Tamas means “darkness” in Sanskrit. The
other two fundamental qualities (gunas) are sattva ("goodness") and
rajas ("passion").
Different amounts of these attributes, according to this
paradigm, account for disparities in both the intrinsic nature of objects and
individual human talents and proclivities.
Tamas is the most negative of the three and is linked to darkness,
sickness, ignorance, laziness, spoiling, and death.
Although much of the Samkhya metaphysics associated with the
gunas has been disproved, the concept of the gunas and their attributes has
remained a ubiquitous assumption in Indian society.
