Asmita

Asmita (अस्मिता) means “ego-sense” or “I-am-ness.” It is the second of the five kleshas (afflictions) in Patanjali’s Yoga philosophy — the identification of pure consciousness with the instruments of cognition (mind, intellect, and ego).

Overview

Asmita is the cognitive distortion that makes one mistake the purusha (pure self) for the sattva (the mental equipment). It arises when the seer (drashta) identifies with the seen (drisya), creating the illusion of a separate, enduring “I.” This is not ordinary pride but the fundamental ontological error of self-identification with non-self.

Philosophical Context

Asmita is rooted in avidya (ignorance) and is the gateway to raga and dvesha. When one mistakes oneself for the mind-body complex, one naturally develops attachment to pleasant experiences and aversion to unpleasant ones. The Yoga Sutras (2.6) state: “Asmita is the identification of the seer with the power of seeing.” Liberation (kaivalya) requires the dissolution of asmita through viveka-khyati (discriminative knowledge).

Interpretations

In Samkhya philosophy, asmita corresponds to ahankara (the ego-principle) — the first product of prakriti (matter) that gives rise to the sense of individual selfhood. The Advaita Vedanta of Shankara treats asmita as a product of maya that can be destroyed through jnana (knowledge). The Buddhist concept of anatta (non-self) directly addresses the illusion of asmita.

Verification Notes

• Yoga Sutras 2.6 defines asmita.
• Vyasa’s Yogabhashya and Vacaspati Misra’s Tattvavaisaradi provide commentary.
• Audited against Yoga Sutras critical editions and Wikipedia (September 2026).