Kleśā

Buddhist term
fontsize=100%
pi= kilesa
sa= kleśa, klesha
en= defilement,
poison
ja= 煩悩
th= กิเลสIn Buddhism, "kilesa" (Pali; Sanskrit: "kleśa" or "klesha") is typically translated as "defilement" or "poison." In early Buddhist texts, "kilesa" generally referred to mental states which temporarily cloud the mind and manifest in unskillful actions. Over time, "kilesa" additionally became associated with the very roots of samsaric existence.

Pali literature

In the Pali Canon's discourses ("sutta"), "kilesa" is often associated with the various passions that defile bodily and mental states. In the Pali Canon's Abhidhamma and post-canonical Pali literature, ten defilements are identified, the first three of which – greed, hate, delusion – are considered to be the "roots" of suffering.

utta Pitaka: Mental hindrances

In the Pali Canon's Sutta Pitaka, "kilesa" and its correlate "upakkilesa" [Beyond the etymological relationship between and semantic closeness of "kilesa" and "upakkilesa" (e.g., see Rhys Davids & Stede, 1921-25, p. 139, entry for "upakkilesa" at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.0:1:3657.pali), the below-referenced Samyutta Nikaya collection entitled "Kilesa-saIAST|ṃyutta" (SN 27) does not use "kilesa" in its actual suttas but, in fact, "upakkilesa". Bodhi (2000), pp. 1012-14, 1100 "n". 273, specifically makes note of the lexical differences between these two Pali words and chooses to translate "kilesa" as "defilement" and "upakkilesa" as "corruption." Similar, in Bodhi (2000), p. 1642, SN 47.12, "upakkilesa" is translated as "corruption" whereas, as indicated below, in Bodhi (2005), p. 416, this same Pali word in the same sutta is translated as "defilement." Consistent with Bodhi (2005), as seen below, Thanissaro (1994) also translates "upakkilesa" as "defilement."] are affective obstacles to the pursuit of direct knowledge ("abhiñña") and wisdom ("pañña").

For instance, the Samyutta Nikaya includes a collection of ten discourses (SN 27, "Kilesa-saIAST|ṃyutta") that state that any association of "desire-passion" ("chanda-rāgo") with the body or mind [In particular, this "saIAST|ṃyutta" contextualizes "kilesa" vis-à-vis the six internal and external "sense bases" ("ayatana") and their mental concomitants (the six classes of consciousness, contact, feeling and craving, see the section on the "six sextets"), the six primary "elements" ("dhātu", cf. "mahābhūta"), and the five "aggregates" ("khandha").] is a "defilement of mind" ("cittasse'so upakkileso")::"Monks, any desire-passion with regard to the eye is a defilement of the mind. Any desire-passion with regard to the ear... the nose... the tongue... the body... the intellect is a defilement of the mind. When, with regard to these six bases, the defilements of awareness are abandoned, then the mind is inclined to renunciation. The mind fostered by renunciation feels malleable for the direct knowing of those qualities worth realizing." [SN 27.1 [http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn27/sn27.001-010.than.html (trans. Thanissaro, 1994).] Note that the phrase that Thanissaro translates as "defilement of awareness" here is "cetaso upakkileso"; Bodhi (2000), p. 1012, simply translates this as "mental corruption" (underlining added for clarity).]

More broadly, the five hindrances – sensual desire ("kāmacchanda"), anger ("byāpāda"), sloth-torpor ("thīna-middha"), restlessness-worry ("uddhacca-kukkucca"), and doubt ("vicikicchā") – are frequently associated with "kilesa" 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 .... [Translation from Bodhi (2005), p. 416. Bodhi (2005, pp. 417, 457 "n". 58) states that this is from SN 47.12, as well as DN 16 and DN 28. A similar phrase can be found in DN 28, etc.]

sabbe te bhagavanto pañcanīvaraIAST|ṇe pahāya cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraIAST|ṇe ..... [Pali, based on a search for "pahāya cetaso upakkilese," retrieved from "BodhgayaNews" at http://www.bodhgayanews.net/pitakaresults.php?title=&start=0&to=10&searchstring=pahāya%20cetaso%20upakkilese (32 matches found).]

