Abstract
This chapter demonstrates that the contemporary Theravāda understanding of a stream-entrant has been heavily filtered by the Pāli commentarial interpretations. It argues that the concept has undergone a substantial elevation that renders it an almost unrealizable ideal within this lifetime. To trace such a transformation, this chapter begins by investigating the concept of stream-entry in early Buddhist discourses. It then outlines the nature of a stream-entrant as well as pre-requisites for attainment of the stage of stream-entry as reflected in the Pāli Nikāyas. More specifically, it explores the association of faith in the Three Jewels and moral virtues associated with the stage of stream-entry and whether meditation is required for the attainment of this stage. It then compares and contrasts the nature of a stream-entrant as reflected in the early Buddhist discourses with the nature of the practice of a lay follower as reflected in the same group of texts.
This chapter derived in part from an article published in Anveṣaṇā: Journal of the Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies University of Kelaniya 8 (2) in 2017. Copy right Postgraduate Institute of Buddhist Studies, University of Kelaniya.
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Notes
- 1.
Gelong Lodro Sangpo (2012: III 1861–2162) and Dhammajoti (2009: 433–464).
- 2.
Visuddhimagga 673.
- 3.
The Path of Discrimination 118; Paṭisambhidāmagga I 116: sotāpattimaggakkhaṇe jātā dhammā ṭhapetvā cittasamuṭṭhānaṃ rūpaṃ sabbe ‘va kusalā honti, sabbe ‘va anāsavā honti, sabbe ‘va niyyanikā honti, sabbe ‘va apacayagāmino honti, sabbe ‘va lokuttarā honti sabbe ‘va nibbānārammaṇā honti.
- 4.
Ñāṇananda (2003: 24).
- 5.
Sumangala (1981: 18) points out the discrepancy between the Nikāya interpretation and the Pāli commentarial interpretation of the concept. He strongly asserts that a stream-entrant originally referred simply to a Buddhist (follower of the Buddha). It does not even require any form of meditation practice. In contrast, Pāli commentators exalted a stream-entrant to a spiritual saint. This article does not address the question of how the concept of stream-entrant was developed or the stages of its development.
- 6.
Rhys Davids (1899) (The Dialogue of the Buddha Part I): I 200; Manne (1995a: 95).
- 7.
DN II 227; SN V 243, 345; AN IV 406; etc.
- 8.
SN V 394.
- 9.
SN V 351–52.
- 10.
SN V 372.
- 11.
SN V 372.
- 12.
SN V 375.
- 13.
Dhs 60
- 14.
AN II 65.
- 15.
SN V 22245.
- 16.
Sn. v. 77.
- 17.
Nyanatiloka, BDMBTD, Fourth revised ed. 1988, BPS. p. 287 ff.
- 18.
Numerical Discourses of the Buddha. 10.92 (2).
- 19.
SN V 356.
- 20.
AN III 211: The passage explains the five training factors as the five precepts and the four pleasant dwellings in this life pertaining to the higher mind are explained as the four factors of stream-entrant—unshakeable faith in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha and possessing virtues dear to the noble ones.
- 21.
Sn I 10–12.
- 22.
SN V 391.
- 23.
AN III 272.
- 24.
MN III 284: sotāpannassa ca nāma tathāgataṃ ārabbha āghāto natthi.
- 25.
MN-A III 358: ariyasāvakassa pana saṭho māyāviti nāmaṃ natthi.
- 26.
AN III 438.
- 27.
DN-A II 589: sammā vihareyyunti ettha sotāpanno attano adhigataṭṭhānaṃ aññassa kathetvā taṃ sotāpannaṃ karonto sammā viharati nāma. esa nayo sakadāgāmiādīsu. sotāpattimaggaṭṭho aññampi sotāpattimaggaṭṭhaṃ karonto sammā viharati nāma. esa nayo sesamaggaṭṭhesu.sotāpattimaggatthāya āraddhavipassako attano paguṇaṃ kammaṭṭhānaṃ kathetvā aññampi sotāpattimaggatthāya āraddhavipassakaṃ karonto sammā viharati nāma. Esa nayo sesamaggatthāya āraddhavipassakesu.
- 28.
DN-A III 785.
- 29.
SN V 352: yaṃ kho pana kiñci kule deyyadhammaṃ sabbaṃ taṃ appaṭivibhattaṃ sīlavantehi kalyāṇadhammehi.
- 30.
The Path of Purification 14.
- 31.
Thanissaro (2012: 7).
- 32.
The Paṭisambhidāmagga notes at the moment of stream-entry, one’s thoughts become impulsive free (anāsava) [see Chap. 9 for details] while Visuddhimagga states at the moment of stream-entry, one’s consciousness object becomes the Nibbāna [see Chap. 9 for details]. These interpretations suggest that stream-entry goes beyond all evils (pāpa).
