煩悩

• Reading: ぼんのう
• Romaji: bonno
• Kanji breakdown: 煩 (bon) — troubled, vexed | 悩 (no) — anguish, suffering
• Pronunciation: /bon.no.ɯ/

Meaning

Worldly desires; earthly passions; mental afflictions that cause suffering and bind beings to the cycle of rebirth.

In Buddhist doctrine, 煩悩 refers to the 108 defilements of mind — including greed, hatred, and delusion — that prevent enlightenment. This is why temple bells are rung 108 times at New Year (除夜の鐘) to symbolically dispel each affliction. In modern casual speech, the word is often used humorously to describe mundane temptations such as overeating or impulse buying.

Examples

1. 除夜の鐘は108つの煩悩を払うために打たれると言われている。 The temple bell is said to be rung 108 times to dispel the 108 worldly desires.
2. ダイエット中なのに甘いものが食べたくなる。煩悩に勝てない。 I'm on a diet but I keep wanting to eat something sweet. I can't overcome my earthly desires.
3. 修行を積んでも煩悩から完全に解放されるのは難しいと老僧は語った。 Even after years of ascetic training, it is difficult to be completely freed from worldly desires, the old monk said.

Usage Guide

Context: Buddhism, religion, humour, self-reflection

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sanskrit kleśa (affliction), translated into Chinese as 煩悩 — 煩 meaning troubled/vexed and 悩 meaning anguish. The compound captures the tormenting nature of mental defilements in Buddhist philosophy.

Cultural Context

Era: Nara–Present

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal