Pratigha


Pratigha is a Buddhist term that is translated as "anger". It is defined as a hostile attitude towards sentient beings, towards frustration, and towards that which gives rise to one's frustrations; it functions as a basis for faultfinding, for negative actions, and for not finding a moment of peace or happiness.
Pratigha is identified as:

Definitions

Theravada

Patigha is defined by Theravada sources as: anger, repulsion, collision; animosity; irritation; indignation.
Nyanatiloka Mahatheran provides the following definition:
  1. In an ethical sense, it means: 'repugnance', grudge, resentment, anger, and is a synonym of byāpāda, 'ill-will' and dosa, 'hate'. It is one of the proclivities.
  2. ' reaction'. Applied to five-sense cognition, p. occurs in the following contexts:

Mahayana

The Abhidharma-samuccaya states:
Alexander [Berzin (scholar)|Alexander Berzin] states that pratigha is aimed at "another limited being, one's own suffering, or situations entailing suffering". This involves being impatient with the objects of the pratigha, and wishing to get rid of them, for example, by striking out against them and harming them. It is based on regarding the object as unattractive or repulsive by its very nature.
Berzin identifies dvesha as a subcategory of pratigha that is directed primarily, although not exclusively, at limited beings.

Alternate translations

  • Anger
  • Repugnance
  • Resistance
  • Harshness