Raga (
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the la ...
: राग,
IAST
The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that emerged durin ...
: ;
Pali
Pali () is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist '' Pāli Canon'' or '' Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of ''Theravāda'' Bud ...
;
Tibetan: ) is a Buddhist and Hindu concept of character affliction or poison referring to any form of "greed, sensuality, lust, desire" or "attachment to a sensory object".
Raga is represented in the Buddhist artwork (Sanskrit: ''
bhāvacakra'') as the bird or rooster. In Hinduism, it is one of the
five Kleshas or poisons that afflict the soul. In Buddhism, Raga is identified in the following contexts:
[Guenther (1975), Kindle Locations 715-718.]
* One of the
three poisons within the Mahayana Buddhist tradition
* One of the ''three unwholesome roots'' within the Theravada Buddhist tradition
* One of the
six root kleshas within the Mahayana Abhidharma teachings
* One of the
fourteen unwholesome mental factors within the Theravada Abhidharma teachings
Definitions
literally means 'color or hue' in Sanskrit, but appears in Buddhist texts as a form of blemish, personal impurity or fundamental character affliction.
The term
Raga
A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradition, and as a ...
also refers to a melodic mode in Indian music. As a Buddhist philosophical concept, the term refers to 'greed, sensuality, desire' or 'attachment to a sensory object'.
[ It includes any form of desire including sexual desire and sensual passion, as well as attachments to, excitement over and pleasure derived from objects of the senses.]nirvana
( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lampRichard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo.' ...
''.Abhidharma-samuccaya
The Abhidharma-samuccaya (Sanskrit; ; English: "Compendium of Abhidharma") is a Buddhist text composed by Asaṅga. The ''Abhidharma-samuccaya'' is a systematic account of Abhidharma. According to J. W. de Jong it is also "one of the most import ...
states:
:What is craving (raga)? It is attachment to the three realms of existence. Its function consists of engendering suffering.[Ringu Tulku (2005), p. 29] This mis-perception or misunderstanding is referred to as '' avidya'' (ignorance).
See also
* Karma in Buddhism
Karma (Sanskrit, also ''karman'', Pāli: ''kamma'') is a Sanskrit term that literally means "action" or "doing". In the Buddhist tradition, ''karma'' refers to action driven by intention ('' cetanā'') which leads to future consequences. Those ...
* Saṅkhāra
(Pali; सङ्खार; Sanskrit: संस्कार or ) is a term figuring prominently in Buddhism. The word means 'formations' or 'that which has been put together' and 'that which puts together'.
In the first (passive) sense, ' ref ...
* Taṇhā
(Pāli; Sanskrit: tṛ́ṣṇā तृष्णा IPA: rʂɳa) is an important concept in Buddhism, referring to "thirst, desire, longing, greed", either physical or mental. It is typically translated as craving, and is of three types: '' ...
* Three poisons
References
Sources
* Ajahn Sucitto
Ajahn Sucitto (Bhikkhu Sucitto, born 4 November 1949) is a British-born Theravada Buddhist monk ('' Ajahn'' is the Thai rendition of ''ācārya'', the Sanskrit word for 'spiritual teacher'). He was, between 1992 and 2014, the abbot of ''Cit ...
(2010). ''Turning the Wheel of Truth: Commentary on the Buddha's First Teaching''. Shambhala.
* Goleman, Daniel (2008). ''Destructive Emotions: A Scientific Dialogue with the Dalai Lama''. Bantam. Kindle Edition.
* Guenther, Herbert V. & Leslie S. Kawamura (1975), ''Mind in Buddhist Psychology: A Translation of Ye-shes rgyal-mtshan's "The Necklace of Clear Understanding"'' Dharma Publishing. Kindle Edition.
* Kunsang, Erik Pema (translator) (2004). ''Gateway to Knowledge, Vol. 1''. North Atlantic Books.
* Leifer, Ron (1997). ''The Happiness Project''. Snow Lion.
* Ringu Tulku (2005). ''Daring Steps Toward Fearlessness: The Three Vehicles of Tibetan Buddhism'', Snow Lion.
External links
Ranjung Yeshe wiki entry for dod chags''
{{Buddhism topics
Unwholesome factors in Buddhism
Sanskrit words and phrases