Middha: 15 definitions

Introduction
In Buddhism
Languages
1. Pali
2. Sanskrit
See also

Introduction:

Middha means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Dhamma Dana: Pali English Glossary

N (Torpor).

Source: Journey to Nibbana: Patthana Dhama

Middha (torpor) is part of the “miscellaneous team”.—Middha is torpor and it is laziness or sluggishness or unalertness or inactiveness of cetasikas. (See Sloth and Torpor)

Source: Pali Kanon: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines

Middha ('sloth'): Combined with thīna, 'torpor', it forms one of the 5 hindrances (nīvarana). Both may be associated with greedy consciousness (s. Tab. III and I, 23, 25, 27, 29).

Source: Dhamma Study: Cetasikas

Middha (torpor or languor).—The Dhammasangani calls sloth (thina) indisposition and unwieldiness of cetasikas. The manifestation of torpor is "shrinking in taking the object" or drowsiness.

context information

Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

1) Middha (मिद्ध, “languor”) refers to one of ten types of manifestly active defilements (paryavasthāna) according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter 13.—The Bodhisattvas (accompanying the Buddha at Rājagṛha on the Gṛdhrakūṭaparvata) excelled in destroying various these ten manifestly active defilements (e.g., Middha).

2) Middha (मिद्ध) refers to “languor”, according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter 19).—Great fruits are promised for the generosity accomplished by a person endowed with morality (śīlavat) who, according to the Aṅguttara, is free of the five faults and provided with five qualities. The five faults, viz., sensual desire (kāma) and the desire of action (chanda); maliciousness (vyāpāda); laziness (styāna) and languor (middha); agitation (auddhatya) and regret (kaukṛtya) and finally, doubt (vicikitsā) are borrowed from the list of paryavasthānas which the practice of generosity helps to eliminate. The Mppś has already given a complete list of the (cf. Treatise, I, p. 424F).

3) Middha (मिद्ध) refers to “sleep”, according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter 22).—Accordingly, “Now, as the Buddha said to the Upāsaka Nandika, the killing of living beings has ten punishments. What are these ten? 1) The mind is always infected by poison (viṣa) from lifetime to lifetime without interruption. 2) Beings abhor [the murderer] and feel no joy in seeing him. 3) [The murderer], always full of evil intentions, contemplates evil things. 4) Beings fear him, as though they saw a snake (sarpa) or a tiger (vyāghra). 5) During sleep (middha) his mind is disturbed; when awake (avabodhi), he is not at peace. [...]”.

context information

Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-samgraha

Middha (मिद्ध, “torpor”) refers to one of the “twenty-four minor defilements” (upakleśa) as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 69). The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., middha). The work is attributed to Nagarjuna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.

Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

middha : (nt.) torpor; drowsiness.

Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary

Middha, (nt.) (orig. pp. perhaps to Vedic mid (?) to be fat=medh, as DhsA. 378 gives “medhatī ti middhaṃ. ” — More likely however connected with Sk. methi (pillar=Lat. meta), cp. Prk. medhi. The meaning is more to the point too, viz. “stiff. ” Thus semantically identical with thīna.—BSk. also middha, e.g. Divy 555) torpor, stupidity, sluggishness D. I, 71 (thīna°); Sn. 437; A. V, 18; Dhs. 1157; Miln. 299, 412 (appa° not slothful, i.e. diligent, alert); Vism. 450 (°rūpa; +rogarūpa, jātirūpa, etc., in def. of rūpa); DA. I, 211 (explained as cetasika gelañña: see on this passage Dhs. trsl. §1155); Sdhp. 459.—See thīna. (Page 533)

context information

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Middha (मिद्ध).—

1) Sloth, indolence.

2) Torpor, sleepiness, dulness (of spirits also).

Derivable forms: middham (मिद्धम्).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Middha (मिद्ध).—nt. (= Pali id.; orig. unhistorically abstracted from styāna-middha, q.v.), drowsiness, sleepiness; some- times simply sleep, with neutral or at least unobjectionable connotation, as in middham avakrāntaḥ, went to sleep, Mūla-Sarvāstivāda-Vinaya i.281.1; Divyāvadāna 102.5, 21; 579.20; ma (= mā, m.c.) ca bhavatha middhavihatāḥ pataṃga iva rakṣathā netraiḥ Lalitavistara 202.2 (verse), and don't be overcome with drowsiness…; Mahāvyutpatti 1982 middham = Tibetan gñid, sleep (follows styānam 1981); middhāvastha-locanāparisphuṭo Divyāvadāna 555.22; per- haps in this sense Lalitavistara 179.6; but also as something definitely reprehensible, Dharmasaṃgraha 69 (in list of upakleśa; styāna occurs earlier, but separately, in same list); saṃgaṇikā- saṃsarga-middha-nivaraṇa- Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra 49.7; middha-guruka (see this) Aṣṭasāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā 245.9, 13; middha-sadābhibhūta Rāṣṭrapālaparipṛcchā 28.4 (verse); others, Śikṣāsamuccaya 128.1; 197.6; Bodhisattvabhūmi 223.13; Saddharmapuṇḍarīka 13.1.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Middha (मिद्ध).—n.

(-ddhaṃ) 1. Sloth, indolence. 2. Sleepiness, torpor. 3. Dulness, heaviness of spirits or intellect.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Middha (मिद्ध):—n. sloth, indolence, [Lalita-vistara; Divyāvadāna] (one of the 24 minor evil passions, [Dharmasaṃgraha 69]).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Middha (मिद्ध):—(ddhaṃ) 1. n. Sloth; sleepiness.

[Sanskrit to German]

Middha in German

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

Relevant text

Search found 26 books and stories containing Middha; (plurals include: Middhas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Immoral Mental States < [Chapter II - Mental States]

Contents of Different Types of Consciousness < [Chapter II - Mental States]

52 Kinds of Mental States < [Chapter II - Mental States]

+ 5 more chapters / show preview

Factor 12-13 - Thina and middha (sloth and torpor) < [Chapter 2 - On akusala cetasikas (unwholesome mental factors)]

Chapter 2 - On akusala cetasikas (unwholesome mental factors)

Factor 11 - Viriya (effort) < [Chapter 4 - Cetasikas Associated With Both Good And Bad Cittas (mind)]

show preview

Chapter IX - The Group Of The Hindrances < [Part I]

show preview

Forgetting And Losing Oneself

Part 1 - The Obstacles Of The Inexperienced Meditator < [Chapter 3]