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Lobha is a
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
and
Pali Pāli (, IAST: pāl̤i) is a Classical languages of India, classical Middle Indo-Aryan languages, Middle Indo-Aryan language of the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pali Canon, Pāli Can ...
word—often translated as "lust," "desire," "craving," "greed"—which has different meanings depending on the context. In
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
, ''lobha'' () () is the concept of character affliction that refers to any form of "sensuality, lust, desire" or "attachment to sensual objects". It is one of the five kleshas that afflict the Ātman. quite :
अविद्यास्मितारागद्वेषाभिनिवेशाः पञ्च क्लेशाः॥३॥
Avidyāsmitārāgadveṣābhiniveśāḥ pañca kleśāḥ
It is one of the Shadripurs. In
Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
, ''lobha'' (
Pāli Pāli (, IAST: pāl̤i) is a classical Middle Indo-Aryan language of 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 '' Therav� ...
), synonymous with
taṇhā (from Pāli; ) 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: ''kāma-taṇhā'' (craving for sensual pleasures), ' ...
and rāga, refers to the concept of "craving" or "greed" that is a mental factor in the form of mental defilement, acting as one of the roots of evil actions—''lobha'', ''dosa'', and ''moha''. ''Lobha'' is a
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
technical term, used in jurisdiction, meaning "greed for wealth". It has been cited as one of the causes of perjury.Lobha: 38 definitions
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In Hinduism

The word ''lobha'' is used in religious literature such as the ''
Manusmriti The ''Manusmṛti'' (), also known as the ''Mānava-Dharmaśāstra'' or the Laws of Manu, is one of the many legal texts and constitutions among the many ' of Hinduism. Over fifty manuscripts of the ''Manusmriti'' are now known, but the earli ...
''. ''Lobha'' refers to material greed. According to the ''
Vishnu Purana The Vishnu Purana () is one of the eighteen Mahapuranas, a genre of ancient and medieval texts of Hinduism. It is an important Pancharatra text in the Vaishnavism literature corpus. The manuscripts of ''Vishnu Purana'' have survived into ...
'', ''lobha'' represents a type of spiritual pain of the emotional kind. According to Vishnu Purana verses 6.5.1-6, "the wise man investigates the three types of worldly suffering, or mental and physical suffering and the like, and attains true knowledge and detachment from human objects, attaining ultimate extinction".
Ramayana The ''Ramayana'' (; ), also known as ''Valmiki Ramayana'', as traditionally attributed to Valmiki, is a smriti text (also described as a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic) from ancient India, one of the two important epics ...
advises forest dwellers to give up ''lobha'' in verse 2.24. The Bhagavad Gita identifies greed, alongside desire and anger, as one of the three gates to hell that destroy the soul (verse 16.21), urging their renunciation. In verse 14.17, greed is identified as rooted in the rajas and associated with restlessness and attachment, contrasting with sattva, which fosters wisdom.


In Buddhism


See also

*
Mohā Mohā (), a Sanskrit word often rendered as “delusion," refers to the Hindu and Buddhist concept of ignorance that prevents the understanding of Truth. Bhagavad Gita, Verse 2.52, explains this delusion (moha) as infatuation or attachment to maya ...


References

{{Hindudharma Hindu philosophical concepts Sanskrit words and phrases