I doubt that I am at or even near the sotapanna stage, but I’ve always thought that the understanding of anicca, dukkha, anatta gets deeper with each magga phala and culminates at the arahant stage.
So, when you say:
“… I can’t truly believe in Sotapanna’s understanding of anicca / anatta “couldn’t be improved upon”.
… you are right.
A sotapanna‘s understanding of anicca, dukkha, anatta is improved with each magga phala and complete at the arahant stage.
I thought I have seen this in a number of places here at PD, but I did a quick search and saw only one post that alludes to this:
Sankhāra, Kamma, Kamma Bīja, Kamma Vipāka
Under #5, it says:
… Here wisdom means comprehension of the true nature; it starts with getting rid of 10 micchā diṭṭhi and then grows as one understands anicca, dukkha, and anatta to higher levels. Wisdom culminates at the Arahant stage.
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How does the understanding of anicca, dukkha, anatta improve with each stage of magga phala?
I remember reading something like this; you can do a search to verify (I’m not getting hits right now):
A sotapanna understands anicca, dukkha, anatta to the extent that he will not do apayagami kamma to enjoy the pleasures of kama, and he still likes to own things that brings such pleasure.
A sakadagami enjoys pleasures but no longer wishes to own things that bring them.
An anagami is no longer attached to kama (freed from the kama loka).
An arahant is not attached to any realm (complete understanding of anicca, dukkha, anatta)
Best,
Lang
