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11. Connected Discourses on Stream-Entry 1. Veḷudvāra Chapter 1. Discourse on the Wheel-Turning King 997. At Sāvatthī. There the Blessed One… said this: “Even if, monks, a wheel-turning king, having ruled over the four continents with sovereignty and dominion, after the breaking up of the body, after death, reappears in a good destination, a heavenly world, in the company of the Tāvatiṃsa gods, and there, surrounded by a host of nymphs in the Nandana Grove, endowed and furnished with the five divine sense-pleasures, he enjoys himself—he is not endowed with four qualities. Therefore, he is not freed from hell, not freed from the animal realm, not freed from the realm of hungry ghosts, not freed from states of woe, bad destinations, perdition. Even if, monks, a noble disciple lives on almsfood and wears rags, he is endowed with four qualities. Therefore, he is freed from hell, freed from the animal realm, freed from the realm of hungry ghosts, freed from states of woe, bad destinations, perdition.” “With which four? Here, monks, a noble disciple is endowed with unwavering faith in the Buddha: ‘Indeed, the Blessed One is Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, fortunate, knower of the world, unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, Awakened, Blessed.’ He is endowed with unwavering faith in the Dhamma: ‘The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One, directly visible, timeless, inviting one to come and see, onward-leading, to be personally experienced by the wise.’ He is endowed with unwavering faith in the Saṅgha: ‘The Saṅgha of the Blessed One’s disciples is practicing the good way, practicing the straight way, practicing the true way, practicing the proper way; that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight individual types—this Saṅgha of the Blessed One’s disciples is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit is a field for the world. He is endowed with virtues dear to the noble ones, unbroken, flawless, unblemished, untarnished, liberating, praised by the wise, untainted, conducive to concentration. He is endowed with these four qualities. And, monks, the gain of four continents, the gain of four qualities, the gain of four continents, is not worth a sixteenth part of the gain of four qualities. The First. 2. The Discourse on the Immersion in the Holy Life 998. "Monks, an ariyan disciple endowed with four qualities is a stream-enterer, not subject to falling into lower states, certain, bound for full enlightenment. "With which four? Here, monks, an ariyan disciple is endowed with unwavering faith in the Buddha – 'Thus indeed is that Blessed One: Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, endowed with knowledge and conduct, well-gone, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, the Awakened One, the Blessed One.' in the Dhamma... in the Saṅgha... he is endowed with virtues dear to the noble ones, unbroken... conducive to concentration. Indeed, monks, an ariyan disciple endowed with these four qualities is a stream-enterer, not subject to falling into lower states, certain, bound for full enlightenment." This the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Well-Gone One, the Teacher, further said this – "Those who have faith and virtue, clarity and insight into the Dhamma; they indeed mature in time, into the happiness immersed in the holy life." The Second. 3. The Discourse to Dīghāvu the Lay Follower 999. At one time the Blessed One was staying at Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels’ Feeding Ground. Now at that time Dīghāvu the lay follower was ill, suffering, gravely ill. Then Dīghāvu the lay follower addressed his father, Jotika the householder – "Come, householder, go to the Blessed One; having gone, bow your head at the Blessed One’s feet in my name – 'Venerable sir, Dīghāvu the lay follower is ill, suffering, gravely ill. He bows his head at the Fortunate One's feet. And say this: 'It would be good, venerable sir, if the Fortunate One would approach the dwelling of the lay follower Dīghāvu, out of compassion.' 'Yes, dear one,' said the householder Jotika, having assented to the lay follower Dīghāvu, he approached the Fortunate One. Having approached, he saluted the Fortunate One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the householder Jotika said this to the Fortunate One: 'Venerable sir, the lay follower Dīghāvu is afflicted, suffering, gravely ill. He bows his head at the Fortunate One's feet. And he says this: 'It would be good, venerable sir, if the Fortunate One would approach the dwelling of the lay follower Dīghāvu, out of compassion.' The Fortunate One assented by silence. Then the Fortunate One, having dressed, and taken his bowl and robe, approached the dwelling of the lay follower Dīghāvu. Having approached, he sat down on the seat prepared. Having sat down, the Fortunate One said this to the lay follower Dīghāvu: 'I hope, Dīghāvu, you are bearing up, I hope you are getting by? I hope your painful feelings are receding, not advancing; that their receding is evident, not their advancing?' 