Key Dhamma Concepts > Sorting out Some Key Pali Terms (Taṇhā, Lobha, Dosa, Moha, etc) > Lobha, Dosa, Moha Versus Rāga, Paṭigha, Avijjā

Revised January 2, 2019; revised November 8, 2019; February 23, 2021; August 11, 2022; March 22, 2023

Lobha, Dosa, and Moha

1. Lobha is extreme greed; see, “Lobha, Rāga, and Kāmacchanda, Kāmarāga.” One is willing to do any immoral act to get what one wants. One can become blind by greed, i.e., kāmacchanda can arise.

▪Dosa (or dvesha in Sanskrit) is the ANGER that arises based on the initial lobha. Here, dvesha comes from “devana” + “vesha” — දෙවන වේශය — or the second manifestation of lobha. We get angry when someone else is in the way of getting what we want.

2. One acts with lobha or dosa because one has moha. Moha comes from “muva” + “hā” symbolizing a vessel with its mouth closed. Thus one cannot see what is inside. Similarly, one acts with moha because one is unaware that such immoral acts will have horrible consequences. One’s mind is blocked and dark (one cannot “see” clearly). [moha : [fr. muh, see muyhati; cp. Sk. moha & Vedic mogha] stupidity, dullness of mind & soul, delusion, bewilderment, infatuation. muyhati : [muh + ya] forgets; becomes dull; infatuates.]

▪When one has not removed the ten types of micchā diṭṭhi, one could act with moha. The ten types of micchā diṭṭhi are discussed in “Mahā Cattārīsaka Sutta (Discourse on the Great Forty).”

▪In the pañca nīvaraṇa (five hindrances,) abhijjhā and vyāpāda represent lobha and dosa. Those are synonymous terms for lobha and dosa; see “Key to Calming the Mind – The Five Hindrances.”

▪The word abhijjhā comes from “abhi” + “icchā” or “strong liking/craving.” The word vyāpāda comes from “vaya” + “pāda” or “on a downward path.”

Pāpa Kamma Done With Lobha, Dosa, and Moha

3. Actions carried out with lobha, dosa, and moha are called pāpa kamma. They are stronger versions of akusala kamma. Such pāpa kamma makes one eligible to be born in the lower four worlds.

▪Actions done with dosa are the worst with niraya (hell) as the possible destination, and lobha is the cause for rebirth in the preta (peta in Pāli) loka of hungry ghosts. Acts done with both lobha and dosa have all three “saŋ” (since moha is always there) and thus lead to rebirth in the animal or “tirisan” (“tiri”+”saŋ” or all three “saŋ”) realm.

▪As one engages in moral actions and gets rid of one’s tendency (“gati”) to do immoral actions, one starts “cooling down,” and one’s likelihood of being born in the lower four realms diminishes.

Rāga, Paṭigha, Avijjā

4. However, Lobha, dosa, moha permanently reduce to rāga, paṭigha, and avijjā levels when one attains the Sotāpanna stage. All pañca nīvaraṇa were permanently removed at the Sotāpanna stage. [Five Hindrances are kāmacchanda, vyāpāda, thīna-middha, uddhacca-kukkucca, vicikicchā]

▪Of course, one is now able to “see” the real nature of the world (anicca, dukkha, anatta) to some extent (one is not blind), and thus moha is reduced to avijjā level.

▪As explained in the previous post, rāga is the craving for sense pleasures. See, “Lobha, Rāga, and Kāmacchanda, Kāmarāga.”

▪Of course, there are different levels here too, but in general, this level of greed makes one eligible only for birth in the human and deva worlds. Paṭigha is a lower level of hate, more like “friction.” One may get annoyed when someone even says something in return but will never do anything “horrible/drastic” that makes one eligible to be born in the lower four realms.

Kāma Rāga is One Type of Rāga

5. At the next level of Nibbāna of the Sakadāgāmī level, kāma rāga, and paṭigha are both reduced to the extent that one will not be reborn in the human level but only deva or higher realms.

