Kleshas

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A term from Buddhist philosophy that refers to mental states that cloud the mind and manifest in unwholesome behaviors
2. These are hindrances to spiritual progress and include ignorance, desire, and aversion
3. Typically categorized as the root causes of suffering, these elements obstruct enlightenment and peaceful existence

Etymology: "Kleshas" is the plural of "klesha", a Sanskrit noun borrowed into English for the Buddhist and Hindu concept of mental afflictions. The Sanskrit "kleśa" means "pain", "affliction" or "distress", and it comes from a root meaning to trouble or torment. In Indian philosophy it names the defilements of the mind that keep a person bound to craving, aversion and delusion. The word's English use is tied to the translation of Buddhist and yogic texts, so it carries a technical sense rather than an everyday one. Early Buddhist teaching groups the kleshas into a small set of core afflictions, and later schools expanded and reorganised the list. Because the term describes inner states rather than outside troubles, English writers have usually kept the Sanskrit form instead of translating it, which is why "kleshas" still looks unfamiliar to most readers.