- 33.
Masuda (1978: 28).
- 34.
Masuda (1978: 28).
- 35.
DN I 86: atha kho bhagavā acirapakkantassa rañño māgadhassa ajātasattussa vedehiputtassa bhikkhū āmantesi—“khatāyaṃ, bhikkhave, rājā. upahatāyaṃ, bhikkhave, rājā. sacāyaṃ, bhikkhave, rājā pitaraṃ dhammikaṃ dhammarājānaṃ jīvitā na voropessatha, imasmiññeva āsane virajaṃ vītamalaṃ dhammacakkhuṃ uppajjissathā”ti
- 36.
DN-A I 237. The connection between the arising of the vision of the dhamma and stream-entry is explored below in §1.7.
- 37.
SN V 390.
- 38.
AN III 402.
- 39.
Hirakawa (1993: 198) and Hwang (2006: 27).
- 40.
Collins (1982: 183).
- 41.
SN III 160–1.
- 42.
SN III 167.
- 43.
SN III 203. Bhikkhu Bodhi has pointed out that the six places refer to the five aggregates and the tetrad of sense objects taken collectively as one: Bhikkhu Bodhi (2000: 1095, fn. 251).
- 44.
SN III 167.
- 45.
SN V 193: This passage is abstruse, for, in several places in the Pāli Nikāyas it is mentioned that the spiritual five spiritual faculties should be developed for liberation.
One who has completely fulfilled these five spiritual faculties is an arahant, If they are weaker than that, he is practicing for the stage of arahantship, weaker than that, he is a non-returner; weaker than that he is practicing for the stage of non-returning, weaker than that he is once-returner, weaker than that, he is practicing for stage once returning, weaker than that, he is a stream-entrant, weaker than that, he is practicing for the stage of stream-entry. In whom these are absent, he is an outsider who stands beside mundane people. (SN V 202)
Therefore, it is likely that referring to the five spiritual faculties in this passage was intended for the five sense faculties. Still, the five spiritual faculties were listed instead due to some textual corruption in the editing process.
- 46.
DN-A I 124: na sotāpannassa dassanaṃ iva niccalan ti dasseti.
- 47.
MN-A I 73–74.
- 48.
DN-A III 1032 sotāpattimaggo diṭṭhiyogavisaññogo nāma.
- 49.
DN-A II 492 sotāpannañca nāma paccayākāro uttānako viya hutvā upaṭṭhāti, ayañca āyasmā sotāpanno.
- 50.
SN II 58.
- 51.
SN II 70.
- 52.
SN-A II 73.
- 53.
MN-A I 184.
- 54.
MN I 435.
- 55.
SN III 167.
- 56.
SN III 225–28.
- 57.
AN-A II 1.
- 58.
Pandit (2004: 14).
- 59.
Vin III 10; DN II 155; AN II 80.
- 60.
SN III 16–17; MN I 300.
- 61.
MN I 310.
- 62.
AN I 10.
- 63.
SN V 362–63.
- 64.
SN V 202.
- 65.
Gethin (2001: 348).
- 66.
Gethin (2001: 349).
- 67.
Sujato (2012: 135).
- 68.
Kheminda (1965: 19–21).
- 69.
Sumangala (1981: 18).
- 70.
Masefield (1986: 95).
- 71.
Bodhi (2001: 138).
- 72.
DN III 227; SN V 347.
- 73.
DN II 227; SN V 243, 345; AN IV 406; etc.
- 74.
DN III 227; SN V 404.
- 75.
AN II 245.
- 76.
AN II 245.
- 77.
Pāli-English Dictionary, 560.
- 78.
The Buddhist Dictionary, 244.
- 79.
Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary, 448.
- 80.
Dhammajoti (2015: 414).
- 81.
SN V 79: ajjhattikaṃ, bhikkhave, aṅganti karitvā nāññaṃ ekaṅgampi samanupassāmi sattannaṃ bojjhaṅgānaṃ uppādāya, yathayidaṃ—bhikkhave, yonisomanasikāro.yonisomanasikārasampannassetaṃ bhikkhave, bhikkhuno pāṭikaṅkhaṃ—satta bojjhaṅge bhāvessati, satta bojjhaṅge bahulīkarissati. kathañca bhikkhave, bhikkhu yonisomanasikārasampanno satta bojjhaṅge bhāveti, satta bojjhaṅge bahulīkaroti? idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu satisambojjhaṅgaṃ bhāveti vivekanissitaṃ … pe … upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṃ bhāveti vivekanissitaṃ virāganissitaṃ nirodhanissitaṃ vossaggapariṇāmiṃ. evaṃ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu yonisomanasikārasampanno satta bojjhaṅge bhāveti, satta bojjhaṅge bahulīkarotī’ti.
