“Sukha anushayi ragaha” (Yoga Sutra II.7)
sukha = pleasant experience; anushayi = attraction; ragaha = cravings
"The charm of pleasant moments leads to craving."
This craving makes you miserable. Patanjali says there are only five sources of suffering. There is no sixth. Ignorance—or mistaking what is impermanent for something permanent—is the root. We try to control other people’s minds by telling them they should be like this or like that. How is that even possible? Someone might have loved you yesterday, but not today—or tomorrow—who knows? Even they don’t know.
Do you see? We expect enlightened behavior from everyone around us. That’s when we become miserable. You don’t behave in an enlightened way yourself, yet you expect everyone else to treat you that way and give you unconditional love. You want to be loved unconditionally. When you expect that from others, suffering arises.
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Whether we know it or not, whether we are aware or not, this is what everyone does. Everyone expects unconditional love from the people they meet. Isn’t it true? And they don’t even know exactly what they expect—but it’s something grand.
They seek God in everyone. They search for the Divine, unaware that God can dwell in whomever He chooses. They look for the sacred Divine in every person around them. This notion of how things should be—this is what makes you unhappy. Do you understand what I’m saying?
“Dukha anushayi dweshaha” (Yoga Sutra II.8)
dukha = unpleasant experience; anushayi = consequent repulsion; dweshaha = hatred
"Hatred arises from unpleasant experiences."
Hatred and aversion arise from unpleasant experiences. Hatred brings the same suffering as pleasure. Hatred and aversion are two sources of suffering. And then there is fear—fear of the unknown. Even though intellectually everything is known, even the most learned people carry a trace of abhinivesha (fear of the unknown). Nature has built all five afflictions into every being. But how thin or thick they are—how much they can evolve or shrink—will either help your growth or block it.
“Swarasavahi vidushopi tatharudho abhiniveshaha” (Yoga Sutra II.9)
swarasa = own nature; vahi = flowing; vidusha = wise; api = even; tatha = likewise; rudha = established; abhiniveshaha = deep-seated fear/carefulness
"The fear flowing in one’s own nature is found even in the wise, but in them it is established as carefulness."
It shouldn’t even be called fear—it should be called alertness. Fear has another meaning. It is a mix of awareness, attentiveness, and anxiety. These qualities are similar, which is why Patanjali uses the word abhinivesha rather than bhaya. Bhaya means fear. There is no precise word for abhinivesha in English.
Abhinivesha in its most gross form is fear, and in its subtlest form, it is care. For example, you walk on the edge of a lake and step carefully so you don’t fall in. If this care did not exist, the body would perish. If you truly believed “I am not the body,” then you would have no concern for it at all. But then, you wouldn’t have a body with which to speak or do anything. To maintain the body, a certain level of care is essential. Is that clear?
When this care becomes slightly excessive, it turns into insecurity. And if it increases further, it becomes paranoia. Just like with salt—if you add too much, the food becomes inedible.
Here, you cannot justify the presence of ignorance. “Oh, let it be! A little ignorance doesn’t hurt.” No—thin it out, reduce it, minimize it. Avidya (ignorance), asmita (egoism), raga (attachment), dwesha (aversion), and abhinivesha (clinging to life/fear of death) are the five kleshas—the five sources of suffering.
<< Ignorance is the root cause of suffering <<
Without love, the spiritual path is empty
(This series is based on commentaries by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.)
