Abstract
This chapter investigates the development of the sub-stages of the stage of stream-entry and the sub-stage of non-returning and other doctrinal elements involved with these sub-stages. Regarding the sub-stages of stream-entry, it argues that originally, the stage of once-returning was also a sub-stage of stream-entry; later, it was developed as an independent stage. Regarding the sub-stages of the stage of non-returning, it argues that these stages appear to have developed in the Abhidhamma period and later crept into the Pāli Nikāyas. By comparing and contrasting the definition of the concept of antarāparinibbāyı̄ in the Pāli commentaries and Sarvastivāda literature with the Pāli Nikāya sources, it becomes clear that the Sarvāstivāda interpretation as intermediate existence (antārabhava), i.e. ‘before taking rebirth’, seems to be closer to the Pāli Nikāya implication, which implies the existence of some kind of intermediate existence. Further, it argues the interpretation of sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyı̄ and asaṅkhāraparinibbāyı̄ as ‘one attains liberation with effort’ and ‘one attains liberation without effort’ respectively are absurd. Rather, these should be interpreted as ‘one attains liberation with karmic remnant’ and ‘one attains liberation without karmic remnant’.
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Notes
- 1.
SN V 342–413.
- 2.
AN I 233; AN V 120.
- 3.
AKB III 356; Dhammajoti 2015a: 458.
- 4.
Murthy 2005: 85–98.
- 5.
Gombrich 1975: 118.
- 6.
Pug-A 196, AKB III 2107, note 394.
- 7.
Bingenheimer 2010: 26.
- 8.
Kv 5.
- 9.
AN I 228: sace Udāyi Ānanda avitarāgo kālam kareyya tena cittappasādena sattakkhattum devesu deverajjaṃ kareyya, sattakkhattuṃ imasmiṃ yeva Jambudīpe mahārajjaṃ kareyya.
- 10.
SN-A III 238
- 11.
Ekabīji sutta vaṇṇanā, mahāvagga-ṭīka, II 195 VRI edition:sotāpattiphalasacchikiriyato paṭṭhāya hi nīcakule uppatti nāma natthi, mahābhogesu kulesu eva nibbattatīti attho. kevalopi hi kūla-saddo mahābhogakulameva vadati.
- 12.
AN-ṭīka, dutiyasikkhāsuttavaṇṇanā, II 171 VRI: uḷārakulavacano vā ettha kulasaddo, kulato kulaṃ gacchatīti kolaṃkolo. sotāpattiphalasacchikiriyato paṭṭhāya hi nīcakule uppatti nāma natthi, mahābhogakulesu eva nibbattatīti attho. kevalo hi kulasaddo mahākulameva vadati “kulaputto”tiādīsu viya.
- 13.
AN I 223.
- 14.
AN-ṭīka, II 176 VRI : ekabīji etha khandha bījaṃ nāma kathitaṃ, yassa hi sotapannassa ekaṃ khandabījaṃ atthi, ekaṃ attabhavaggahanaṃ so ekabījī nāma.
- 15.
AN-ṭīka II 171 VRI: ekabījī etha khanadhabījaṃ nāma kathitaṃ khandhabījanti ca paṭisandhiviññāṇaṃ vuccati.
- 16.
SN-A III 237.
- 17.
ugghaṭitaññū ekabījī hoti, vipañcitaññu kolaṃkola hoti, neyyo sattakkhattuparamo hoti, idaṃ nibbedhabhāgiyaṃ suttaṃ.
- 18.
SN V 204–5: imesaṃ kho bhikkhave pañcannaṃ indriyānaṃ samattā paripūrattā arahaṃ hoti, tato mudutarehi antarāparinibbāyī, tato mudutarehi upahaccaparinibbāyī hoti, tato mudutarehi asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti, tato mudutarehi sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti, tato mudutarehi uddhaṃ soto hoti Akiniṭṭhagāmī, tato mudutarehi sakadāgāmī hoti, tato mudutarehi ekabījī hoti, tato mudutarehi kolaṃkolo hoti, tato mudutarehi sattakkhattupāramo hoti, tato mudutarehi dhammānusārī hoti, tato mudutarehi saddhānusārī hoti.
- 19.
DN I 156; II 92; III 107, 108, 132, 255; MN I 35; 465, 467.
- 20.
Kv 299.
- 21.
AN-A II 249: sakadāgāmino hi rāgadayo abbhapaṭalaṃ viya macchikāpattaṃ viya ca tanukā honti, na bahalā.
- 22.
DN-A II 543.patanubhūtattāti ettha dvīhi kāraṇehi patanubhāva veditabbo adhiccuppattiya pariyuṭṭhānamaṇḍatāya ca. sakadāmissa hi vattānusārimahājanassa viya kilesā.
- 23.
AN III 348.
- 24.
AN III 351.
- 25.
DN II 93.
- 26.
DN II 218: catu-vīsati-sata-sahassāni Māgadhakā paricārakā abbhatītā kālakatā tiṇṇaṃ samyojanānaṃ parikkhayā sotāpannā avinipata-dhammā niyatā saṃbodhiparāyanā, atthi c’eva ettha sakadāgāmino
- 27.