- 82.
AN I 4: nāhaṃ, bhikkhave, aññaṃ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yena anuppannā vā vicikicchā nuppajjati uppannā vā vicikicchā pahīyati yathayidaṃ, bhikkhave, yonisomanasikāro. yoniso, bhikkhave, manasi karoto anuppannā ceva vicikicchā nuppajjati uppannā ca vicikicchā pahīyatī”ti.
- 83.
AN I 201: ko panāvuso, hetu ko paccayo yena anuppanno ceva moho nuppajjati uppanno ca moho pahīyatī’ti? ‘yonisomanasikāro tissa vacanīyaṃ. Tassa yoniso manasi karoto anuppanno ceva moho nuppajjati uppanno ca moho pahīyati. Ayaṃ kho, āvuso, hetu ayaṃ paccayo yena anuppanno vā moho nuppajjati uppanno ca moho pahīyatī’ti.
- 84.
AN I 14: nāhaṃ, bhikkhave, aññaṃ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yo evaṃ mahato atthāya saṃvattati yathayidaṃ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikāro. yonisomanasikāro, bhikkhave, mahato atthāya saṃvattatī’ti.
- 85.
AN I 14: nāhaṃ, bhikkhave, aññaṃ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yo evaṃ mahato atthāya saṃvattati yathayidaṃ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikāro. yonisomanasikāro, bhikkhave, mahato atthāya saṃvattatī’ti.
- 86.
AN V 113: ti kho, bhikkhave, sappurisasaṃsevo paripūro saddhammassavanaṃ paripūreti, saddhammassavanaṃ paripūraṃ saddhaṃ paripūreti, saddhā paripūrā yonisomanasikāraṃ paripūreti, yonisomanasikāro paripūro satisampajaññaṃ paripūreti, satisampajaññaṃ paripūraṃ indriyasaṃvaraṃ paripūreti, indriyasaṃvaro paripūro tīṇi sucaritāni paripūreti, tīṇi sucaritāni paripūrāni cattāro satipaṭṭhāne paripūrenti, cattāro satipaṭṭhānā paripūrā satta bojjhaṅge paripūrenti, satta bojjhaṅgā paripūrā vijjāvimuttiṃ paripūrenti; evametissā vijjāvimuttiyā āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūri.
- 87.
MN I 294.
- 88.
MN I 7–12. For example, in the Vibhaṅga, ayonisomanasikāra is defined as four topsy-turvy (vipallāsa) of views: impermanent as permanent, unsatisfactory as satisfactory, non-soul as soul, foul as beautiful: Vbh 373.
- 89.
MN I 294.
- 90.
Thanissaro (2011: 19).
- 91.
sotāpanno sotāpanno’ti hidaṃ, sāriputta, vuccati. katamo nu kho, sāriputta, sotāpanno’ti? yo hi, bhante, iminā ariyena aṭṭhaṅgikena maggena samannāgato ayaṃ vuccati sotāpanno: SN V 347.
- 92.
DN III 313.
- 93.
MN I 55.
- 94.
AN I 233–4.
- 95.
AN V 310. See also Chap. 2.
- 96.
AN IV 213; Ud 49; Vinaya I 37: tasmiṃ yeva āsane virajaṃ vītamalaṃ dhammacakkhuṃ udapādi—yaṃ kiñci samudayadhammaṃ, sabbaṃ taṃ nirodhadhammanti. ekanahutaṃ upāsakattaṃ paṭivedesi.
- 97.
Vin I 16; Ud 49.
- 98.
MN I 380; AN IV 186.
- 99.
SN IV 298.
- 100.
Vin I 12.
- 101.
MN I 491: upāsako pi sāvako gihi odātavasano kāmabhohgī sāsanakaro ovādapatikaro tiṇṇavicikiccho vigatakathaṃ katho vesārajjappatto aparapaccayo satthusāsane viharati. Although the term sotāpanno is not mentioned here, reading the sutta easily implies that it refers to a sotāpanna.
- 102.
Vin II 157.
- 103.
MN I 143.
- 104.
SN V 408.
- 105.
DN II 93–94.
- 106.
SN V 354–55.
- 107.
SN V 356.
- 108.
AN III 211. Generally, in the Nikāyas, the four pleasant visible dwellings pertaining to higher mind states refer to attaining the four jhānas. This may be a textual corruption.
- 109.
AN IV 220: Buddham saranam gato hoti, dhammam saranam gato hoti, saṅghaṃ saranam gato hoti, ettāvatā kho mahānāma upāsako hoti.
- 110.
