Sandiṭṭhiko is a Sotapanna who can discern how “san” (rāga, dosa, moha) gets “added” to a “pure mind” (pabhassara mind) via attaching to saññā. Each realm (except the asañña realm) has a “built-in” (distorted) saññā. Only by understanding the worldview of a Buddha can a mind overcome the tendency to attach to that (distorted) saññā.
January 11, 2025; last revised (#10- #13) on May 1, 2025
Different Types of Saññā in the Three Lokās
1. The Buddha divided the world into three “lokās“: kāma loka, rupa loka, and arupa loka.
- In arupa loka, an external world that can be experienced with the five physical senses is absent. Only the mind is active. The absence of the ability to experience “external rupa” gives the name “arupa loka.”
- In rupa loka, only the sights and sounds can be experienced.
- All five physical senses (including taste, smell, and touch) are present in kāma loka. Note that “dense physical entities” providing taste, smell, and touch are absent in rupa loka; thus, the physical environment is vastly different in rupa loka, i.e., much less “things” to see and hear.
2. The bodies of beings in kāma loka (as well as the physical environment) have been “prepared” via Paṭicca Samuppāda to provide an illusive sense of “joy” upon experiencing specific tastes, smells, and touches. Furthermore, seeing and hearing related to those also provide an illusive sense of “joy” or “distorted saññā.” That leads to the perceived happiness in enjoying “pañca kāma” (five types of sensory indulgence) in kāma loka.
- Some anariya yogis, even before the Buddha, could see the adverse consequences of attaching to “pañca kāma” (with kāma guna arising in mind). By contemplating the adverse consequences of attaching to “pañca kāma,” they cultivated anariya jhāna, which provided a better state of mind and also led to rebirths in the rupa loka.
- Some of them (like Alara Kalama and Uddaka Ramaputta) also saw the drawbacks of the limited sights and sounds in rupa loka and attained arupa samāpatti. They experienced the “longer-lasting pleasure” of arupa samāpatti, which led to rebirths in the arupa loka.
- The Buddha discovered that all those “pleasures” originate in the mind; they are mind-made illusions. However, this illusion is unlike the illusions presented by even the best magicians. That (distorted) saññā of “sensual pleasures in kāma loka,” “jhānic pleasures in rupa loka,” or “samāpatti pleasures in arupa loka” manifest via a Paṭicca Samuppāda. See the first three posts in the “Worldview of the Buddha” section and “Fooled by Distorted Saññā (Sañjānāti) – Origin of Attachment (Taṇhā).”
All Beings Have the “Suffering-Free” Pabhassara State of Mind
3. Another critical discovery of the Buddha was that the mind of ANY living being has a “pure state” (pabhassara state) at the root. However, it is covered by ten layers of saṁyojana or “sansāric bonds.” See “Recovering the Suffering-Free Pure Mind.”
- Those ten types of saṁyojana are automatically triggered by the (distorted) saññā with every sensory input. That happens in the first two steps in the “mind contamination process.” From now on, we will mainly focus on kāma loka to keep the discussion simple.
- First Step: Upon receiving sensory input, the mind falls into the “kāma dhātu” state with the relevant (distorted) saññā. For example, upon tasting a bit of honey, a sweetness is experienced automatically.
- Second Step: If the first five saṁyojana are intact (puthujjana), the mind attaches with three types of ditthi saṁyojana and two saṁyojana associated with kāma rāga (kāma rāga and paṭigha.) If the three types of ditthi saṁyojana are absent (Sotapanna), the mind attaches with only two saṁyojanās (kāma rāga and paṭigha.) If all five saṁyojana relevant to kāma loka are absent (Anāgāmi or Arahant), the mind will not attach to that (distorted) saññā.
Unless the Second Step Occurs, the Mind Will Not Get into Kama Bhava
4. Only if the mind attaches to the (distorted) saññā applicable in kāma loka will the mind get into the “kāma bhava.” The Buddha explained that Ven. Ananda in the “Paṭhamabhava Sutta (AN 3.76),” for example.
- Ven. Ananda asks the Buddha, “What is meant by “bhava“?
- Buddha replied, “Kāmadhātuvepakkañca, ānanda, kammaṁ nābhavissa, api nu kho kāmabhavo paññāyethā”ti?” The translation in the link is not adequate.
- Translation: “If a kamma is not done (kammaṁ nābhavissa) to “ripen and expand the kāma dhātu” would it be possible to talk about (or to declare) getting into kāma bhava (kāmabhavo paññāyethā” ti)?”
