The kleshas are five fundamental mental afflictions (avidya, asmita, raga, dvesha, abhinivesha) that generate and sustain all cognitive distortions and suffering.
Patanjali identifies five kleshas or afflictions that are the fertile soil from which all distortions grow: avidya (ignorance), asmita (ego-identity), raga (craving), dvesha (aversion), and abhinivesha (fear of death). Every cognitive distortion can be traced to one or more of these root afflictions. Perfectionism and harsh self-judgment arise from asmita—identification with an idealized self-image. Anxiety and catastrophizing spring from abhinivesha—the underlying fear of loss and non-existence. Rumination on past rejections emerges from dvesha—aversion to painful emotions. By mapping your distortions to the kleshas, you identify the deeper emotional driver beneath surface thoughts. This framework redirects your effort from endlessly correcting individual distortions to addressing the underlying afflictions. Rather than challenging a single negative thought, you ask: What klesha fuels this pattern? Am I defending an ego identity? Fleeing from fear? This inquiry reveals why the distortion persists and what deeper transformation is actually needed for lasting change.
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