I would go for "canker" as the translation of aasava.
It most probably comes from aa + savati. Savati would mean flow. So aasavati would be flow in. So aasava is what is in one's mind having flowed in.
aasava can increase or decrease or completely eradicated. aasavas when they flow in increase suffering etc (vighataparilaahaa)
canker is a disease (apple trees). Obviously when the disease comes it increases the suffering of the tree.
Oxford Dictionary gives the following for the figurative meaning of canker: (figurative) a malign and corrupting influence that is difficult to eradicate.

Canker is the word used by Acarya Buddharakkhita in his translation of Sabbaasavasutta including a commentary (Published as a book by BPS).

By the way aasava is a disease of the mind.


D. G. D. C. Wijeratna___




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