Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
47. Sati-Paṭṭhāna Saṃyutta
5. Amata Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
47. Kindred Sayings on the Stations of Mindfulness
5. The Deathless
Sutta 50
Āsava Suttaṃ
Āsāvas
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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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 āsava 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 restraing the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.
He dwells as regards feelings contemplating feelings
(as transient),
ardent,
composed
and mindful,
by restraing the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.
He dwells as regards mind contemplating mind
(as transient),
ardent,
composed
and mindful,
by restraing 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 restraing 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.
[1] It is worth while repeating previous notes on this term, which I leave untranslated. In Further Dialogues, Lord Chalmers uses the word 'cankers.' Cf. Dialog. 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.'
