Sattva
/ˈsʌt.və/noun
In Indian philosophy, the quality of purity, clarity, harmony, and balance; one of the three gunas.
Did you know?Sattva is one of the three guṇas in Hindu thought, and its root is the same ancient Indo-European source behind English words like *is*, *essence*, and *true being*.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₁es-
“to be, exist”
Vedic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
sattva
“being, existence, nature, essence; also purity or goodness in philosophical contexts”
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
sattva
“being, creature, essence; the quality of clarity and harmony”
Modern English
English
sattva
“the quality of purity, harmony, and balance in Indian philosophy”