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Artha

 

(Sanskrit). 1. aim, object, goal, purpose.

2. an object of perception.

3. meaning, significance.

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Hindu swastika

Artha (Devanagari: अर्थ) is a Sanskrit term meaning "purpose, cause, motive, meaning, notion".

It refers to the idea of material prosperity. In Hinduism, artha is one of the four goals of life, known as purusharthas. It is considered to be a noble goal as long as it follows the dictates of Vedic morality. The concept includes achieving widespread fame, garnering wealth and having an elevated social standing. It is the second of the four purusharthas, the other three being dharma (righteousness), kama (physical or emotional pleasure) and moksha (liberation). Artha is one of the dharmas (duties) of a person in the second stage of life, the householder stage, and during this a person must accumulate as much wealth as possible, without being greedy, to help and support his family.



 
 

 

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Buddhism Dictionary. A Dictionary of Buddhism. Copyright © 2003, 2004 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Artha" Read more