Kama (Sanskrit: काम, ) is the concept of pleasure, enjoyment and desire in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. It can also refer to "desire, wish, longing" in Hindu texts, Buddhist texts, Jain literature, and Sikh literature literature.[Monier Williams, काम, kāma Monier-Williams Sanskrit English Dictionary, pp 271, see 3rd column][
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In contemporary literature kama is often used to connote sexual desire and emotional longing,[James Lochtefeld (2002), The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Volume 1, Rosen Publishing, New York, , page 340.] but the ancient concept is more expansive, and broadly refers to any desire, wish, passion, pleasure, or enjoyment of art and beauty, the aesthetic, happiness, affection, love and connection, and enjoyment of love with or without sexual connotations.
In Hindu thought, kama is one among the three items of the trivarga and is one of the four Purusharthas, which are the four beneficial domains of human endeavor.[The Hindu Kama Shastra Society (1925), The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana, University of Toronto Archives, pp. 8][see:
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A. Sharma (1982), The Puruṣārthas: a study in Hindu axiology, Michigan State University, , pp 9-12; See review by Frank Whaling in Numen, Vol. 31, 1 (Jul., 1984), pp. 140-142;
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A. Sharma (1999), The long uruṣārthas: An Axiological Exploration of Hinduism , The Journal of Religious Ethics, Vol. 27, No. 2 (Summer, 1999), pp. 223-256;
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Chris Bartley (2001), Encyclopedia of Asian Philosophy, Editor: Oliver Learman, , Routledge, Article on Purushartha, pp 443
In Buddhism and Jainism kama is to be overcome in order to obtain the goal of liberation from rebirth. But while kama is viewed as an obstacle for Buddhist and Jain monks and nuns, it is recognized as legitimate domain of activity for laity.
Definition in Hinduism
In contemporary Indian literature, kama is often used to refer to sexual desire. However, Kama more broadly refers to any sensory enjoyment, emotional attraction and aesthetic pleasure such as from art, dance, music, painting, sculpture, and nature.[
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Kama can refer to "desire, wish, or longing".[
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The concept of kama is found in some of the earliest known verses in the Vedas. For example, Book 10 of the Rig Veda describes the creation of the universe from nothing by the great heat. In hymn 129 (RV 10.129.4) it states:
The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, one of the oldest Upanishads of Hinduism, uses the term kama, also in a broader sense, to refer to any desire:
Ancient Indian literature such as the Epics, which followed the Upanishads, develop and explain the concept of kama together with Artha and Dharma. The Mahabharata, for example, provides one of the expansive definitions of kama. The Epic describes kama to be any agreeable and desirable experience (pleasure) generated by the interaction of one or more of the five senses with anything associated with that sense, and whilst in harmony with the other goals of human life (dharma, artha and moksha).[R. Prasad (2008), History of Science, Philosophy and Culture in Indian Civilization, Volume 12, Part 1, , Chapter 10, particularly pp 252-255]
Kama is often used to refer to kamana (desire, longing or appetite). Kama, however, is more than kamana. Kama includes desire, wish, longing, emotional connection, love, appreciation, pleasure, and enjoyment.[R. Prasad (2008), History of Science, Philosophy and Culture in Indian Civilization, Volume 12, Part 1, , pp 249-270]
Vatsyayana, the author of the Kamasutra, describes kama as happiness that is a manasa vyapara (phenomenon of the mind). Just like the Mahabharata, Vatsyayana's Kamasutra defines kama as any pleasure an individual experiences from the world, with one or more senses: hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling, and feeling, in harmony with one's mind and soul.
Experiencing harmonious music is kama, as is being inspired by nature, the aesthetic appreciation of a work of art, and admiring with joy something crafted by another human being.
Vatsyayana's Kamasutra is often misunderstood to be a book solely about sexual and intimate relationships, but it was written as a guide to the nature of love, sexuality, finding a life partner, maintaining one's love life, and emotional fulfillment in life. In its discourse on kama it describes many forms of art, dance, and music, along with sex, as the means to pleasure and enjoyment.[
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Kama is one's appreciation of incense, candles, music, scented oil, yoga stretching and meditation, and experiencing the Anahata. The heart chakra is associated with love, compassion, charity, balance, calmness, and serenity, and is considered to be a seat of devotional worship. Opening the heart chakra is to experience an awareness of divine communion and joy in communion with deities and the self (Atman).
