''Raga'' (

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 ...

: राग,

IAST The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Brahmic family, Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that ...

: ;

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 ...

; 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 The three poisons (Sanskrit: ''triviṣa''; Tibetan: ''dug gsum'') in the Mahayana tradition or the three unwholesome roots (Sanskrit: ''akuśala-mūla''; Pāli: ''akusala-mūla'') in the Theravada tradition are a Buddhist term that refers to th ...

within the Mahayana Buddhist tradition * One of the ''three unwholesome roots'', called ''lobha'', within the Theravada Buddhist tradition * One of the six root kleshas within the Mahayana Abhidharma teachings * One of the fourteen unwholesome mental factors, called ''lobha'', within the Theravada Abhidharma teachings

Definitions

literally means 'color or hue' in Sanskrit. In Buddhist texts as a form of blemish, personal impurity or fundamental character affliction. The term

Raga A raga ( ; , ; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. It is central to classical Indian music. Each raga consists of an array of melodic structures with musical motifs; and, fro ...

also refers to a melodic mode in Indian music.

In Buddhism

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. Some scholars render it as 'craving'. ''Raga'' is one of three poisons and afflictions, also called the "threefold fires" in Buddhist Pali canon, that prevents a being from reaching ''

nirvana Nirvana, in the Indian religions (Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism), is the concept of an individual's passions being extinguished as the ultimate state of salvation, release, or liberation from suffering ('' duḥkha'') and from the ...

''. To extinguish all ''raga'' (greed, lust, desire, attachment) is one of the requirements of ''nirvana'' (liberation) in Buddhism. The

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 impor ...

states: :What is craving (raga)? It is attachment to the three realms of existence. Its function consists of engendering suffering. Raga is said to arise from the identification of the self as being separate from everything else.Ringu Tulku (2005), p. 29 This mis-perception or misunderstanding is referred to as '' avidya'' (ignorance).

In Hinduism

In the

Yoga Sutras The ''Yoga Sutras of Patañjali'' (IAST: Patañjali yoga-sūtra) is a compilation "from a variety of sources" of Sanskrit sutras (aphorisms) on the practice of yoga – 195 sutras (according to Vyasa, Vyāsa and Krishnamacharya) and 196 sut ...

II.7, ''rāga'' is defined as the desire for pleasure based on remembering past experiences of pleasure. Memory triggers the wish to repeat those experiences, leading to attachment. Ego is seen as the root of this attachment, and memory is necessary for attachment to form. Even when not consciously remembered, past impressions can unconsciously draw the mind toward objects of pleasure. The word ''rāga'' also appears in a different sense in Yoga Sutra IV.17, with the prefix ''upa'', as ''upa-rāga'', meaning "being colored". In this verse,

Patanjali Patanjali (, , ; also called Gonardiya or Gonikaputra) was the name of one or more author(s), mystic(s) and philosopher(s) in ancient India. His name is recorded as an author and compiler of a number of Sanskrit works. The greatest of these a ...

explains how objects become known or unknown based on their interaction with the mind (''citta'').

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 Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belong ...

(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