Additionally, in the Khuddaka Nikaya's Niddesa, "kilesa" is identified as a component of or synonymous with craving ("IAST|taṇhā") and lust ("rāga"). [See Rhys Davids & Stede (1921-5), pp. 216-7, entry for "Kilesa," retrieved 2008-02-09 from "University of Chicago" at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.1:1:579.pali.]

Abhidhamma: Ten defilements and unwholesome roots

While the Sutta Pitaka does not offer a list of "kilesa", the Abhidhamma Pitaka's Dhammasangani (Dhs. 1229"ff".) and Vibhanga (Vbh. XII) as well as in the post-canonical Visuddhimagga (Vsm. XXII 49, 65) enumerate ten defilements ("dasa kilesa-vatthūni") as follows:
# greed ("lobha")
# hate ("dosa")
# delusion ("moha")
# conceit ("māna")
# wrong views ("diIAST|ṭṭhi")
# doubt ("vicikicchā")
# torpor ("thīnaIAST|ṃ")
# restlessness ("uddhaccaIAST|ṃ")
# shamelessness ("ahirikaIAST|ṃ")
# recklessness ("anottappaIAST|ṃ") [Rhys Davids & Stede (1921-5), p. 217; and, Nyanatiloka (1988), entry for "kilesa," retrieved 2008-02-09 from "BuddhaSasana" at http://www.buddhanet.net/budsas/ebud/bud-dict/dic3_k.htm.]

The Vibhanga also includes an eightfold list ("aIAST|ṭṭha kilesa-vatthūni") composed of the first eight of the above ten. [Rhys Davids & Stede (1921-25), p. 217.]

Throughout Pali literature, the first three "kilesa" in the above tenfold Abhidhamma list ("lobha dosa moha") are known as the "unwholesome roots" ("akusala-mūla"); and, their opposites ("alobha adosa amoha") are the three "wholesome roots" ("kusala-mūla"). [In addition to frequent reference in the Abhidhamma and post-canonical Pali literature, references to the unwholesome roots ("akusala-mūla") are sprinkled throughout the Sutta Pitaka. For instance, in the Digha Nikaya, it can be found in DN 33 (D iii.215) and DN 34 (D iii.275); in the Majjhima Nikaya, it is the first of several topics discussed by Ven. Sariputta in the well-known "SammādiIAST|ṭṭhi Sutta" ("Right View Discourse," MN 9); and, in the Itivuttaka, a brief discourse on three unwholesome roots starts off the "Section of the Threes" (Iti. 50). However, in "none" of this Sutta Pitaka texts are the three unwholesome roots referred to as "kilesa". Such an association appears to begin in the Abhidhamma texts.] 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 (see Karma (Buddhism)). [Nyanatiloka (1988), entry for "mūla," retrieved 2008-02-09 from "BuddhaSasana" at http://www.buddhanet.net/budsas/ebud/bud-dict/dic3_m.htm.]

Visuddhimagga: "Round of defilements"

12 Factors			aspects of "vipāka" (results)
↑
birth
↑		↑
becoming		"kamma"
↑		↑
clinging		"kilesa"
↑
craving
↑		↑
feeling		"vipāka" (results)
↑
contact
↑
sense bases
↑
name-form
↑
consciousness
↑		↑
formations		"kamma"
↑		↑
ignorance		"kilesa"
Figure: The "three rounds" of Dependent Origination (Vsm. XVII, 298).

