English
Just as the three winds can only destroy the clouds covering the moon, not see the moon, so the conformity thoughts can only dispel the darkness concealing the truth, not see Nibbāna. Just as that man can only see the moon, not destroy the clouds, so the change-of-lineage knowledge can only see Nibbāna, not dispel the darkness of defilements. Therefore, this is called the 'turning towards' of the path. For though it is not a 'turning towards' itself, it stands in the place of a 'turning towards', and as if giving a sign to the path, "Thus arise!", it ceases. And the path, not letting go of the sign given by it, continuously following that knowledge without interruption, arises, as if piercing and splitting the previously unpierced, previously un-split aggregates of greed, hatred, and delusion. 809. Here is an analogy – A certain archer, it is said, having set up a hundred planks in a space of about eight oxen's length, having wrapped his face with cloth, having strung his arrow, stood at a turning wheel. Another man, having turned the wheel, when a plank faced the archer, then gave a sign there with a stick. The archer, not letting go of the stick's sign, shot the arrow and pierced the hundred planks. There, the stick's sign is like the change-of-lineage knowledge; the archer is like the path-knowledge. Like the archer piercing the hundred planks without letting go of the stick's sign, so the path-knowledge, without letting go of the sign given by the change-of-lineage knowledge, making Nibbāna its object, (pierces) the previously unpierced, previously un-split aggregates of greed, hatred, and delusion... the piercing and breaking of the aggregates. 810. This path not only pierces the aggregates of greed and so forth, but it also dries up the immeasurable ocean of suffering in the cycle of existence, closes all doors to the lower realms, brings about the presence of the seven noble treasures, abandons the eightfold wrong path, calms all dangers and fears, leads to being an own son of the Perfectly Enlightened One, and conduces to the attainment of hundreds of other benefits. Thus, the knowledge associated with the stream-entry path, which bestows such numerous benefits, is called knowledge of the stream-entry path. The knowledge of the first path is finished. The Discourse on the Stream-Enterer 811. Immediately after this knowledge, two or three fruit-consciousness moments, which are its results, arise. It is precisely because of the immediate result of supramundane wholesome actions that it is said, "They call concentration immediate knowledge" (Khp. 6.5) and "He slowly attains the immediate destruction of the defilements" (A. IV.162), and so forth. Some say one, two, three, or four fruit-consciousness moments, but that should not be accepted. For at the end of the repeated practice of the adaptation consciousness, the lineage-changing knowledge arises. Therefore, at the very end, there must be two adaptation consciousness moments. For one does not receive the condition of repeated practice, and a single advertence thought-process is limited to seven thought moments. Therefore, for one who has two adaptation consciousness moments, the third is lineage-changing, the fourth is path-consciousness, and there are three fruit-consciousness moments. For one who has three adaptation consciousness moments, the fourth is lineage-changing, the fifth is path-consciousness, and there are two fruit-consciousness moments. Therefore, it is said, "two or three fruit-consciousness moments arise." Some say that for one who has four adaptation consciousness moments, the fifth is lineage-changing, the sixth is path-consciousness, and there is one fruit-consciousness moment, but that is rejected because it is applied to the fourth or fifth, not beyond that, due to being close to the life-continuum. Therefore, it should not be essentially believed. 812. And by this much, this person is called a stream-enterer, the second He is a noble person. Even if very heedless, having wandered and transmigrated seven times among gods and humans, he is capable of making an end to suffering. At the end of the fruition, his mind descends into the life-continuum. Then, having cut off the life-continuum, for the purpose of reviewing the path, mind-door adverting arises. When that ceases, in succession, seven path-reviewing impulsion moments arise. Again, descending into the life-continuum, in the same way, adverting and so forth arise for the purpose of reviewing the fruition and so on. With their arising, he reviews the path, he reviews the fruition, he reviews the abandoned defilements, he reviews the remaining defilements, he reviews Nibbāna. Indeed, he reviews the path, thinking: "By this path, I have come." Then he reviews the fruition, thinking: "This benefit I have gained." Then he reviews the abandoned