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Evolution of concept of guna
This document discusses the evolution of the concept of 'guna' in Ayurveda across various stages, including Vedic, darshanika, classical, and neo-classical ages. It examines the philosophical frameworks influencing guna, its definitions, and significance in material and living organisms, while exploring the relationship between guna and causality in Ayurveda. Additionally, it highlights practical applications of guna in drug formulation and pharmacodynamics.
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Discussion on the evolution and stages of Guna in Ayurveda, outlining its philosophical development through various ages.
Examines the early practice of Guna in the Vedic age and the philosophical emergence during the Daarsanic age.
Analysis of Guna in Vaiseshika, covering definitions, categories, and properties associated with material world.
Focus on the Sankhya philosophy relating to Guna, classification of qualities, and prioritization in Ayurvedic texts.
Exploration of Guna's roles in drug activity and pharmacological classifications with examples from Ayurveda.
Discussing primary and secondary Gunas, their effect on drug potency, and factors influencing drug action.
Detailed look at measurements, usage, and methodologies associated with Guna in drug formulations.
Post-Classical developments in the understanding of Guna, including its application in pharmacodynamics.
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Evolution of concept of guna
- 1. Evolution of theconcept of Guna in Ayurveda Dr. Vinodkumar M V Professor, Dept. of Samhita, Sanskrit & Sidhanta VPAV Ayurveda College Kottakkal, Kerala [email protected]
- 2. Stages of development VedicDaarsanic Classical Ayurveda Neo- Classical Ayurveda
- 3. Transition periods (forGuna) Vedic age Darsanic age Classical age Susruta Charaka Nagarjun a Vagbhata RVS Hemadri Classical age Neo- classical age Post- classical age
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- 6. Vedic Age Earlypractice Basically Daivavyapasraya No visible logic; no relevance for principles Later practice Observation based; no inference, no derivations Only Pratyaksha; no Anumaana Dravya & Karma – no thoughts about Guna
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- 8. Drasanic age Emergenceof philosophy Deals with explanation related to Evolution Character of material world Secrets of life and birth Psycho-spiritual analysis Tries to describe and interpret natural phenomena Developed methodology for scientific enquiries
- 9. Guna comes in Sankhya – with reference to evolution Vaiseshika - with reference to material world Vedanta – illusion; ultimate reality is nirguna Saankhya & Vaiseshika – substantially different
- 10. Comparison Saankhya Vaiseshika Basically dealswith living organism Deals with material world; living organism is one among them Guna indicates triguna Guna is one among six categories Quality is the primary concern than material Material is of the prime concern than Qualities Explains homogeneity of the universe (ie, everything in the universe is trigunatmaka) Explains heterogeneity of the universe (ie, one substance is different from other due to its gunas also) Both physical & psychological at a time Physical & psychological (spiritual) gunas separated Gunas are mutually contributing, supporting, limiting etc. Gunas are independent Gunas have direct role in evolution Gunas are secondary in the process of creation Concept of mutually opposite qualities in a single entity No concept of opposite qualities
- 11. Sankhya Trigunas arenot the Qualities of Avyakta; but, avyakta itself is made of triguna Importance to Guna (avyakta=pradhaana) Mutually dependent, but, opposite gunas First mention of physical characters (Laghu, Guru) Describing Qualities of Triguna – Satva - Laghu Rajas – Chala Tamas - Guru Guna = Dravya (or) Dravya is derived from Guna?
