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Tamas (philosophy)

 

 
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Tamas (philosophy)
 
 
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In Hinduism
Hinduism

'Hinduism' is the predominant religion of the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is often referred to as , a Sanskrit phrase meaning "the eternal dharma", by its practitioners....
, Buddhism
Buddhism

Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices considered by most to be a religionand is based on the teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as "The Buddha" , who was born in what is today Nepal....
, and Sikhism
Sikhism

Sikhism , founded on the teachings of Guru Nanak and ten successive Sikh Gurus in fifteenth century Punjab region, is the Major religious groups organized religion in the world....
 Tamas, or tamo-guna, is the lowest of the three guna
Guna

The Sanskrit word has the basic meaning of "string" or "a single thread or strand of a cord or twine". In more abstract uses, it may mean "a subdivision, species, kind,quality" or an operational principle or tendency....
s. It is a force which promotes one or more of the following: (1) darkness
Darkness

Darkness is the absence of light. Scientifically it is only possible to have a reduced amount of light. The emotional response to an absence of light has inspired metaphor in literature, symbolism in art, and emphasis....
, (2) death
Death

Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that define a life organism. It refers to both a particular event and to the condition that results thereby....
, (3) destruction
Destruction

Destruction is the act of damaging something beyond use or repair. It may also refer to:* Destruction , a German thrash metal band* Destruction , one of the Endless in Neil Gaiman's comic book series The Sandman...
, (4) ignorance
Ignorance

Ignorance is the state in which a person lacks knowledge, sophistication or intelligence. The word 'Ignorant' is an adjective describing a person in that state....
, (5) Sloth
Sloth

The living sloths comprise six species of medium-sized mammals that live in Central America and South America belonging to the Family two-toed sloth and three-toed sloth, part of the order Pilosa....
, (6) resistance. Tamas is viewed as being more negative than either rajas
Rajas

In Samkhya philosophy, one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy, there are three operating principals that form the basis of manifest creation or Nature and they are called: sattva, rajas and tamas....
 or sattva
Sattva

In Hindu philosophy, sattva is the highest of the three gunas in Samkhya, sattvika "pure", rajas "dim", and tamas_ "dark"....
. Tamas has also been translated as "indifference". This is the most negative guna because of its rejection of Karmaic Law and the central principle of dharmaic religions; that one's Karma must be worked out and not ignored.


The three guna
Guna

The Sanskrit word has the basic meaning of "string" or "a single thread or strand of a cord or twine". In more abstract uses, it may mean "a subdivision, species, kind,quality" or an operational principle or tendency....
s - Sattva
Sattva

In Hindu philosophy, sattva is the highest of the three gunas in Samkhya, sattvika "pure", rajas "dim", and tamas_ "dark"....
, Rajas
Rajas

In Samkhya philosophy, one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy, there are three operating principals that form the basis of manifest creation or Nature and they are called: sattva, rajas and tamas....
, and Tamas
Tamas

Tamas may refer to:* Tamas , the philosophical concept of darkness and death, the lowest of the three gunas.* Tamas , a highly acclaimed 1987 TV series/movie about Partition of India directed by Govind Nihalani....
 are described and detailed in Samkhya
Samkhya

Sankhya, also Samkhya, is one of the six schools of classical Indian philosophy. Sage Kapila is traditionally considered to be the founder of the Sankhya school, although no historical verification is possible....
 - one of the Six India
India

India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area country by geographical area, the List of countries by population country, and the most populous liberal democracy in the world....
n Schools of Philosophy.






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Encyclopedia


In Hinduism
Hinduism

'Hinduism' is the predominant religion of the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is often referred to as , a Sanskrit phrase meaning "the eternal dharma", by its practitioners....
, Buddhism
Buddhism

Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices considered by most to be a religionand is based on the teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as "The Buddha" , who was born in what is today Nepal....
, and Sikhism
Sikhism

Sikhism , founded on the teachings of Guru Nanak and ten successive Sikh Gurus in fifteenth century Punjab region, is the Major religious groups organized religion in the world....
 Tamas, or tamo-guna, is the lowest of the three guna
Guna

The Sanskrit word has the basic meaning of "string" or "a single thread or strand of a cord or twine". In more abstract uses, it may mean "a subdivision, species, kind,quality" or an operational principle or tendency....
s. It is a force which promotes one or more of the following: (1) darkness
Darkness

Darkness is the absence of light. Scientifically it is only possible to have a reduced amount of light. The emotional response to an absence of light has inspired metaphor in literature, symbolism in art, and emphasis....
, (2) death
Death

Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that define a life organism. It refers to both a particular event and to the condition that results thereby....
, (3) destruction
Destruction

Destruction is the act of damaging something beyond use or repair. It may also refer to:* Destruction , a German thrash metal band* Destruction , one of the Endless in Neil Gaiman's comic book series The Sandman...
, (4) ignorance
Ignorance

Ignorance is the state in which a person lacks knowledge, sophistication or intelligence. The word 'Ignorant' is an adjective describing a person in that state....
, (5) Sloth
Sloth

The living sloths comprise six species of medium-sized mammals that live in Central America and South America belonging to the Family two-toed sloth and three-toed sloth, part of the order Pilosa....
, (6) resistance. Tamas is viewed as being more negative than either rajas
Rajas

In Samkhya philosophy, one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy, there are three operating principals that form the basis of manifest creation or Nature and they are called: sattva, rajas and tamas....
 or sattva
Sattva

In Hindu philosophy, sattva is the highest of the three gunas in Samkhya, sattvika "pure", rajas "dim", and tamas_ "dark"....
. Tamas has also been translated as "indifference". This is the most negative guna because of its rejection of Karmaic Law and the central principle of dharmaic religions; that one's Karma must be worked out and not ignored.


The three guna
Guna

The Sanskrit word has the basic meaning of "string" or "a single thread or strand of a cord or twine". In more abstract uses, it may mean "a subdivision, species, kind,quality" or an operational principle or tendency....
s - Sattva
Sattva

In Hindu philosophy, sattva is the highest of the three gunas in Samkhya, sattvika "pure", rajas "dim", and tamas_ "dark"....
, Rajas
Rajas

In Samkhya philosophy, one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy, there are three operating principals that form the basis of manifest creation or Nature and they are called: sattva, rajas and tamas....
, and Tamas
Tamas

Tamas may refer to:* Tamas , the philosophical concept of darkness and death, the lowest of the three gunas.* Tamas , a highly acclaimed 1987 TV series/movie about Partition of India directed by Govind Nihalani....
 are described and detailed in Samkhya
Samkhya

Sankhya, also Samkhya, is one of the six schools of classical Indian philosophy. Sage Kapila is traditionally considered to be the founder of the Sankhya school, although no historical verification is possible....
 - one of the Six India
India

India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area country by geographical area, the List of countries by population country, and the most populous liberal democracy in the world....
n Schools of Philosophy. Each of the three guna
Guna

The Sanskrit word has the basic meaning of "string" or "a single thread or strand of a cord or twine". In more abstract uses, it may mean "a subdivision, species, kind,quality" or an operational principle or tendency....
s has its own distinctive characteristics and it is believed that everything is made up of these three. Tamas is lowest, heaviest, slowest, and most dull (for example, a stone or a lump of earth). It is devoid of the energy of the Rajas
Rajas

In Samkhya philosophy, one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy, there are three operating principals that form the basis of manifest creation or Nature and they are called: sattva, rajas and tamas....
 and the brightness of Sattva
Sattva

In Hindu philosophy, sattva is the highest of the three gunas in Samkhya, sattvika "pure", rajas "dim", and tamas_ "dark"....
.


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 by karma: demotion to a lower life-form. Overeating is tamasic.

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 )
  • "O Arjuna, nescience, inertness, neglectfulness and also illusion; when these arise tamas predominates." (BG )
  • "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 )


  • "The Fourteenth Day: One who enters into the fourth state, overcomes time, and the three qualities of raajas, taamas, and satva"(SGGS )
  • "Those who embody the energies of sattva-white light, raajas-red passion, and taamas-black darkness, abide in the Fear of God, along with the many created forms." (SGGS )
  • "Your Power is diffused through the three gunas: raajas, taamas and satva" (SGGS )
  • "Raajas, the quality of energy and activity; Taamas, the quality of darkness and inertia; and Satvas, the quality of purity and light, are all called the creations of Maya, Your illusion. That man who realizes the fourth state - he alone obtains the supreme state" (SGGS )
  • "Raajas, the quality of energetic activity shall pass away. Taamas, the quality of lethargic darkness shall pass away. Saatvas, the quality of peaceful light shall pass away as well. All that is seen shall pass away. Only the Word of the Holy Saint is beyond destruction" (SGGS )


See also

  • tamasic foods
    Static foods

    Static foods or tamas foods are foods whose consumption, according to Yoga, are harmful to either mind or body. Harm to mind includes anything that will lead to a duller, less refined, state of consciousness....