The four stages of awakening

The Nikayas stipulate a fixed series of stages through which a person passes on the way toward the attainment of Nibbana. On entering the irriversable path to Nibbana, one becomes a nobel person, the word “nobel” denoting spirtual nobility. There are four major types of nobel persons. Each stage is devided into two phases: The path, and its fruition. In the path phase, one is said to be practicing for the attainment of a paticular fruition, which one is bound to realize within that same life. In the resultant phase, one is said to be established in that fruition. Thus the four major types of nobel persons actually comprise of four pairs or eight types of nobel individuals. These are:

• One practicing for the realization of the fruit of Stream-entry, the stream-enterer
• One practicing for the realization of the fruit of Once-returning, the once-returner
• One practicing for the realization of the fruit of Non-returning, the non-returner
• One practicing for arahantship, the Arahant

The eight are graded according to the relative strength of their spiritual faculties, so that those at each subsequent stage possess stronger faculties. These faculties are faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. The first seven persons are known as sekhas, trainies or deciples in the higher training; the Arahant is known as the asekha, the one beyond training.

The four main stages are defined in two ways: (1) by the way of the defilements erradicated by the path leading to the corresponding fruit; and (2) by the way of the destiny after death that awaits one who realizes a paticular fruit. The Nikayas group the defilements abandonded into a set of ten fetters.

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References

• Bodhi, Bhikkhu. (2005). In the Buddha’s Words An Anthology of Discources from the Pali Canon Chapter 10. The Planes of Realization (Location 6431). Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications.

• Anguttara Nikaya 8:59; IV 292

• Samyutta Nikaya 48:18; V 202

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Type:🔵 Tags: Philosophy / Psychology Status:⏳