- Here, the kamma is done for a puthujjana or a Sotapanna via mano (abhi)sankhara, which does not require “conscious thinking.” If one or more relevant saṁyojana remain intact, the mind automatically attaches to that sensory input.
- The minds of an Anāgāmi or Arahant will not “fall into kāma bhava” because they have eliminated all five saṁyojana associated with kāma loka. Thus, they will experience the (distorted) saññā like anyone else but not generate any abhisankhara (with attachment).
Anāgāmi or Arahant will Experience Kama Dhatu
5. Therefore, the mind of an Anāgāmi or Arahant will remain at the “kāma dhātu” stage without getting into the “kāma bhava” or “kāma loka.”
- Thus, they will experience sensory inputs like anyone else: Taste the sweetness of honey, the pleasant aroma of flowers, or the pleasing sound of music. In the same way, they will also experience the “unpleasantness” of the taste of rotten food, the smell of feces, or when hit with a stick.
- The only difference is that their minds will not generate attachment to such sensory events with “liking” (for the sensory inputs of the first kind above) or with “dislike” for the latter.
- Therefore, the mind of an Anāgāmi or Arahant will never get into “kāma bhava” but will experience sensory inputs the same as anyone else.
- To complete the picture, let us briefly discuss the other two lokās (rupa loka and arupa loka).
Rupāvacara Jhāna and Arupāvacara Samāpatti
6. Some Anāgāmis and Arahants can get into rupāvacara jhāna (corresponding to rupa loka) or arupāvacara samāpatti (corresponding to arupa loka). In this case, there is a difference between Anāgāmi and Arahant.
- Since an Anāgāmi has not eliminated rupa rāga (i.e., rupa rāga saṁyojana is intact), their minds will automatically attach to the (distorted) saññā of “jhānic pleasure.” Thus, they will automatically get into “rupa bhava.” On the other hand, an Arahant‘s mind will stay in “rupa dhātu” and will not get into “rupa bhava.”
- If an Arahant has developed arupa samāpatti, they can enter it. Since they have eliminated all ten saṁyojana, they will not get into “arupa bhava” but remain at “arupa dhātu.” Also, note that such an ubhatovimutti Arahant can be in one of the three at a time: kāma dhātu, rupa dhātu, or arupa dhātu. (For a discussion on the types of Arahants, see the end of the post “Kalahavivāda Sutta – Origin of Fights and Disputes.”)
- Of course, a puthujjana can cultivate anariya jhāna and samāpatti. While in a jhāna, they are in “rupa bhava,” while in an arupa samāpatti, they are in “arupa bhava.”
Strength of Attachment Depends on Number of Effective Saṁyojana
7. Therefore, with a sensory event, kamma accumulation starts automatically based on the number of saṁyojana associated with each person. Since we mainly focus on kāma loka, the following must be understood.
- The mind of a puthujjana will attach to any sensory event with five saṁyojanās, and that of a Sotapanna will attach only with two.
- The attachment with “wrong views” (first three saṁyojana) leads to rebirths in the apāyās.
- Since Sotapannās attach with only two saṁyojana (kāma rāga and paṭigha), their attachments are weaker. Thus, even at the latter stages of attachment (in the “nava kamma” stage; see “Purāna and Nava Kamma – Sequence of Kamma Generation“), a Sotapanna would not generate potent kāya and vaci kamma that can lead to rebirths in the apāyās.
One Needs to Understand the Above Process to Become “Sandiṭṭhiko“
8. What we discussed above is the first two critical steps in a sensory event and how they affect subsequent kamma accumulation. As discussed, the second step in #3 above is where “san” (rāga, dosa, moha) is incorporated into a “suffering-free pabhassara mind” automatically. We do not have any control over that at that time.
- We can cultivate paññā (wisdom) and break the three saṁyojana associated with wrong views first, then break the other two saṁyojana after the Sotapanna stage.
- That is the only way to prevent the automatic attachment to the kāma saññā encountered at the beginning of a sensory event.
- If any of the five relevant saṁyojana remain unbroken, the mind will automatically attach to the (distorted) saññā.
- Understanding the above is necessary to become an Ariya (Noble Person) who has “seen the correct worldview” or “sandiṭṭhiko.”
- The Buddha explained that in the “Upavāṇasandiṭṭhika Sutta.” Let us discuss that now.
Upavāṇasandiṭṭhika Sutta – How to Become Sandiṭṭhiko
9. In the “Upavāṇasandiṭṭhika Sutta (SN 35.70),” bhikkhu Upavāṇa asked the Buddha, “People talk about Dhamma being sandiṭṭhiko. What does it mean?” The Buddha explained as follows. Instead of translating verse by verse, I will convey the basic idea.
