[936] Therein, what are the three searches (esanā)? The search for sensual pleasures (kāmesanā), the search for existence (bhavesanā), and the search for the holy life (brahmacariyesanā).
Therein, what is the search for sensual pleasures? That which, in regard to sensual pleasures, is sensual desire (kāmacchanda) … cleaving to sensual pleasures (kāmajjhosāna) — this is called the search for sensual pleasures.
Therein, what is the search for existence? That which, in regard to existences, is desire for existence (bhavacchanda) … cleaving to existence (bhavajjhosāna) — this is called the search for existence.
Therein, what is the search for the holy life? "The world is eternal," or "the world is not eternal," … or "the Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death" — any such view (diṭṭhi), resort to views (diṭṭhigata), … perverted grasp (vipariyesaggāha): this is called the search for the holy life.
Therein, what is the search for sensual pleasures? Lust for sensual pleasures (kāmarāga), and the unwholesome (akusala) bodily action (kāyakamma), verbal action (vacīkamma), and mental action (manokamma) co-existent with it (tadekaṭṭha) — this is called the search for sensual pleasures.
Therein, what is the search for existence? Lust for existence (bhavarāga), and the unwholesome bodily action, verbal action, and mental action co-existent with it — this is called the search for existence.
The view that grasps extremes (antaggāhikā diṭṭhi), and the unwholesome bodily action, verbal action, and mental action co-existent with it — this is called the search for the holy life.
These are the three searches.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.