root causes of all human suffering

 The five afflictions (avidya, asmita, passion, aversion, and abhinivesha) describedby Maharishi Patanjali in his Yoga Sutrasare the root causes of all human suffering

The Five Kleshas (Afflictions)

In the Yoga Sutras, Maharishi Patanjali explains that these five afflictions (Kleshas) are the root causes of all human suffering (Dukha). They operate like a chain reaction, with Avidya acting as the breeding ground for the other four.

Here is a clean breakdown with their traditional Sanskrit names and meanings that you can use to expand your post:

• Avidya (Ignorance / Misconception): The foundational affliction. It is mistaking the transient for the eternal, the impure for the pure, and the non-Self (ego/body) for the true Self (Atman).

• Asmita (Egoism / "I-am-ness"): The false identification of the consciousness (the Seer) with the instrument of seeing (the mind, body, and personality).

• Raga (Attachment / Passion): The clinging to pleasure, past happy experiences, and the desire to repeat them.

• Dvesha (Aversion): The repulsion or resistance toward pain, unpleasant experiences, or things that threaten the ego.

• Abhinivesha (Clinging to Life / Fear of Death): The instinctive, deeply ingrained fear of annihilation and the intense desire for self-preservation, which exists even in the wisest individuals.