The 5 Kleshas

The Five Kleshas, Sources of Pain and Suffering According to Yoga

The Five Kleshas in yoga are five mental states, afflictions or obstacles that can prevent the attainment of spiritual liberation and self-realization. The Kleshas are described in the classical yoga text, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

In Sutra 2.3 it is written: Avidya Asmita Raga Dvesha Abhinivesha Pancha Klesha

Translation: there are five types of afflictions (Kleshas), ignorance, over-identification with the sense of “I”, attachment, aversion, fear of death.

Abhinivesha is the fifth: love of life and the fear of losing it, the irrational fear of death that prevents us from fully living.

According to yogic philosophy, these are the root causes of suffering and ignorance in the world. Let us understand each of the Kleshas:

Avidya

Avidya is often translated as “ignorance” or “non-knowing” (vidya = knowledge, a-vidya = non-knowledge), and refers to ignorance or a fundamental misunderstanding of reality. Avidya is the state of being unaware of our essential nature as pure consciousness and instead identifying with the ego, body, and the world of sensory experience. Avidya is the root cause of all the other Kleshas (sources of suffering), as it leads us to misunderstand ourselves and our place in the world.

To explain the first Klesha “Avidya”, Patanjali uses the example of confusing what is changing with what is unchanging. He explains that Avidya is the source of all other Kleshas and that it is a misunderstanding of the true nature of things. For example, when we mistake our body or material possessions as permanent, we develop attachment (Raga) to them, causing suffering when they inevitably change or disappear. Similarly, when we mistake our thoughts or feelings as fixed, we identify with them and become bound, leading to further suffering.

Avidya in Buddhism

In Buddhist scriptures such as Theravada and Mahayana, ignorance of the true nature of reality, failure to understand the three marks of existence: impermanence, suffering, non-self.

This is the first link in the cycle of dependent origination, which drives the entire cycle of samsara (suffering).

Liberation comes through wisdom (Prajna) that dissolves the illusion.

Avidya in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras: Misperception of Reality

Confusion between: the temporary and the eternal, the impure and the pure, suffering and pleasure, non-self and self (see Sutra 2.5). This is the fundamental Klesha (root of suffering) from which the others are born: Asmita (ego), Raga (attachment), Dvesha (aversion), Abhinivesha (fear of death).

Liberation through contemplation and practice (Ashtanga Yoga).

Advaita Vedanta: Non-recognition that the Self (Atman) is Brahman

Mandukya Upanishad, Manduka 2.1:

“The co-existence of knowledge and avidya, knowledge leads to liberation, avidya leads to the world.”

Describes the division between liberating knowledge (para-vidya) and temporal knowledge (apara-vidya).

Brahma Sutras

• Written to present a logical system for the teachings of the Upanishads.
• Sutra 2.1.14 to 2.1.20, deals with the question of creation: is the world real or illusory? Here appears the view that the root of misperception (avidya) is the mistaken identification of the self with the non-self.

Shankara Bhashya (Shankara’s Commentaries)

• Shankara’s commentaries on the Upanishads and Brahma Sutras are the most important source in Advaita.
• Commentary on Brahma Sutra 1.1.4, here he first speaks of “avidya” as universal illusion.
• Commentary on Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, Verse 5: Krishna tells Arjuna that he has passed through many births. Shankara explains this is the result of avidya, which conceals the true Self.

• Creates a sense of separation, ego, and a sense of “I” as a separate body-mind.
• Identified with Maya, the illusion of the world.
• Liberation (Moksha) comes through Jnana Yoga, knowing the Self as Brahman.

Samkhya: Failure to Distinguish between Purusha and Prakriti

Samkhya Karika by Ishvarakrishna

The central and ancient text of Samkhya philosophy (only 70 shlokas).

• Shloka 1, states that all suffering in life stems from identification with what is not the self.
• Shlokas 17 to 20, detail the human confusion between Purusha (pure consciousness) and Prakriti (material nature), which is the root of avidya.
• Shloka 66, speaks of perfect discernment (viveka khyati) as the path to liberation. This happens when a person fully recognizes that they are Purusha and not the body or mind.
• The person identifies with the body, senses and mind, rather than with the Purusha which is separate from them.
• Liberation comes when one clearly distinguishes between them. Purusha witnesses Prakriti without identifying with it.

Asmita

Asmita is most often translated as “egoism” or “I-am-ness”, and refers to identification with the ego and with the body, the mind and the sense of “I”. Asmita is the sense of separateness and individuality arising from the ego’s identification with body and mind, and it is the source of much suffering and conflict in the world.

According to modern neuroscience, the sense of self is closely linked to the Default Mode Network (DMN). A study published in PNAS (2020) showed that prolonged meditation reduces DMN activity and weakens ego sensations, exactly as Patanjali described thousands of years ago.

