Editor's note: This feature was first published in the now-retired Bodhi Journal, Issue 14, December 2009. Āsava(s) together with latent tendencies (anusaya), fetters (saṃyojana) and hindrances (

Introduction   Theravᾱda Buddhism is widely recognized as a religion emphasizing personal salvation without any regard for social welfare. Therefore, it is named as the Hinayᾱna, which means a self-