Kilesa

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Kilesa

The Buddhist term kilesa (Pali

Páli

P?li is a village in Gyor-Moson-Sopron county, Hungary.External links...
; or ) is typically translated as "defilement" or "poison." In early Buddhist texts the kilesas generally referred to mental states which temporarily cloud the mind and manifest in unskillful actions

Kamma

Kamma may refer to:*Kamma , a caste or social group found largely in Southern India*The Pali term for karma*A female Danish firstname, derived from "Karen Margarthe"....
. Over time the kilesas, and in particular the "Three Poisons" of greed

Upadana

Upadana is a word used in both Buddhism and Hinduism.*In Buddhism, upadana is a critical link in the arising of suffering.*In Hinduism, upadana is the material manifestation of Brahman....
, hatred, and delusion

Avidya

Avidya is a Sanskrit word that holds the semantic field of "ignorance", "delusion", "unlearned", "unwise" and that which is not, or runs counter to, vidya....
, came to be seen as the very roots of samsaric

Samsara

'Samsara' or refers to the cycle of reincarnation or rebirth in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and other related religions.According to these religions, one's karma "account balance" at the time of death is inherited via the state at which a person is reborn....
existence.

he Pali Canon

Pali Canon

The Pali Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhism tradition, as preserved in the Pali. It is the only completely surviving Early Buddhist schools canon, and one of the first to be written down....
's discourses (sutta), kilesa is often associated with the various passions that defile bodily and mental states.

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Encyclopedia

The Buddhist term kilesa (Pali

Páli

Kamma

Upadana

Avidya

Samsara

Pali literature

In the Pali Canon

Pali Canon

Abhidhamma Pitaka

The Abhidhamma Pitaka is the last of the three pitakas, that is, baskets, constituting the Pali Canon, the scriptures of Theravada Buddhism.The Abhidhamma pitaka is a detailed scholastic reworking of doctrinal material appearing in the Suttas, according to schematic classifications....
and post-canonical Pali literature

Pali literature

Pali literature is concerned mainly with Theravada Buddhism, of which Pali is the traditional language....
, ten defilements are identified, the first three of which – greed, hate, delusion – are considered to be the "roots" of suffering.

Sutta Pitaka: Mental hindrances

In the Pali Canon's Sutta Pitaka

Sutta Pitaka

The Sutta Pitaka is the second of the three divisions of the Tipitaka or Pali Canon, the great Pali collection of Buddhist texts, the scriptures of Theravada Buddhism....
, kilesa and its correlate upakkilesa are affective obstacles to the pursuit of direct knowledge (abhiñña) and wisdom (pañña
Panna

Panna can refer to:* Aam panna, an Indian drink made from mangoes* Panna, India, a city in the state of Madhya Pradesh* Panna , a genus of fish in the family Sciaenidae...
).

For instance, the Samyutta Nikaya

Samyutta Nikaya

The Samyutta Nikaya is a Buddhist scripture, the third of the five nikayas, or collections, in the Sutta Pitaka, which is one of the "three baskets" that compose the Pali Tipitaka of Theravada Buddhism....
27, Kilesa-sayutta) that state that any association of "desire-passion" (chanda-rago) with the body or mind 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

Nekkhamma

Nekkhamma is a Pali word generally translated as "renunciation" while also conveying more specifically "giving up the world and leading a holy life" or "freedom from lust, craving and desires." In Buddhism's Noble Eightfold Path, nekkhamma is the first practice associated with "Right Intention." In the Theravada list of ten Paramita...
. The mind fostered by renunciation feels malleable for the direct knowing

Abhijna

Abhij?a has been translated generally as "knowing," "direct knowing" and "direct knowledge" or, at times more technically, as "higher knowledge" and "supernormal knowledge." In Buddhism, such knowing and knowledge is obtained through sila and meditation....
of those qualities worth realizing."

More broadly, the five hindrances

Five hindrances

In Buddhism, the five hindrances are negative mental states that impede success with Buddhist meditation and lead away from enlightenment . These states are:...
– sensual desire (kamacchanda), anger (byapada), sloth-torpor (thina-middha), restlessness-worry (uddhacca-kukkucca), and doubt (vicikiccha) – 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 ....

sabbe te bhagavanto pañcanivarae pahaya
cetaso upakkilese paññaya dubbalikarae .....

