Klesha Framework: Five Root Causes of Suffering

The Yoga Sutras identify five kleshas—fundamental psychological patterns generating all human suffering, including depression. Avidya (ignorance of reality), asmita (ego-identification), raga (attachment and craving), dvesha (aversion and rejection), and abhinivesha (fear of loss/death) function as universal mechanisms of psychological pain recognizable across all cultures and traditions. Depression typically involves all five: ignorance about one's true nature, ego-based self-judgment, attachment to impossible outcomes, aversion to present circumstances, and existential fears. By recognizing these patterns, individuals gain diagnostic clarity about depression's psychological architecture rather than viewing it as monolithic or mysterious. This framework suggests that depression's healing requires addressing not just surface symptoms but these fundamental misperceptions and reactive patterns. Understanding kleshas transforms depression from a diagnosis into an invitation to examine and gradually uproot the deeper psychological mechanisms perpetuating suffering.