The four floods of sensual pleasures, continued existence, views, and ignorance are described in brief. The four establishments of mindfulness should be cultivated for directly knowing, full understanding, complete exhaustion, and giving up of these floods.

SN 47.95  Ogha sutta - Flood

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, oghā. Katame cattāro? Kāmogho, bhavogho, diṭṭhogho, avijjoghoime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro oghā.

“Bhikkhus, there are these four |floods::torrents, deluge [oghā]| [of defilements]. What four? The |flood of sensual pleasures::torrent of sensual desires [kāmogha]|, the |flood of continued existence::torrent of becoming [bhavogha]|, the |flood of views::torrent of beliefs [diṭṭhogha]|, and the |flood of ignorance::torrent of not understanding how things have come to be [avijjogha]|. These are the four floods.

Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ oghānaṁ abhiññāya pariññāya parikkhayāya pahānāya …pe… cattāro satipaṭṭhānā bhāvetabbā”ti.

Bhikkhus, for the |direct knowledge::experiential understanding [abhiññāya]|, |full understanding::complete comprehension [pariññāya]|, |complete exhaustion::gradual and complete wearing away [parikkhaya]|, and for |giving up::letting go, abandoning [pahāna]| of these four floods, the four establishments of mindfulness |should be cultivated::should be developed [bhāvetabba]|.”

Qualities:

Complete comprehension

Complete comprehension

The thorough understanding of phenomena as they truly are—fully knowing their arising, passing, and the unsatisfactoriness inherent in them while they persist.

Also known as: full understanding, knowing full well, seeing things as they are
Pāli: pariññāya, sammadaññā, sampajañña, saṅkhāya
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Direct knowledge

Direct knowledge

A deep, firsthand realization or knowing that arises from personal experience, not from study or conceptual understanding; it is an immediate, unmediated apprehension of truth.

Also known as: experiential understanding, direct experience
Pāli: abhiñña
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Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Remembering to be present with continuous effort, observing the body, feelings, mind, and mental qualities in and of themselves.

Also known as: recollecting, remembering, keeping in mind, presence, awareness
Pāli: sati, anupassanā
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Ignorance

Ignorance

A fundamental blindness to the true nature of reality. It is not merely a lack of information, but an active misperception that views the transient as permanent and the unsatisfactory as a source of happiness, thereby fueling the cycle of suffering.

Also known as: illusion of knowing, fundamental unawareness of the true nature of reality, misunderstanding of how things have come to be, not knowing the four noble truths
Pāli: avijjā
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Sensual desire

Sensual desire

A mental quality of desiring sensory gratification. It pulls the mind’s attention toward sights, sounds, smells, tastes, or touches in a search for satisfaction.

Also known as: passion for sensual pleasures, lust, craving for pleasure, pull toward enticing sense objects
Pāli: kāmacchanda
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Last updated on December 13, 2025