▪Kāma rāga is the rāga or craving for sense pleasures in the kāma loka. There are two levels of kāma rāga: vatthu kāma (craving for OWNING objects that provide sense pleasures) and keles or kilesa kāma (craving for sense pleasures is there, but not necessary to “OWN THEM”). A Sakadāgāmī has lost the vatthu kāma, but still has kilesa kāma, i.e., he/she still craves sensory pleasures, but has no desire to “own them.” For example, a Sakadāgāmī may still like to live in a beautiful house with comforts, but the desire to “own the house” is not there.

▪Above the human realm (in Deva and Brahma realms), beings have subtle bodies. They are not “solid” bodies like ours, subjected to decay or diseases. Thus they never get sick or visibly old (but of course, death is inevitable to anyone anywhere in the 31 realms). A Sakadāgāmī is said to be healthy forever (after human life).

Kāma Rāga is Removed at the Anāgāmi Stage

6. When one attains the Anāgāmī stage, both kāma rāga and paṭigha will no longer be present. Thus, one will not even be offended by harsh words/acts and will not retaliate. An Anāgāmī will never be born anywhere in the kāma loka including the deva worlds; they are reborn only in Brahma realms.

▪While a Sotāpanna may still have some tendency to give priority to sense pleasures at certain times, all such habits are reduced at the Sakadāgāmī stage and removed at the Anāgāmī stage.

Rūpa Rāga/Arūpa Rāga Removed at the Arahant Stage

7. For an Anāgāmī, only rūpa rāga and arūpa rāga will be present. That means a desire for jhānic pleasures in the rūpa and arūpa loka (the four rūpa jhānā and four arūpa jhānā). And he/she still has avijjā left to a certain extent, together with māna (some level of pride) and uddhacca (some degree of sense of superiority).

▪All these disappear at the Arahant stage. An Arahant is free from even a trace of defilements. Therefore, an Arahant will never be reborn in “this world” of kāma loka, rūpa loka, or arūpa loka (anywhere in the 31 realms).

▪Meditating is not very productive before the Sotāpanna stage when one has the wrong view of an unchanging “me.” Many people incorrectly interpret anatta as “no-self.” Even though a Sotāpanna does not have the wrong VIEW about a “me,” they would still have the perception (saññā) of a “me.” The feeling of “me” is removed only at the Arahant stage, after the Anāgāmī stage. As long as māna and uddhacca are there, the sense of “me” is still there. See “Vipallāsa (Diṭṭhi, Saññā, Citta) Affect Saṅkhāra.”

Key to Getting to the Sotāpanna stage

8. To reach the Sotāpanna stage, one must realize the “three characteristics of nature.” One is the true meaning of anicca (that there is no point in hurting others to achieve temporary sensory pleasures.) Second, one will be subjected to much suffering (dukkha) without realizing the anicca nature. The third is that until one has that mindset, one is truly helpless in this round of rebirths (anatta). Until one comprehends them, it is POSSIBLE for any of the following to happen in the rebirth process:

▪One could act with extreme greed (lobha) to the extent of a hungry ghost (peta). Thus, one could get such a birth.

▪Act with extreme hate (dosa) in the heat of the moment, and could even kill a human. That can lead to a rebirth in the niraya (hell).

▪One may not realize the unfruitfulness of depending on others. That includes cheating/stealing (without trying to make an honest living for oneself.) Thus, a birth in the asura realm is possible.

▪It is even possible to cultivate “animal gati.” Those include having sex with young children or being able to kill/hurt others for one’s pleasure, etc. In this case, both lobha and dosa could be present. Thus, one is not released from the animal realm.

▪Those are the four lower realms. Thus one will be truly helpless (anatta) unless one removes such bad habits (“gati”). Until then, dukkha (suffering) will be there in the long-term, if not in this lifetime. Those are the true meanings of anicca, dukkha, and anatta.