{{Short description|Hindu philosophical concept}} {{Hinduism}} {{Italic title}} '''''Tamas''''' (Sanskrit: तमस् ''tamas'', {{lit|darkness}}) is one of the three ''guṇas'' (tendencies, qualities, attributes), a philosophical and psychological concept developed by the Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy.<ref name=jamesg>James G. Lochtefeld, Guna, in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M, Vol. 1, Rosen Publishing, {{ISBN|9780823931798}}, p. 265.</ref> The other two qualities are ''rajas'' (passion and activity) and ''sattva'' (purity, goodness). ''Tamas'' is the quality of inertia, inactivity, dullness, or lethargy. Generally it is referred to as the lowest ''guṇa'' of the three.
==Etymology==
The Vedic word ''támas'' refers to "darkness", and stems from the Indo-European word ''*temH-es'', meaning "dark". Cognates with the Vedic include the Lithuanian word ''tamsà'' meaning "darkness",<ref>{{cite book |author=Peter Schrijver |title=Studies in British Celtic Historical Phonology |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f_RMQkk3OSIC&pg=PA221 |year=1995 |publisher=Rodopi |isbn=90-5183-820-4 |pages=221 }}</ref> the Serbian word ''tama'' meaning "darkness", as well as the Latin word ''tenebrae'' meaning "darkness", the latter whence English ''tenebrous''.
==Hinduism==
In Samkhya philosophy, a {{IAST|guṇa}} is one of three "tendencies, qualities": ''sattva'', ''rajas'' and ''tamas''. This category of qualities have been widely adopted by various schools of Hinduism for categorizing behavior and natural phenomena. The three qualities are:
* ''Sattva'' is the quality of balance, harmony, goodness, purity, universalizing, holistic, positive, peaceful, virtuous.<ref>Alter, Joseph S., ''Yoga in Modern India'', 2004 Princeton University Press, p 55</ref> * ''Rajas'' is the quality of passion, activity, being driven, moving, dynamic.<ref name="ReferenceA">Feuerstein, Georg The Shambhala Encyclopedia of Yoga, Shambhala Publications, 1997</ref><ref name=aw/> * ''Tamas'' is the quality of dullness or inactivity, apathy, inertia or lethargy.<ref name="ReferenceB">Whicher, Ian '' The Integrity of the Yoga Darśana'', 1998 SUNY Press, 110</ref><ref name="ReferenceA"/>
Action that is virtuous, thought through, free from attachment, and without craving for results is considered Sattvic. Action that is driven purely by craving for pleasure, selfishness and much effort is Rajasic. Action that is undertaken because of delusion, disregarding consequences, without considering loss or injury to others or self, is called Tamasic.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}
— Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 18, verses 23–25 [31]
In Indian philosophy, these qualities are not considered as present in either-or fashion. Rather, everyone and everything has all three, only in different proportions and in different contexts.<ref name=jamesg/> The living being or substance is viewed as the net result of the joint effect of these three qualities.<ref name=jamesg/><ref name=aw/>
According to the Samkya school, no one and nothing is either purely Sattvic, Rajasic or Tamasic.<ref name=aw/> One's nature and behavior is a complex interplay of all ''guṇas'' in varying degrees. In some, the conduct is Rajasic with significant influence of Sattvic ''guṇa;'' in some it is Rajasic with significant influence of Tamasic ''guṇa'', and so on.<ref name=aw>Alban Widgery (1930), The principles of Hindu Ethics, International Journal of Ethics, Vol. 40, No. 2, pages 234-237</ref>
In Bhagavad Gita verse 18.32, the influence of ''tamas'' on ''buddhi'' is described as where a person "regards wickedness as virtue and virtue as wickedness".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sutton |first=Nicholas |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pXKlAQAACAAJ |title=Bhagavad-Gita |date=2016 |publisher=Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies |isbn=978-1-366-61059-1 |pages=258–260 |language=en}}</ref>
==Sikhism==
The Sikh scripture refers to ''tamas'' in its verses: *"The Fourteenth Day: one who enters into the fourth state, overcomes time, and the three qualities of ''rajas'', ''tamas'', and ''sattva''." (SGGS [http://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gurbani.gurbani?Action=Page&g=1&h=1&r=1&t=1&p=0&k=0&Param=840]) *"Those who embody the energies of ''sattva''-white light, ''rajas''-red passion, and ''tamas''-black darkness, abide in the Fear of God, along with the many created forms." (SGGS [http://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gurbani.gurbani?Action=Page&g=1&h=1&r=1&t=1&p=0&k=0&Param=999]) *"Your Power is diffused through the three gunas: ''rajas'', ''tamas'' and ''sattva''." (SGGS [http://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gurbani.gurbani?Action=Page&g=1&h=1&r=1&t=1&p=0&k=0&Param=1038]) *"''Rajas'', the quality of energy and activity; ''tamas'', the quality of darkness and inertia; and ''sattva'', 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 [http://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gurbani.gurbani?Action=Page&g=1&h=1&r=1&t=1&p=0&k=0&Param=1123])
==See also==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tamas (Philosophy)}} Category:Guṇa