The Buddha describes the three taints - the taint of sensual desire, the taint of becoming, and the taint of ignorance, and the way of practice leading to their cessation.
Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:
This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Awakened One, as I have heard:
“Tayome, bhikkhave, āsavā. Katame tayo? Kāmāsavo, bhavāsavo, avijjāsavo—ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo āsavā”ti.
“There are these three |taints::outflows, discharges; (comm) mental defilements [āsavā]||, bhikkhus.::::.| What are the three? The |taint of sensual desire::oozing sensual desire [kāmāsava]|, the |taint of becoming::effluent of being, taint of existence [bhavāsava]|, and the |taint of ignorance::taint of not knowing how things have come to be, illusion of knowing, distorted perception [avijjāsava]|. These are the three taints.”
Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:
The Blessed One spoke on this matter. In this regard, it is said:
“Samāhito sampajāno,
sato buddhassa sāvako;
Āsave ca pajānāti,
āsavānañca sambhavaṁ.
“|Collected::composed, settled [samāhita]|, |clearly aware::with attentiveness, with clear and full comprehension, intentional, deliberate, purposeful [sampajāna]|,
a |mindful::remembering to be present with continuous effort, observing the body in and of itself, feelings in and of itself, mind in and of itself, mental qualities in and of themselves [sata]| disciple of the Buddha,
|discerns::distinguishes, understands, knows clearly [pajānāti]| the taints,
and the |arising::origin, source [sambhava]| of taints.
Yattha cetā nirujjhanti,
maggañca khayagāminaṁ;
Āsavānaṁ khayā bhikkhu,
nicchāto parinibbuto”ti.
Where these |cease::vanish, reach an end [nirujjhati]|,
and the way of practice |leading to their cessation::leading to exhaustion, leading to wearing away [khayagāmī]|,
with the cessation of taints, the bhikkhu
is |satiated::free from craving, desireless [nicchāta]| and |completely quenched [of mental defilements]::completely cooled mental defilements [parinibbuta]|.”
Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.
This matter too was spoken by the Blessed One, as I have heard.
This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Awakened One, as I have heard:
“There are these three |taints::outflows, discharges; (comm) mental defilements [āsavā]||, bhikkhus.::::.| What are the three? The |taint of sensual desire::oozing sensual desire [kāmāsava]|, the |taint of becoming::effluent of being, taint of existence [bhavāsava]|, and the |taint of ignorance::taint of not knowing how things have come to be, illusion of knowing, distorted perception [avijjāsava]|. These are the three taints.”
The Blessed One spoke on this matter. In this regard, it is said:
“|Collected::composed, settled [samāhita]|, |clearly aware::with attentiveness, with clear and full comprehension, intentional, deliberate, purposeful [sampajāna]|,
a |mindful::remembering to be present with continuous effort, observing the body in and of itself, feelings in and of itself, mind in and of itself, mental qualities in and of themselves [sata]| disciple of the Buddha,
|discerns::distinguishes, understands, knows clearly [pajānāti]| the taints,
and the |arising::origin, source [sambhava]| of taints.
Where these |cease::vanish, reach an end [nirujjhati]|,
and the way of practice |leading to their cessation::leading to exhaustion, leading to wearing away [khayagāmī]|,
with the cessation of taints, the bhikkhu
is |satiated::free from craving, desireless [nicchāta]| and |completely quenched [of mental defilements]::completely cooled mental defilements [parinibbuta]|.”
This matter too was spoken by the Blessed One, as I have heard.
Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:
“Tayome, bhikkhave, āsavā. Katame tayo? Kāmāsavo, bhavāsavo, avijjāsavo—ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo āsavā”ti.
Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:
“Samāhito sampajāno,
sato buddhassa sāvako;
Āsave ca pajānāti,
āsavānañca sambhavaṁ.
Yattha cetā nirujjhanti,
maggañca khayagāminaṁ;
Āsavānaṁ khayā bhikkhu,
nicchāto parinibbuto”ti.
Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.