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. Hinduism (Sanskrit: , IAST: ), also known as , (IAST: ) and , (IAST: ) is a set of religious traditions that originated mainly in the Indian subcontinent. ... Statues of Buddha such as this, the Tian Tan Buddha statue in Hong Kong, remind followers to practice right living. ... The Sanskrit word guna (guṇa) 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, and generally quality. // In Classical literature In Classical literature (e. ... Look up Darkness in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Death is the full cessation of vital functions in the biological life. ... A German Thrash metal band formed in Lörrach, Germany in 1983. ... Ignorance is a lack of knowledge. ... Families Megalonychidae Bradypodidae Sloths are medium-sized South American mammals belonging to the families Megalonychidae and Bradypodidae, part of the order Pilosa. ... Wiktionary has related dictionary definitions, such as: resistance Resistance may refer to: Antibiotic resistance, the ability of a microorganism to withstand the effects of an antibiotic Disease resistance, in immunology; see also disease resistance in fruit and vegetables Resistance, in physics, a force that tends to oppose motion Friction, the... The Sanskrit word guna (guṇa) 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, and generally quality. In Classical literature In Classical literature (e. ... The Sanskrit word guna (guṇa) 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, and generally quality. In Classical literature In Classical literature (e. ...

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. In Buddhism, the five hindrances are negative mental states that impede practice (or dharma) and lead away from enlightenment. ...

Persons who are "couch potatoes" may be characterized as tamasic.

Overeating (i.e. gluttony) is tamasic. Gluttony can also refer to a character named Gluttony - a homonculus from the anime series Full Metal Alchemist Gluttony is the over-indulgence and over-consumption of food, drink, or intoxicants to the point of waste. ...

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)

Krishna to Arjuna: Behold My mystic opulence! Artwork © courtesy of The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust The Bhagavad Gita (Sanskrit: भगवद् गीता - Bhagavad Gītā) comprises eighteen chapters totaling 701 verses which appeared in the epic Mahabharata (Bhishma Parva chapters 23 – 40). ...

See also

• tamasic foods