Eight worldly preoccupations 世間八法

The eight worldly preoccupations (or concerns) or samsaric dharmas (Tib. འཇིག་རྟེན་ཆོས་བརྒྱད་, [Wyl.]] ‘jig rten chos brgyad) are where all one’s actions are governed by:

• hope for happiness and fear of suffering,
• hope for fame and fear of insignificance,
• hope for praise and fear of blame,
• hope for gain and fear of loss;

basically attachment and aversion.

They are mentioned in verse 29 of Nagarjuna's Letter to a Friend.

External Links

• Advice on abandoning the eight worldly concerns by Nyala Pema Dündul