| Translations of kleshas | |
|---|---|
| English | afflictions, destructive emotions, disturbing emotions, negative emotions, mind poisons, etc. |
| Sanskrit | क्लेश (kleśa) |
| Pali | (kilesa) |
| Burmese | ကိလေသာ (MLCTS:kḭlèθà) |
| Chinese | 煩惱 (Pinyin:fánnǎo) |
| Indonesian | pengotor batin, kotoran batin, kekotoran batin |
| Japanese | 煩悩 (Rōmaji:bonnō) |
| Khmer | កិលេស (UNGEGN:kĕlés) |
| Korean | 번뇌 (RR:beonnoe) |
| Mongolian | нисванис (nisvanis) |
| Tibetan | ཉོན་མོངས། (Wylie: nyon mongs; THL: nyönmong) |
| Tagalog | kilsha |
| Thai | กิเลส (RTGS:Kilet) |
| Vietnamese | phiền não |
| Glossary of Buddhism | |
Kleshas (Sanskrit:क्लेश,romanized: kleśa;Pali:किलेसkilesa;Standard Tibetan:ཉོན་མོངས།nyon mongs), inBuddhism, are mental states that cloud the mind and manifest in unwholesome actions.Kleshas include states of mind such as anxiety, fear, anger, jealousy, desire, etc. Contemporary translators use a variety of English words to translate the termkleshas, such as: afflictions, defilements, destructive emotions, disturbing emotions, negative emotions, mind poisons, and neuroses.
In the contemporary Mahayana andTheravada Buddhist traditions, the three kleshas of ignorance, attachment, and aversion are identified as the root or source of all other kleshas. These are referred to as thethree poisons in the Mahayana tradition, or as the threeunwholesome roots in the Theravada tradition.
While theearly Buddhist texts of thePali Canon do not specifically enumerate the three root kleshas, thethree poisons (and the kleshas generally) came to be seen as the very roots ofsamsaric existence.
| Pāli Canon |
|---|
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| Theravāda Buddhism |
In thePali Canon's discourses (sutta),kilesa is often associated with the various passions that defile bodily and mental states. In the Pali Canon'sAbhidhamma and post-canonicalPali literature, ten defilements are identified, the first three of which – greed, hatred, delusion – are considered to be the "roots" of suffering.
In the Pali Canon'sSutta Piṭaka,kilesa and its correlateupakkilesa[1] are affective obstacles to the pursuit of direct knowledge (abhijñā) and wisdom (pañña).
For instance, theSamyutta Nikaya includes a collection of ten discourses (SN 27,Kilesa-saṃyutta) that state that any association of "desire-passion" (chanda-rāgo) with the body or mind[2] is a "defilement of mind" (cittasse'so upakkileso):
More broadly, thefive hindrances – sensual desire (kāmacchanda), anger (byāpāda), sloth-torpor (thīna-middha), restlessness-worry (uddhacca-kukkucca), and doubt (vicikicchā) – are frequently associated withkilesa in the following (or a similar) manner:
| [A]ll those Blessed Ones had first abandoned the five hindrances, defilements of the mind that weaken wisdom ...[4] | sabbe te bhagavanto pañcanīvaraṇe pahāya cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe ... .[5] |
Additionally, in theKhuddaka Nikaya'sNiddesa,kilesa is identified as a component of or synonymous with craving (taṇhā) and lust (rāga).[6]
While the Sutta Pitaka does not offer a list ofkilesa, theAbhidhamma Pitaka'sDhammasangani (Dhs. 1229ff.) andVibhanga (Vbh. XII) as well as in the post-canonicalVisuddhimagga (Vsm. XXII 49, 65) enumerate ten defilements (dasa kilesa-vatthūni) as follows:
The Vibhanga also includes an eightfold list (aṭṭha kilesa-vatthūni) composed of the first eight of the above ten.[8]
Throughout Pali literature, the first threekilesa in the above tenfold Abhidhamma list (lobha dosa moha) are known as the "unwholesome roots" (akusala-mūla or the root ofakusala); and, their opposites (alobha adosa amoha) are the three "wholesome roots" (kusala-mūla or the root ofkusala).[9] The presence of such a wholesome or unwholesome root during a mental, verbal or bodily action conditions future states of consciousness and associated mental factors (seeKarma).[10]
| 12 Factors | 3 Rounds | ||
| aging-death | aspects of vipāka (results)[11] | ||
| ↑ | |||
| birth | |||
| ↑ | ↑ | ||
| becoming | karma | ||