John Lochtefeld describes kama as desire, noting that it often refers to sexual desire in contemporary literature, but in ancient Indian literature kāma includes any kind of attraction and pleasure such as those deriving from art.
Karl Potter describes[Karl H. Potter (2002), Presuppositions of India's Philosophies, Motilal Banarsidass, , pp. 1-29] kama as an attitude and Human potential. A little girl who hugs her teddy bear with a smile is experiencing kama. Two lovers in an embrace are experiencing kama. During these experiences the person feels more complete, fulfilled, and whole by experiencing that connection and nearness. This, in the Indian perspective, is kāma.[
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Hindery notes the varying and diverse descriptions of kama in ancient Indian texts. Some texts, such as the Epic Ramayana, describe kama as the desire of Rama for Sita — a desire that transcends the physical and marital into a love that is spiritual, and something that gives Rama his meaning of life, his reason to live.[Roderick Hindery, "Hindu Ethics in the Ramayana", The Journal of Religious Ethics, Vol. 4, No. 2 (Fall, 1976), pp. 299] Sita and Rama both frequently express their unwillingness and inability to live without the other.[See verses at 2.30, 4.1, 6.1, 6.83 for example; Abridged Verse 4.1: "Sita invades my entire being and my love is entirely centered on her; Without that lady of lovely eyelashes, beautiful looks, and gentle speech, I cannot survive, O Saumitri."; for peer reviewed source, see Hindery, The Journal of Religious Ethics, Vol. 4, No. 2 (Fall, 1976), pp 299-300] This romantic and spiritual description of kama in the Ramayana by Valmiki is more specific, observes Hindery[ and others,][Benjamin Khan (1965), The concept of Dharma in Valmiki Ramayana, Delhi, ] than the broader and more inclusive descriptions of kama, for example in the law codes of smriti by Manu.
Gavin Flood describes[Gavin Flood (1996), The meaning and context of the Purusarthas, in Julius Lipner (Editor), The Fruits of Our Desiring, , pp 11-13] kama as experiencing the positive emotional state of love whilst also not sacrificing one's dharma (virtuous, ethical behavior), artha (material needs, income security) and one's journey towards moksha (spiritual liberation, self-realization).
Importance of kama in Hinduism
In Hinduism, kama is regarded as one of the four proper and necessary objectives or goals of human life (purusharthas), the others being Dharma (virtuous, proper, moral life), Artha (material prosperity, income security, means of life) and Moksha (liberation, release, self-actualization).
Relative precedence among artha and dharma
Ancient Indian literature emphasizes that dharma precedes and is essential. If dharma is ignored, artha and kama lead to social chaos.[Gavin Flood (1996), The meaning and context of the Purusarthas, in Julius Lipner (Editor) - The Fruits of Our Desiring, , pp 16-21]
Vatsyayana in Kama Sutra recognizes relative value of three goals as follows: artha precedes kama, while dharma precedes both kama and artha.[ Vatsyayana, in Chapter 2 of Kama Sutra, presents a series of philosophical objections argued against kama and then offers his answers to refute those objections. For example, Vatsyayana acknowledges that one objection to kama (pleasure, enjoyment) is this concern that kāma is an obstacle to moral and ethical life, to religious pursuits, to hard work, and to the productive pursuit of prosperity and wealth. Objectors claim that the pursuit of pleasure encourages individuals to commit unrighteous deeds that bring distress, carelessness, levity and suffering later in life.][The Hindu Kama Shastra Society (1925), The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana, University of Toronto Archives, pp. 9-10] These objections were then answered by Vatsyayana, with the declaration that kama is as necessary to human beings as food, and kama is holistic with dharma and artha.
