Nyanatiloka Buddhist Dictionary

ásava: (lit: influxes), 'cankers', taints, corruption's, intoxicant biases. There is a list of four (as in D. 16,Pts.M., Vibh.): the canker of sense-desire (kámásava), of (desiring eternal) existence (bhavásava), of (wrong)views (ditthásava), and of ignorance (avijjásava). A list of three, omitting the canker of views, is possiblyolder and is more frequent in the Suttas, e.g. in M. 2, M. 9, D. 33; A. III, 59, 67; A. VI, 63. - In Vibh.(Khuddakavatthu Vibh.) both the 3-fold and 4-fold division are mentioned. The fourfold division also occursunder the name of 'floods' (ogha) and 'yokes' (yoga).Through the path of Stream-Entry, the canker of views is destroyed; through the path of Non-Returning, thecanker of sense-desire; through the path of Arahatship, the cankers of existence and ignorance. M. 2 showshow to overcome the cankers, namely, through insight, sense-control, avoidance, wise use of the necessitiesof life, etc. For a commentarial exposition, see Atthasálini Tr. I, p. 63f: II, pp. 475ff.Khínásava, 'one whose cankers are destroyed', or 'one who is canker-free', is a name for the Arahat or HolyOne. The state of Arahatship is frequently called ásavakkhaya, 'the destruction of the cankers'. Suttasconcluding with the attainment of Arahatship by the listeners, often end with the words: "During thisutterance, the hearts of the Bhikkhus were freed from the cankers through clinging no more" (anupádáyaásavehi cittáni vimuccimsú'ti).ásavakkhaya: see above.ascending insight: s. vutthána-gáminí-vipassaná.ascetic purification practices: s. dhutanga.asekha: (lit.: 'not-learner'; s. sekha), a disciple 'perfected in training', one beyond training, an adept. This is aname for the Arahat, the Holy One (s. ariya-puggala), since he has reached the perfection in higher moraltraining, higher mind training and higher wisdom training (s. sikkhá) and needs no longer to train himselftherein.ásevana-paccaya: 'repetition', is one of the 24 conditions (paccaya, q.v.).asmi-mána: (lit.: 'I am'-conceit), 'ego-conceit', may range from the coarsest pride and self-assertion to asubtle feeling of one's distinctiveness or superiority that persists, as the 8th fetter (samyojana, q.v.), until theattainment of Arahatship or Holiness. It is based upon the comparison of oneself with others, and may,therefore, manifest itself also as a feeling of inferiority or the claim to be equal (s. mána). It has to bedistinguished from 'ego-belief' (sakkáya-ditthi, q.v.) which implies a definite belief or view (ditthi)concerning the assumption of a self or soul, and, being the 1st of the fetters, disappears at attainment ofStream-Entry (sotápatti; s. ariya-puggala)."Even when the five lower fetters have vanished in a noble disciple, there is still in him, with regard to thefive groups of clinging, a slight undiscarded measure of the conceit 'I am', of the will 'I am', of the proclivity 'Iam' " (S . XXII, 89) . - s. mána.assása-passása: 'in-and-out-breathing', are corporeal or physical functions or 'formations' (káya-sankhára),whilst thought-conception and discursive thinking (vitakka and vicára) are called verbal functions(vací-sankhára), s. sankhára (2). In-and-out-breathing forms one of the 6 aspects of the wind-element (s.dhátu). Cf. M. 62.association: sampayutta-paccaya, is one of the 24 conditions (paccaya, q.v.). asubha: 'impurity',loathsomeness, foulness. - In Vis.M. VI, it is the cemetery contemplations (sívathika, q.v.) that are called'meditation-subjects of impurity' (asubha-kammatthána; s. bhávaná). In the Girimananda Sutta (A. X., 50),however, the perception of impurity (asubha-saññá) refers to the contemplation of the 32 parts of the body(s. káya-gatá-sati). The contemplation of the body's impurity is an antidote against the hindrance ofsense-desire (s. nívarana) and the mental perversion (vipallása, q.v.) which sees what is truly impure as pureand beautiful. See S. XLVI, 51; A. V. 36, Dhp. 7, 8; Sn. 193ff. - The Five Mental Hindrances (WHEEL 26),pp. 5ff.