defilements, thinking: "These defilements, indeed, have been abandoned by me." Then he reviews the remaining defilements, thinking: "These defilements, indeed, remain," which are to be overcome by the three higher paths. And finally, he reviews the deathless Nibbāna, thinking: "This Dhamma has been penetrated by me as an object." Thus, for the stream-enterer, the noble disciple, there are five reviews. And just as for the stream-enterer, so too for the once-returner and the non-returner. But for the Arahant, there is no review of remaining defilements. Thus, all these are called nineteen reviews. This is indeed the highest classification. For the review of abandoned and remaining defilements may or may not occur even for trainees. Indeed, due to the absence of such a review, Mahānāma asked the Blessed One: "What Dhamma, indeed, remains unabandoned within me, whereby at times the states of greed overwhelm my mind and remain?" (M.N. 1.175) All this should be understood in detail. Discourse on the Knowledge of the Second Path. 813. Having thus reviewed, that stream-entering noble disciple, while seated on that very seat, or at a later time, from sensual desire and ill-will... He applies himself for the attenuation, for the attainment of the second stage. He, having combined the faculties, powers, and factors of awakening, that same conditioned existence, divided into form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness, he crushes it, turns it over, with the knowledge "impermanent, suffering, non-self," he enters the path of insight. For him, thus practicing, in the manner described, at the end of equanimity regarding formations, when the adaptive and lineage-changing knowledges arise with a single advertence, immediately after the lineage-changing knowledge, the Once-Returner path arises. The knowledge associated with it is the knowledge in the Once-Returner path. The second knowledge is completed. Discourse on the third path-knowledge 814. Immediately after this knowledge too, the fruit-consciousness should be understood in the manner described. By this much, he is called a Once-Returner, the fourth noble person, capable of making an end to suffering by coming to this world just once more. Thereafter, the review is in the manner described. Having thus reviewed, that noble disciple, the Once-Returner, seated on that same seat, or at a later time, applies himself for the complete abandonment of sensual desire and ill-will, for the attainment of the third stage. He, having combined the faculties, powers, and factors of awakening, that same conditioned existence, he crushes it, turns it over, with the knowledge "impermanent, suffering, non-self," he enters the path of insight. For him, thus practicing, in the manner described, at the end of equanimity regarding formations, when the adaptive and lineage-changing knowledges arise with a single advertence, immediately after the lineage-changing knowledge, the Non-Returner path arises. The knowledge associated with it is the knowledge in the Non-Returner path. The third knowledge is completed. Discourse on the fourth path-knowledge 815. Immediately after this knowledge too, the fruit-consciousness should be understood in the manner described. By this much, he is called a Non-Returner, the sixth noble person, one who arises spontaneously, attains Nibbāna there, whose nature is not to return, not to come back to this world by way of rebirth. Thereafter, the review is in the manner described. Having thus reviewed, that noble disciple, the Non-Returner, seated on that same seat, or at a later time... By which, for the complete abandonment of attachment to form and formless realms, conceit, restlessness, and ignorance, he applies himself to the attainment of the fourth stage. He, having brought together the faculties, powers, and factors of awakening, with wisdom, he crushes, turns over, and enters the path of insight into those very formations as impermanent, suffering, and non-self. For him, thus practicing, in the manner described, at the culmination of equanimity regarding formations, with a single advertence, when the adaptation and lineage-changing knowledges have arisen, immediately after the lineage-changing knowledge, the path of arahantship arises. The knowledge associated with that is called the knowledge of the path of arahantship. The fourth knowledge is completed. Discourse on the Arahant Person 816. Immediately after this knowledge, the fruition consciousnesses are to be understood in the manner described. By this, he becomes an Arahant, the eighth noble person, one whose defilements are greatly destroyed, bearing the final body, having laid down the burden, having attained his true aim, whose fetters to existence are completely exhausted, rightly liberated by perfect knowledge, the foremost worthy of offerings for the world with its devas.