<p><strong>Can you remove the asavas without becoming an arahant?</strong></p>

<p>I think that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asava" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Wikipedia's article</a> suggests not:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Rhys Davids &amp; Stede (1921–25) state in part that "Freedom from the 'Āsavas' constitutes Arahantship."</p>
</blockquote>

<p>And</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>These points are collected and summarized by Bhikkhu Bodhi thus:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>The āsavas or taints are a classification of defilements considered in their role of sustaining the forward movement of the process of birth and death. </p>
    
    <p>The three taints mentioned in the Nikāyas are respectively synonyms for craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, and ignorance. [The fourth āsava, attachment to views, appears in the commentaries.] When the disciple's mind is liberated from the taints by the completion of the path of arhantship, he reviews his newly won freedom and roars his lion's roar: "Birth is destroyed, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done; there is no more coming back to any state of being."</p>
  </blockquote>
</blockquote>

<p>There's another question about <em>asava</em> here: <a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9414/254">What is effluent?</a> The answer to that question is I think a good explanation, and it includes two references for further reading.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-25T19:11:25.720Z
2015-06-25T19:11:25.720Z
2017-04-13T12:51:06.400Z
ChrisW
<p>Arahant is a person who successfully removed the asavas. Thus, you cannot become an arahant without removing the asavas. You cannot remove the asavas by not removing the asavas.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-29T16:15:01.977Z
2015-06-29T16:15:01.977Z
beginner
<p>Can one remove the asavas without becoming an arahant?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-25T18:39:03.973Z
Hello and welcome to Buddhism.SE. What you have under the main question is not clear. We've put together some information to help you get started [here](http://meta.buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1502/i-am-a-new-user-here-at-buddhism-se-what-should-i-know-before-i-post?).
Robin111
<the-buddha>
Can one remove the asavas without becoming an arahant?
# Can one remove the asavas without becoming an arahant?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-06-25)

Can one remove the asavas without becoming an arahant?

**Tags:** the-buddha

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Hello and welcome to Buddhism.SE. What you have under the main question is not clear. We've put together some information to help you get started [here](http://meta.buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1502/i-am-a-new-user-here-at-buddhism-se-what-should-i-know-before-i-post?).  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-06-25. Score: 3

**Can you remove the asavas without becoming an arahant?**

I think that [Wikipedia's article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asava) suggests not:

> Rhys Davids & Stede (1921–25) state in part that "Freedom from the 'Āsavas' constitutes Arahantship."

And

> These points are collected and summarized by Bhikkhu Bodhi thus:
>
> > The āsavas or taints are a classification of defilements considered in their role of sustaining the forward movement of the process of birth and death.
> >
> > The three taints mentioned in the Nikāyas are respectively synonyms for craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, and ignorance. [The fourth āsava, attachment to views, appears in the commentaries.] When the disciple's mind is liberated from the taints by the completion of the path of arhantship, he reviews his newly won freedom and roars his lion's roar: "Birth is destroyed, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done; there is no more coming back to any state of being."

There's another question about *asava* here: [What is effluent?](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9414/254) The answer to that question is I think a good explanation, and it includes two references for further reading.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2015-06-29. Score: 0

Arahant is a person who successfully removed the asavas. Thus, you cannot become an arahant without removing the asavas. You cannot remove the asavas by not removing the asavas.


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