[961] Therein, which are the four taints (āsava)? The taint of sensuality (kāmāsava), the taint of existence (bhavāsava), the taint of views (diṭṭhāsava), and the taint of ignorance (avijjāsava).
Therein, which is the taint of sensuality? That which, regarding sensual pleasures, is sensual desire (kāmacchanda) … cleaving to sensual pleasures (kāmajjhosāna) — this is called the taint of sensuality.
Therein, which is the taint of existence? That which, regarding existences, is desire for existence (bhavacchanda) … cleaving to existence — this is called the taint of existence.
Therein, which is the taint of views? "The world is eternal," or … or "The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death" — whatever view of such a kind, resort to views, … perverted grasp: this is called the taint of views. All wrong view (micchādiṭṭhi), too, is the taint of views.
Therein, which is the taint of ignorance? Lack of knowledge concerning suffering (dukkha) … the bolt of ignorance, delusion (moha), the unwholesome root — this is called the taint of ignorance.
These are the four taints.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.