[Christian]

Here is the sutta that understanding of it can cease a lot of misinterpretation of oneself and others in relation to magga phala. I Lal would be kind enough to correct eventually errors of translation, please do, thank you.

https://suttacentral.net/an6.44/en/sujato

[Lal]

Yes. The translation could be better.

The gist of the sutta is the following:
It is not possible for average humans to judge the spiritual attainments of another person. Only a Buddha can do that.

Especially a lower magga phala (like Sotapanna or Sakadagami) depends on just the UNDERSTANDING of the unfruitful nature of this world and the danger of craving for things in this world. They have removed “DITTHI vipallasa” or “confusion about WRONG VIEWS.”
– But even that person may not know that in a few cases.
– Only a Buddha can see whether one has that understanding.

However, a Sotapanna or a Sakadagami has NOT removed the sanna for sensory pleasures (that is why they are reborn in kama loka). In other words, he/she may UNDERSTAND that those are not worth pursuing. But they just cannot help enjoying sensory pleasures. That means they have not removed the “SANNA vipallasa”. That means “confusion on PERCEPTIONS about wrong/unfruitful activities”.
– When one substantially removes this sanna vipallasa, one WILL know that one has attained the Anagami stage. That is because one will no longer have cravings for tasty food, sex, etc.
– Even then other people would not know.

This is actually related to a question that you had asked before, I think, regarding the Sabbasava Sutta.
– Ditthi vipallasa is removed at the Sotapanna stage. Then sanna vipallasa decreases as one goes through higher stages and is completely removed only at the Arahant stage.
– However, sanna vipallasa about sensory pleasures (kama raga) is removed at the Anagami stage. That is why it is self-evident to THAT person, not to others.

[Christian]

Thank you very much, splendid as always!

[Author]

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