Emotional obscurations Page

Emotional obscurations (Skt. kleśā-varaṇa; Tib. ཉོན་སྒྲིབ་, nyön drip, Wyl. nyon sgrib) are defined according to their essence, cause and function.

In essence, they are the opposite of the six paramitas, as described in the Gyü Lama:

:"Thoughts such as avarice and so on,

:These are the emotional obscurations."


Their cause is self-grasping|grasping at a personal ego, or the “self of the individual”.

They function to prevent liberation from samsara.

The Elimination of the Emotional Obscurations


According to Mipham Rinpoche, the emotional obscurations are overcome in their imputation (kun btags) aspect at the path of seeing and in their innate (lhan skyes) aspect on the path of meditation, during the first seven bhumis, the so-called 'impure bhumis'.

Alternative Translations


*Emotional veils

Internal Links


*cognitive obscurations
*four obscurations

Category:Key Terms