durguna

Durguna is a Sanskrit term meaning "bad qualities" or "defects." The word combines du, a prefix meaning "bad," with guna, "quality" or "attribute." In Indian philosophical and ethical literature, durguna is used to designate unfavourable dispositions that impede spiritual or moral development.

In discussions of the gunas—sattva, rajas, and tamas—durguna refers to negative traits associated with imbalance or dominance of non-virtuous qualities. There is no fixed catalog of durguna; rather, it covers a range of vices described in different texts. Common examples include greed, anger, deceit, pride, jealousy, cowardice, and ignorance. The emphasis is on how such traits obstruct living in harmony with ethical or spiritual goals.

Scholars often treat the removal or transformation of durguna as part of broader ethical cultivation. Practices such as self-discipline, study, meditation, and ethical conduct are described as ways to reduce the influence of durguna and cultivate more desirable guna states, especially sattva.

In modern usage, durguna appears in discussions of character, virtue ethics, and spiritual practice, typically as a rubric for identifying and addressing personal faults. The term remains closely linked to traditional Sanskrit lexicon and is encountered in both classical exegesis and contemporary commentary.