In the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali, attachment is addressed as one of the key afflictions (kleshas) that obstruct spiritual liberation (kaivalya). The relevant section is in Chapter 2 (Sādhana Pāda):
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Sūtra 2.3 — pañca kleśāḥ
“Avidyā-asmitā-rāga-dveṣa-abhiniveśāḥ kleśāḥ”
“Ignorance, egoism, attachment, aversion, and fear of death are the five afflictions.”
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Sūtra 2.7 — sukha-anusayi rāgaḥ
“Attachment is that which dwells on pleasure.”
This means:
- Rāga (attachment) arises when we cling to pleasurable experiences, believing they are essential to our happiness.
- It’s a conditioned response — formed by past experiences — where the mind becomes dependent on specific objects or outcomes for well-being.
Why is this a problem in yoga?
- Attachment creates mental agitation and clinging, which disturbs the mind’s stillness (citta-vṛtti).
- It binds the self to the cycle of craving and suffering, reinforcing ignorance (avidyā).
- In yogic psychology, freedom comes when one becomes non-attached, not through renunciation of action, but through freedom from craving the fruits of action (like in Bhagavad Gītā too).
🔓 Liberation comes through:
- Cultivating viveka (discernment) and vairāgya (non-attachment/dispassion) — these are essential tools for calming the mind and progressing in yoga.
Sūtra 1.15 — Vairāgya
“Dispassion is the mastery over craving for objects seen or heard about.”
In short:
Patañjali sees attachment (rāga) as a byproduct of ignorance that fuels suffering. Yoga aims to dissolve this attachment, helping the practitioner dwell in their true nature — free, still, and unconditioned.
Would you like a short quote-based visual summary of these sutras?
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