Kleshas (क्लेशाः)

Kleshas (Samskrit: क्लेशाः) are the obstacles that a spiritual aspirant encounters in the path of Yoga sadhana. Various kinds of kleshas are mental afflictions accumulated over various births. The mind is restless because of mental modifications or thoughts (Chitta Vrttis) influenced by some elements which either bring happiness or suffering. Maharshi Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras mentions these elements that disturb the mind's equilibrium as the five-fold pain-causing obstructions known as the panch-kleshas.

चित्तवृत्तयः ॥ Chitta Vrttis

Vrttis are formed from Samskaras or impressions on the mind and vice versa, and this is a perpetual cycle.

वृत्तयः पञ्चतय्यः क्लिष्टाक्लिष्टाः ॥ १.५ ॥ (Yoga. Sutr. 1.5)

The gross and subtle thought patterns (Vrttis) can be classified into five categories, and can be either of Klishta (afflictive or accompanied by Pancha Kleshas and cause sufferings) or Aklishta (non-afflictive or not accompanied by Kleshas and cause happiness) nature.

क्लिष्ट वृत्तयः ॥ Klishta Vrttis

When the various types of vrttis or modifications arising in the mind are born from the afflictions that are caused from avidya and become the seeds of future actions then they are called Klishta vrttis.

Maharshi Patanjali in Sadhana pada of Yogasutras enlists the five elements which bring about thought modifications (vrttis) of the mind known as Kleshas. They are

अविद्यास्मितारागद्वेषाभिनिवेशाः क्लेशाः ॥ २.३ ॥ (Yoga. Sutr. 2.3)

Meaning: Ignorance (अविद्या), Egoism (अस्मिता), Desire or attachment (राग), Aversion (द्वेष), and clinging to life (due to fear of death) (अभिनिवेश) are kleshas. Avidya is the inevitable ignorance of spiritual nature or knowledge of self. Ignorance of true nature is the cause of pain and the other four elements are its effects. Asmita and others carry the ignorance with them and cannot exist without Avidya. It is for that reason that they are destroyed with the destruction of Avidya.

क्लेशा इति पञ्च विपर्यया इत्य् अर्थः।

Maharshi Vyasa in his commentary describes kleshas as the five forms of Viparyaya or incorrect (wrong) knowledge.

अविद्या ॥ Avidya

Nature of Avidya is described as

अनित्याशुचिदुःखानात्मसु नित्यशुचिसुखात्मख्यातिर् अविद्या ॥ २.५ ॥ (Yoga. Sutr. 2.5)

Avidya has the characteristics of incorrect knowledge where transient things are considered as eternal, impure things (lustfulness etc.,) are incorrectly considered as pure, objects causing dukkha or unhappiness are considered to be the source of happiness and lastly, incorrectly regarding Anatma (non-self) or the body as Atman. Incorrect considerations are as follows

• अनित्ये कार्ये नित्यख्यातिः। तद्यथा --- ध्रुवा पृथिवी, ध्रुवा सचन्द्रतारका द्यौः, अमृता दिवौकस इति। Considering what is Anitya (transient in nature) as Nitya. Example: Believing that earth, sun, moon, stars etc., as eternal and not formed (those having origin and destruction). This belief is termed Avidya.
• अशुचौ शुचिख्यातिर् दृश्यते। Considering what is Asuchi as Shuchi. To regard Ashuchi such as lustfulness and untruthfulness as Shuchi is the second kind of Avidya.
• दुःखे सुखख्यातिर् अविद्या। Considering sources of suffering or Dukha as a source of pleasure or Sukha is another form of Avidya. Example: considering sexual indulgence as a source of happiness, whilst it causes suffering.
• अनात्मन्यात्मख्यातिर् इति। Considering Anatma (non-self) as Atman (self). बाह्योपकरणेषु चेतनाचेतनेषु भोगाधिष्ठाने वा शरीरे पुरुषोपकरणे वा मनस्य् अनात्मन्य् आत्मख्यातिर् इति। Believing that external worldly animate and inanimate objects are the seat of Bhoga (pleasure experiences) or the senses, manas buddhi of a person, a physical body, which is not the Atman (non-self) as Atman is a kind of Avidya or incorrect knowledge.

These four dimensions to Avidya are the cause of bondage for the Atman. Nitya and Anitya vastu viveka (discrimination between the true self (Atman) and non-self (physical body and worldly things)) is Vidya. Avidya is removed by this true knowledge and leads a person to Moksha.

अस्मिता ॥ Asmita

दृग्दर्शनशक्त्योर् एकात्मतेवास्मिता ॥ २.६ ॥ (Yoga. Sutr. 2.6)