Klesha

Afflictions that cause suffering and maintain the cycle of samsara. Patañjali enumerates five: avidya (ignorance), asmita (ego), raga (attachment), dvesha (aversion), and abhinivesha (fear of death).

Avidya is the root of all the others — the confusion between the permanent and impermanent, pure and impure, pleasure and pain, Self and non-Self.

Kleshas can be dormant, attenuated, intercepted, or active. Sustained practice of kriya yoga (tapas, svadhyaya, ishvara pranidhana) progressively weakens them until they can be eliminated through deep meditation.