is the Sanskrit term for obstructions. According to of Patanjali they are the cause of all the miseries, stress and afflictions of life. Unless they are controlled, we will always be frustrated. The five are:
- Avidya, ignorance, spiritual forgetting, veiling - Asmita, associated with I-ness - Raga, attraction or drawing to - Dvesha, aversion or pushing away - Abhinivesha, resistance to loss, fear
Ignorance or Avidya is "not knowing" about the facts and the reality. In terms of spirituality it is the absence of knowledge about the soul and the spirit. In terms of negligence it is "not knowing" about the action one has done. In terms of patients it is about the ignorance about the ill effects of an illness. The moist common answer is "I did not know about that". In terms of ayurveda it is called disorder of "Dhi" or of acquiring knowledge.
Avidya is also the ground in which the four other Kleshas fertilize. Thus Ignorance is when we think the unreal is actually real.
Ego or Asmita: I-ness or ahamkara, the "I' or "Me Maker," the opinion we have of ourselves. In terms of spirituality it is object directed awareness and not the soul directed. In terms of patients and routine life it is the show business. A patient very well knowing that smoking is harmful to impress others smokes. In terms of medical negligence it means knowing that this act of ours can harm the patient we still go ahead and do it. The usual attitude is "so what, who cares".
Attraction or Attachment (raga): It is possessiveness, ownership, liking, attraction, and attachment to people, things and ideas. Any action leads to a pleasure or a painful experience. Any pleasurable experience leads to memory and a desire to do that action again. If one does, the chain cycle starts ending upon attachment and later addiction. If not does not succeed it is the cause of quarrels, violent conflicts and even war.
Repulsion or Dvesha: Aversion or repulsion to people, things or ideas. It is as a result when the initial experience to an action is pain. Apart in experiencing an object, which gives us pleasure, we become attached to that pleasure, and desire to experience it again. When the experience becomes unavailable to us, we feel pain. For example our partner whom we loved leaves us for another. We try to persuade her or him to return. If after repeated efforts we are not successful, but our attachment remains strong, our pain and anger turns to depression, helplessness, and finally hatred. Dvesha is the hate which follows after experiencing the pain."
{{/usCountry}}Repulsion or Dvesha: Aversion or repulsion to people, things or ideas. It is as a result when the initial experience to an action is pain. Apart in experiencing an object, which gives us pleasure, we become attached to that pleasure, and desire to experience it again. When the experience becomes unavailable to us, we feel pain. For example our partner whom we loved leaves us for another. We try to persuade her or him to return. If after repeated efforts we are not successful, but our attachment remains strong, our pain and anger turns to depression, helplessness, and finally hatred. Dvesha is the hate which follows after experiencing the pain."
{{/usCountry}}Repulsion and attraction are two sides of a single coin their obstacle value can be impediments and overcome by: Contentment, Neutrality, Tranquility and Knowledge.
Abhinivesha or clinging to life: Fear of death or fear of loosing some thing what one has.
How can these five Kleshas be used in routine life? For example if a smoke addict is analyzed he can give the following reasons 1) I did not know that smoking was harmful (ignorance) 2) I knew it was harmful but I din not care (ego) 3) I knew It was harmful but I could not resist (attachment or desire or addiction) 4) I knew it was harmful but was depressed of not getting my love (repulsion) 5) I knew it was harmful but I was afraid of loosing the company of my close friend (clinging).
Others scholars also have talked about the causes of sufferings. Bhagwat talks about attachment, anger, desire, greed and ego. Bhagwat Gita about attachment, desires and ego. Buddha teaching talks about only desires as the cause of sufferings.
Ayurveda talks about the concept of disorders of dhi (knowledge), dhriti (retaining the knowledge) and Smriti (retrieving that knowledge). According to it sufferings can be due to not knowing the facts, forgetting the facts when they are needed and forgetting the learnt facts.
(The writer is a senior Physician, Head Department of Cardiology and Deputy Dean Board of Medical Education-Moolchand Hospital, President-Heart Care Foundation of India, President, Delhi Medical Association and Member-Delhi Medical Council.)