--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, bob_brigante <no_re...@...> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <jstein@> wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, bob_brigante <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <jstein@> wrote: > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, bob_brigante <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > Brahma is traditionally called "The Creator," the > > > > > personification of rajas guna, but MAPI seems to be > > > > > saying that Sattva (personified by Vishnu, > > > > > traditionally termed "The Maintainer") is > > > > > responsible for creation: > > > > > http://www.mapi.com/ayurveda_health_care/newsletters/ayurveda_saatvic_mind.html > > > > > > > > > > "Sattva is the most superior of all gunas. Sattva in > > > > > the Universe is responsible for Creation. Inside our > > > > > own self, it gives us the ability to visualize well, > > > > > think right, do good and act in accordance with the > > > > > laws of nature. > > > > > > > "Responsible for" in this context seems to mean > > > > "maintains" or "upholds," not "creates." > > > > > > > > > > ****** > > > > > > I don't see that, since MAPI goes on to say "Rajas > > > stands for action. In cosmic terms, Rajas is responsible > > > for Maintenance and Nurturing of what has been created." > > > -- which appears to swap the usual roles/guna-character > > > of Vishnu and Brahma. > > > > > I think it's just poorly written. "Action" doesn't really > > suggest "maintenance." But note they use the same term as > > for Sattva, "responsible for." > > > > ******* > > In his Gita commentary, Maharishi says that "Tamas > destroys the created state; sattva creates a new > state while the first is being destroyed." So Brahma > the Creator IS the personification of sattva, while > Vishnu the Maintainer is the personification of rajas, > and Shiva personifies tamas. This fits in with MMY's > description of Shiva as silence and Vishnu as > dynamism (although I had always thought that Vishnu > personified sattva and a google search will reveal > that many think this to be the case):
I wonder if the confusion has to do with creation as an *ongoing* process, along with maintenance and destruction, vs. creation as an *initial event*, as in Genesis. Personifying sattva, Brahma didn't say, "Let there be light," in other words. Light, and everything else, emerged when the "primal equilibrium" was disturbed between the three, rather than as a function of one of 'em having a bright idea. Much more abstract than mythological, at any rate. > "Shiva, the administering intelligence of infinite silence in the universe > co-exists with Vishnu, the administering intelligence of infinite dynamism... > http://www.mou.org/courses/descriptions/index.html > > MMY's comments on the Gita Ch 4 V 13: > > "Krishna: The fourfold order was created by Me according to the division of > gunas and actions. > > Though I am its author, know Me to be the non-doer, immutable > > Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, verse 13 > > The entire creation is the interplay of the three gunas. > When the primal equilibrium of sattva, rajas and tamas is > disturbed, they begin to interact and creation begins. > All three must be present in every aspect of creation > because, with creation, the process of evolution begins > and this needs two forces opposed to each other and one > that is complementary to both. > > Sattva and tamas are opposed to each other, while rajas is the force > complementary to both. > > Tamas destroys the created state; sattva creates a new state while the first > is being destroyed. > > In this way, through the simultaneous process of creation and destruction, > the process of evolution is carried on. The force of rajas plays a necessary > but neutral part in creation and destruction; it maintains a bond between the > forces of sattva and tamas. Thus all three gunas are necessary for any state > of manifested life. > > fourfold order': mathematically, the three gunas may combine with each other > in six possible ways. The first Guna is the primary element, and the other is > the secondary element. > > 1.Sattva - Rajas > 2.Sattva - Tamas > 3.Rajas - Sattva > 4.Rajas - Tamas > 5.Tamas - Sattva > 6.Tamas - Rajas > Combinations of 2 and 5 are not possible because of the contrast in the > nature of sattva and tamas. Thus the three gunas have only four possible > combinations. > > Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, The Bhagavad Gita: Chapters 1-6 >
