Grammatical Analysis
Alobha: [m.] Non-greed; unselfishness; detachment. Formed by negative prefix a (not, without) + lobha (greed, clinging, lust).
Orthodox Definition
Alobha is the first of the three Wholesome Roots (kusala-mūla). It is a beautiful mental factor (sobhana-cetasika) present in every single wholesome state of consciousness.
Although formulated as a negative word (non-greed), its psychological function is entirely positive. It ranges from the basic generosity (dāna) of giving away material possessions, to the profound detachment of renunciation (nekkhamma). The commentaries compare Alobha to a drop of water on a lotus leaf; just as the water rolls off without adhering to the leaf, a mind rooted in alobha experiences the sensory world without adhering or clinging to objects. It is the direct psychological antidote to the sticky, adhesive quality of craving.
Textual References
- Sutta: Mūla Sutta (AN 3.69) – The Buddha explains that actions born of non-greed do not bind a person to saṃsāra, but cut the root of future suffering.
- Abhidhamma: Dhammasaṅgaṇī – Defining non-greed as the absence of lust, the absence of infatuation, and the disposition of letting go.
- Commentary: Atthasālinī – Providing the lotus leaf simile to illustrate its non-adhering characteristic.