vasná

Vasana, also spelled vasana or vasanā, is a Sanskrit term used in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy to denote latent mental impressions, predispositions, or cravings left by past actions. In scholarly and yogic literature, vasanas are considered seeds lodged in the mind that shape perception, desire, and behavior in the present.

Derived from Sanskrit, Vāsanā, the word is transliterated in various ways as vasana, vasanā, or vasanas. The exact etymology is debated; it is commonly understood as a cognitive or mental seed that informs habitual tendencies.

In Advaita Vedanta and Yoga, vasanas are seen as mental tendencies that obscure the true self (atman) and sustain cycles of craving and ignorance. They may be clarified or reduced through discernment (viveka), detachment (vairāya), meditation, and ethical living; complete liberation is thought to require the cessation or transformation of vasanas.

Today, vasana is used in some modern psychology and self-help literature to describe ingrained cognitive patterns, automatic reactions, or desires; while the original concept emphasizes spiritual emancipation, contemporary usage often focuses on personal growth and behavior change.

See also: samskara, karma, samsara, moksha, Vedanta, yoga.