Saṁyutta Nikāya,
V: Mahā-Vagga
47. Satipaṭṭhana Saṁyutta
5. Amata-Vagga

The Great Chapter,
47: Kindred Sayings on the Stations of Mindfulness
Chapter V: The Deathless

Sutta 50

Āsava Suttaṁ

Āsāvas

 

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THUS have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

Then the Exalted One addressed the monks,
saying:

"Monks."

"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.

The Exalted One said:

"Monks, there are three āsavas.¹

What three?

The asava which is sensuality,
that which is becoming,
and the asava which is nescience.

These are the three.

[166] For the abandoning of these three āsavas
the four stations of mindfulness ought to be cultivated.

What four?

Herein a monk dwells in body contemplating body
(as transient),
ardent,
composed
and mindful,
by restraining the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.

He dwells as regards feelings contemplating feelings
(as transient),
ardent,
composed
and mindful,
by restraining the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.

He dwells as regards mind contemplating mind
(as transient),
ardent,
composed
and mindful,
by restraining the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.

He dwells as regards mind-states contemplating mind-states
(as transient),
ardent,
composed
and mindful,
by restraining the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.

For the abandoning of these three āsavas
the four stations of mindfulness ought to be cultivated.

 

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¹ It is worth while repeating previous notes on this term, which I leave untranslated. In Further Dialogueues, Lord Chalmers uses the word 'cankers.' Cf. Dialogue. iii. 209 n., 'Āsava, in the sense of surrounding or flowing up to ... e.g., from the eye (or sight), a flowing, percolating, rolling on into the object ... Abhidhamma, adding diṭṭhi (erroneous opinion), gives four. Comy. Cf. Dhs. §§ 1096-1100.'