dge ba
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དགེ་བ
virtue DKC
good & wholesome, merit, virtue, healthy, positive, virtuous, 1 of 27 coincidences in astrology, SA sbyor ba nyer bdun, 1 of 11 astrological diagrams, SA byed pa bcu gcig, happiness, welfare, happy, propitious, 2 kinds (zag bcas dge ba, zag med dge ba), fasting, abstinence, alms, charity, piety, good and auspicious action, propitious [JV]
1) opposite of evil deeds, good action or conduct, rang 'bras yid 'ong 'byin byed yin pa'i cha nas rnam smin lung du bstan par bzhag pa'i chos; 2) 1 of the sbyor ba nyer bdun; 3) among the byed pa bcu gcig 'pho byed cig; 4) 10 [because of the 10 virtues]; 5) good/ auspicious good, happy, propitious, positive, virtuous, wholesome merit, virtue, deeds, welfare, happiness, goodness [IW]
virtuous; syn legs spyad dang gtsang byed good deeds or purifying actions [RY]
virtue [IW]
virtue; good, happiness, welfare, happy, propitious, positive, merit, deeds, virtuous, wholesome, goodness. las dge ba [RY]
virtue; positive/ virtuous action [RB]
virtuous deeds [RY]
Discussion
virtue. That which is able produce a future result of happiness or lead to the attainment of nirvana.
The translation "wholesome" is not adequate first of all because its opposite, unwholesome, is not a good translation for mi dge ba. Secondly, there are wholesome activities, such as baking apple pie, which can be done with a neutral or even non-virtuous motivation and thus not be dge ba. The suggestion of "merit" seems a better and more common translation for bsod nams. The suggestion of purifying actions has a khyab chung ba'i skyon: many virtuous activities--such as any defiled (zag bcas) virtue--are not purifying. DKC