moha

stupidity, dullness of mind & soul, delusion bewilderment, infatuation DN.iii.146, DN.iii.175, DN.iii.182, DN.iii.214, DN.iii.270; Vin.iv.144, Vin.iv.145; Snp.56, Snp.74, Snp.160, Snp.638, Snp.847; Vb.208, Vb.341 Vb.391, Vb.402; Pp.16; Tikp.108, Kp.122, Kp.259
■ defined as “dukkhe aññāṇaṃ etc., moha pamoha, sammoha avijj’ ogha etc.,” by Cnd.99 & Vb.362; as “muyhanti tena, sayaṃ vā muyhati, muyhana-mattaṃ eva vā tan ti moho” and “cittassa andha-bhāva-lakkhaṇo, aññāṇalakkhaṇo vā” at Vism.468
■ Often coupled with rāga & dosa; as one of the 3 cardinal affects of citta, making a man unable to grasp the higher truths and to enter the Path: see under rāga (& Cnd p. 237, s. v. rāga where the wide range of application of this set is to be seen). Cp. the 3 fires: rāg-aggi, dos-aggi, moh-aggi Iti.92; DN.iii.217 also rāga-kkhaya, dosa˚, moha˚ Vb-a.31 sq
■ On combination with rāga, lobha & dosa see dosa2 and lobha
■ On term see also Dhs trsl. §§ 33, 362, 441 Cpd 16, 18, 41, 113, 146
■ See further DN.i.80 (samoha-cittaṃ); Mnd.15, Mnd.16 (with lobha & dosa); Vv-a.14; Pv-a.3
amoha absence of bewilderment Vb.210 (+ alobha, adosa; as the 3 kusala-mūlāni: cp. mūla 3), Vb.402 (id., as kusala-hetu)
■ Cp. pa˚, sam˚.

  • -antara (personal) quality of bewilderment (lit having m. inside) Snp.478 (taken by C. as “cause of m.,“ i.e. ˚kāraṇa, ˚paccaya Snp-a.411; cp. antara = kāraṇa under antara I 2 b.).
  • -ussada quality of dullness Mnd.72, Mnd.413.
  • -kkhaya destruction of infatuation Vb.73; Vb-a.51.
  • -carita one whose habit is infatuation Ne.90 (+ rāgacarita & dosacarita).;
  • -tama the darkness of bewilderment MN-a.1.
  • -dhamma anything that is bewildering or infatuating Snp.276.
  • -pāruta covered or obstructed by delusion Pv.iv.3#34.
  • -magga being on the road of infatuation Snp.347.
  • -salla the sting of bewilderment Mnd.59.

fr. muh, see muyhati; cp. Sk. moha & Vedic mogha