Raga (Buddhism)

Raga (Sanskrit, also rāga; Pali lobha; Tibetan: 'dod chags) is a Buddhist concept of character affliction or poison referring to any form of "greed, sensuality, lust, desire" or "attachment to a sensory object".[1][2][3] Raga (lobha) is identified in the following contexts within the Buddhist teachings:[4]

  • 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
Translations of
raga
Englishgreed, sensuality, desire, attachment or excitement for sensory objects, lust, sexual desire, passion
Sanskritराग (rāga)
Paliलोभ (lobha)
Burmeseလောဘ (ရာဂ)
Chinese貪 (T) / 贪 (S)
Japanese貪
(rōmaji: ton)
Khmerរាគៈ​ , រាគ , លោភៈ , លោភ
(UNGEGN: Reakeak, Reak, Lopheak, Lorp)
Korean탐
(RR: tam)
Tibetanའདོད་ཆགས་
(Wylie: ‘dod chags;
THL: döchak)
Thaiราคะ
(RTGS: rakha)
Glossary of Buddhism

Definitions

Rāga literally means "color or hue" in Sanskrit, but appears in Buddhist texts as a form of blemish, personal impurity or fundamental character affliction.[5][6] As a philosophical concept, the term refers to "greed, sensuality, desire" or "attachment to a sensory object".[1] 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.[5] Some scholars render it as "craving".[7]

Raga is one of three poisons and afflictions, also called the "threefold fires" in Buddhist Pali canon,[8] that prevents a being from reaching nirvana.[9][10] To extinguish all "Raga" (greed, lust, desire, attachment) is one of the requirements of nirvana (liberation) in Buddhism.[8]

The Abhidharma-samuccaya states:

What is craving (raga)? It is attachment to the three realms of existence. Its function consists of engendering suffering.[7]

Raga is said to arise from the identification of the self as being separate from everything else.[11] This mis-perception or misunderstanding is referred to as avidya (ignorance).

See also

References
  1. Robert E. Buswell Jr.; Donald S. Lopez Jr. (2013). The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism. Princeton University Press. pp. 59, 68, 589. ISBN 978-1-4008-4805-8.
  2. Thomas William Rhys Davids; William Stede (1921). Pali-English Dictionary. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 567. ISBN 978-81-208-1144-7.
  3. Damien Keown (2004). A Dictionary of Buddhism. Oxford University Press. pp. 8, 47, 143. ISBN 978-0-19-157917-2.
  4. Guenther (1975), Kindle Locations 715-718.
  5. David Webster (2005). The Philosophy of Desire in the Buddhist Pali Canon. Routledge. pp. 100–101. ISBN 978-0-415-34652-8.
  6. Thomas William Rhys Davids; William Stede (1921). Pali-English Dictionary. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 214, 567. ISBN 978-81-208-1144-7.
  7. Asaṅga; Walpola Rahula; Sara Boin-Webb (2001). Abhidharmasamuccaya: The Compendium of the Higher Teaching. Jain Publishing. p. 11. ISBN 978-0-89581-941-3.
  8. Frank Hoffman; Deegalle Mahinda (2013). Pali Buddhism. Routledge. pp. 106–107. ISBN 978-1-136-78553-5.
  9. David Webster (2005). The Philosophy of Desire in the Buddhist Pali Canon. Routledge. p. 2–3. ISBN 978-0-415-34652-8.
  10. Thomas William Rhys Davids; William Stede (1921). Pali-English Dictionary. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 362. ISBN 978-81-208-1144-7.
  11. Ringu Tulku (2005), p. 29

Sources
  • Ajahn Sucitto (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.
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