Guna

“Quality”, “strand”, “attribute”. The three constituents of prakṛti (material nature) according to Sāṅkhya.

The three guṇas:

1. Sattva: Luminosity, purity, balance, knowledge
2. Rajas: Activity, passion, movement, desire
3. Tamas: Inertia, darkness, heaviness, ignorance

Characteristics:

• They always operate together; only the proportion varies
• All manifestation is composed of all three
• Puruṣa (consciousness) has no guṇas

The Bhagavad Gītā (14) explains:

• Sattva binds through attachment to happiness and knowledge
• Rajas binds through attachment to action
• Tamas binds through negligence and delusion

Yoga seeks guṇātīta — transcending the three guṇas, recognizing that the Self is distinct from prakṛti.