Āsava is a Pali term often translated as ‘outflows’ or ‘taints,’ referring to deep mental habits that keep the mind caught in saṃsāra. The word comes from roots meaning ‘to flow’ and can be understood in two ways: as an ‘influx’ of conditioning influences and as an ‘outflow’ that pulls our awareness away from its natural clarity. The āsavas are what keep the mind spilling outward — chasing desires, clinging to identities, and sustaining delusion. In meditation, thoughts and emotions may arise, but it is āsavas that keep us grasping at them. Their cessation (khīṇāsava) is not about stopping thought but about no longer being carried away, allowing us to rest in unconditioned awareness.
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Categories: Buddhist Library, Buddhist meditation, Dharma Read, Everyday Buddhist
Golden Buddha Centre 
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