| ↑ | ↑ | ||
| clinging | kilesa | ||
| ↑ | |||
| craving | |||
| ↑ | ↑ | ||
| feeling | vipāka (results) | ||
| ↑ | |||
| contact | |||
| ↑ | |||
| sense bases | |||
| ↑ | |||
| name-form | |||
| ↑ | |||
| consciousness | |||
| ↑ | ↑ | ||
| formations | karma | ||
| ↑ | ↑ | ||
| ignorance | kilesa | ||
| Figure: The "three rounds" of Dependent Origination (Vsm. XVII, 298). | |||
The 5th-century CEcommentarialVisuddhimagga, in its discussion of "Dependent Origination" (Pali:paticca-samuppada) (Vsm. XVII), presents different expository methods for understanding this teaching's twelve factors (nidana). One method (Vsm. XVII, 298) divides the twelve factors into three "rounds" (vaṭṭa):
In this framework (see Figure to the right, starting from the bottom of the Figure),kilesa ("ignorance") conditionskamma ("formations") which conditionsresults ("consciousness" through"feelings") which in turn conditionkilesa ("craving" and"clinging") which conditionkamma ("becoming") and so on.[11]Buddhaghosa (Vsm. XVII, 298) concludes:
As can be seen, in this framework, the round of defilements consists of:
Elsewhere in the Visuddhimagga (Vsm. XXII, 88), in the context of the four noble persons (ariya-puggala, seeFour stages of enlightenment), the text refers to a precursor to the attainment ofnibbana as being the complete eradication of "the defilements that are the root of the round" (vaṭṭa-mūla-kilesā).[14]
The three kleshas of ignorance, attachment and aversion are referred to as thethree poisons (Skt.triviṣa) in the Mahayana tradition and as thethree unwholesome roots (Pāli,akusala-mūla; Skt.akuśala-mūla ) in the Theravada tradition. These three poisons (or unwholesome roots) are considered to be the root of all the other kleshas.
In the Mahayana tradition, the five main kleshas are referred to as thefive poisons (Sanskrit:pañca kleśaviṣa; Tibetan-Wylie:dug lnga).
The five poisons consist of thethree poisons with two additional poisons: pride and jealousy. Altogether, the five poisons are:[15][16]
| Poison/Klesha | Sanskrit | Pali | Tibetan[15] | Chinese | Description | Alternate translations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ignorance | moha avidya | moha avijja | gti mug ma rig pa | 无知 Wú zhī | Lack of discernment; not understanding the way of things | Confusion, bewilderment, delusion |
| Attachment | rāga | lobha | 'dod chags | 依恋 Yī liàn | Attachment or desire for what we like | Desire, passion |
| Aversion | dvesha | dosa | zhe sdang | 厌恶 Yàn wù 愤怒 Fèn nù | Aversion for what we don't like, or for what prevents us from getting what we like | Anger, hatred |
| Pride | māna | māna | nga rgyal | 虛榮 Xū róng | Having an inflated opinion of oneself and a disrespectful attitude toward others | Arrogance, Conceit |
| Envy | irshya | issā | phrag dog | 嫉妒 Jí dù | Being unable to bear the accomplishments or good fortune of others | Jealousy |
TheAbhidharma-kośa identifies six root kleshas (mūlakleśa):
In the context of theYogācāra school of Buddhism, Muller (2004: p. 207) states that the Six Klesha arise due to the "...reification of an 'imagined self' (Sanskrit:satkāya-dṛṣṭi)".[18]
TheMahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra lists approximately 50 kleshas, including those of attachment, aversion, stupidity, jealousy, pride, heedlessness, haughtiness, ill-will, quarrelsomeness, wrong livelihood, deceit, consorting with immoral friends, attachment to pleasure, to sleep, to eating, and to yawning; delighting in excessive talking and uttering lies, as well as thoughts of harm.[citation needed]
Mahayana literature often features an enumeration of "two obscurations" (Wylie:sgrib gnyis), the "obscuration of conflicting emotions" (Sanskrit:kleśa-avaraṇa, Wylie:nyon-mongs-pa'i sgrib-ma) and the "obscuration concerning the knowable" (Sanskrit:jñeya-avaraṇa, Wylie:shes-bya'i sgrib-ma).[19]
Contemporary translators have used many different English words to translate the termkleshas,[20] such as: afflictions, passions, destructive emotions, disturbing emotions, etc.
