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Basis For Ayurvedic Philosophy
The Senses
The five elements manifest in the functioning of the five senses of man. This allows the person to perceive the external environment in which he or she lives. They are also related, through the senses, to five actions expressing the functions of the sensory organs.
The basic senses and their relationship to the five elements are shown below :
Element
Ether
Air
Fire
Water
Earth
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Senses
Hearing
Touch
Vision
Taste
Smell
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Sense Organ
Ear
Skin
Eye
Tongue
Nose
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Action
Speech
Holding
Walking
Procreation
Excretion
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Panchamaha
bootha
 Space Air Fire Earth Water
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Sense
Organs
 Ear Skin Eyes Nose Tounge
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Sensory
Faculty
 Hearing Touch Visual Smell Taste
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Properties
Creates natural void in the body
No distinct taste
Light, clear and dry.
Governs inhalation, exhalation, opening and closing of eyelids, extension and contraction of joints, locomotion and other motor functions.
slightly bitter taste
Rough & bright eyes
Controls temperature and luster of body colour.
Pungent taste
Heavy, immobile, compact & rough.
Controls organs as teeth, nails, flesh, skin, tendons & muscles.
Sweet taste
Cold, heavy fluid
Slimy, fat and sweat by nature
Sweet & astringent, sour & saline taste.
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Actions
Produces softness, lightness and porosity
Creates dryness, lightness and emaciation.
Helps in digestion, maturation, improves eye sight
Increases firmness & strength of the body
Acts as a nutrient, emollient and purgative
Imparts glossiness.
Enhances fluid content & purgative
Acts as nutrient, emollient and purgative.
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The Tridosha
The Tridoshas ( tri meaning three and doshas being the basic physical energies) are the primary and essential factors of the human body that govern our entire physical structure and function. Derived from the Panchmahabhutas, each dosha – which like the elements cannot be detected with our senses but their qualities can be – is a combination of any two of the five bhutas with the predominance of one. Called
(1) Vata
(2) Pitta
(3) Kapha
In Sanskrit, these three are responsible for all the physiological and psychological processes within the body and mind – dynamic forces that determine growth and decay. Every physical characteristic, mental capacity and the emotional tendency of a human being can therefore be explained in terms of the tridoshas.
Most of the physical phenomena ascribed to the nervous system by modern physiology for example, can be identified with Vata.
Just as the entire chemical process operating in the human body can be attributed to Pitta, including enzymes, hormones and the complete nutritional system.
The activities of the skeletal and the anabolic system, actually the entire physical volume of an organism, can be considered as Kapha.
Light Cold Dry Rough Subtle Mobile Clear Dispersing Erratic Astringent
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Heavy Cold Oily Slow Slimy Dense Soft
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Each dosha thus shares a quality with another (although there remain slight differences in the nature of shared quality), the third having just the opposite quality. Also, each has an inherent ability to regulate and balance itself, coming from the antagonistic qualities that arise from the doshas constituent elements.
When the doshas are in balance i.e. in a state of equilibrium, we remain healthy. As Charaka, the great ayurvedic sage, explained: " Vata, pitta and kapha maintain the integrity of the living human organism in their normal state and combine so as to make the man a complete being with his indriyas (sense organs) possessed of strength, good complexion and assured of longevity." It is only when that there is imbalance within the three that disease is caused. And since it is the strongest dosha in the constitution that usually has the greatest tendency to increase, one is most susceptible to illnesses associated with an increase of the same.
It is important to realize that these three are forces and not substances. Kapha is not mucus; it is the force that causes mucus to arise. Similarly pitta is not bile; but that which causes bile to be produced. And they are called doshas – literally meaning `faults’ or `out of whack’- as they indicate the fault lines along which the system can become imbalanced.
It is equally important to understand that the three doshas within any person keep changing constantly, due to the doshic qualities of specific lifestyle and environment, such as time and season. And that these three are not separate energies but different aspects of the same energy, present together in an infinite variety of combinations, where in their qualities overlap and interrelate.
Ayurveda however considers only three types of constitution – in monotypes just one dosha predominates, in duo types two have near similar strength, and in the very rarely found third type all three are equally powerful. Within this broad classification, there are in the first category various sub-types.
The Trigunas
Just as the doshas are the essential components of the body, the three gunas - Satwa, Rajas and Tamas - are the three essential components or energies of the mind. Ayurveda provides a distinct description of people on the basis of their Manasa (psychological) Prakriti (constitution). Genetically determined, these psychological characteristics are dependent on the relative dominance of the three gunas.
While all individuals have mixed amounts of the three, the predominant guna determines an individual's mansa prakriti. In equilibrium, the three gunas preserve the mind (and indirectly the body), maintaining it in a healthy state. Any disturbance in this equilibrium results in various types of mental disorders.
Satwa , characterized by lightness, consciousness, pleasure and clarity, is pure, free from disease and cannot be disturbed in any way. It activates the senses and is responsible for the perception of knowledge.
Rajas, the most active of the gunas, has motion and stimulation as its characteristics. All desires, wishes, ambitions and fickle-mindedness are a result of the same.
Tamas is characterized by heaviness and resistance. It produces disturbances in the process of perception and activities of the mind. Delusion, false knowledge, laziness, apathy, sleep and drowsiness are due to it.
Rajas and Tamas, as with the doshas, can be unbalanced by stress and negative desires as kama (lust), irshya (malice), moha (delusion and halucination), lobha (greed), chinta (anxiety), bhaya (fear) and krodha (anger). Each of these three properties is also comprised of sub-types and the particular sub-type to which one belongs to determine the qualities of that individual.
Satwika individuals are usually noble and spiritual in character, their nature determined as much by body type as their star constellation, having an element of kapha in their constitution.
Satwika Subtype Qualities
Brahma
Arsa
Aindra
Yamya
Varuna
Kabera
Gandharva
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Free from passion, anger, greed, ignorance or jealousy, possessing knowledge and the power of discrimination.
Excellent memory, purity, love and self -control, excellent intellectual frame of mind, free from pride, ego, ignorance, greed or anger. Possessing the power of understanding and retention.
Devotion to sacred books, study rituals and oblations. Devotion to virtuous acts, far- sightedness and courage. Authoritative behavior and speech. Able to perform sacred rituals.
Free from mean and conflicting desires and acts. Having initiative, excellent memory and leadership. Free from emotional binds, hatred, ignorance and envy. The capacity for timely action.
Free from mean acts. Exhibition of emotion in proper place. Observance of religious rights.
Courage, patience, and hatred of impure thoughts. Liking for virtuous acts and purity. Pleasure in recreation.
Possession of wealth, attendants and luxuries. Expertise in poetry, stories and epics. Fondness for dancing singing and music. Takes pleasure in perfumes, garlands and flowers. Full of passion.
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