Tamas (philosophy)
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In Hinduism and Budhism, Tamas, or tamo-guna, is the lower of the three gunas. It is a force which promotes one or more of the following: (1) darkness, (2) death, (3) destruction, (4) ignorance, (5) sloth, (6) resistance. Note that sloth is related to death by analogy, and likewise, ignorance is related to darkness. Tamas is viewed as being more negative than either rajas or sattva.
The three gunas Sattva, Rajas and Tamas are described and detailed in Samkhya - One of the Six Indian Schools of Philosophy.
Tamas cannot be counteracted by tamas. It might be easier to counteract it by means of rajas (action), and it might be more difficult to jump directly from tamas to sattva.
The result of a life led by tamas is demerit: demotion to a lower life-form.
Tamas corresponds to what Buddhists call "delusion", one of the three roots of evil. Also, out of the five hindrances, two of them —sloth and doubt— are caused by tamas.
Persons who are "couch potatoes" may be characterized as tamasic.
Overeating (i.e. gluttony) is tamasic.
[edit] Quotes
- "You should know, O Arjuna, tamas as the cause of delusion enslaving all embodied beings born of nescience; by negligence, listlessness and somnolescence." (BG 14:8)
- "O Arjuna, nescience, inertness, neglectfulness and also illusion; when these arise tamas predominates." (BG 14:13)
- "Succumbing to death in rajas one takes birth among those beings attached to fruitive activities; similarly, dying in tamas, one takes birth from the womb of an animal." (BG 14:15)
