Ignorance of our own Self is the source of our suffering - Patanjali Yogasutra about klesha (OV)
The first five sutras of the second chapter of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras deal with the five sources of human suffering (kleshas), the first and most important of which, and the root of the other four, is ignorance of our true nature, our absolute, transcendental Self, an ocean of bliss and peace and the source of our thoughts. It is the ignorance of this, due to the lack of direct and repeated experience (samadhi) of our true nature, that is the origin of our ills and suffering.
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi - Transcript of the video
A life free from problems comes as our awareness grows.
This is the basic thing, fundamental, and this is what it means to tackle the problem at its root.
Fine, this problem has this root, this problem has this root, this problem has this root, this problem has this root, all these roots are rooted in the weakness of the mind.
All these different roots, which directly are the roots of so many problems, they are all rooted on the fertile ground of weakness.
And what is the cause of all weakness ?
Lack of unbounded awareness.
That means : "lack of knowledge of the Self", that means "ignorance".
Ignorance about one's own self is the basis of all problems.
Knowledge of the Self provides solution to all problems.
A man awakened in the knowledge of the Self can afford to live life free from problems.
All problems, no matter what, they abide or reside in ignorance.
And what is ignorance?
Ignorance of one's unbounded ability, unbounded awareness.
So when we begin to meditate,
we begin to gain more and more unboundedness in our awareness,
and that is the reason why we find with meditation problems are disappearing.
Patanjali Yogasutra - Chapter 2 Sadhana Pada (Sutra 2-1 to 2-5)
|| 2.1 || तपःस्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि क्रियायोगः॥१॥
Tapaḥsvādhyāyeśvarapraṇidhānāni kriyāyogaḥ||1||
https://patanjaliyogasutra.in/sadhana-pada-2-1/
Ishvara : God
kriya : action
pranidhanani : dedication, devotion, surrender of fruits of work
svadhyaya : study of sacred literature
tanoo-karana : minimize
tapah : austerity
udaranam - active
uttaresham - for the others
vichchhinn - overpowered
Yogah : union
Austerity or penance, study of scriptures and chanting of mantras and devotion and surrender the fruits of work to the Supreme Lord are Kriyāyoga (Union in action)
|| 2.2 || समाधिभावनार्थः क्लेशतनूकरणार्थश्च॥२॥
Samādhibhāvanārthaḥ kleśatanūkaraṇārthaśca||2||
https://patanjaliyogasutra.in/sadhana-pada-2-2/
artha : for the purpose of
bhavana : cultivate
cha : and
klesha : cause of suffering (causes de souffrance physique ou morale intense, afflictions ou maux)
samadhi : oneness
tanoo-karana : minimize
udaranam - active
uttaresham - for the others
vichchhinn - overpowered
(Kriyāyoga should be practiced) for producing Samādhi which is Perfect Concentration on One's Own Reality and thus attenuating the causes of suffering (kleśa)
|| 2.3 || अविद्यास्मितारागद्वेषाभिनिवेशाः पञ्च क्लेशाः॥३॥
Avidyāsmitārāgadveṣābhiniveśāḥ pañca kleśāḥ||3||
https://patanjaliyogasutra.in/sadhana-pada-2-3/
avidya : ignorance
asmita : egoism
raga : attachment
dvesha : aversion
abhiniveshah : clinging to life
kleshaah : cause of suffering
Ignorance (in the form of a misapprehension about Reality) (avidyā), egoism (in the form of an erroneous identification of the Self with the body and intellect), attachment, aversion and fear of death of the body (which is derived from clinging ignorantly to the body) are the five afflictions (kleśā)
|| 2.4 || अविद्या क्षेत्रमुत्तरेषां प्रसुप्ततनुविच्छिन्नोदाराणाम्॥४॥
Avidyā kṣetramuttareṣāṁ prasuptatanuvicchinnodārāṇām||4||
https://patanjaliyogasutra.in/sadhana-pada-2-4/
avidya : ignorance
kshetram : field
nitya : eternal
prasupta : dormant
shuchi : pure
sukha : pleasant
tanu : attenuated
udaranam : active
uttaresham : for the others
vichchhinn : overpowered
Ignorance (avidyā) in the form of a misapprehension about reality is indeed the source field for the other four remaining afflictions, whether they be dormant, attenuated, partially overcome or fully operative.
|| 2.5 || अनित्याशुचिदुःखानात्मसु नित्यशुचिसुखात्मख्यातिरविद्या॥५॥
Anityāśuciduḥkhānātmasu nityaśucisukhātmakhyātiravidyā||5||
https://patanjaliyogasutra.in/sadhana-pada-2-5/
anatmasu : non-self
anitya : non-eternal
ashuchi : impure
atma : self
avidya : ignorance.
duhkha : painful
khyati : taking to be
nitya : eternal
shuchi : pure
sukha : pleasant
Ignorance consists in considering as everlasting what is not eternal, as pure what is not pure, as pleasant what is a source of pain, and as the Self (ātma) what is not the Self (body, mind, intellect).