM - The intellect and the Purusha (or Atman) are totally different, the intellect existing for the sake of the Purusha, while the Purusha exists for its own sake. Not distinguishing this is the cause of all experiences; and by samyama on the distinction, knowledge of the Purusha is gained.

Swami Satchidananda translated the above sutras without commentary.

For the above sutras there is only a commentary on Yoga Sutra III- 36 from "How to Know God - The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali" translated and commented on by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood. - "In the ordinary state of consciousness, the highest enjoyment we can know is the joy inspired by the guna of sattwa. This seems to us, in our ignorance, to be identical with the joy of the pure Atman; but it is not. Sattwa, even in its purest state, is still a guna; and sattwic joy still contains a measure of egotism. What we have to understand is that the gunas are only agents of the Atman, and that sattwic joy is only a pale reflection of the joy of the Atman, which is without egotism and entirely independent of the gunas. By making this samyama and discriminating between Atman and sattwa, the yogi passes beyond earthly enjoyment into the joy of the Atman itself."

See related posts:

• The Four Stages of the Gunas YS II - 19
• The Seen - Nature of the Gunas YS II - 18

Change of Phases - Different Stages YS III - 15

Yoga Sutra III-15 - KRAMANYATVAM PARINAMANYATVE HETUH - The succession of these different phases is the cause of the differences in stages of evolution.

Swami Satchidananda translated the above sutra without commentary.

The commentary from "How to Know God - The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali" translated and commented on by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood is as follows and includes the previous sutra 14:

"Every object within the realm of differentiated matter has attributes and is a compound object, since it is made of the three gunas in varying combination. As has already explained in chapter 1, the attributes of an object vary and change according to the action of the gunas and the constitution of the samskaras. Any object that can change into any other object. Therefore, the enlightened yogi sees no essential difference between a piece of gold and a lump of mud. Hence, he acquires complete dispassion toward the objects of the phenomenal world."

See related posts:

• An Unattached View YS II - 15
• The Four Stages of the Gunas YS II - 19
• The Seen - Nature of the Gunas YS II - 18
• Decline in Distractions - One-Pointedness YS III-...

The Four Stages of the Gunas YS II - 19

Yoga Sutra II- 19 -VISESAVISESA LINGAMATRALINGANI GUNA PARVANI - The stages of the gunas are specific, non-specific, defined and undefinable.

Swami Satchidananda comments that in this sutra that Patanjali analyzes Prakriti , nature, a little more. As seen in the above sutra, there are stages of the gunas (qualities of nature). Swami Satchidananda starts with the reverse order of the stages of nature , Patanjali presented, first with the the unmanifested, or avyakta, where nature is in a static or undefinable condition. The second is a slightly manifested stage (defined), whereas the third is a more developed stage forming the subtle senses, buddhi and mind. "And the fourth stage of nature is the gross objects of which we can hear, feel, see, touch, smell and taste." It is further explained that it is normal that we can understand things that can be seen and if we develop subtler perception we can see subtler things.

In "How to Know God - The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali" translated and commented on by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood has the translation of this sutra as THE GUNAS PASS THROUGH FOUR STAGES- GROSS, SUBTLE, PRIMAL AND UNEVOLVED.

The comment here is that Patanjali is summarizing what was explained in Yoga Sutra I-17. When the universe exists in its potential form (unevolved) "the gunas are in perfect equilibrium". As the universe starts to manifest or evolve, the guna balance is disturbed and the cosmic ego-sense begins to dawn. The next stage is when the gunas are in combinations that form the mind and the inner essences of things (subtle and undefined). Finally, when the universe has become the external physical manifestation, the gunas are now described as gross or "defined".

See related posts:

• Samprajnata (Distinguished) Samadhi-YS I -17
• Asamprajnata or Non-distinguished Samadhi YS- I-18...

The Seen - Nature of the Gunas YS II - 18

Yoga Sutra II- 18 - PRAKASA KRIYA STHITI SILLAM BHUTENDRIYATMAKAM BHOGAPAVARGARTHAM DRSYAM - The seen is of the nature of the gunas: illumination, activity and inertia; and consists of the elements and sense organs, whose purpose is to provide both experiences and liberation to the Purusha.


The seen? The gunas? What is this sutra talking about? The seen is the past participle of the word see according to Merriam- Webster Online dictionary - "1 a: to perceive by the eye b: to perceive or detect as if by sight". The gunas are defined in The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Swami Satchidananda as the qualities of nature (sattvva, rajas and tamas or balance, activity and inertia).