Necessity for existence
Just like good food is necessary for the well-being of the body, good pleasure is necessary for the healthy existence of a human being, suggests Vatsyayana.[The Hindu Kama Shastra Society (1925), The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana, University of Toronto Archives, Chapter 2, pp 8-11; pp 172] A life devoid of pleasure and enjoyment—sexual, artistic, or nature—is hollow and empty. Just like no one should stop farming crops even though everyone knows herds of deer exist and will try to eat the crop as it grows up, in the same way claims Vatsyayana, one should not stop one's pursuit of kama because dangers exist. Kama should be followed with thought, care, caution and enthusiasm, just like farming or any other life pursuit.[
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Vatsyayana's book the Kama Sutra, in parts of the world, is presumed or depicted as a synonym for creative sexual positions; in reality, only 20% of Kama Sutra is about sexual positions. The majority of the book, notes Jacob Levy,[Jacob Levy (2010), Kama sense marketing, iUniverse, , see Introduction] is about the philosophy and theory of love, what triggers desire, what sustains it, how and when it is good or bad. Kama Sutra presents kama as an essential and joyful aspect of human existence.[Alain Daniélou, The Complete Kama Sutra: The First Unabridged Modern Translation of the Classic Indian Text, ]
Holistic
Vatsyayana claims kama is never in conflict with dharma or artha, rather all three coexist and kama results from the other two.[
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In Hindu philosophy, pleasure in general, and sexual pleasure in particular, is neither shameful nor dirty. It is necessary for human life, essential for well-being of every individual, and wholesome when pursued with due consideration of dharma and artha. Unlike the precepts of some religions, kama is celebrated in Hinduism, as a value in its own right.[Bullough and Bullough (1994), Human Sexuality: An Encyclopedia, Routledge, , pp 516] Together with artha and dharma, it is an aspect of a holistic life.[Gary Kraftsow, Yoga for Transformation - ancient teachings and practices for healing body, mind and heart, Penguin, , pp 11-15] All three purusharthas—Dharma, Artha and Kama—are equally and simultaneously important.[C. Ramanathan, Ethics in the Ramayana, in History of Science, Philosophy and Culture in Indian Civilization (Editor: R. Prasad), Volume 12, Part 1, , pp 84-85]
Stages of life
Some[P.V. Kane (1941), History of Dharmashastra, Volume 2, Part 1, Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, pp. 8-9] texts in ancient Indian literature observe that the relative precedence of artha, kama and dharma are naturally different for different people and different age groups. In a baby or child, education and kāma (artistic desires) take precedence; in youth kāma and artha take precedence; while in old age dharma takes precedence.
Deity
Kama is deified as Kamadeva and his consort Rati. Deity Kama is comparable to the Greek deity Eros—they both trigger human sexual attraction and sensual desire.[ Kama in Encyclopædia Britannica, Chicago, 2009] Kama rides a parrot, and the deity is armed with bow and arrows to pierce hearts. The bow is made of sugarcane stalk, the bowstring is a line of bees, and the arrows are tipped with five flowers representing five emotions-driven love states.[Coulter and Turner, Encyclopedia of Ancient Deities, Francis & Taylor, , pp 258-259] The five flowers on Kama arrows are lotus flower (infatuation), ashoka flower (intoxication with thoughts about the other person), mango flower (exhaustion and emptiness in absence of the other), jasmine flower (pining for the other) and blue lotus flower (paralysis with confusion and feelings). These five arrows also have names, the last and most dangerous of which is Sammohanam, infatuation.[Śaṅkarakavi, Fabrizia Baldissera Śāradātilakabhāṇaḥ 1980 "Sammohanam , infatuation , name of the fifth arrow of Kāma , the most dangerous because it leads to the ultimate stage of love folly"]
Kama is also known as Ananga (literally "one without body") because desire strikes formlessly, through feelings in unseen ways.[ The other names for deity Kama include Madan (he who intoxicates with love), Manmatha (he who agitates the mind), Pradyumna (he who conquers all) and Kushumesu (he whose arrows are flowers).][William Joseph Wilkins (193), Hindu mythology, Vedic and Puranic, Thacker & Spink, Indiana University Archives, pp 268]
In Buddhism
While in a narrow sense kāma refers to sexuality, it also refers to a broader domain of sensuality. In early Buddhist thought kāma has three general meanings . Psychologically, kāma refers to the subjective desire for sexual or sensual pleasure. Secondly, kāma may also refer to the phenomenological experience of sensual pleasure. Lastly, kāma may also refer to the objects of pleasure, or the types of objects and actions that are believed to give rise to experiences of sensual pleasure.