Ud 79.
- 28.
AN 231.
- 29.
SN V 376: “idha pana, mahānāma, ekacco puggalo buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti – itipi so bhagavā … pe … satthā devamanussānaṃ buddho bhagavāti. Dhamme … pe … saṅghe … pe … na hāsapañño na javanapañño na ca vimuttiyā samannāgato. So tiṇṇaṃ saṃyojanānaṃ parikkhayā rāgadosamohānaṃ tanuttā sakadāgāmī hoti, sakideva imaṃ lokaṃ āgantvā dukkhassantaṃ karoti. Ayampi kho, mahānāma, puggalo parimutto nirayā parimutto tiracchānayoniyā parimutto pettivisayā parimutto apāyaduggativinipātā.
- 30.
SN V 204.
- 31.
AN I 233.
- 32.
Manne 1995a: 49.
- 33.
AN II 231–2.
- 34.
Pug-A 197: (1) ekacco hi idha sakadāgāmiphalaṃ patvā idheva parinibbāyati; (2) ekacco idha patvā devaloke parinibbāyati, (3) ekacco devaloke patvā tattheva parinibbāyati, (4) ekacco devaloke patvā idhūpapajjitvā parinibbāyati. (5) yo pana idha patvā devaloke yāvatāyukaṃ vasitvā puna idhūpapajjitvā parinibbāyati.
- 35.
DN-A II 543: imaṃ lokan ti idaṃ kāmāvacanaṃ lokati sandhāya vuṭṭam ayaṃ h’ ettha addhippāyo; Sv-ṭīka, aṭṭhakathāyaṃ pana imaṃ lokanti kāmabhavo adhippatoti imaṃ aṭṭhaṃ vibhāvetum.
- 36.
Pañcapakaraṇa-Aṭṭhakathā 197: imassa pana sakadāgāmino ekabījinā saddhim kim nānākaraṇanti?
- 37.
Pañcapakaraṇa-Aṭṭhakathā 197: ekabījissa-ekāva paṭisandhi sakadāgāmissa dve paṭisandhiyo idaṃ nānākaranti.
- 38.
DN-A II 543: sace hi manussesu sakadāgāmi-phalaṃ patto devesu nibbattitvā arahattaṃ sacchikaroti, ice etaṃ kusalaṃ asakkanto puna avassaṃ manussalokaṃ āgantvā sakkhikaroti, devesu sakadāgāmiphalaṃ patto pi sace manussesu nibbattitvā arahattaṃ sacchikaroti, iccetam kusalaṃ asakkonto puna avassaṃ devaloaṃ gantvā sacchikaroti.
- 39.
Liew 2009: 233.
- 40.
DN III 237; SN V 201, 202; AN I 233; IV. 13, 145, 380.
- 41.
AN IV 70–1.
- 42.
AN II 133–4.
- 43.
AN II 133–4.
- 44.
AN-A III 130–1.
- 45.
SN V 205.
- 46.
AKB III 1954.
- 47.
AN IV 70.
- 48.
This section is derived in part from an article published in Asian Philosophy: An International Journal of the Philosophical Traditions of the East, 30 May 2019. Taylor & Francis. Available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/ (https://doi.org/10.1080/09552367.2019.1611999).
- 49.
AN IV 70.
- 50.
AN IV 71.
- 51.
Pug-A 199.
- 52.
‘The Point of Controversy’ 212–13.
- 53.
‘The Points of Controversy’ 212.
- 54.
Pug 16.
- 55.
Pug-A198: antarāparinibbāyiniddese upannaṃ vā samantarā ti upapannasamantarā vā hutvā appattaṃ vā vemajjhaṃ āyuppamāṇaṃ ti āyuppamāṇavemajjhaṃ appattaṃ vā hutvā ariyamaggaṃ sañjanetīti pi attho veditabbo. evaṃ tayo antarāparinibbāyino siddhā honti.
- 56.
Bodhi (tr). 2000: 1902, note 65.
- 57.
Pug-A 198: antarāparinibbāyiniddese upapannaṃ vā samanatarā ti upapanasamantarā vā hutvā appattaṃ vā vemajjhaṃ āyuppamānaṃ ti āyuppamāṇavemajjhaṃ appattaṃ vā hutvā ariyamaggaṃ sañjanetīti pi atho veditabbo (he, either immediately after his birth or before reaching the middle of his life span [in the pure abodes], brings forth the noble path. Such an individual should be unknown as an intermediate-liberated being.)
- 58.
Pug-A 198: upahacca-parinibbāyiniddese atikkamitvā vemajjhaṃ āyuppamāna vemajjhaṃ atikkamitvā upahacca vā kālakiriyan ti upagantvā kālakiriyaṃ āyukkha āsanne ṭhatvā ti attho. (Having passed the middle of life span or advancing towards death [in the pure abodes brings] forth the noble path. Such an individual should be known as upahacca parinibbāyī).
- 59.
AN II 133–34.
- 60.
Harvey 1995: 100.
- 61.