The following table provides brief descriptions of the term kleshas given by various contemporary Buddhist teachers and scholars:
| English/Sanskrit term used[21] | Description | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Afflictive emotions | ... those mind states that cause suffering, such as fear, hatred, anger, jealousy and so on – it's a long list! | Joseph Goldstein.The Emerging Western Buddhism: An Interview with Joseph Goldstein. |
| Afflictive emotions | In general, any defilement or emotion which obscures the mind. They are often summarized as three: ignorance, attachment and aversion. All other negative predispositions are produced on the basis of these three. | Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen (2009).A Complete Guide to the Buddhist Path. p. 451 (from the glossary) |
| Afflictions | Mental factors that produce states of mental torment both immediately and in the long term. The five principal kleshas, which are sometimes called poisons, are attachment, aversion, ignorance, pride, and jealousy. | Longchen Yeshe Dorje (Kangyur Rinpoche) (2010).Treasury of Precious Qualities. p. 492 (from the glossary) |
| Conditioning Factors or Mental Afflictions | The processes that not only describe what we perceive, but also determine our responses. | Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche (2008).The Joy of Living. p. 115 |
| Mental afflictions | In Tibetan a mental affliction is defined as a mental process that has the function of disrupting the equilibrium of the mind. They all have that in common, whether or not there is a strong emotional component to it. | Goleman, Daniel (2008).Destructive Emotions: A Scientific Dialogue with the Dalai Lama. Kindle Locations 2553–2555. |
| Destructive emotions | Fundamentally, a destructive emotion—which is also referred to as an ‘obscuring’ or ‘afflictive’ mental factor—is something that prevents the mind from ascertaining reality as it is. With a destructive emotion, there will always be a gap between the way things appear and the ways things are. | Goleman, Daniel (2008).Destructive Emotions: A Scientific Dialogue with the Dalai Lama. Kindle Locations 1779–1781. |
| Defilements | These are unskilful factors such as greed, hate, delusion, opinionatedness and lack of moral concern. Whereas the term ‘hindrance’ refers to five sticking points, ‘defilement’ is often used without any definite list, but to refer to any function of the mind which is led by unskilful factors. | Ajahn Sucitto (2011).Meditation, A Way of Awakening. Amaravati Publications. p. 263. (from the glossary) |
| Kleshas | Kleshas are the strong conflicting emotions that spin off and heighten when we get caught by aversion and attraction. | Pema Chodron.Signs of Spiritual Progress. Shambhala Sun. |
| Kleshas | Kleshas are properties that dull the mind and are the basis for all unwholesome actions. The three main kleshas are passion, aggression, and ignorance. | Chögyam Trungpa.The Truth of Suffering and the Path of Liberation. Edited by Judy L. Lief. Shambhala. p. 134 (from the glossary) |
| Kleshas | The basic idea is that certain powerful reactions have the capacity to take hold of us and drive our behavior. We believe in these reactions more than we believe in anything else, and they become the means by which we both hide from ourselves and attempt to cope with a world of ceaseless change and unpredictability. The three poisons of greed, hatred, and ignorance are the classic Buddhist examples, but others include conceit, skeptical doubt, and so-called "speculative" views ... | Mark Epstein.Going on Being: Buddhism and the Way of Change, a Positive Psychology for the West.http://www.quietspaces.com/kleshas.html |
| Kleshas | The emotional obscurations (in contrast to intellectual obscurations), usually translated as "poisons" or "defilements." The three main kleshas are ignorance, hatred, and desire. The five kleshas include these three along with pride and envy. | Thrangu Rinpoche (1993).The Practice of Tranquility & Insight: A Guide to Tibetan Buddhist Mediation (p. 152). Snow Lion. Kindle Edition. p. 152 (from the glossary) |
All Buddhist schools teach that through Tranquility (Samatha) meditation the kilesas are pacified, though not eradicated, and through Insight (Vipassana) the true nature of the kilesas and the mind itself is understood. When the empty nature of the Self and the Mind is fully understood, there is no longer a root for the disturbing emotions to be attached to, and the disturbing emotions lose their power to distract the mind.[citation needed]
The termkleshas has been translated into English as:
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