Klesha Patterns: The Five Afflictions Framework

Beyond the five vritti, Patanjali identifies five kleshas—root afflictions or patterns—that generate and sustain cognitive distortions. Asmita is ego-identification ("I am my failures"), raga is craving/attachment (obsessing over how things should be), dvesha is aversion/avoidance (ruminating about what you want to escape), and abhinivesha is clinging to familiar patterns even when harmful. These aren't abstract concepts but recognizable psychological patterns. Someone with perfectionist distortions is likely running asmita (identity fused with achievement) and dvesha (avoiding the discomfort of mistakes). Someone ruminating is caught in raga-dvesha loops. By learning to identify which kleshas are active in your distortions, you target the deeper pattern-generator rather than endlessly fighting surface thoughts. This framework provides diagnostic clarity and reveals why standard cognitive techniques sometimes fail—they address content without addressing the affliction driving it.