- 12. Vaiseshika Explaining thematerial world Guna – one among six padarthas Sattapadarthas Padarthas are mutually exclusive categories Understanding guna as one which qualifies Dravya, one which attracts towards Dravya One which is lesser important than Dravya
- 13. Development from Vaiseshika Vaiseshik a •17 PPB*, Navyanyaya • 24 Charaka • 41 Vagbhata • 20 *PPB = Prasastapada-bhashya
- 14. Vaiseshika 1. Rupa 2. Rasa 3.Gandha 4. Sparsa 5. Sankhya 6. Parimana 7. Prithakthwa 8. Samyoga 9. Vibhaga 10. Paratwa 11. Aparatwa 12. Sukha 13. Dukha 14. Itchha 15. Dwesha 16. Buddhi 17. Prayatna Physical properties Assumptive properties Spiritual properties
- 15. Group of Quality (as per Charaka) VaiseshikaPPB, Navyanyaya Charaka Vagbhata Artha Sparsa, Rupa, Rasa, Gandha + Sabda 5 Nil Gurvadi Nil Gurutva, Dravatva, Sneha 20 20 Atmaguna Sukha, Dukha Itchha, Dwesha Buddhi, Prayatna + Dharma, Adharma Sukha, Dukha Itchha, Dwesha Buddhi, Prayatna Nil Paradi Sankhya, Parimana, Prithakthwa, Samyoga, Vibhaga, Paratva, Aparatva + Samskara + Yukti, abhyasa Nil
- 16. Vaiseshika Definition Dravyasrayee Agunavaan Samyoga vibhageshu akaaranam anapeksha Kant’hoktaguna – 17 (others not enumerated) Explain Gunas to describe materials All the Gunas can be identified through sense organs So, Physical Qualities
- 17. Identification through faculties Identifiedthrough Qualities Identified through single faculty (Ekendriyagrahya) Rupa, Rasa, Gandha, Sparsa Identified through two faculties (Dwindriyagrahya) Sankhya, Parimana, Prithakthwa, Samyoga, Vibhaga, Paratva, Aparatva Identified through internal faculty (antarindriyagrahyaguna) Sukha, Dukha, Itchha, Dwesha, Buddhi, Prayatna
- 18. Causal relationship Dravyais the cause for Dravya, Guna & Karma Samavayeekaarana Guna is the cause for Dravya, Guna & Karma Asamavayeekaarana Very much important in Ayurveda
- 19. Substance Quality Action Substance Quality Action Relation of categories basedon causality 1. Inherent cause 2. Non-inherent cause
- 20. Neo-Vaiseshika 7 morequalities Sabda, Dharma, Adharma, Gurutva, Dravatva, Sneha, Samskara
- 21. Contradictory Mutuality inAyurveda Adopted from Sankhya Panchabhautikatva Traigunya Tridosha Disagreement with Vaiseshika
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- 23. Ayurveda Pure philosophy Practical philosophy Magic/ intuition Logical practice Chance Repeatability Mystery (daiva) Logic (yukti) Paradigm shift Descriptive approach Biological approach
- 24. Guna in Ayurveda The hidden principle behind ACTIVITY Core part of theoretizing drug activity Allowing dominance to anumaana than pratyaksha Not merely physical Three levels : physical, biological and pharmacological One among three domains to act Samanya & Visesha
- 25. Guna in Ayurveda Definition (Charaka) Samavayee ? Nischeshta kaarnam Enumeration – Added 17 qualities to Gurvadiguna Describes identification of Viseshaguna through a single Indriya (tvak)
- 26. Classification Gurvadiguna –common basis to explain the mutuality Sareera & Dravya Paradiguna – modifying factors Viseshaguna – minimum role in pharmacology (except rasa) Atmaguna – identifying features of Living Organism
- 27. Vagbhata Prioritization ofGunas Categorization of Vimsatiguna Concept of Guna (as Veerya) & Gunaantara
- 28. Viseshaguna Vaiseshika conceptof Pakajaguna - Any biological role (except rasa)? Follow samanya-visesha sidhanta? Charaka’s practical approach – Asadharanalin’ga – all bhutas identified through skin
- 29. Rasa TS explains6 tastes Prithwee-jalavritti (TS) Tatra dravyam apah` kshitistatha (Charaka) “Rasasidhanta” – explained in Ayurveda only Ayurveda takes Rasa as a tool to hypothesize drug action
- 30. Sparsa Ushna, Seeta,anushnaseeta (TS) Sparsa - Vayu – anushnaseeta (TS) Vata – Seeta (Ayurveda) Sparsapareeksha (Ayurveda)
- 31. Gandha Gandha –Surabhi, Asurabhi Gandhapareeksha Diagnostic tool Visragandha Amagandhasyata etc.
