Significance of Defilement
Defilement in Buddhism encompasses various mental impurities and negative states that obstruct clarity, understanding, and the path to enlightenment. It includes detrimental emotions like greed, anger, and ignorance, which cloud judgment and hinder spiritual progress. Defilements can manifest as distractions during meditation and are viewed as impurities that practitioners must overcome through teachings and practices aimed at achieving purification. By addressing these defilements, individuals can work towards spiritual growth, clarity of mind, and ultimately, enlightenment.
Synonyms: Violation, Pollution, Contamination, Corruption, Degradation, Blasphemy, Taint, Impurity, Adulteration
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Buddhist concept of 'Defilement'
Defilement in Buddhism encompasses mental impurities like greed, hatred, and delusion that obstruct enlightenment and cloud true perception, binding individuals to suffering and hindering their spiritual progress on the path to Nibbana.
From: The Great Chronicle of Buddhas
(1) Mental impurities that cloud judgment and foster negative emotions, hindering spiritual progress and clarity of mind.[1] (2) Mental impurities or unwholesome states that inhibit spiritual progress, which Sakka was able to dispel through the understanding gained from the Buddha's teachings.[2] (3) Mental impurities that hinder one's spiritual progress, which the Buddha claimed to have overcome.[3] (4) Impurities that hinder spiritual progress, which one must penetrate for emancipation.[4] (5) Mental impurities that hinder spiritual progress and need to be closely monitored and avoided.[5]
From: Cetasikas
(1) Mental impurities that cloud understanding and lead to unwholesome states of mind.[6] (2) Mental impurities or conditions that lead one away from clarity and wisdom, influencing moral conduct.[7] (3) Mental impurities that cloud understanding and moral judgment, driving individuals toward akusala and dissonance with ethical conduct.[8] (4) Mental impurities that obstruct the path to enlightenment and lead to unwholesome actions.[9] (5) Mental impurities that cloud understanding and lead individuals away from enlightenment.[10]
From: Dhammapada (Illustrated)
(1) Impurities or negative qualities in a person's character that need to be overcome.[11] (2) The mental stains or impurities that affect the mind, which one must overcome to achieve enlightenment.[12] (3) Mental qualities that impair the mind's purity and contribute to unwholesome actions; the ten defilements include greed, hate, and delusion among others.[13] (4) Mental impurities such as lust and craving that disqualify an individual from being considered a true brahmin.[14] (5) Pollutants of the mind that hinder a person's spiritual growth and clarity, akin to floods that overwhelm an individual.[15]
From: Abhidhamma in Daily Life
(1) Negative mental states and impurities that hinder one’s ability to develop wholesome thoughts and behaviors.[16] (2) Unwholesome mental factors such as lobha (greed), dosa (hatred), and moha (ignorance) that obstruct spiritual progress and lead to suffering.[17] (3) Negative qualities or impurities, referred to in Pali as 'kilesa,' which include greed, anger, and ignorance.[18] (4) In Buddhist context, these are mental impurities such as lobha (attachment), dosa (aversion), and moha (ignorance) that hinder spiritual progress.[19] (5) Negative mental states rooted in citta that arise through the six doors, obscuring true understanding.[20]
From: Visuddhimagga (the pah of purification)
(1) States that cloud the clarity of consciousness and obstruct insight.[21] (2) Mental impurities that can muddy the mind and hinder spiritual progress.[22] (3) Mental impurities such as lust, aversion, and ignorance that obstruct concentration and must be overcome to achieve jhana.[23] (4) Mental impurities such as greed, hate, and delusion that obstruct one from attaining Nibbana.[24] (5) Conditioned states, often related to wrong views, that prevent individuals from effectively developing their meditation practice.[25]
From: A Manual of Abhidhamma
(1) Corrupt mental states that drive individuals away from enlightenment and toward suffering.[26] (2) Factors or qualities that corrupt the mind; these matter types serve as objects for defilements.[27] (3) Mental impurities or hindrances that individuals strive to eradicate on their spiritual paths, particularly within the contexts of Arahantship.[28] (4) Inherent impurities within beings that lead them to ignorance and characterize their experiences of suffering in the cycle of samsara.[29]
From: A Discourse on Paticcasamuppada
(1) Mental impurities that obscure clarity of perception and understanding, influencing one's spiritual development.[30] (2) Emotional disturbances or negative states that can lead one to temptation, which can be overcome through contemplation.[31] (3) The impurities and negative aspects of the mind that bind an individual to the cycle of suffering and rebirth.[32] (4) Mental impurities or pollutants, such as desire and aversion, which the thera became free from through his vipassana practice.[33]
From: The Catusacca Dipani
(1) Mental impurities or negative qualities that burden beings and contribute to suffering in their lives.[34]
From: The Catu-Bhanavara-Pali (critical study)
(1) Mental impurities or obstacles that inhibit spiritual progress.[35]
From: Abhidhamma in Daily Life (by Ashin Janakabhivamsa)
(1) Defilements such as lobha (greed), dosa (hatred), and moha (delusion) hinder moral purity and spiritual progress.[36]
