Definitions for "Asava"
Fermentation; effluent — mental defilements (sensuality, states of being, views, and unawareness) in their role as causes of the flood of rebirth.
a 'taint' that obstructs progress toward enlightenment. The Abhidhamma lists four asavas (perhaps for convenient identification with the four supramundane paths?): sensual desire, desire for eternal existence, speculative opinions and ignorance. The Suttas usually list only three asavas, omitting explicit mention of the taint of speculative opinions (but it is referred to implicitly, e.g. at MN 2).
mental intoxication, defilement.