Dear Dhamma friend (Gad),
I agree with you except this: “A bodhisatta is always a Puthujuna and therefore subject to the apayas.”
We cannot compare a Bodhisatta with a puthujana. Although a Bodhisatta has not achieved magga phala, but he has much much higher wisdom as compared to a puthujana!
A puthujjana gets frequently born into the apayas (its like their home base), but on the other hand a Bodhisattva (due to the power of his paramithas) gets to higher realms (human, deva, brahma) more frequently and less frequently in the apayas.
One interesting fact, I would like to mention here. Samma Sambuddhas and Pacceka Buddhas DO NOT attain sotapanna magga phala. They only attain Sakadagami, Anagami & Arahant magga phala. They have a different pathway.
Sotapanna stage is an additional stage only for the Noble disciples or the ariya savakas (one who enters the stream of Noble Eightfold path through listening to Dhamma). “Sota means “stream”, another meaning of “sota” is “ear”. Hence one who enters the stream by listening/hearing is called a Sotapanna. That is the reason in Dutiyasariputta sutta (SN 55.5), Lord Buddha mentioned 4 factors required for someone to become a Sotapanna (the second factor is saddhammassavanaṁ which means listening to Saddhamma).
One more clarification, there are two types of Bodhisattvas.
(i) One is a “Bodhisattva candidate” (who aspires and is striving/working towards becoming a future Lord Buddha but still in the initial or intermediate stages).
(ii) The other one is a “confirmed Bodhisattva” (who is destined to become a Samma Sambuddha in the future, there is no turning back).
Many sentient beings start at (i) but only very few get to the (ii) stage.
To achieve Samma Sambuddhahood, immense amount of Buddha Shakti (pure Buddha energy) is needed. Throughout millions of maha kappa (aeons), a Bodhisattva fulfills the 10 paramitas (perfections) and gathers immeasurable Buddha energy required to achieve Buddhahood. Its very difficult even to imagine!
As for myself, I am also in the (i) stage.
