Hello LayDhammafollower,
Even though no one but a Buddha can know the state of another person’s mind, it is possible that you could be a Sotapanna Anugami or getting close to it.
1. It could be helpful to broaden your understanding to the long-term, i.e., the samsaric scale.
– You are looking at this human world and seeing the suffering EXPERIENCED by humans. You may be seeing a contradiction because some people may not EXPERIENCE much suffering even until death (for example, a healthy, wealthy individual dying from a sudden heart attack.)
– However, the SUFFERING that the Buddha referred to was NOT the suffering one experiences now, but CAUSES FOR FUTURE SUFFERING.
– In fact, the recent post discussed exactly that: “Noble Truth of Suffering- Pañcupādānakkhandhā Dukkhā.” You may want to read that subsection too: “Paṭicca Samuppāda During a Lifetime”
– Thus, even that person who “lived happily and died a sudden death” likely accumulated more causes for future suffering. Unless he were at least a Sotapanna Anugami, he would have enjoyed the sensory pleasures and strived to seek more such pleasures. Such efforts only lead to more future suffering.
– The Buddha never said that there are no sensory pleasures in this world. There is no problem in experiencing sensory pleasures. The problem is to ATTACH TO such sensory pleasures and to engage in activities that will prolong the rebirth process. In fact, Deva realms have much more pleasures than we could ever imagine. Even though they have much longer lifetimes as well, those “pleasurable lives” INEVITABLY come to an end, and then they will also end up in the four misery realms (apayas) at some point. That is why we need to look at the “big picture.”
– The article that you referred to at the end only has a very narrow focus. It is possible for life on Earth to be severely affected in many ways, not only by environmental issues. For example, a comet impact can wipe out most of life on Earth, and there is emerging evidence that such events happened in the past.
2. You wrote: “but, I still feel like something is missing from my understanding. I feel like I have incomplete understanding. I do not know why but it is case. I still cannot give up on craving to everything.”
– It is very likely that one would NOT lose ALL cravings for sensory pleasures even at the Sotapanna stage, not just Sotapanna Anugami stage.
– “Cravings” are at different levels. A Sotapanna Anugami loses cravings ONLY to the extent that they WILL NOT do apayagami actions based on cravings. Only at that Anagami stage would one lose all cravings for sensory pleasures in the “kama loka.” That is why a Sotapanna or a Sotapnna Anugami will be reborn in the higher realms of “kama loka.” An Anagami would not be reborn in the “kama loka.” See, “Is It Necessary for a Buddhist to Eliminate Sensual Desires?”
3. You wrote: “I feel like my not having achieved magga phala might have to do something with kammic obstructions.”
– It is also possible that you can overcome any such effects. It may just need a bit more effort.