Describe the nature of emotion as thought in Buddhism

The term Emotion derived from the Latin word emovere means starting up of
feeling. Emotions, in general, are classified as positive emotion and negative emotion.
Western psychology had pointed out that emotion of love; curiosity and happiness are
called positive emotion and they are helpful. But the unpleasant emotion of fear, anger,
jealousies are harmful and thus they are in the category of negative emotion. In
Buddhism the discussion of emotion usually occurs in moral contexts.
Accordingly specific emotions are discussed under terms having a general psycho-ethical
import. Emotions, in Buddhism, are dealt with six roots, negatively with greed (lobha),
hatred (dosa), and delusion (moha), positively with non-greed (alobha), non-hatred,
(adosa), and non-delusion (amoha). In Buddhist analysis of human behaviour, greed
(lobha) and hatred (dosa) resting on delusion moha are the two main motivational roots
of unwholesome human behaviour (akusalA samAcAra).
Buddhist psychology as well as western psychology is of the view that an emotion can
produce different types of similar emotion, and one of these roots gives birth to other
roots. And the term Asava -influx, canker, intoxicant, bias etc, arising from a cause is of
special importance in Buddhism. (Asava idhana sampova vedidappo) The main
significant fact is that Asava can be elicited by external stimuli. Thus stimuli are the
cause of the Asava.
Emotions are further analyzed in Buddhism and the term anusaya is defined as bend,
bias, and privities and the persistent of a dormant disposition. According to Buddhism,
anusaya dhammas are dormant but Asavas are comparatively apparent. Asava can arise
themselves. Anusaya tends to provide the base for Asava. Buddhism recognizes Asava as
unwholesome disposition. They can pollute the mind because of their irrational and
impulsive nature.
The origins of a particular characteristic of emotions are very subtle that they are
connected with worldly life and the repeated existence. Buddhism is of the view that the
Arahant does not have emotional attachment. The anusaya of conceit produces I and
mine have been rooted out from sAriputta. Therefore, a deterioration and change, even
could not give rise to grief.
Mananusaya is another special emotion mentioned in the Buddhist psychology. It is
prevailed until arahantship. Mananusaya arises in human mind because of materialism
such as wealth, charm, beauty, social status etc. Mana is a feeling of pride. It has a very
subtle feeling of self-distinctiveness.
In the above manner, all those Asavas with the help of many causes arise in the mind and
because of these emotions human beings are prepared to do any action. And thus it
becomes clearly seen that emotion taught in Buddhism deals selectively with those facets
which are related to human happiness and suffering. [442]