[alvino96]

Greetings, I waa reading this post on the site and after finishing it I keep contemplating on the first paragraph: “Angulimāla had killed 999 people, but was able to attain the Arahanthood within a few weeks after meeting the Buddha.” Correct me If I’m wrong, but I’ve read somewhere (not on this site) that

Arahanthood can’t be achieved in one lifetime (jati) when started on the path.

As I’ve learned, we reach Nibbana in steps, and it may take several bhavas since we started the path.
If above underlined statement is true, then Angulimala must have started on the path long ago before this lifetime, so that he at least are in Sotapanna stage when born as Angulimala. But, wouldn’t it contradict the fact that he killed 999 people, which is bad kamma that can result in birth in the apayas?

If the underlined statement is false, then we indeed could in theory attain Arahanthood in one lifetime just like Angulimala. If so, is there any special conditions that can make someone achieve that?

[Lal]

Hello Alvino,

What you initially stated is true. One cannot possibly attain the Arahantohhod in just one lifetime.
– However, the rebirth process is so long that each and every living being existing now MUST have started on following Buddha Dhamma long ago.
– The Buddha said each living being’s existence can be traced backward for many, many eons, and he could not see a “beginning.” It extends to an infinite amount of time back.
– See, “Sansaric Time Scale, Buddhist Cosmology, and the Big Bang Theory”

Therefore, the following in your statement is NOT correct: “If the above underlined statement is true, then Angulimala must have started on the path long ago before this lifetime, so that he at least are in Sotapanna stage when born as Angulimala.”

Angulimala most definitely followed the Path in previous lives.
– However, if he had attained the Sotapanna stage in a previous life, he would not be capable of killing 999 people.

The important thing to realize is that we all must have done both good and bad deeds in previous lives.
– We are born now due to the results of a good kamma.
– One COULD be born in an apaya when a bad kamma re-surfaces unless one attains at least the Sotapanna Anugami stage.
– That is what is meant by “one is not released from the apayas until one attains at least the Sotapanna Anugami stage.

[alvino96]

Thank you for the explanation.

I read the story of Upatissa and Kolitha (Ven. Sariputta and Moggalana) becoming Arahant in one lifetime (by attaining stages after stages on different occasions), therefore it should be possible to attain Arahanthood in one lifetime (in this case one human jati).

If it is correct, then Ven. Sariputta and Moggalana and Ven. Angulimala must have cultivated good kamma that allows them to live in the same time as The Buddha himself which combined with good kammas for them to be born with good conditions (physical, mental, living conditions etc) which in the end allowed them to contemplate Dhamma and attain Arahanthood., therefore they all haven’t attained any stages of nibbana before, and be born many different realms (including apayas) within that waiting time.

Another interesting point also arises from this (this partly is my opinion, so please correct me if I’m wrong):
The urgent goal in this lifetime for us REALLY IS attaining Sotapanna stage, because it acts as a “brake” from this Samsaric Circle in which we have suffered for too long. This is in line with your other article (I do not remember which one).
The Arahants mentioned above must have started on the path long long ago, but for some reason hasn’t yet attained any stages, which results in a really long wait time. Unfortunately there is nobody who can accurately tell us whether we have reached any stages or not, so we should keep striving to stay on the path.
This sense of urgency has been on my mind for quite some time now, and whenever I thought of people I care about, I felt the same urgency for them, given how rare it is for any being having the chance to listen/read true Dhamma, and contemplate on it.

[Lal]

“I read the story of Upatissa and Kolitha (Ven. Sariputta and Moggalana) becoming Arahant in one lifetime (by attaining stages after stages on different occasions), therefore it should be possible to attain Arahanthood in one lifetime (in this case one human jati).”

Yes. One could attain the four stages of magga phala in one lifetime.
– But that person would have practiced Buddha Dhamma in MANY previous lives.
– There has been an infinite number of Buddhas in the past. Even though our planetary system is destroyed periodically (over many billions of years), it reforms too. That process goes on forever. So, we all have learned Buddha Dhamma, even most likely listened to a Buddha, in our LONG past.
– I recommend reading that post I provided in my previous reply AND the references there. This takes some effort to understand. Another specific post to read is, “Infinity – How Big Is It?”

You wrote: “The urgent goal in this lifetime for us REALLY IS attaining Sotapanna stage, because it acts as a “brake” from this Samsaric Circle in which we have suffered for too long. This is in line with your other article (I do not remember which one).”

That is correct.

You wrote: “The Arahants mentioned above must have started on the path long long ago, but for some reason hasn’t yet attained any stages, which results in a really long wait time. Unfortunately there is nobody who can accurately tell us whether we have reached any stages or not, so we should keep striving to stay on the path.”

No one else (unless it is a Buddha) can tell whether someone has attained a magga phala.
– One WILL KNOW when one attains a magga phala (if one has learned Buddha Dhamma).

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