June 24, 2025
Shifting the Standpoint of Consciousness Beyond the Action of the Three Gunas
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 5, Attitudes on the Path, pp. 113-114This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/06/22/shifting-the-standpoint-of-consciousness-beyond-the-action-of-the-three-gunas/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are allavailable on the YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@santoshkrinsky871
More information about Sri Aurobindo can be found at www.aurobindo.net
The US editions and links to e-book editions of SriAurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:03,840
The three gunas of nature
control the actions and
2
00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:07,040
reactions of the external nature
and the response to the
3
00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:10,320
dualities that present
themselves in nature.
4
00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:14,480
As long as we remain fixated at
the level of the surface
5
00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:19,280
personality, we remain subject
to this action of the gunas.
6
00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:23,080
The question then arises, is it
possible?
7
00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:27,480
Is it feasible to enter a
psychological state in which the
8
00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:30,640
gunas are not dictating our
actions and reactions?
9
00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:36,440
In the Bhagwad Gita, Sri Krishna
devotes considerable time to the
10
00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:38,520
description of the action of the
gunas.
11
00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:43,080
The characteristic types of
responses based on whether
12
00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:48,440
sattva, rajas or tamas is
predominant at any point in time
13
00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:53,040
in the individual's nature.
Yet he also describes a state of
14
00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:57,680
consciousness that is beyond the
action of the gunas trigunatita,
15
00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:02,520
by which the individual
transcends the external being
16
00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:07,920
and its subjection to the gunas
and the dualities and identifies
17
00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:13,800
with the Self, the Atman, and
thus the divine consciousness.
18
00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:17,320
This is the shift of
consciousness from the ego
19
00:01:17,320 --> 00:01:20,080
standpoint to the divine
standpoint.
20
00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:26,160
The dualities still take place.
When this occurs, there is still
21
00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:29,800
the underlying 'cause that we
would interpret under the regime
22
00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:35,960
of the dualities, hot and cold,
wet and dry, joy and sorrow,
23
00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:41,960
pleasure and pain, et cetera.
But the individual is no longer
24
00:01:41,960 --> 00:01:46,680
suffering under them, can accept
them both equally, and can see
25
00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:49,760
and relate to their action in a
dispassionate manner.
26
00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:54,840
Similarly, the external being is
still subject to the action of
27
00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:59,040
the three gunas, but that action
is seen as part of the play of
28
00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:02,280
nature.
This implies that the seeker,
29
00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:07,640
once the shift to the divine
standpoint has taken place, sees
30
00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:12,360
the role and value of the action
of each of the gunas and
31
00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:16,120
recognizes that they cannot be
eliminated from the world or the
32
00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:20,480
action in the world, but their
psychological impact need not
33
00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:25,480
touch him in his observation.
As a witness of the external
34
00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:31,720
nature, Srioro Bindu observes
quote the subtwick.
35
00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:35,080
Nature has always been held to
be the most apartment and ready
36
00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:39,760
for the spiritual life, while
the rajasic nature is encumbered
37
00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:46,000
by its desires and passions.
At the same time, spirituality
38
00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:49,640
is something above the
dualities, and what is most
39
00:02:49,640 --> 00:02:52,880
needed for it is a true upward
aspiration.
40
00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:57,680
This may come to the rajasic man
as well as to the Sutwick.
41
00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:03,160
If it does, he can rise by it
above his failings and desires
42
00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:08,560
and passions, just as the other
can rise beyond his virtues to
43
00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:12,200
the divine purity and light and
love.
44
00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:19,000
End Quote Reference Srioro Bindu
and the Mother Looking from
45
00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:25,960
Within, Chapter 5, Attitudes on
the Path, pages 113 to 114.
00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:03,840
The three gunas of nature
control the actions and
2
00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:07,040
reactions of the external nature
and the response to the
3
00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:10,320
dualities that present
themselves in nature.
4
00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:14,480
As long as we remain fixated at
the level of the surface
5
00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:19,280
personality, we remain subject
to this action of the gunas.
6
00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:23,080
The question then arises, is it
possible?
7
00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:27,480
Is it feasible to enter a
psychological state in which the
8
00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:30,640
gunas are not dictating our
actions and reactions?
9
00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:36,440
In the Bhagwad Gita, Sri Krishna
devotes considerable time to the
10
00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:38,520
description of the action of the
gunas.
11
00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:43,080
The characteristic types of
responses based on whether
12
00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:48,440
sattva, rajas or tamas is
predominant at any point in time
13
00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:53,040
in the individual's nature.
Yet he also describes a state of
14
00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:57,680
consciousness that is beyond the
action of the gunas trigunatita,
15
00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:02,520
by which the individual
transcends the external being
16
00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:07,920
and its subjection to the gunas
and the dualities and identifies
17
00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:13,800
with the Self, the Atman, and
thus the divine consciousness.
18
00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:17,320
This is the shift of
consciousness from the ego
19
00:01:17,320 --> 00:01:20,080
standpoint to the divine
standpoint.
20
00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:26,160
The dualities still take place.
When this occurs, there is still
21
00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:29,800
the underlying 'cause that we
would interpret under the regime
22
00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:35,960
of the dualities, hot and cold,
wet and dry, joy and sorrow,
23
00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:41,960
pleasure and pain, et cetera.
But the individual is no longer
24
00:01:41,960 --> 00:01:46,680
suffering under them, can accept
them both equally, and can see
25
00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:49,760
and relate to their action in a
dispassionate manner.
26
00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:54,840
Similarly, the external being is
still subject to the action of
27
00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:59,040
the three gunas, but that action
is seen as part of the play of
28
00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:02,280
nature.
This implies that the seeker,
29
00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:07,640
once the shift to the divine
standpoint has taken place, sees
30
00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:12,360
the role and value of the action
of each of the gunas and
31
00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:16,120
recognizes that they cannot be
eliminated from the world or the
32
00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:20,480
action in the world, but their
psychological impact need not
33
00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:25,480
touch him in his observation.
As a witness of the external
34
00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:31,720
nature, Srioro Bindu observes
quote the subtwick.
35
00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:35,080
Nature has always been held to
be the most apartment and ready
36
00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:39,760
for the spiritual life, while
the rajasic nature is encumbered
37
00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:46,000
by its desires and passions.
At the same time, spirituality
38
00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:49,640
is something above the
dualities, and what is most
39
00:02:49,640 --> 00:02:52,880
needed for it is a true upward
aspiration.
40
00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:57,680
This may come to the rajasic man
as well as to the Sutwick.
41
00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:03,160
If it does, he can rise by it
above his failings and desires
42
00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:08,560
and passions, just as the other
can rise beyond his virtues to
43
00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:12,200
the divine purity and light and
love.
44
00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:19,000
End Quote Reference Srioro Bindu
and the Mother Looking from
45
00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:25,960
Within, Chapter 5, Attitudes on
the Path, pages 113 to 114.