Additionally, in the Khuddaka Nikaya

Khuddaka Nikaya

The Khuddaka Nikaya is the last of the five nikayas, or collections, in the Sutta Pitaka, which is one of the "three baskets" that compose the Pali Tipitaka, the scriptures of Theravada Buddhism....
's Niddesa

Niddesa

The Niddesa is a Buddhist scripture, part of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism. It is included there in the Sutta Pitaka's Khuddaka Nikaya. It is in the form of a commentary on parts of the Suttanipata....
, kilesa is identified as a component of or synonymous with craving () and lust (raga).

Abhidhamma: Ten defilements and unwholesome roots

While the Sutta Pitaka does not offer a list of kilesa, the Abhidhamma Pitaka

Abhidhamma Pitaka

Dhammasangani

The Dhammasangani is a Buddhist scripture, part of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism, where it is included in the Abhidhamma Pitaka.Translations:...
(Dhs. 1229ff.) and Vibhanga

Vibhanga

The Vibhanga is a Buddhist Scripture, part of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism, where it is included in the Abhidhamma Pitaka.Translation: The Book of Analysis, tr U Thittila, 1969/1988, Pali Text Society, Bristol...
(Vbh. XII) as well as in the post-canonical Visuddhimagga

Visuddhimagga

greed (lobha)
hate (dosa)
delusion (moha)
conceit (mana)
wrong views (dihi)
doubt (vicikiccha)
torpor (thina)
restlessness (uddhacca)
shamelessness (ahirika)
recklessness (anottappa)

The Vibhanga also includes an eightfold list (aha kilesa-vatthuni) composed of the first eight of the above ten.

Throughout Pali literature, the first three kilesa in the above tenfold Abhidhamma list (lobha dosa moha) are known as the "unwholesome roots" (akusala-mula); and, their opposites (alobha adosa amoha) are the three "wholesome roots" (kusala-mula). 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)).

Visuddhimagga: "Round of defilements"


12 Factors Twelve Nidanas The Twelve Nidanas are the best-known application of the Buddhist concept of Pratitya-samutpada , identifying the origins of dukkha to be in tanha and avijja....		vipaka Vipaka Vipaka is a Buddhist technical term meaning the result of Karma in Buddhism , or intentional actions.In Buddhist belief, the law of kamma-vipaka is of great importance.... (results)
?
birth
?		?
becoming		kamma Karma in Buddhism Karma means "action" or "doing"; whatever one does, says, or thinks is a karma.In Buddhism, the term karma is used specifically for those actions which spring from :...
?		?
clinging		*kilesa*
?
craving
?		?
feeling		vipaka Vipaka Vipaka is a Buddhist technical term meaning the result of Karma in Buddhism , or intentional actions.In Buddhist belief, the law of kamma-vipaka is of great importance.... (results)
?
contact
?
sense bases
?
name-form
?
consciousness
?		?
formations		kamma Karma in Buddhism Karma means "action" or "doing"; whatever one does, says, or thinks is a karma.In Buddhism, the term karma is used specifically for those actions which spring from :...
?		?
ignorance		*kilesa*
Figure: The "three rounds" of Dependent Origination (Vsm Visuddhimagga The Visuddhimagga is a Theravada Buddhist Atthakatha written by Buddhaghosa approximately in 430 CE in Sri Lanka. It is considered the most important Theravada text outside of the Tipitaka canon of scriptures.... . XVII, 298).