- 32. Concept of Paaka Discussed in Vaiseshika in relation to Gunas Paka is defined as the combustion with extrinsic heat resulting in the changes of color, smell, touch and taste. These changes happens in Prithvee only In Ayurveda, instead, concept of bhootagni explains changes in all bhutas It considers the final effect only; that is, the effect after digestion.
- 33. Gurvadi guna 3among 20 described in TS They also defined in relation to Movement (physical) In Ayurveda Gurvadiguna = karmanyaguna (active principles) Gurvadiguna = Sareerikaguna (biological qualities) Biological significance
- 34. Gurvadiguna Dichotomy -Dvandvaguna Not all are equally important Better to understand as a scale of range between two end points Always comparative For accommodating different activities
- 35. Enumeration Not completed More gunas identified Can be understood with reference to the listed ones
- 36. Unlisted Vyavayee –sara (AS) ? – Sookshma, Teekshna Vikashee – Teekshna (AS) – Ushna, teekshna Aasukara – Chala Daaruna – chala Prasanna – sthoola (Hemadri) Bahala – Guru + Snigdha Sugandhi Visra
- 37. Reduction From 41gunas 20 gunas 8 gunas as veerya 6-7 gunas of dosha 2 gunas in therapeutics (guru, laghu) 2 gunas in pharmacology (ushna, seeta) 2 gunas in body content (snigdha, rooksha)
- 38. Shadupakrama Guru -Brimhana Laghu - Langhana Ushna - Swedana Seeta - Stambhana Snigdha - Snehana Ruksha - Rukshana
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- 40. Guna – Primary& Secondary Veerya (8) can be called Primary Gunas Others are secondary (Gunaantara) Most of the Gunaantaras can be described in terms of Primary Gunas No drugs without any one of the primary gunas But, there can be drugs without secondary gunas
- 41. Secondary Gunas Primary Gunas associated MriduSnigdha + ushna Kathina Ruksha+seeta Slakshna Laghu + rooksha Khara Snigdha+seeta+rooksha Sandra Snigdha+Seeta Drava Snigdha+ushna Sara Snigdha+laghu+ushna Sthira Snigdha+Guru+Seeta Sookshma Ushna+teekshna Sthula Seeta+Manda Visada Laghu+ushna Pichila Snigdha+seeta
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- 43. Cause effect relationshipbetween Guna & Karma Three rules 1. Quality dormant in normal state may become dominant in abnormal state 2. Quality dormant in one activity may become dominant in another activity in the same state of dosha 3. Quality dominant in one site/situation may be dormant in another site/situation
- 44. Paradiguna Modifying factorsin drug administration Mostly taken from TS, but, with modified definitions Applied definitions available Abhyasa, Yukti added
- 45. Paratva, Aparatva Dikkrita& Kalakrita (TS) – Temporal & Spatial Charaka – Desa, Kaala, Vayo, maana, Paaka, veerya, rasa etc. Etc. includes all the variables associated with treatment/drug administration which modify the drug action. Environmental modifying factors
- 46. Yukti Yukti asa modifying factor of drug action Visha becomes amrita applied in a proper way Very important in drug administration Proper application
- 47. Sankhya Ekatvadi vyavaharahetu (TS) Ganitam (Charaka) Calculations
- 48. Samyoga-Vibhaaga Samyuktavyavaharahetu (TS) Yoga saha samyoga Combined doses Vibhaaga – Vibhakti, Viyoga, Bhagasa graha Divided doses
- 49. Prithaktwa (distinction) Asamyoga- lack of union Vailakshanya – difference of charaecteristic Anekata – multiplicity Differential usage of the same drug
- 50. Parimaana Measurement Posology Calculations regarding dose, time etc.
- 51. Samskara Three types– Vega, Bhavana. Sthitisthapakatva (TS) Gunaantaraadhaana Karana (charaka) Processing's
- 52. Abhayasa Abhyasana –repeated usage Can change drug action Eg: Drug resistance due to continuous use
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- 55. Hemadri ConsideringGunas as active principles Explaining one activity each for gurvadi gunas Sarngadhara Defining individual activities
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- 57. • Dravya • Panchabhuta Structure •Guna Property • Karma Function Dravya Rasapanchaka Karma
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Editor's Notes
- #12 Concept of mutual dependence and opposite – adopted in Ayurveda