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Tablet Three
THE THREE GUNAS
<1>The universe consists of three forces and the
consciousness. In Sanskrit, these three forces are called tama
(static), raja (mutative) and satva (sentient). <2>Tama
guna
(guna means force) is that force which crudifies consciousnesses.
Raja guna is the
active force or action.
Satva guna is the
force of logic or decision-making. <3>The
Soul (unit
consciousness) uses these forces to relate to and control the
universe. <4>However, we can never separate these forces with
any clear-cut borders. There is a range between almost complete
domination of tama guna
to almost complete domination of
satva guna. This can be represented by the graph below:
<5>When
tama guna dominates,
there is still some
raja guna and
satva guna present which is shown as the small area at the
bottom. This is also true when
satva guna dominates
(right side of the graph). There is still some
tama guna and
raja guna present.
<6>Tama
guna
is the force responsible for this manifested universe and also for
the unawareness of the consciousness in the unaware part of the
universe. <7>As it is illustrated in the graph above, as the
satvic force becomes more dominant over the consciousness,
tama guna
loses its power over the Soul.
<8>That is why through gaining power over the
tama guna, spiritual
people feel freer and freer from the bondage of this external world
and become closer and closer to the spiritual world which is beyond
the control of this
crudifying force.
<9>The material world (manifested world) is made
of consciousnesses crudified (bent) by the power of the
tama guna ("gathering
of the
waters," Gen. 1:9). This
was created in order to help these
unit consciousnesses to progress toward higher consciousness and
eventually
Pure
Consciousness.
<10>Also this tama
guna is the force responsible for
crudifying the
consciousness of the human. That is why the human should overcome
the
tama guna and avoid
anything that empowers this force over his
Soul or reach a state that
it has no power over him. <11>When this manifested world is
not used properly (by becoming attached to its illusion,
Maya) or a sentient environment is not created to direct the
consciousness toward higher thoughts (by creating
crudifying images or
objects which bend man toward his lower nature), the consciousness
becomes more and more self-centered and separated from the spiritual
world -- where
tama guna has no
power over it.
<12>These
three gunas are
represented symbolically in the Bible as the three famous
angels
Michael,
Gabriel, and
Lucifer. <13>As
it is mentioned in Isaiah 14:12,
Lucifer
(which means "the shining star") was made by
God to be the king of the
world. But he failed and was cast out (that is exactly what the
tama guna does when a
Soul is under its influence). The
Soul becomes so crude that it is drowned in the ocean of
Maya (ignorance)
and will not be able to understand the realities behind this
universe. That is why we say that person is following the
devil (satan,
evil, etc.). In other
words, he is under the influence of the
tama guna.
<14>Therefore, it is the
tama guna which bends
us toward the excessive attraction to the external world. When
tama guna is present,
raja guna (action,
mutative force)
will be bent toward excessive materialistic possession, or we will
be attached to the result of our actions, or we will create
expectations. When tama
guna
is present, satva guna
will be bent toward the material world (satva
guna is that part of us which makes the decisions and commands
the
ego
to do the decisions). When
tama guna
dominates, decisions will be directed toward bondage toward the
material world (attachments, desires, greed, etc.). <15>However,
when tama has been overcome, decisions will be selfless toward the
spiritual Laws and for the welfare of the whole universe. This will
make our actions (raja) also pure and free from bondage.
<16>So it is the
tama guna (devil)
which should be overcome and controlled.
<17>Again we can see that the
devil is the same as the
tama guna which
crudifies the consciousness.
<18>When
tama guna dominates the human
Soul, it is the
devil
(satan). <19>When the human
Soul dominates
tama guna, it becomes
a "shining star" (Lucifer).
Then this manifested world becomes a guiding
light
toward reaching the spiritual world. Hence, we see that the
foolishness of the external world is a shining star to guide us to
God.
<20>Tama
guna
is any force that bends the human
Soul toward the excessive attraction to the external world and
therefore creates unnecessary attachment, desires, expectations,
greed, etc., toward the external world, <21>or anything that
looks good to do or follow but after it is done or followed brings
suffering and the feeling of emptiness and separation from
God
(universe).
CONTROL OF THE LOWER SELF
<22>As the
tama guna is the
devil when the
Soul is under its
influence and becomes a shining star (Lucifer)
when it is overcome, so is the lower nature. <23>The lower
nature in itself can be a hindrance in spiritual progress, or, if
its selfish tendencies are overcome, can be used for physical,
mental, and spiritual progress of
self and others (others as the rest of the universe).
<24>For example, the desire to survive, which is
related to the first chakra,
can be an inspiration for material advancement. But if a person is
ignorant of the unimportance of what we see as our only life and is
desperately afraid of death, then it can be a hindrance in his path.
<25>Or sex, which is a powerful force in the
human body, when controlled and used to
channel its
energy to the
higher self
(psychic centers) or used to create a healthy body for a new human
being, it is a blessing. However, if it makes a man heedlessly seek
its satisfaction uncontrollably and makes him do whatever is
necessary to gain this satisfaction, then it is an obstacle in human
progress.
<26>The use of the power of the third
chakra is similar. When
this center is controlled and used for gaining power in order to
establish the Kingdom Of
Heaven, then it also
becomes a guide for human progress. But using it for gaining
positions and prestige for the sake of self-gratification, makes it
a devilish center.
<27>However, selfishness resides in these first
three centers. Therefore, man should gain control over them first by
raising his spiritual consciousness to the
higher self and then use the power of these centers for the
progress of the
self
and others.
<28>Notice that you have to gain control over
these lower centers, not destroy them. You do not kill a wild horse,
but instead break him down in such a way that he is under your
control. Then you will have a powerful horse to give you rides and
pleasure. That is also true about the lower self. <29>When
you gain control over it, then you will have many powerful forces to
use for the progress of yourself and others.
INVISIBILITY OF GOD AND HUMAN
<30>We learn that
God
is invisible, but is not man invisible also? We think that man is
visible but indeed he is not. We make the mistake of identifying a
person as his body. The truth is that we are not our bodies but the
consciousness which is so subtle, even subtler than the ether.
<31>We have this body;
Father does not have any body (if we do not consider the
manifested universe as His Body). That is the only difference.
Therefore, we both are invisible. <32>We know Him by His
qualities and actions (creation), and we know a person by his
qualities and actions also.
<33>When a person does not act and remains
inactive, we assume he is dead. The reason that the person remains
inactive is because there is no
Soul in that body any
longer, so there is no human consciousness there. <34>However,
because the
Soul is invisible, the
only way for us to relate to that person is when he is in a body.
<35>In fact man is visible only in the interval
from birth to death. It is through his actions by his body or
through the effect of his actions on the environment that we know
him. <36>After a person dies (leaves his body) people will
remember the many things he had done in his lifetime and will see
the results of his actions. But they cannot see him because
he is a
Soul, and a
Soul
cannot be seen by these naked eyes.
<37>This is also true about
God. We can know His
existence through His actions, or by contemplating this perfect,
self-sustaining universe made by Him. We can know He exists by the
way He is guiding us toward the goal. <38>There is no doubt
as man progresses toward higher spiritual understandings and
develops his spiritual faculties that the existence of
God will be insured by establishing a direct telepathic
relationship with Him. <39>However, even He is invisible as
man himself is invisible also.
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