In the 5^th c. CE commentarial

Atthakatha

Atthakatha refers to Pali-language Theravada commentaries to the canonical Theravadin Tipitaka. These commentaries give the traditional interpretations of the scriptures....
Visuddhimagga

Visuddhimagga

The Visuddhimagga is a Theravada Buddhist Atthakatha written by Buddhaghosa approximately in 430 CE in Sri Lanka. It is considered the most important Theravada text outside of the Tipitaka canon of scriptures....
. XVII), it presents different expository methods for understanding this teaching's twelve factors (nidana
Twelve Nidanas

The Twelve Nidanas are the best-known application of the Buddhist concept of Pratitya-samutpada , identifying the origins of dukkha to be in tanha and avijja....
). One method (Vsm. XVII, 298) divides the twelve factors into three "rounds" (vaa):

the "round of defilements" (kilesa-vaa)
the "round of kamma
Kamma

Kamma may refer to:*Kamma , a caste or social group found largely in Southern India*The Pali term for karma*A female Danish firstname, derived from "Karen Margarthe"....
" (kamma-vaa)
the "round of results" (vipaka
Vipaka

Vipaka is a Buddhist technical term meaning the result of Karma in Buddhism , or intentional actions.In Buddhist belief, the law of kamma-vipaka is of great importance....
-vaa).

In this framework (see Figure to the right, starting from the bottom of the Figure), kilesa ("ignorance"

Avidya (Buddhism)

Avidya or avijja means "ignorance" or "delusion". It is used extensively in Buddhist texts.Synonyms:*?? Cn: w?m?ng; Jp: mumyo; Vi: v? minh...
) conditions kamma ("formations"

Sankhara

' or ' is a term figuring prominently in the teaching of the Gautama_Buddha. The word means 'that which has been put together' and 'that which puts together'....
) which conditions results

Vipaka

Vipaka is a Buddhist technical term meaning the result of Karma in Buddhism , or intentional actions.In Buddhist belief, the law of kamma-vipaka is of great importance....
("consciousness" through "feelings"

Vedana

Vedana is a word in Sanskrit and Pali traditionally translated as either "feeling" or "sensation." In general, vedana refers to the pleasant, unpleasant and neutral sensations that occur when our internal ayatana come into Sparsa with external sense objects and the associated vijnana....
) which in turn condition kilesa ("craving"

Tanha

' or ' literally means "thirst," figuratively denotes "desire" or "craving," and is traditionally juxtaposed with "peace of mind" .Synonyms:...
and "clinging"

Upadana

Bhava

Bhava is the Sanskrit and Pali word for "becoming" in the sense of 'ongoing worldly existence', from the root bhu "to become".Synonyms:*? Cn: you; Jp: u; Vi: h?u...
) and so on. Buddhaghosa
Buddhaghosa

Bhadantacariya Buddhaghosaas a 5th-century Indian Theravadin Buddhist commentator and scholar. His name means "Voice of the Buddha" in the Pali....
(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.
As can be seen, in this framework, the round of defilements consists of:
ignorance (avijja)
craving ()
clinging (upadana
Upadana

Upadana is a word used in both Buddhism and Hinduism.*In Buddhism, upadana is a critical link in the arising of suffering.*In Hinduism, upadana is the material manifestation of Brahman....
).

Elsewhere in the Visuddhimagga (Vsm. XXII, 88), in the context of the four noble persons (ariya-puggala, see Four stages of enlightenment
Four stages of enlightenment

The four stages of enlightenment in Buddhism are the four degrees of approach to full enlightenment as an Arahant which a person can attain in this life....
), 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" (vaa-mula-kilesa).

Mahayana literature

Three Poisons
In Mahayana
Mahayana

Mahayana is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophy and practice. It was History of Buddhism in India....
Buddhism, the mula klesa of the Twelve Nidanas are:
ignorance (Sanskrit: Avidya
Avidya

Avidya is a Sanskrit word that holds the semantic field of "ignorance", "delusion", "unlearned", "unwise" and that which is not, or runs counter to, vidya....
; Tibetan: )
attachment (Sanskrit: Upadana
Upadana

Upadana is a word used in both Buddhism and Hinduism.*In Buddhism, upadana is a critical link in the arising of suffering.*In Hinduism, upadana is the material manifestation of Brahman....
; Tibetan: )
craving (Sanskrit: ; Tibetan: )

In other enumerations of the mula klesa, hatred or anger (Sanskrit: dve?a; Tib.: ??????? zhe sdang; ? Cn: chen; Jp: jin; Vi: sân) is substituted for ignorance.

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

The Gankyil is a symbol and ritual tool in Tibetan Buddhism. In B?n and Nyingma Dzogchen Monastery lineages, the Gankyil is the principal symbol and teaching tool: it is symbolic of primordial energy and represents the central unity and indivisibility of all the teaching, philosophical and doctrinal triune of Dzogchen....
.