In the 5^th c. CE commentarial Visuddhimagga, in its discussion of "Dependent Origination" (Pali: "paticca-samuppada") (Vsm. XVII), it presents different expository methods for understanding this teaching's twelve factors ("nidana"). One method (Vsm. XVII, 298) divides the twelve factors into three "rounds" ("vaIAST|ṭṭa"):
* the "round of defilements" ("kilesa-vaIAST|ṭṭa")
* the "round of kamma" ("kamma-vaIAST|ṭṭa")
* the "round of results" ("vipāka-vaIAST|ṭṭa"). [Cf. the paracanonical NettipakaraIAST|ṇa's "round of suffering, round of action, round of defilements" ("dukkhavaIAST|ṭṭo kammavaIAST|ṭṭo kilesavaIAST|ṭṭo") (Nett. i.95). [http://www.bodhgayanews.net/tipitaka.php?title=&record=15231] ] In this framework (see Figure to the right, starting from the bottom of the Figure), "kilesa" ("ignorance") conditions "kamma" ("formations") which conditions results ("consciousness" through "feelings") which in turn condition "kilesa" ("craving" and "clinging") which condition "kamma" ("becoming") and so on.Strictly speaking, in this framework the Visuddhimagga (Vsm. XVII, 298) does not "explicitly" identify "birth" ("jāti") and "aging-death" ("jarāmaraIAST|ṇa") with results ("vipāka"). Nonetheless, in the preceding paragraph (Vsm. XVII, 297), Buddhaghosa writes: "And in the future fivefold fruit": the five beginning with consciousness. These are expressed by the term 'birth'. But 'ageing-and-death' is the ageing and the death of these [five] themselves" (ÑāIAST|ṇamoli, 1991, p. 599, v. 297; square-brackets in original). Thus, "birth" and "ageing and death" become correlates or expressions of the five-fold "results" sequence.] Buddhaghosa (Vsm. XVII, 298) concludes::So this Wheel of Becoming, having a triple round with these three rounds, should be understood to spin, revolving again and again, forever; for the conditions are not cut off as long as the round of defilements is not cut off.ÑāIAST|ṇamoli (1991), p. 599, v. 298.] As can be seen, in this framework, the round of defilements consists of:
* ignorance ("avijjā")
* craving ("IAST|taṇhā")
* clinging ("ūpādānā").

Elsewhere in the Visuddhimagga (Vsm. XXII, 88), in the context of the four noble persons ("ariya-puggala", see Four stages of enlightenment), the text refers to a precursor to the attainment of nibbana as being the complete eradication of "the defilements that are the root of the round" ("vaIAST|ṭṭa-mūla-kilesā"). [IAST|Ñāṇamoli (1991), p. 715.]

Mahayana literature

Three Poisons

In Mahayana Buddhism, the "mula kleśa" of the Twelve "Nidānas" are:
# ignorance (Sanskrit: "Avidyā"; Tibetan: " [http://rywiki.tsadra.org/index.php/ma_rig_pa ma rig pa] ")
# attachment (Sanskrit: "Upādāna"; Tibetan: " [http://rywiki.tsadra.org/index.php/len_pa len pa] ")
# craving (Sanskrit: "IAST|Tṛṣṇā"; Tibetan: " [http://rywiki.tsadra.org/index.php/sred_pa sred pa] ")

These three "mula kleśa" are rendered into English as the 'Three Poisons' and are symbolized by the Gankyil.

These three "kilesas" specifically refer to the subtle movement of mind (Sanskrit: citta) when it initially encounters a mental object (In Buddhist conceptions of the mind, 'mental object' refers to any object which the mind perceives, be it a thought, emotion or object perceived by the physical senses.). If the mind initially reacts by moving towards the mental object, seeking it out, or attaching to it, the experience and results will be tinged by the "lobha" "kilesa." Unpleasant objects or experiences are often met by aversion, or the mind moving away from the object, which is the root for hatred and anger to arise in relation to the object.

Other enumerations of the three principal kinds of kilesa (Sanskrit: "mula kleśa"; "root obscurations") are:
# "lobha" (Pali): holds the semantic field of "greed", "lust" (Sanskrit: "rāga"), "attachment".
# "dosa": holds the semantic field of "hatred", "aversion".
# "moha": holds the semantic field of "delusion", "sloth", "ignorance" (Sanskrit: "Avidyā").

Five Poisons

The Five Poisons (Sanskrit: "pañca-kleśa"; Tibetan: Japanese: "go-shō"), also known as the Five Disturbing Emotions are:
# Passion ( desire, greed, lust, etc.)
# Aggression (anger, hatred, resentment etc.)
# Ignorance (bewilderment, confusion, apathy etc.)
# Pride (wounded pride, low-self esteem etc.)
# Jealousy ( envy, paranoia etc.)

