guna

Guna is a term from Sanskrit meaning "quality" or "attribute." In Indian philosophy and spirituality, it refers to three fundamental gunas that are believed to pervade matter and consciousness: sattva (order, harmony, clarity), rajas (activity, passion, energy), and tamas (inertia, darkness, ignorance). All phenomena are described as combinations of these gunas, with their balance shaping perception, behavior, and experience. The gunas are considered dynamic and transformable through practices such as ethical living, knowledge, meditation, and disciplined action. In yoga and Ayurveda, cultivating sattva and moderating rajas and tamas is often advised to promote mental clarity, vitality, and well-being.

Guna is also the name of a district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, with the city of Guna serving as the district headquarters. Located in central India, the district encompasses rural communities and towns, with agriculture and local commerce as important activities. The name is used in official contexts to denote the administrative region and its governance.

In broader usage, guna appears in various Hindu philosophical texts and commentaries to describe the essential qualities that influence mind and nature. The concept has influenced fields beyond philosophy, appearing in discussions of personality, ethics, and lifestyle choices across Indian cultural and scholarly traditions.