Kleshas: Five Categories of Belief-Based Suffering

Patanjali identifies five kleshas (afflictions or obstacles): avidya (ignorance), asmita (ego), raga (attachment), dvesha (aversion), and abhinivesha (fear of change). These aren't merely thoughts but deep belief patterns about reality, self, and survival that generate suffering. Avidya is the belief in false self; raga is the belief that happiness comes from acquiring certain things; dvesha is the belief that happiness requires avoiding certain things; abhinivesha is the belief that your current form of existence must be preserved at all costs. Each klesha is a belief system that keeps you trapped in reactive patterns. Understanding the kleshas is transformative because it reveals that much psychological suffering stems not from actual circumstances but from these specific belief patterns about what reality should be. When you feel anxious, a klesha is likely operating—perhaps the belief that you're inadequate (asmita) or that bad things are intolerable (dvesha). By identifying which kleshas are active in your life, you gain insight into your core limiting beliefs. Patanjali's system then offers practices to gradually weaken these belief patterns through increased awareness and different ways of relating to experience, ultimately reducing the suffering they generate.