AN IV 220: yato kho Mahānāma upāsako pānātipātā paṭivirato hoti, adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti kāmesu micchācārā paṭivirato hoti musāvādā paṭivirato hoti surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti, ettāvatā kho mahānāma upāsako sīlavā hoti.
- 111.
Vin II 192.
- 112.
Vin II 192–93.
- 113.
AN IV 186.
- 114.
SN V 348–352.
- 115.
Innumerable passages in the Nikāyas, particularly in the Sotāpatti-saṃyutta mention that one who possesses the four factors of a stream-entrant is a stream-entrant. In other words, one who possesses these four factors and the stream-entrant are identical (SN V 396–97).
- 116.
SN V 390.
- 117.
SN V 402.
- 118.
SN V 394:Catuhi bhikkhave dhammehi samannāgataṃ attamanā devā sabbāgatam kathenti … yā tā devatā buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgatā ito cuto tatrūpapannā tāsam eva hoti yathārūpena kho mayaṃ buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgatā tato cutā idhupapannā ariyasāvako pi’ tathārūpena buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti ehi ‘ti devānam santike.
- 119.
Dhp-A I 5.
- 120.
SN V 202. Therefore, one who has not attained even the path of stream-entry is considered an outsider (bāhiro).
- 121.
For example, “he who perceives theory of dependently co-arising, perceives dhamma. And he who perceives dhamma perceives theory of dependently co-arising.” MN I 191: yo paṭiccasamuppādam passati so dhammaṃ passati, yo dhammaṃ passati so paṭiccasamuppādaṃ passati.
- 122.
Vin I 11; SN V 422.
- 123.
Abhidharmasamuccaya 66–67, cited in Encyclopedia of Buddhism I 478.
- 124.
Abhidharmasamuccaya 67.
- 125.
Abhidharmasamuccaya 67.
- 126.
Encyclopedia of Buddhism I 479.
- 127.
Visuddhimagga 697.
- 128.
Visuddhimagga 697.
- 129.
The second stage frees the mind from all outflows: Vin I 14: āsavehi cittāni vimucciṃsu.
- 130.
SN V 467:virajaṃ vītamalaṃ dhammacakkhuṃ udapādi.
- 131.
SN III 68; Vin I 14: imasmiṃ ca pana veyyākarāṇaṃ bhaññamāne pañcavaggiyānaṃ bhikkhūnaṃ anupādāya āsavehi cittāni vimucciṃsū.
- 132.
Vin I 17–20.
- 133.
Vin I 39.
- 134.
Vin I 39: ye dhammā hetuppabhavā, tesaṃ hetuṃ tathāgato āha, tesañ ca yo nirodho evaṃvādī mahāsamaṇo.
- 135.
Theragathā 995–96.
- 136.
Vin I 12.
- 137.
Encyclopedia of Buddhism I 479.
- 138.
MN I 9.
- 139.
AN I 242: evam evaṃ kho, bhikkhave, yato ariyasāvakassa virajaṃ vītamalaṃ dhammacakkhuṃ udapādi saha dassanuppādā, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa tīṇi saṃyojanāni pahīyanti—sakkāyadiṭṭhi, vicikicchā, sīlabbataparāmāso.
- 140.
Vin I 16.
- 141.
J-A I 82.
- 142.
Vin I 11; SN V 420–24, Story of Aññākoṇḍañña Vin I 40; Jātaka I 85 Story of Sāriputta.
- 143.
Ap-A 87: story of Aññākoṇḍañña; 90: story of Sāriputta.
- 144.
SN-A II 354: dhammacakkhuṃ nāma heṭṭhimā tayo maggā tīṇi ca phalāni.
- 145.
SN-A III 298: dhammacakkhunti aññattha tayo maggā tīṇi ca phalāni dhammacakkhu nāma honti, idha paṭhamamaggova.
- 146.
Dhs-A 306: heṭṭhimā maggattayasaṅkhātaṃ ñāṇaṃ dhammacakkhuṃ nāma.
- 147.
Bv-A 33: dhammacakkhuṃ nāma heṭṭhimā tayo maggā tīṇi ca phalāni, yaṃ; DN-A 237 dhammacakkhu nāma tiṇṇam maggānam etaṃ adhivacanaṃ.
- 148.
Vin-A V 971: dhammacakkhuṃ udapādīti kesañci sotāpattimaggo kesañci sakadāgāmimaggo, kesañci anāgāmimaggo udapādi. tayopi hi ete maggā dhammacakkhūti vuccanti.
- 149.
DN II 284: ahaṃ kho pana bhante, bhagavato sāvako sotāpanno avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparayaṇoti.
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Nanda, A. (2024). The Stage of Stream-Entry. In: The Theory of the Four Stages of Liberation in Pāli Literature. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-55873-3_2
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