Thank you for providing the two essential references on Ven. Sariputta attaining Arahanthood.
- I had not thought about this before, but it appears that Ven. Sariputta was an ubhtovimutta Arahant. The translations seem to be correct.
- Note that in the first sutta that Gad cited (Anupada Sutta), it was the Buddha who described how Ven. Sariputta attained Arahanthood and simultaneously got to nirodha samapatti.
- So, Ven. Sariputta attained the ubhtovimutta Arahanthood while listening to the discourse delivered to the wanderer Dīghanakha, per the second sutta, Dīghanakha Sutta. This sutta only says Ven. Sariputta attained Arahanthood, but does not provide details. The details are in the first sutta.
Note that Ven. Culapanthaka also attained ubhtovimutta Arahanthood while contemplating Buddha’s instructions. The whole sequence can happen very quickly. That is why the Buddha stated that the subject of jhana is incomprehensible (acinteyya) for anyone other than a Buddha.
- See “Acinteyya Sutta (AN 4.77).” Four things are fully comprehensible only to a Buddha: “knowledge base of a Buddha and the subjects of jhāna, kamma vipāka, and the world (universe).”
