Vedic literature from antiquity talks of three attributes that define all the diverse natural beings. Three defining attributes correspond with three expressions of consciousness in them. All beings emerge from a shared source with a measure of materuiality and consciousness. In some, means of the expression of consciousness are the least developed, others may have relatively developed means where yet others may have the most developed means of expression consciousness.
All beings develop from nature which is also the source of their attributes. Primordial nature is without any attributes; it may be considered as a perfect balance of the three attributes. Individuation then is a result of a disturbance of this balance.
Although one of the three attributes dominates to the extent of defining an individual, all the three are present at all times and individually prevail from time to time because they all are essential for keeping the mortal body together with the immortal spirit.