[simsapa]

In your guide “Key Factors to be Considered when “Meditating” for the Sotāpanna Stage”, you say

What it is needed to get to the Sotāpanna stage is contemplation on the key Dhamma concepts, in particular anicca, dukkha, anatta, but also to try to get an understanding of the Buddha’s world view, with 31 realms of existence, beginningless rebirth process, infinite number of planetary systems (chakkawata), Paṭicca Samuppāda, etc. This is the way to “find the correct map” mentioned in #3 above.

First question: How can I verify the truth of the realms and rebirth in my current state? There seems to be no way to do that. If I investigate it, I say “I cannot confirm or deny it”.

However, it is good to do a few kammattana while striving for the Sotāpanna stage and I will discuss those in the next post.

What do you recommend?

anicca, dukkha, anatta

Any particular suggestions for mastering these?

Fourth is to have a clear idea of the priority items to get done regarding sila (moral behavior).

How can I do this myself? Seems like a teacher would be required.

Separately, do you think I should I totally stop my efforts to practice and learn about samatha and vipassana?

[Lal]

Hello Simsapa!

You asked: “How can I verify the truth of the realms and rebirth in my current state? There seems to be no way to do that. If I investigate it, I say “I cannot confirm or deny it”.

Yes. That is an issue that needs to be resolved BEFORE one can attempt to get to the Sotapanna stage.

Look at it this way.
– Sotapanna stage makes one free of future rebirths in the four “bad realms” or the apayas.

Why would one want to get to the Sotapanna stage, if one does not believe that it is possible to be reborn in such realms?
– If one cannot “verify the truth of the realms and rebirth“, why would one worry about rebirth in the apayas (i.e., try to attain the Sotapanna stage)?

I hope you can see what I am saying. If there is no problem to be solved, how can one strive to solve the problem?

So, I would recommend spending some time looking into the issue of rebirth.
– Here is a key post on the evidence for rebirth:
“Evidence for Rebirth”

I do understand that most people in Western societies are not familiar with the concept of rebirth. However, that is changing, because there is a lot of evidence emerging, and scientists and philosophers are beginning to take it seriously. That is why I included a recent conference on the subject at the beginning of the post.

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