Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
38. Jambukhādaka Saṃyutta

The Book of the Kindred Sayings
4. The Book Called the Saḷāyatana-Vagga
Containing Kindred Sayings on the 'Six-Fold Sphere' of Sense and Other Subjects
38. Kindred Sayings about Jambukhādaka

Sutta 8

Āsavā Suttaṃ

Āsavā^[1]

Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids

Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[173]

[1] Thus have I heard:

Once the venerable Sāriputta was staying among the folk of Magadha,
at Nālaka village.

Then the Wanderer, Rose-apple-eater came to visit the venerable Sāriputta,
and on coming to him greeted him in friendly wise,
and after the exchange of greetings and courtesies
sat down at one side.

So seated, the Wanderer, Rose-apple-eater,
said to the venerable Sāriputta: -

"'Āsava, āsava!' is the saying, friend Sāriputta.

Pray what is āsava?"

"There are these three āsavas, friend:
sensuality,
becoming^[2],
ignorance.

These are the three āsavas,."

"But, friend, is there any way,
any approach
to the abandoning of these āsavas,?"

"There is such a path, friend,
there is such an approach
to the abandoning of these āsavas,."

"And what is that path, friend,
what is that approach
to the abandoning of these āsavas,?"

"It is this Ariyan Eightfold Path, friend,
to the abandoning of these āsavas,
to wit:

Right view,
right aim,
right speech,
right action,
right living,
right effort,
right mindfulness,
right concentration.

Such, friend, is this path,
this approach
to the abandoning of these āsavas,."

"A goodly path, friend,
a goodly approach
to the abandoning of these āsavas,
and a proper occasion for earnestness too, friend!"

 

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^[1] See Introd., v, of K.S. iii; Expos., 11, 476, where they arc referred to as 'intoxicants.' Lord Chalmers, Majjhima trans., vol. i, calls them 'cankers.'

^[2] Bhav'āsava, in the sense of the nidāna of rebirth. Sometimes four are named, the above with the addition of diṭṭhi. 'view.' Cf. Expos. 03-5.