A mental urge or impulse that accounts for the compulsiveness of one's behavior. (1) In all Tibetan Buddhist systems except Vaibhashika and Gelug Prasangika, equivalent to a subcategory of the mental factor (subsidiary awareness), a compelling urge. It is the mental factor that brings the mind in the direction of a specific physical, verbal, or mental action. (2) In the Vaibhashika and Gelug Prasangika, with respect to mental karmic actions, it is the mental factor of the compelling urge that brings the mind in the direction of that action. With respect to physical or verbal karmic actions, it is (a) the revealing form of the compulsive shape of the body during a physical action or the compulsive sound of the words of a verbal action, plus (b) the nonrevealing form of the subtle invisible "vibration" of the action, which continues during and after the action. Some translators render the term "karma" as "action." (3) A general term used loosely for behavioral cause and effect.
Tibetan: ལས། las
Sanskrit: karma
Pali: kamma
J. Hopkins: Action
Synonyms: Karmic impulse
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