Sotapanna
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In Buddhism, a sotapanna (Pali, Sanskrit: srotapanna) (or sotapatti), a stream-enterer or stream-winner, is a person, who has eradicated the first three fetters of the mind, that prevent freedom. Sotapanna literally means "one who enters (āpadyate) the stream (sota)", after a simile that compares attaining enlightenment with crossing a stream and reaching the further shore. Sotapannaship is the first of the four stages of enlightenment.
Buddha said that a stream-enterer will surely attain full enlightenment (Arahantship) within no more than seven successive rebirths, possibly in this current life. The Venerable One will thus give the gift of the realisation of the end of suffering to him/herself within seven lives and is capable of giving the great gifts to many. The stream-winner can also be sure that he or she will not be reborn in any of the unhappy rebirths (that is, as an animal, as a preta, or as a being in hell (Niraya). The stream-enterer has attained an intuitive grasp of Buddhist doctrine (Skt: samyagdṛṣṭi; Pali: sammādiṭṭhi, "right view"), has complete confidence in the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, and follows Buddhist morality (sila). The stream-enterer is said to have "opened the eye of the Dharma" (Pāli: dhammacakkhu), which means that he has seen Dhamma and, as a result of that, can see it (his eye is open now, not closed any more).
The three specific chains or fetters (Pali: saṃyojana) of which the Sotapanna is free are:
- Sakkāya-diṭṭhi (Pali) - Belief in self
- Vicikicchā (Pali) - Skeptical doubt
- Sīlabbata-parāmāsa (Pali) - Attachment to rites and rituals
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[edit] Sotapatti path
The student walking in the Sotapatti path must destroy three sanyojanas (fetters):
- The animistic superstition that inside the body there is a permanent soul or a ghost, who sees, hears, smells, tastes, etc.;
- The superstition that without austerities and bodily mortifications heaven could not be got;
- Doubt of a future life, or a future world and of the Karma doctrine with its corollary the law of causality.
If he succeeds in the path he enjoys the fruit of Sotapatti. He has entered the threshold of Nirvana, and no more can he again enter the samsara. He is a niyato sambodhiparayano. The gates of hell are closed for him for ever. Nirvana is assured for him either in one more birth, or three or seven. The rest of the term of life he may return to the earth, or he may be born in the devalokas and pass onwards from devaloka to devaloka until he realizes Nirvana. Countless billions of years he may enjoy the celestial pleasures of the higher heavens. A Sotapatti never violates the moral law. He is incapable of destroying life, consciously, and he is incapable of dishonest gain, and can never be adulterous, nor can he tell lies, and drink intoxicants. However, a Sotapatti has not the wisdom of a Sakadagami, not to speak of the higher estates. Thousands of laymen and women in the time of the Blessed One realized the Sotapatti state. Till the end of the Buddhasasana good people who follow the path, and made the effort to destroy the three sanyojanas can reach the Sotapatti state. But they must make the effort. Those who make the effort now are born with better upanissaya karma for the realization of Nirvana in the future births. The very effort to walk in the path by observing the five silas, and the rules of brahmachariya on the sabbath days helps to create the upanissaya karma. It is necessary when creating good karma in this life the aspirant should have an aim. He should not proceed aimlessly.
[edit] Venerable Sariputta and the Sotapanna
There was a great man who contributed a lot to increase of the number of Sotapanna in the Sangha and it was Venerable Sariputta, below pointed out by the Buddha for his love for the Sangha.
"Monks, follow Sariputta and Moggallana; associate with Sariputta and Moggallana. Wise monks do help (materially and spiritually) those who live the holy life. Monks, Sariputta is like unto a mother, Moggallana is like unto a foster-mother to a child. Sariputta, monks, trains (beings) in the path of stream-attainment. Moggallana in the highest goal (arahantship).Sariputta, monks, is able to proclaim, teach, lay down, establish, open up, analyze, and elucidate the Four Noble Truths." In Samyutta Nikaya 55.5 Sotapatti samyutta - the venerable Sariputta is questioned by the Buddha about the stream and a stream-enterer.
[edit] Literature and Sotapanna
The Buddha spoke favourable about the Sotapanna on many occasions, and even though it is the first of Sangha members, he or she is welcomed by all other Sangha-members for he or she practices for the benefit and welfare of many. In the literature the Sangha is often described as the four when taken as pairs the eight when taken as individuals. Thus the first one of the pairs is referred to as the Sotapanna, a stream enterer, however when taken as eight individual, not only is the Sotapanna acts with stream-entry present but also a Sotapanna (plus), A Noble One who acts for the fruit of stream-entry. The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples is practising the good way, practising the straight way, practising the true way, practising the proper; that is the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals - this Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.
The fifty-fifth samyutta of the Samyutta Nikaya is titled the Sotāpatti-saṃyutta, and concerns a bit about Sotapannas and their attainment. In following Sutta-numbers of that chapter 1-4, 6-9, 11-14, 16-20, 22-36, 39-49, 51, 53, 54 are they praised as Sangha members by and to sick, layfollowers, people on deathbed, bhikkhunis , bhikkhus, devas and end up for wellbeing and benefit many.
- Dhammapada 178:
- Sole dominion over the earth,
- going to heaven,
- lordship over all worlds:
- the fruit of stream-entry
- excels them.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2004). Stream Entry (Part 2: Stream-entry and After). Retrieved 28 Sep 2007 from "Access to Insight" at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/stream2.html.
- Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2006). Stream Entry (Part 1: The Way to Stream-entry). Retrieved 28 Sep 2007 from "Access to Insight" at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/stream.html.
- Transformationhelp for warvictims to Sotapanna