Swami Satchidananda says that in this sutra Patanjali talks about the drisya, or seen. The Purusha or Seer, is who we truly are. According to Satchidananda, "Patanjali tries to analyze what this 'seen' is that gives us experience. He says it is a combination of different elements and organs controlled by the three gunas." The term used in the beginning of the sutra is prakasa kriya sthiti. Prakasa means illumination which stands for sattva; kriya is action representing rajas and sthiti is inertia or tamas. The question is why is there the "seen" (outside of ourselves) and why does Prakriti (nature, or environment) exist?


"Nature is here to give you experience and ultimately to liberate you from its bondage. Even if people do not want to be liberated, it educates them gradually so that one day they will feel, "I'm tired of the whole thing. I don't want it anymore. I've had enough." Swami Satchidananda says that we will feel this way only after we've gotten kicked and burned enough. The purpose of Prakriti or nature is to give us those experiences. He said "So, we should never condemn nature."

The commentary continues to tell us that Nature, Prakriti is a combination of elements and organs. The organs are the intellect, mind, senses and the body. Even though one might think of nature being outside of us, the body is nature too as it is comprised of the elements (IE. -air, fire, water, earth). We are reminded that nothing in nature can bring our minds unchanging happiness because the mind always changes. If this were not the case we would not always look for change. Think about it. At one time you liked something or someone. Then after a time, you no longer liked the something or someone. Then there is an analogy of how we like to hold on to things and with that comes struggle, tension. We are informed that "All life is a passing show. If we want to hold it, even for a minute, we feel tension." It is pointed out that even with our bodies, we don't want it to change (get older) and the extremes we go to prevent it. "If only we learn to enjoy each change, we can recognize the beauty even in aging." " When we allow things to pass, we are free." By doing this we keep our peace.

Another analogy is given of a silk worm and some of the questions we can ask ourselves are:

• Where are we now?
• Are we still eating?
• Are we in the cocoon?
• Are we meditating?
• Are we growing wings?

So the more we enjoy and we don't listen to wisdom (unless we have extraordinary intelligence), we are then taught by nature that puts us in a tight corner as a lesson. When we finally learn our lesson we no longer cling to that and thus become liberated. "After liberation, although we are still in nature, we are no longer bound by it as we grown the wings of viveka (discrimination of real and unreal) and vairagya(dispassion, detachment or unattachment). Like the silk worm, we slip out of the cocoon, we fly out never to return there again.

Swami Satchidananda ends the commentary with "When you've learned nature's lessons she no longer has any business with you, but she continues to exist to teach the many others who have not yet learned. " He says you have graduated from the university and you may go back as an alumnus, but you are no longer attached to the world. As a liberated person you can be useful in the world but not affected by it.

An Unattached View YS II - 15

Yoga Sutra II- 15 -PARINAMA TAPA SAMSKARA DUHKHAIR GUNA VRTTI VIRODHAC CA DUHKHAM EVA SARVAM VIVEKINAH - To one of discrimination, everything is painful indeed, due to its consequences: the anxiety and fear over losing what is gained; the resulting impressions left in the mind to create renewed cravings; and the constant conflict among the three gunas, which control the mind.

Swami Satchidananda points out that Patanjali gives a very great truth in the spiritual field in this important sutra. If we contemplated this sutra for a little while daily, our lives would be transformed. "All experiences are painful for the person of spiritual discrimination. In this world, all experiences that come from outside through the world, through nature or material things, are ultimately painful. None can give everlasting happiness."

He says temporary pleasure always end in pain because of fearing the loss of it. Examples given are:

• having a high position - fear of losing the position


• accumulating a lot of money - fear of losing the money


• our beauty and youth - fear of becoming ugly and old

Swami Satchidananda says it alright to have these things as long as you don't let it bring you anxiety and fear. The past pleasures are painful because renewed cravings arising from impressions that were left in the mind. There is really nothing bad in the world, but the three gunas are constantly tossing the mind. [In the Wikipedia, the Sanskrit word guna has the basic meaning of "string" or "a single thread or strand of a cord or twine". The three gunas (based upon the three "tendencies"), are sattva guna, and rajas guna, tamas guna]

One can see these tendencies evident when "What you enjoy one minute you hate the next." Swami Satchidananda further comments that "Real pleasure comes from detaching ourselves completely from the entire world, in standing aloof--making use of the world as a master of it." We are reminded that we cannot escape from everything (which generates pain) because that doesn't work as wherever we go, the world (our world) follows. "Wherever we are, we have to learn to handle things properly."

An analogy is given of one leaving family life to go live in an ashram. If one cannot adapt to his known family, how can one adapt to an unknown group? "The world is a training place where we learn to use the world without getting attached." "Pleasure and pain are but the outcome of your approach." This determines your experience of heaven or hell. It's like learning to swim. At first there is fear, but once learned it becomes enjoyable.