Post # 66: Asavas
– The Mental Defilements that perpetuate Samsara - Part 1
These are
long standing underlying fermentations and taints that fabricate feelings,
emotions, sensations, responses which condition grasping perpetuating Samsara.
We have been discussing so far how we get entrapped in the unsatisfactory samsaric cycle and this post and the one to follow will culminate this discussion with references to Asavas perpetuating Samsara and how we engage in activities that lead to the eradication of Asavas and complete cessation of suffering with the realization of Nibbana.
References to Asavas by Buddha is found in many of the suttas and in particular in the Sabbāsava
Sutta of Majjhima Nikāya, the Middle Length Discourses of the Thripitaka
(Pali Cannon).
Noble Bhikkhu Ananda describes the occasion thus at
the first Buddhist Counsel- ‘So I have heard’ - when the
Blessed One was living at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park where
he addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus
I shall teach you a discourse on the restraint of all the taints. Listen and
attend closely to what I shall say.” Buddha’s words that followed are in the Sutta (discourse in the Pali Cannon- Sutta
Pitakaya)
Bhikkhu Bodhi the
scholar monk from US referring to many suttas in this regard and in
particular quoting the 26th Sutta, the Ariya Pariasana Sutta in
the Majjhima Nikaya and Sabasava Sutta elaborates the background
and the particular motivation for the Bodhisattva to embark on this
quest. From what I gathered from listening to Bhikku Bodhi I will attempt to
outline as best as I can the essence of what Bhukku Bodhi discoursed.
As a Bodhisattva
(Buddha before attaining enlightenment), he endeavored to discover the true
nature of phenomena and answers to the many unsatisfactory issues confronting
him. The Buddhist texts in particular refers to the incident when he was on his way to the pleasure gardens
for his morning outing saw a very
old man, feeble etc. and
struggling along to walk. His mind in a contemplative mood at the time started
to ask the questions; why is this aging and suffering? Is this a phenomenon
common to everyone including me? What is its cause? Is there a way out?
Bodhisattva in
particular reflected on the situation as follows. Taking Bhukku Bodhi’s
articulation as I recall thus - “I a person like me living in the refinement
of palace life, enjoying the exuberance of youth. I a person like me subject to
aging and not beyond aging; it is therefore unbecoming of a person like me not
to be mindful of aging, why and how aging happens; is there a way out? If so I
must seek this out and come and help all these people suffering from old age”.
Thus the background and
the particular motivation for the Bodhisattva to embark on this quest.
As a free thinker
one could ask the question, did not the Bodhisatta see an old man before
and not do this analysis before and why only now, creating doubt about the
authenticity of the whole Bhodisatta episode. It takes a fateful moment
for a common incident to trigger such speculative reaction. History is replete
with many such examples, most prominent of which we can review is the incident where
Sir Issac Newton discovers the phenomenon gravity. The episode goes on to say
that when Newton was sitting under an apple tree he saw a fruit falling, the
observation of which led to his analytical speculation of a force attracting
the apple down resulting in its fall to the ground. No doubt Newton would have
seen apples fall many times before, but in this fateful moment of contemplative
frame of mind he made this discovery.
Bodhisattva also made a
similar speculation when confronted with a sick person and a dead body. The
fourth apparition that confronted him in these events was his seeing an ascetic,
having left the household life and was in search for a way out from this
unsatisfactory way of life. Buddha in a discourse to the monks in the Ariya
Pariasana Sutta described his experiences in this quest which spanned six
years.
Bodhisatta episode also
includes his articulation of his experiences during that night in meditation
where he attained Awakening or Buddhahood.
At the age of 29
years, the Prince Sidahrtha (Bodhisatta), renounced the Royal Palace as
well as the Royal inheritance. Accompanied by his faithful aid Channa, he crossed
River Neranjana leaving the kingdom behind. There he shaved his hair and
attired saffron clothes.
Thereafter, Ascetic
Siddhartha being a penniless wanderer retreated to the woods in search of a
permanent solution for the eternal suffering of beings. At first, he became a
novice under spiritual Sages, Alara Kalama and Uddakaramaputta. Within a brief
period, he attained the states advocated by them. These were the highest stages
in worldly concentration then existed. Not being satisfied with such
achievements he politely bade farewell and left them..
He realized that
his spiritual aspirations were more advanced than what he had achieved. He was
seeking the highest, the complete cessation of suffering. For a period of six long
strenuous years, he practiced extreme austerities and mortifications that were followed
by other truth seekers of the time, which lasted until he became almost a
physical wreck. Before that his was a life of luxury in the king’s palace.
Thereupon he advocated the Middle Path, neither luxurious life nor self-mortifications.
Alone in sylvan
solitude, the Bodhisattva determined to concentrate on deep truths. The
Bodhisattva expressed, “strenuous and indomitable was my energy, my mindfulness
was established and unperturbed”.
Thereafter, he
settled down under the shade of Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi. In solitude, his mind became
clear and one-pointed. He asked himself- Who am I? Where did I come from? Did I
have a previous life, if so who was I? Who were my parents, where did we live
etc. He argued that if these were so he should be able to recall from memory
such experiences. He probed into the deepest recesses of his mind by applying
himself to concentrated mindfulness. He concentrated on “In and Out” breathing
(Inhale and Exhale Method, “Ana Pana Sati”)
During the First
Watch of this night, his thoughts tranquillized, purified, cleansed, and free
from lust, impurity, pliable, alert, steady and unshakable.
He could recall in
his mind his varied past cycle of births (Pubbe Nivasanussati Gnnana). .
In the second watch
of the night he contemplated similarly on the disappearance and reappearance of
other beings. Then, he perceived that ‘beings’ disappearing from
one state of existence and reappearing in another are caused by their actions
(Kamma). (Cutiupapata Gnnana).
In the third watch
of the night he reflected on the “Comprehension of the Cessation of Corruption”.
He realized avidya (ignorance) leads to corruption. He analyzed how corruption
arises and how they can be eradicated. (Asavakkaya Gnana).
By developing
insight meditation (Vipassana), his insight was ignited when the mind was well
composed by freeing the mind of these impurities, or corruptions or taints. He realized that his mind was liberated from
the taints -which he described as seeking
pleasure (Kama Asava), seeking of fresh becoming (Bhawa Asava)
and seeking eradication of Ignorance (Avijja Asava).
Thus the Sutta
Pitaka of the Pali Cannon refers to how Asavas took their due place
in his teaching. In the Abbidhamma Pitaka of the Pali Cannon, there is
also a reference to a fourth Asawa- Ditti Asava (Of wrong view).
Please read Post #
67 for the description on how to eradicate Asavas
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