Literally, “to flow” or “to ooze.” Mental defilements or contaminations that “flow out” toward the objects of cyclic existence, binding us to them.

Susceptible to the contaminations (āsrava; zag pa), literally “outflows” or mental defilements that “flow out” toward the objects of cyclic existence. One classification enumerates three contaminations related to desire, existence, and ignorance.

The phenomena of saṃsāra. Contaminated phenomena are those influenced by the defilements (kleśa, nyon mongs) and karma. Thus, e.g., even virtues that are under the influence of defilements, like ignorance, are categorized as contaminated in this way.

One who is still under the influence of the “intoxicants” (āsrava), of which there are sometimes said to be four: “lust” (kāma), “becoming” (bhava), “ignorance” (avidyā), and “views” (dṛṣṭi)

See Edgerton 1953, p. 102.