From: Vinaya Pitaka (1): Bhikkhu-vibhanga (the analysis of Monks’ rules)
(1) Impurities or attachments that hinder spiritual progress, mentioned in the context of Sudinna's thoughts on his past actions.[37]
From: Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra
(1) Obstacles such as greed, hatred, and ignorance that cloud one's mind and inhibit spiritual progress.[38] (2) Mental impurities like desire, anger, and ignorance that cloud judgment and hinder spiritual progress.[39] (3) Impurities or attachments that cloud one's clarity of mind and hinder the attainment of enlightenment.[40] (4) An inherent evil that arises from the actions of beings, which leads to further evil consequences in both seeds and fruits.[41] (5) Impurities of the mind that obstruct clarity and wisdom; discussed in context of meditation and wisdom.[42]
From: Shurangama Sutra (with commentary by Hsuan Hua)
(1) The process through which pure self nature is obscured by external influences, analogous to tar coating internal organs.[43] (2) A state of being unclean or impure, which a Bodhisattva strives to completely leave behind in their spiritual practice.[44] (3) Any impurity or corruption that is absent in the state of true purity.[45] (4) The state of being impure or contaminated by falsehoods and ignorance.[46] (5) Refers to what is unclean, disorderly, and confused, contributing to the upside-down state of desire.[47]
From: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra
(1) The mental impurities or afflictions that cause suffering and hinder enlightenment, which generosity of the Dharma aims to alleviate.[48] (2) Impurities or mental afflictions that obstruct clarity of mind and understanding, recognized by the Buddha in the third power.[49] (3) Factors such as ignorance and craving that act as causes limiting or obscuring consciousness.[50] (4) Impurities or negative qualities that lead to suffering and unhappiness.[51]
From: Abhidharmakośa
(1) Kleshas that are conditions affecting consciousness and existence, influencing the cycle of birth and rebirth.[52] (2) Mental states that bind individuals to Kamadhatu and cause suffering.[53] (3) Impurities or negative states that cause the world to wander in the ocean of existence or samsara.[54]
From: The Sutra of Queen Śrīmālā of the Lion’s Roar
(1) Negative mental states or impurities that obscure the mind and must be eliminated for the attainment of nirvana.[55] (2) The impurities or afflictions that can contaminate inherently pure minds, affecting spiritual development.[56] (3) Pollutions or impurities that obscure the inherently pure mind, complicating the understanding of one's true nature.[57]
From: The Mahavastu (great story)
(1) The mental impurities or attachments that the Bodhisattva seeks to eliminate to attain enlightenment.[58]
From: Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra
(1) The impurities or distractions that obscure wisdom and clarity of mind.[59]
From: The 6th Patriarch Platform Sutra
(1) Obstructions or impurities in the mind that hinder clarity and enlightenment.[60]
From: The Great Chariot
(1) Impurities of thought and ego that are eliminated through proper awareness.[61] (2) Mental impurities or distractions that obstruct the mind's clarity and the path to enlightenment.[62] (3) Obscurations and impurities of the mind that hinder clear perception and realization of the true nature.[63] (4) Obscurations or negative influences that hinder the emergence of genuine realization and clarity of mind.[64]
From: Bodhinyana
(1) Negative mental states such as greed, anger, and delusion that obstruct clear understanding and peace.[65] (2) The impurities or disturbances in the mind that meditation aims to subdue.[66] (3) Mental impurities or negative emotions that hinder spiritual progress and clarity in Buddhist practice.[67]
From: The Fo-Sho-Hing-Tsan-King (A Life of Buddha)
(1) The impurities or pollutants of the mind that are overcome through Buddha's teachings.[68]
From: Blue Annals (deb-ther sngon-po)
(1) The impurities arising from attachments and misperceptions, which practitioners aim to cut away through specific practices.[69]
Hindu concept of 'Defilement'
Defilement in Hinduism denotes a state of uncleanliness affecting people, objects, and spiritual essence, necessitating purification practices. It encompasses moral corruption and impurities that obstruct spiritual growth, thereby influencing karma and reincarnation.
From: Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi
(1) The state of being unclean or polluted, which necessitates the purification of gold and silver.[70] (2) The state of being made unclean or impure, typically through contact with unclean substances.[71] (3) Refers to moral or spiritual corruption, leading to dire consequences as per karmic beliefs in reincarnation.[72] (4) State of being contaminated or made unclean, often referring to spiritual or ritual purity.[73] (5) Impurities or contaminations that affect the cleanliness of vessels, sometimes resulting from food or other materials.[74]
From: Vasistha Dharmasutra
(1) The state of being unclean or impure, which can affect both people and objects, requiring specific cleansing practices.[75]
From: Sivaprakasam (Study in Bondage and Liberation)
(1) Impairments that affect the purity and essence of individual selves.[76] (2) The impurities present in the self that hinder spiritual progress.[77]
From: Gitartha Samgraha (critical Study)
(1) Mala, signifies any impurity or limitation affecting the essence of being.[78]
From: The Brahma Purana
(1) The state of being unclean or impure, particularly in a ritual context, necessitating purification rites.[79]