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.

ix Defilements of Vasubandhu

Vasubandhu articulates an array of Six Kilesha rendered in English as the 'Six Basic Defilements' or 'Six Primary Afflictions' within the "Abhidharma-kośa". The Six Kilesa are:
*greed (Sanskrit: "rāga"),

*hatred (Sanskrit: "pratigha"),

*ignorance (Sanskrit: "avidyā"),

*arrogance (Sanskrit: "māna"),

*doubt (Sanskrit: "vicikitsā"), and

*false views or opinionatedness (Sanskrit: "dIAST|ṛṣṭi"). ["Kleśa." "A Dictionary of Buddhism" (2003, 2004). Source: [http://www.answers.com/topic/kle-a] (accessed: January 5, 2008)]

In the context of the Yogācāra school of Buddhism, Muller (2004: p.207) states that the Six Kleśa arise due to the "...reification of an 'imagined self' (Sanskrit: "IAST|satkāya-dṛṣṭi")." [ [http://www.acmuller.net/articles/reinterpretations_of_the_hindrances.html Muller (2004).] ]

Other literature

The third "śloka" of "Patañjali"'s "Yogasūtra" (a Hindu text) explicitly identifies Five Poisons (Sanskrit: "pañca-kleśa"):

:अविद्यास्मितारागद्वेषाभिनिवेशाः पञ्च क्लेशाः॥३॥:IAST|Avidyāsmitārāgadveṣābhiniveśāḥ pañca kleśāḥ//3//Patañjali "et al". (2007) Source: [http://www.sanskrit-sanscrito.com.ar/english/sanskrit_pronunciation/pronunciation7.html] (accessed: November 23, 2007)]

This may be rendered in English as:

Ignorance (in the form of a misapprehension about Reality) (ávidyā), egoism (in the form of an erroneous identification of the Self with the intellect) (asmitā), attachment (rāga), aversion (IAST|dveṣa) and fear of death (which is derived from clinging ignorantly to life) --abhiniveśa-- (IAST|abhiniveśāḥ) are the five (pañca) Kleśa-s or Afflictions (IAST|kleśāḥ)//3//

ee also

* Five Hindrances
* Ten Fetters

Notes

References

* Bodhi, Bhikkhu (trans.) (2000). "The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya". Boston: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-331-1.
* Bodhi, Bhikkhu (2005). "In the Buddha's Words". Boston: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-491-1.
* "Dictionary of Buddhism". Oxford University Press, 2003, 2004. Source: http://www.answers.com/topic/kle-a (accessed: January 5, 2008).
* Muller, Charles (2004). "The Yogācāra Two Hindrances and Their Reinterpretations in East Asia". Toyo Gakuen University. Source: http://www.acmuller.net/articles/reinterpretations_of_the_hindrances.html (accessed: January 5, 2008)
* ÑāIAST|ṇamoli, Bhikkhu (trans.) (1991), "The Path of Purification: Visuddhimagga". Seattle: BPS Pariyatti. ISBN 1-928706-00-2.
* Nyanatiloka Mahathera (1988). "Buddhist Dictionary". Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society. An on-line search engine is available from "BuddhaSasana" at http://www.buddhanet.net/budsas/ebud/bud-dict/dic_idx.htm.
* Patañjali (undated; author); Gabriel Pradīpaka & Andrés Muni (translators) (2007). "Yogasūtra". Source: http://www.sanskrit-sanscrito.com.ar/english/sanskrit_pronunciation/pronunciation7.html (accessed: November 23, 2007).
* Rhys Davids, T.W. & William Stede (eds.) (1921-5). "The Pali Text Society’s Pali–English Dictionary". Chipstead: Pali Text Society. An on-line search engine is available from "U. Chicago" at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/.
* Thanissaro Bhikkhu (trans.) (1994). "Upakkilesa Samyutta: Defilements" (SN 27.1-10). Retrieved 2008-02-10 from "Access to Insight" at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn27/sn27.001-010.than.html.

External links

* [http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/lee/demons.html Kilesa mra]
* [http://www.palikanon.com/english/practice_insight/practising_for_the_extinction.htm Practicing for the extinction of kilesa]
* [http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/g_m/kilesa.htm The ten kilesa]
* [http://www.geocities.com/ekchew.geo/ DHAMMA NET]
** [http://www.geocities.com/ekchew.geo/AbhidhammaC2a.htm Abhidhamma chapter 2: cetasikas and akusala cetasikas]
** [http://www.geocities.com/ekchew.geo/AbhidhammaC5.htm Abhidhamma chapter 5: carita]

International Nath Order (INO) perspectives

* [http://www.nathorder.org/wiki/Five_Kleshas Five Kleshas - International Nath Order]
* Mahendranath, Shri Gurudev. " [http://www.mahendranath.org/twiyoga2.mhtml Twilight Yoga II: The Magnum Opus of Twilight Yoga] "