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Significance of Vanity

Vanity is defined across various philosophical and religious traditions. In Jainism, it signifies excessive pride stemming from faulty reasoning, while Tibetan Buddhism describes it as an arrogant dismissal of contributions. Vaishnavism links vanity to celestial beings' self-importance separate from the Supreme Lord. The Purana warns that vanity can lead to spiritual decline, evidenced in Duryodhana’s excessive pride. Dharmashastra highlights how vanity can undermine austerity's effectiveness, and Vaisheshika includes it as a distorted sense of self-importance among moral traits.

Synonyms: Conceit, Pride, Ego, Self-importance, Arrogance, Narcissism, Boastfulness, Self-admiration, Superficiality, Egotism

In Dutch: Trots; In Finnish: Turhamaisuus; In Spanish: Vanidad; In German: Eitelkeit

The below excerpts are indicatory and do represent direct quotations or translations. It is your responsibility to fact check each reference.

Buddhist concept of 'Vanity'

Buddhism Books

In Buddhism, Vanity is interpreted as excessive pride and self-importance, leading to the dismissal of others' contributions. This attitude is seen as detrimental, obstructing spiritual growth and understanding of interconnectedness.

Significance in Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism):
Tibetan Buddhism Books

From: Tattvasangraha [with commentary]

(1) A feeling of excessive pride or self-importance; referenced in the context of dismissing contributions made in arrogance.[1]

Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayana) are collected indepently.

Hindu concept of 'Vanity'

Hinduism Books

In Hinduism, vanity is interpreted as excessive pride that can degrade spirituality, undermine austerity, exemplified in characters like Duryodhana, and manifests as an exaggerated sense of self-importance among celestial beings.

Significance in Purana and Itihasa (epic history):
Purana Books

From: Mahabharata (English)

(1) An excess pride in one's own achievements that can lead to spiritual degradation.[2] (2) Refers to Duryodhana's character trait of excessive pride and self-importance.[3]

The Purana refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

Significance in Dharmashastra (religious law):
Dharmashastra Books

From: Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi

(1) This term represents excessive pride or vanity that can undermine the value of austerity and lead to its ineffectiveness.[4]

Dharmashastra contains the instructions (shastra) regarding religious conduct of livelihood (dharma), ceremonies, jurisprudence (study of law) and more. It is categorized as smriti, an important and authoritative selection of books dealing with the Hindu lifestyle.

Significance in Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma):
Vaishnavism Books

From: Tiruvaymoli (Thiruvaimozhi): English translation

(1) The self-importance demonstrated by the celestial beings, making it seem as though they possess power independently of the Supreme Lord.[5]

Vaishnava or vaishnavism (vaishnavism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (‘ten avatars of Vishnu�).

Significance in Vaisheshika (school of philosophy):
Vaisheshika Books

From: Padarthadharmasamgraha and Nyayakandali

(1) A quality characterized by an exaggerated sense of one's own importance, included in the moral characteristics related to the twenty-four qualities.[6]

Vaisheshika refers to a school of orthodox Hindu philosophy (astika), drawing its subject-matter from the Upanishads. Vaisheshika deals with subjects such as logic, epistemology, philosophy and expounds concepts similar to Buddhism in nature