'Venerable sir, I am not bearing up, I am not getting by. My painful feelings are strongly advancing, not receding; their advancing is evident, not their receding.' 'Therefore, Dīghāvu, you should train yourself thus: 'I shall be endowed with unwavering faith in the Buddha – thus is the Fortunate One, Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, well-gone, knower of the worlds, unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, the Awakened One, the Fortunate One. In the Dhamma... In the Saṅgha... I shall be endowed with the virtues dear to the noble ones, unbroken... conducive to concentration.' Thus, Dīghāvu, you should train yourself.' 'Venerable sir, these four factors of stream-entry that have been taught by the Fortunate One, those qualities are found in me, and I am firm in those qualities...' I am. For I, venerable sir, am endowed with unwavering faith in the Buddha – thus indeed is that Blessed One... teacher of gods and humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One. In the Dhamma... in the Sangha... am endowed with the virtues dear to the noble ones, unbroken... conducive to concentration. "Therefore, Dīghāvu, having established yourself in these four factors of stream-entry, you should further develop the six parts of knowledge. Here, Dīghāvu, dwell contemplating impermanence in all formations, perceiving suffering in the impermanent, perceiving non-self in suffering, perceiving abandonment, perceiving dispassion, perceiving cessation. Thus, Dīghāvu, should you train." "Venerable sir, these six parts of knowledge which were taught by the Blessed One, those qualities are found in me, and I am seen in those qualities. For I, venerable sir, dwell contemplating impermanence in all formations, perceiving suffering in the impermanent, perceiving non-self in suffering, perceiving abandonment, perceiving dispassion, perceiving cessation. Moreover, venerable sir, it occurs to me thus: 'May this householder Jotika not come to harm after my passing.'" "Do not, my dear Dīghāvu, think thus. Come now, my dear Dīghāvu, whatever the Blessed One told you, that alone you should carefully bear in mind." Then the Blessed One, having exhorted Dīghāvu the lay follower with this exhortation, rose from his seat and departed. Then Dīghāvu the lay follower, not long after the Blessed One had departed, passed away. Then a number of bhikkhus approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, they sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, those bhikkhus said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, that lay follower named Dīghāvu, who was exhorted by the Blessed One with a brief exhortation, has passed away. What is his destination? What is his future state?" "Wise, bhikkhus, was Dīghāvu the lay follower, he practiced in accordance with the Dhamma, and did not trouble me concerning the Dhamma." you torment. Monks, the lay follower Dīghāvu, with the destruction of the five lower fetters, is an apparitional being, there he attains final Nibbāna, not liable to return from that world.” The Third. 4. The First Sāriputta Sutta 1000. At one time, the venerable Sāriputta and the venerable Ānanda were dwelling in Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then the venerable Ānanda, in the evening, having risen from seclusion… …sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the venerable Ānanda said to the venerable Sāriputta: “Friend Sāriputta, by the possession of how many qualities has this generation been declared by the Blessed One as stream-enterers, not liable to fall into states of woe, assured, bound for enlightenment?” “Friend, by the possession of four qualities has this generation been declared by the Blessed One as stream-enterers, not liable to fall into states of woe, assured, bound for enlightenment.” “Which four? Here, friend, a noble disciple is endowed with unwavering faith in the Buddha: ‘Indeed, that Blessed One is… …teacher of gods and humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One.’ In the Dhamma… …in the Saṅgha… …is endowed with the virtues dear to the noble ones, unbroken… …conducive to concentration. Friend, by the possession of these four qualities has this generation been declared by the Blessed One as stream-enterers, not liable to fall into states of woe, assured, bound for enlightenment.” The Fourth. 5. The Second Sāriputta Sutta 1001. Then the venerable Sāriputta approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. To the venerable Sāriputta, sitting to one side, the Blessed One said: “‘A factor of stream-entry, a factor of stream-entry’ is said here, Sāriputta. Now what, Sāriputta, is a factor of stream-entry?” “Association with good people, venerable sir,