These three klesas specifically refer to the subtle movement of mind (Sanskrit: citta
Citta

Citta was one of the chief lay disciples of the Gautama Buddha. He was a wealthy merchant from Savatthi. His life and character were so pure that near his death, had he wished to be a chakravartin, it would've been granted....
) 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 upadana klesha. 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.

Five Poisons
The Five Poisons (Sanskrit: pañca-klesa; Tibetan: Japanese: go-sho), 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
Samatha

Samatha , samatha or orthographically romanized to shamatha and is often translated as 'Calm Abiding' , comprises a suite, type or style of Buddhist meditation or concentration practices designed to enhance sustained voluntary attention, and culminates in an attention that can be sustained effortlessly and for hours on end....
) meditation the kilesas are pacified, though not eradicated, and through Insight (Vipassana
Vipassana

Vipassana or vipasyana in the Buddhist tradition means insight into the nature of reality. A regular practitioner of Vipassana is known as a Vipassi ....
) 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.

Six Defilements of Vasubandhu
Vasubandhu
Vasubandhu

Vasubandhu was, according to Mahayana Buddhist tradition, an Indian Buddhist scholar-monk, and along with his half-brother Asanga, one of the main founders of the Indian Yogacara school....
articulates an array of Six Kilesha rendered in English as the 'Six Basic Defilements' or 'Six Primary Afflictions' within the Abhidharma-kosa
Abhidharma-kosa

Abhidharma-kosa is a key text in verse written in Sanskrit by Vasubandhu. It summarizes Sarvastivada tenets in eight chapters with a total of around 600 verses....
. The Six Kilesa are:
greed (Sanskrit: raga),
hatred (Sanskrit: pratigha),
ignorance (Sanskrit: avidya),
arrogance (Sanskrit: mana),
doubt (Sanskrit: vicikitsa), and
false views or opinionatedness (Sanskrit: di).

In the context of the Yogacara
Yogacara

Yogacara The orientation of the Yogacara school is largely consistent with the thinking of the Pali Nikayas. It frequently treats later developments in a way that realigns them earlier versions of Buddhist doctrines....
school of Buddhism, Muller (2004: p.207) states that the Six Klesa arise due to the "...reification of an 'imagined self' (Sanskrit: )."

Other literature
The third sloka
Sloka

Sloka may refer to:*Sloka, Latvia, neighbourhood of Jurmala, Latvia*Sloka meter is a Sanskrit Meter *Alternative English spelling for the Hindu prayer Shloka...
of Patañjali
Patañjali

Pata?jali is the compiler of the Yoga Sutras, an important collection of aphorisms on Yoga practice, and also the author of the Mahabha?ya, a major commentary on Panini Ashtadhyayi....
s Yogasutra
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is a foundational text of Raja Yoga. It forms part of the corpus of Sutra literature dating to India's Mauryan period....
(a Hindu text) explicitly identifies Five Poisons (Sanskrit: pañca-klesa):

??????????????????????????????? ???? ??????????
//3//

This may be rendered in English as:
Ignorance (in the form of a misapprehension about Reality) (ávidya), egoism (in the form of an erroneous identification of the Self with the intellect) (asmita), attachment (raga), aversion and fear of death (which is derived from clinging ignorantly to life) --abhinivesa-- are the five (pañca) Klesa-s or Afflictions //3//

See also

Five Hindrances
Five hindrances

In Buddhism, the five hindrances are negative mental states that impede success with Buddhist meditation and lead away from enlightenment . These states are:...
Ten Fetters
Fetter (Buddhism)

In Buddhism, a mental fetter or "chain" or "bond" shackles a person to Samsara , the cycle of endless Dukkha. By completely cutting through all fetters, one attains Nirvana ....

External links

International Nath Order (INO) perspectives

Mahendranath, Shri Gurudev
Shri Gurudev Mahendranath

Shri Gurudev Mahendranath was a British occultist, mysticism, writer, poet, sannyasi, tantra guru, Avadhut and founder of the spiritual organization known as the International Nath Order....
. ""