Reply To: Saccavibhaṅga Sutta

#51880
Lal
Keymaster

I have revised the Pathfinder’s link to where to start reading about this issue.

1. Venerables Sariputta and Moggalana were the chief disciples of the Buddha.

  • They excelled in two different areas. Ven. Sariputta excelled in Dhamma, the core teachings, and Ven. Moggalana excelled in cultivating Ariya jhana and supernormal (iddhi) powers.

2. A bhikkhu‘s first goal is to attain the Sotapanna stage and “be born in the Ariya lineage.” Once “born an Ariya,” a bhikkhu needs to get to higher magga phala mostly via cultivating insight meditation (the same as Satipatthana/Anapanasati). 

  • Some (born with relevant gati) also cultivated iddhi powers (via cultivating jhana).
  • Thus, Ven. Sariputta helped in the “(Ariya) birth-giving process,” and Ven. Moggallana helped in the latter stages.

3. One should read the sutta with that background.

 

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