Kama in Buddhist cosmology
The Buddhist cosmos consists of three hierarchically arranged realms ( bhava or dhātu): the Desire Realm ( kāmabhava), the Form Realm ( rūpabhava), and the Formless Realm ( arūpabhava). All beings inhabiting the Desire Realm, including human beings, animals, hungry ghosts, and the inhabitants of the various Buddhist heavens and hells, are considered to be afflicted by deep-seated sensual desire ( kāma). The upper two levels of the cosmos are inhabited by beings who have either severely attenuated or nearly eradicated sensual desire through advanced meditative practice.
Kama in Buddhist doctrine
In early Buddhist doctrine, the taint of sensuality ( kāma-āsava) is one of the three (sometimes four) psychological taints ( Asava) that must be eradicated for the attainment of awakening. In the Buddha's first sermon, the Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta, the "desire for sensual pleasure" ( kāmataṇhā) is enumerated as one of the three forms of desire ( taṇhā) that entrap beings in the cycle of rebirth ( saṃsāra).
In the Buddhism Pali Canon, Gautama Buddha renounced (Pali: nekkhamma) sensuality ( kama) as a route to bodhi.[See, for instance, Dvedhavitakka Sutta (Majjhima Nikaya 19) (Thanissaro, 1997a). ] Some Buddhist lay practitioners recite daily the Five Precepts, a commitment to abstain from "sexual misconduct" ( kāmesu micchacara กาเมสุ มิจฺฉาจารา).[See, for instance, Khantipalo (1995). ] Typical of Pali Canon discourses, the Dhammika Sutta (Sutta Nipata 2.14) includes a more explicit correlate to this precept when the Gautama Buddha enjoins a follower to "observe celibacy or at least do not have sex with another's wife."
Kama in monastic law and precepts
Because the monastic vocation is premised on the renunciation of kāma, there are many rulings in monastic law ( vinaya) that prohibit activities and practices that in the context of ancient India were associated with sensuality.
Many of these are also included among the ten rules of training ( sikkhāpada) observed by novices (Samanera, Samanera), and figure among Eight precepts observed by Buddhist laity on special ritual occasions such as the fortnightly uposatha.
See also
Sources
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Fiorucci, Anthony (2023). Guilty Pleasures: Kāma in ancient India and the Pali Vinaya. PhD thesis: Uppsala University. , diva-portal.org.
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Ireland, John D. (trans.) (1983). Dhammika Sutta: Dhammika (excerpt) (Sutta Nipata 2.14). Retrieved 5 Jul 2007 from "Access to Insight" at Dhammika Sutta: Dhammika.
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Khantipalo, Bhikkhu (1982, 1995). Lay Buddhist Practice: The Shrine Room, Uposatha Day, Rains Residence (The Wheel No. 206/207). Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society. Retrieved 5 Jul 2007 from "Access to Insight" at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khantipalo/wheel206.html.
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Sri Lanka Buddha Jayanti Tipitaka Series (n.d.) (SLTP). (Anguttara Nikaya 5.1.3.8, in Pali). Retrieved 3 Jul 2007 from "MettaNet-Lanka" at 5:3 Pancangikavaggo - Pali.
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Thanissaro Bhikkhu (trans.) (1997a). Dvedhavitakka Sutta: Two Sorts of Thinking (Majjhima Nikaya 19). Retrieved 3 Jul 2007 from "Access to Insight" at Dvedhavitakka Sutta: Two Sorts of Thinking.
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Thanissaro Bhikkhu (trans.) (1997b). Samadhanga Sutta: The Factors of Concentration (Anguttara Nikaya 5.28). Retrieved 3 Jul 2007 from "Access to Insight" at Samadhanga Sutta: The Factors of Concentration.
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