Bodhi (tr). 2012: 1701 n 829.
- 62.
This view currently challenges many scholars, for instance, Buddhadasa in Thailand; they argue that the diagram represents just one life, not three lives, as interpreted by Buddhaghosa.
- 63.
AN I 223.
- 64.
SN IV 400; yasmiṃ kho vaccha samaye imañca kāyaṃ nikkhipati satto ca aññataraṃ kāyaṃ anuppanno hoti. taṃ ahaṃ taṇhupādānaṃ vadāmi. taṇhā hissa vaccha tasmiṃ samaye upādānaṃ hoti tī.
- 65.
MNI 48.
- 66.
Sn verse no. 8;Verse
Verse diṭṭhā vā ye va adiṭṭhā, ye va dūre vasanti avidūre, bhūtā va sambhavesī va, sabbasattā bhavantu sukhitattā. (Visible or invisible, those who live either distant or nearby, those who have become [born] and those seeking rebirths, may all beings be happy).
- 67.
SN-A II 23; ye sambhavaṃ jātim nibbattiṃ esanti gavesanti. tattha catūsu yonīsu aṇḍajalābīja satta yāva aṇḍakosaṃ vatthikosañca na bhindanti, tāva saṃbhavesino nāma aṇḍakosam vatthikosañca bhinditvā bahi nikkatā bhūtā nāma. saṃsedajā opapātikā ca paṭhamacittakkhaṇe saṃbhavesino nāma, dutiyacittakkhaṇato pabhuti bhūtā nāma. yena vā iriyāpathena jāyanti, yāva tato aññaṃ na pāpuṇanti, tāva sambhavesino, tato paraṃ bhūtā nāma.
- 68.
SN I 122.
- 69.
DN II 57; the list includes deva, yakkha, bhūta, manussa, and gandhabba.
- 70.
DN II 212.
- 71.
SN III 250.
- 72.
DN II 264.
- 73.
AN II 39.
- 74.
MN I 265.
- 75.
MN II 157.
- 76.
MN-A III 310, gandhabbo ti tatrūpakasatto paccupaṭṭhito hoti na mātāpitunnaṃ sannipātaṃ olokayamāno samīpe ṭhito nāma hoti, kammayantayantito pana eko satto tasmiṃ okāse nibbattanako hoti ti ayaṃ ettha adhippāyo (gandhabba means being waiting and standing close by, does not means watching from vicinity the union of parents. It refers to a being a born in that moment by means of kamma).
- 77.
MN-A III 41: imaṃ gandhabbapañhaṃ puṭṭhā na sampāyissanti (this question of gandhabba will not be explained).
- 78.
Wijesekera 1945: 175–212.
- 79.
Cuevas 1996: 263–302.
- 80.
SN-A I 300.
- 81.
Wijesekera 1994: 134. This is a well-written research article on the philosophical import of the Vedic Yakṣa and Pāli Yakkha.
- 82.
Milindapañha 123.
- 83.
Milindapañha 123.
- 84.
DN I 63.
- 85.
MN II 262.
- 86.
DNII 325.
- 87.
SN III 54.
- 88.
Wijesekera 1994: 193.
- 89.
Visuddhimagga 460.
- 90.
Visuddhimagga 460.
- 91.
Kalupahana and Koyu 1961: 731.
- 92.
AN II 39.
- 93.
Hoffman 2002: 64.
- 94.
Analāyo 2008: 96.
- 95.
MNI 266.
- 96.
DN II 63.
- 97.
AN I 196; SN II 298; III 231; DN III 247.; channaṃ bhikkhave dhātūnaṃ upādāya gabbhassāvakkhanti hoti, okkantiyā sati nāma-rūpa (oh monks entering into the womb is a derivation of six elements, having entered, they become psychophysical aspects).
- 98.
Spiro 1982: 107.
- 99.
ANI 258.
- 100.
SN III 4.
- 101.
The Bṛhadayak Upaniṣad 3.5.1, 9.26, the Chāndayoga Upaniṣad. 8.1.5. 1–3; cited by Wijesekara (1943/1994: 200).
- 102.
SN IV 58; MN I 138.
- 103.
SN-A III 1030; AN-A II 350.
- 104.
AKB III 1948.
- 105.
Boisvert 1995: 101.
- 106.
Stcherbatsky 1923: 18.
- 107.
Horner (tr). 2007: XXIV.
- 108.
Horner (tr). 2007: xxiv–xxv.
- 109.
Boisvert 1995: 91–103.
- 110.
SN III 60.
- 111.
AN III 415:cetanāhaṃbhikkhave kammaṃvadām icetayitvā kammaṃ karoti kāyena vācāya manasā.
- 112.
AN I 111.
- 113.
AKB I 358-9.
- 114.
DN I 18; SN III 87.
- 115.
Padmasiri 1994: 117.
- 116.
Boisvert 1995: 96.
- 117.
Vbh 135.
- 118.
Vbh 135.
- 119.
AN IV 312.
- 120.
Pug, 17.
- 121.
AN II 156.
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Nanda, A. (2024). Development of the Sub-stages. 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_6
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