Amin asked:
“However, for anyone below an Arahant, due to Avijjā (ignorance) regarding the true nature of reality (Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta), a false sense of self (“I”) is added to this experience.
This creates the illusion of an “I” that is experiencing the sight.
Is this correct? If so, does that mean all our experiences are always contaminated by ignorance? In other words, do we always experience Pañcūpādānakkhandha rather than Pañcakkhandha?
In this context, how does a Sotāpanna perceive the sense of “I”?“
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The “distorted saññā” makes one think certain sensory inputs are “valuable/enjoyable,” i.e., they are of icca, sukha, and atta nature.
- That leads to the following three results: (i) one attaches to it with tanhā thinking, “this is suitable to be mine” (etaṁ mama), (ii) One generates a sense of “me/mine” or asmi māna (esohamasmi), and (iii) One generates the wrong view or “diṭṭhi” that such things are beneficial.
- A Sotapanna only removes the third one, specifically sakkāya diṭṭhi.
- The next one to be removed is tanhā, which is removed in three stages. Kāma tanhā is lessened at the Sakadāgāmi stage and removed at the Anāgāmi stage. Rupa tanha and arupa tanha are removed at the Arahant stage.
- The last one to be removed is asmi māna, which is the sense of a “me/mine.” That is removed only at the Arahant stage.
See “Etaṁ Mama, Esohamasmi, Eso Me Attā’ti – What Does It Mean?” and “Fooled by Distorted Saññā (Sañjānāti) – Origin of Attachment (Taṇhā).”
