2.3 · The Five Afflictions

The afflictions are ignorance, I-am-ness, attachment, aversion and clinging to life.

Word by word

avidyā

ignorance; not-seeing

asmitā

I-am-ness; the sense of a separate self

rāga

attachment

dveṣa

aversion

abhiniveśāḥ

clinging to life; the fear of ending

kleśāḥ

afflictions; literally, what troubles

Where it fits

Having said that practice thins the afflictions (2.2), the text names them. Vyāsa poses the question, what are the afflictions and how many, and calls them five kinds of error, using the word for error from 1.8 (Woods p. 106). The next six sūtras take them in turn, ignorance first.

Reading

These five are the roots of suffering in Patañjali's map, and they form a chain. Not seeing clearly gives rise to a false sense of self. That self leans toward whatever pleases it and away from whatever hurts it. And last, and deepest felt, runs the will to keep existing. The next six sūtras take them one by one. Learn the five names and you have a vocabulary for most of what happens in your mind.

Vyāsa

“When they stir, they tighten the hold of the guṇas, fix change in place, swell the stream of causes and effects, and, each relying on the others for support, bring about the ripening of karma.”

Vyāsa's Yoga-bhāṣya, the oldest commentary. New translation from the Sanskrit, with reference to Woods (1914), p. 106.

Practice

For one hour, notice each reaction you have and give it one of the five names. Keep a tally on paper. Which name comes up most?

A question to sit with

Which affliction is loudest in you today?

Where commentators disagree

In Vyāsa's comment on 2.3, what 'helps' what: the afflictions and karma, or the afflictions one another?

Vyāsa

The five afflictions are five misconceptions. As they flow out they tighten the hold of the guṇas, make change more stable, swell the stream of cause and effect, and, depending on one another for aid, bring karma to fruition. (Woods 1914, p. 106)

Vācaspati Miśra

'One another' means the afflictions aided by karma and karma aided by the afflictions; they do not bring about fruition singly. (Woods 1914, p. 106)

Vijñānabhikṣu

As Jha reports him, he takes the mutual help to be among the five afflictions themselves: ignorance producing desire, desire producing ignorance, and so on. (Jha 1907, p. 47)

Key ideas

kleśa (afflictions), avidyā (ignorance)