Moha (

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 late ...

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'' Buddhism ...

: मोह; Tibetan phonetic: ''timuk'') is a concept in both Hinduism and Buddhism. In Hinduism, it is one of the six

arishadvargas In Hindu theology, Arishadvarga or Shadripu/Shada Ripu ( sa, षड्रिपु; meaning the six enemies) are the six enemies of the mind, which are: ''Kama'' (desire), ''Krodha (Mental factor), krodha'' (anger), ''lobha'' (greed), ''Mada'' ( ...

(also known as shadripus). In Buddhist thought, Moha, along with Raga (greed, sensual attachment) and

Dvesha __NOTOC__ Dvesha (Sanskrit: द्वेष, IAST: ''dveṣa''; Pali: दोस, ''dosa''; Tibetan: ''zhe sdang'') is a Buddhist and Hindu term that is translated as "hate, aversion".;; Quote: The attainment of freedom from the three poisons of lu ...

(aversion, hate) are unskillful roots that lead to Tanha (craving) which is part of the

Twelve Nidanas Twelve or 12 may refer to: * 12 (number) * December, the twelfth and final month of the year Years * 12 BC * AD 12 * 1912 * 2012 Film * ''Twelve'' (2010 film), based on the 2002 novel * ''12'' (2007 film), by Russian director and actor Nikita ...

that propel the wheel of life. It is symbolically present as the pig in the center of Tibetan

bhavachakra The bhavacakra (Sanskrit: भवचक्र; Pāli: ''bhavacakka''; Tibetan: སྲིད་པའི་འཁོར་ལོ, Wylie: ''srid pa'i 'khor lo'') is a symbolic representation of saṃsāra (or cyclic existence). It is found on the ...

drawings. Moha refers to desire and attachment to the world or worldly matters. It is sometimes synonymous with "ignorance" ('' Avijjā''). Moha is identified in the following contexts within the teachings of Buddhism and Hinduism: * One of the ''three unwholesome roots'' within the Theravada Buddhist tradition * One of the fourteen unwholesome mental factors within the Theravada Abhidharma teachings * One of the

three poisons The three poisons (Sanskrit: ''triviṣa''; Tibetan: ''dug gsum'') or the three unwholesome roots (Sanskrit: ''akuśala-mūla''; Pāli: ''akusala-mūla''), in Buddhism, refer to the three root kleshas: '' Moha'' (delusion, confusion), ''Raga'' ...

within the Mahayana Buddhist tradition.

Etymology and meaning

''Moha'' appears in the Vedic literature, and has roots in early Vedic word ''mogha'' which means "empty, unreal, vain, useless, foolish". The term, as well as the three defects concept appears in the ancient texts of Jainism and some schools of Hinduism such as

Nyaya (Sanskrit: न्याय, ''nyā-yá''), literally meaning "justice", "rules", "method" or "judgment", The opposite of ''Moha'' is '' Prajna'' (insight, wisdom). Beliefs different from those considered as insights in Buddhism, are forms of delusions or Moha in Buddhism. Moha is one of the roots of

evil Evil, in a general sense, is defined as the opposite or absence of good. It can be an extremely broad concept, although in everyday usage it is often more narrowly used to talk about profound wickedness and against common good. It is general ...

, in the Buddhist belief.

Application

In Hinduism "Moh" means attachment to people or things. This world is dystopia and what we perceive as reality is simulated reality. Everything, including time,is an illusion. This illusion is known as "Maya" to which we have "moh" or an attachment. Within the Mahayana tradition, ''moha'' is classified as one of the

, which are considered to be the root cause of suffering. In the Mahayana tradition, ''moha'' is considered to be a subcategory of '' avidyā''. Whereas ''avidyā'' is defined as a fundamental ignorance, ''moha'' is defined as an ignorance of cause and effect or of reality that accompanies only destructive states of mind or behavior.Berzin, Alexander
''Berzin Archives, Glossary of Buddhist Terms''
''Moha'' is sometimes replaced by ''avidyā'' in lists of the

. In contemporary explanations of the ''three poisons'', teachers are likely to emphasize the fundamental ignorance of ''avidyā'' rather than ''moha''.

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 ''Citta ...

(2010). ''Turning the Wheel of Truth: Commentary on the Buddha's First Teaching''. Shambhala. *

Mingyur Rinpoche Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche (Tibet: ཡོངས་དགེ་མི་འགྱུར་རིན་པོ་ཆེ། Wylie: yongs dge mi 'gyur rin po che) is a Tibetan teacher and master of the Karma Kagyu and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhis ...

(2007). ''The Joy of Living: Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness''. Harmony. Kindle Edition.

External links

Delusional Thinking - Moha (Hinduism)

{{Buddhism topics Unwholesome factors in Buddhism Sanskrit words and phrases

Etymology and meaning

Application

See also

References

Sources

External links