The Nāva Sutta
On the Exhaustion and Non-Exhaustion of the Taints (Āsavā)
[260] Sāvatthī. … “Bhikkhus (bhikkhu), the Tathāgata (tathāgata) teaches the exhaustion of the taints (āsavā) only for a bhikkhu who knows and sees. He does not teach the exhaustion of the taints for a bhikkhu who does not know and does not see.
And what must a bhikkhu know and see for the taints to be exhausted?
When a person knows form (rūpa) thus, its arising thus, its passing away thus; when he knows feeling (vedanā) thus … perception (saññā) thus … formations (saṅkhārā) thus … consciousness (viññāṇa) thus, its arising thus, its passing away thus— then, bhikkhus, when one knows and sees in this way, there is the exhaustion of the taints (āsavānaṃ khaya).
The Necessity of Training
[261] “Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu does not persistently engage in development (bhāvanānuyoga), even though he may wish:
‘Oh, that my mind might be liberated from the taints by non-clinging!’
Yet his mind is not freed from the taints, by non-clinging. Why is that? Because it has not been developed (abhāvitattā).
Not developed in what?
Not developed in the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna 4), the Four Right Efforts (sammappadhāna 4), the Four Bases of Success (iddhipāda 4), the Five Faculties (indriya 5), the Five Powers (bala 5), the Seven Factors of Awakening (bojjhaṅga 7), and the Noble Eightfold Path (ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo).
Simile of the Unincubated Eggs
“Bhikkhus, suppose a hen has eight, ten, or twelve eggs, but she does not sit on them, warm them, or hatch them.
Though she might wish:
‘Oh, that my chicks might peck the shell with their claws or beaks and hatch safely!’
Yet it is impossible for the chicks to break the shell and be safely born.
Why? Because the eggs have not been sat upon, warmed, or hatched.
Even so, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu does not persistently engage in development, even though he wishes:
‘Oh, that my mind might escape from the taints through non-clinging!’
Yet the mind is not liberated.
Why? Because the mind has not been developed in the 37 factors of enlightenment.”
The Simile of the Well-Incubated Eggs
“But when a bhikkhu does persistently engage in development, even though he may not think:
‘Oh, that my mind might be liberated from the taints!’
Still, his mind will be liberated from the taints by non-clinging. Why? Because it has been developed (bhāvitattā) — developed in the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the Four Right Efforts, the Four Bases of Success, the Five Faculties, the Five Powers, the Seven Factors of Awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path.
“Bhikkhus, just as a hen with eight, ten, or twelve eggs that has sat on them, warmed them, and hatched them— even if she does not wish:
‘Oh, that my chicks might break the shell safely!’
Still those chicks will break out safely with claws or beaks. Why? Because the eggs have been properly incubated.
So too, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu has fully developed the path, his mind will be liberated, even without the explicit wish.”
The Carpenter’s Knife Handle
[262] “Bhikkhus, just as the marks of a carpenter’s fingers or thumb appear on his knife-handle through long use— though he cannot say: ‘Today it wore away this much; yesterday this much; the day before this much’— he only knows that the handle is wearing away.
Even so, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu persistently develops the path, even if he cannot say:
‘Today my taints are exhausted this much; yesterday this much; the day before this much’—
still he knows they are being worn away.
The Simile of the Sea Ship’s Ropes
“Bhikkhus, just as the rope made of creeper-fiber holding a sea-going ship, after being soaked for six months in winter, when drawn up onto land and exposed to sun, wind, and rain, rots and decays without difficulty—
even so, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu develops the path, the fetters (saṃyojanāni) fall away without difficulty.”
End of the Nāva Sutta.
Short Pāli Glossary (concise, intensive)
- Āsavā — taints: sensuality, becoming, views, ignorance.
- Āsavakkhaya — destruction of the taints; final liberation.
- Rūpa / vedanā / saññā / saṅkhārā / viññāṇa — the five aggregates.
- Bhāvanānuyoga — sustained commitment to cultivation/meditation.
- Satipaṭṭhāna / sammappadhāna / iddhipāda — three major sets of the 37 factors of awakening.
- Indriya / bala — spiritual faculties and powers.
- Bojjhaṅga — the seven awakening-factors.
- Saṃyojana — fetters binding beings to saṃsāra.
- Upādāna — clinging, grasping at the aggregates.