āsava

A foundational Pāḷi term in early Buddhist philosophy that denotes the deepest, most stubborn defilements that intoxicate the mind and drive the cycle of rebirth (saṃsāra). The āsavas are traditionally categorized into the pollutions of sensory desire (kāmāsava), the drive for continued existence (bhavāsava), and fundamental ignorance (avijjāsava), with fixed views (diṭṭhāsava) sometimes added as a fourth. Because these taints represent the underlying currents that cloud spiritual vision and sustain suffering, their complete eradication (āsavakkhaya) is the defining characteristic of an Arahant and the ultimate mark of full liberation.