Raga

Raga is most often translated as “craving” or “desire”, and refers to our desire for sensory pleasure and the wish to have more of it. Raga is a state of constant seeking of pleasure and fulfillment from external sources. This Klesha leads to suffering when these desires go unfulfilled.

Dvesha

Dvesha is most often translated as “aversion” or “hatred”, and refers to the negative feelings and attitudes that arise in response to difficult or unpleasant experiences. In other words, Dvesha is the fear and avoidance of re-experiencing a past experience that caused pain (and here there is a strong connection to the concept of trauma). Dvesha is a state of rejection or resistance toward certain people, situations or experiences. Dvesha will lead us to suffering because we are unable to enjoy the present moment, due to memories of the past.

Abhinivesha

Abhinivesha, fears and insecurity, is often translated as “fear of death” or “the will to live”. It is the fifth Klesha and many would say it is the hardest to understand. Abhinivesha refers to the deep fear of death and the unknown that exists in all living beings. Abhinivesha is a state of deep attachment to the ego and body, and the fear of losing this form of identification. The essence of this Klesha can be understood when one realizes that beneath the “I” and the personality there exists an eternal, timeless, immortal entity that is not dependent on the body.

What Can Be Done to Work with the Kleshas?

Usually our mind jumps from place to place, much like monkeys leaping from branch to branch. There is a lack of focus that prevents us from seeing the afflictions (Kleshas) present in our consciousness. Considerable effort is needed to be aware and fully see Kleshas such as Raga or Dvesha (attachment and aversion), which are created by Asmita (ego) and Abhinivesha (fears and insecurity). These Kleshas are completely normal and common in the vast majority of human beings. There is a need to reduce them and, if possible, to prevent them from manifesting in action, like seeds that have been heated and will no longer be able to sprout.

Kleshas as a Form of Samskaras: What Is the Difference?

Kleshas exist as Samskaras when they are not “in action.”

In Vyasa’s commentary on the Yoga Sutra, the boundary between a “mental state” and a “subconscious deposit” is fluid. To understand why a Klesha is actually a type of Samskara, we need to look at the levels of their expression.

The Kleshas Exist in Different “States”

In Sutra 2.4, Patanjali explains that the Kleshas (ignorance, ego, craving, etc.) can exist in four states:

Conclusion: when a Klesha is not currently “burning” in your awareness as an active impulse, it is stored in the memory bank as a Samskara.

The Functional Difference (Why Still Distinguish Between Them?)

Although a dormant Klesha is a Samskara, the philosophy distinguishes between them for the purpose of working with them:

Samskara of the Bhoga type: it is a “recording” of an event. It is information. (For example: “I remember that a cherry is sweet”).

Klesha: it is the distorted emotional “coloring” that adheres to that information. (For example: “I must get a cherry right now to be happy”).

The Klesha is what transforms a “neutral” Samskara of memory into something that creates suffering and binds us to the wheel of karma.

The Seed and Fire Model

Samkhya and Yoga sages use the parable of seeds:

• Samskaras are the seeds found in the soil of consciousness.
• Kleshas are the vital force (moisture and heat) that causes the seeds to sprout.

In a state of “Nirodha” or “Kaivalya”, the yogi does not erase the memory (they still know what a cherry is), but rather “burns” the Kleshas. Once the Klesha is burned, the Samskara becomes a “burnt seed” (Dagdha-bija). It still exists as a memory, but it can no longer give rise to craving or suffering.

• Samskaras are the foundation (the material).
• Kleshas are the mental pollution that rides upon that foundation and activates it.

Recent Research: Kleshas, the Brain, and Liberation from Suffering

Modern neuroscience provides fascinating support for the theory of Kleshas:

• A 2018 study in Psychological Science found that focused meditation practice reduces “mind wandering”, a neurological expression of Raga and Dvesha, by an average of 57%, and increases emotional regulation.
• A 2020 meta-analytic review in Frontiers in Psychology showed that integral yoga practice statistically significantly reduces markers of anxiety and depression, expressions of Dvesha and Abhinivesha.
• Cognitive psychologists identify Asmita with the “narrative self” built by the Default Mode Network, and working with Samskaras parallels CBT techniques for changing automatic thought patterns.

Go deeper

According to the yogic tradition, these five Kleshas are considered the root causes of suffering and ignorance in the world, and they block us from attaining spiritual liberation and self-realization. According to the Yoga Sutras, the goal of yoga practice is to overcome these Kleshas and realize our true nature as pure consciousness. This is achieved through the practice of yoga techniques such as meditation, pranayama (breathing practices) and asana (physical postures), which help purify the mind and remove the obstacles of the Klesha. By working to overcome the Kleshas, we can attain greater clarity, understanding, and freedom from suffering, and move closer to realizing our true nature.

Last updated: May 2026