- To be a “sandiṭṭhiko” (one who has understood or seen how the “san accumulation process starts”), one must know that it starts with a two-step process.
- The Buddha explains how a mind attaches to a sight via two steps: “Idha pana, upavāṇa, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā rūpappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti rūparāgappaṭisaṁvedī ca.”
- “Upavāna, take a bhikkhu who sees a sight with their eyes (which comes with the “distorted sanna“). This step happens for even an Arahant, and is expressed by rūpappaṭisaṁvedī (rūpa paṭisaṁvedī) in the above verse. Here, the “(mind-made) rupa“ is based on the “distorted sanna” built into our bodies at birth.
Two-Step Attachment Process
10. In the first step, one’s mind becomes aware of a rupa with enticing qualities. This is the “rūpappaṭisaṁvedī” (rupa paṭisaṁvedī) in verse 2.1. Here, paṭisaṁvedī (paṭi saṁvedī) means to experience the sight with the “distorted” saññā. As we discussed, this automatically happens to anyone born with a human body, including Arahants.
- Attachment happens in the second step ONLY IF rāga arises in the mind automatically in a person with kāma raga saṁyojana. That is the subsequent “rūpa rāga paṭisaṁvedī” step.
- Even though a Sotapanna (a sandiṭṭhiko) still attaches to such a sensory input, they know that the second step happens only because they have kāma rāga saṁyojana left in them. That is expressed in the verse 2.2 : “Santañca ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgo’ti pajānāti.”
- As expressed in verse 2.5 (“Evampi kho, upavāṇa, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo hoti akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhi“): “This is why (Buddha) Dhamma is timeless (akāliko), can be discerned with each sense input as it happens (ehipassiko), things happen due to the universal principle of Paṭicca Samuppāda (opaneyyiko), so that a sandiṭṭhiko knows it for themselves (paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhi).”
11. Then, the Buddha repeated that for the other five types of sensory inputs.
- For example, @ 3.1 the process for a tasting food is explained: “Puna caparaṁ, upavāṇa, bhikkhu jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā rasappaṭisaṁvedī ca hoti rasarāgappaṭisaṁvedī ca. Santañca ajjhattaṁ rasesu rāgaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ rasesu rāgo’ti pajānāti.”
- Translation: When the tongue experiences a tasty food (jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā rasappaṭisaṁvedī), it can lead to a craving for that taste (rasa rāga paṭisaṁvedī.) If the second step happens, one would immediately know (pajānāti) that “rasa rāga has arisen in me (‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ rasesu rāgo’ti).”
- Thus, even though a Sotapanna has not yet removed the kāma rāga and paṭigha saṁyojanās, they would know when it arises. They also know that it can stopped from arising (that is done via the lokuttara version of Satipaṭṭhāna, as we will discuss later.)
12. Then @5.1 marker, the Buddha explains that those who have removed all five saṁyojanās (Anāgāmis and Arahants) will experience a “mind-pleasing sight” (rūpappaṭisaṁvedī) but will not attach to it (no ca rūparāgappaṭisaṁvedī).
- @marker 5.: “There is no desire for such sights in them, and they understand that” (Asantañca ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgaṁ ‘natthi me ajjhattaṁ rūpesu rāgo’ti pajānāti.)
- In #6 of the post “Purāna and Nava Kamma – Sequence of Kamma Generation,” rupa paṭisaṁvedī (or rasa paṭisaṁvedī for a tasting event) corresponds to kāma dhātu (with kāma saññā) and bahiddha viññāṇa corresponds to the rupa rāga paṭisaṁvedī (or rasa rāga paṭisaṁvedī for a tasting event).
- Those descriptions apply to all six types of sensory inputs; @marker 7.1, it is explained for an event arising in the mind (mano) without coming through the five physical senses.
A Sotapanna Is “Sandiṭṭhiko“
13. In the “Saṅgīti Sutta (DN 33),” “being a sandiṭṭhiko” is included in the four factors of a stream-enterer (Cattāri sotāpannassa aṅgāni):
- @marker 1.11.112: “‘svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī’ti.”
- Therefore, it is a good idea to understand this process. As we will discuss later, cultivating the lokuttara version of Satipaṭṭhāna can only be done by a Sotapanna after comprehending this sequential kamma accumulation process.
- In this post, we discussed the first two steps in that sequential kamma accumulation process, as outlined in the post “Purāna and Nava Kamma – Sequence of Kamma Generation.” We will discuss the subsequent steps in detail in upcoming posts.
