February 11, 2019; revised April 12, 2020; July 25, 2023 (#4,#5)
A human who attains a magga phala will never be reborn in an apāya (one of the four lowest realms). An Arahant will not be reborn in any realm. An Anāgāmi will be reborn only in a Brahma realm. A Sakadāgāmi is born only in a deva realm, and a Sōtapanna only in a deva or human realm. A Sōtapanna Anugāmi is also free of the apāyā. Here, we discuss the evidence from the Tipiṭaka that is indeed the case.
Eight Types of Noble Persons
1. The “Patipanna Sutta (SN 48.18)” describes the eight types of Noble Persons:
“Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, indriyāni. Katamāni pañca? Saddhindriyaṃ … pe … paññindriyaṃ—imāni kho, bhikkhave, pañcindriyāni. Imesaṃ kho, bhikkhave, pañcannaṃ indriyānaṃ samattā paripūrattā arahaṃ hoti, tato mudutarehi arahattaphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno hoti, tato mudutarehi anāgāmī hoti, tato mudutarehi anāgāmiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno hoti, tato mudutarehi sakadāgāmī hoti, tato mudutarehi sakadāgāmiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno hoti, tato mudutarehi sotāpanno hoti, tato mudutarehi sotāpattiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno hoti. Yassa kho, bhikkhave, imāni pañcindriyāni sabbena sabbaṃ sabbathā sabbaṃ natthi, tamahāṃ ‘bāhiro puthujjanapakkhe ṭhito’ti vadāmī”ti.
Translated:
“Bhikkhus, there are five indriya (faculties): Saddhindriya, vīriyindriya, satindriya, samādhindriya, paññindriya. One who has fully cultivated them is an Arahant. Someone who developed them less is Arahant Anugāmi. One who has even less is an Anāgāmi,.. Anāgāmi Anugāmi, ..Sakadāgāmi, …Sakadāgāmi Anugāmi, …Sōtapanna, …Sōtapanna Anugāmi. Those who have not yet begun to cultivate the five faculties are ignorant humans (puthujjanabhūmiṃ) who are unaware of the true nature (Tilakkhana).
- One on the way to becoming an Anāgāmi is “anāgāmi phala sacchikiriyāya paṭipannō,“ etc. One on the way to become a Sōtapanna (or Sōtapanna Anugāmi) is “sotāpattiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno.”
- The eight Noble Persons (Ariyā) are also listed in other suttās, including “Paṭhama Puggala Sutta (AN 8.59)” and in “Puggala Sutta (AN 9.9)“.
Sotapanna Anugāmi Is Dhammānusārī or Saddhānusārī
2. An important way of classification of the Noble Persons (Ariyā) relevant to our topic is given in the “Tatiyasankhita Sutta (SN 48.14)“:
“Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, indriyāni. Katamāni pañca? Saddhindriyaṃ … pe … paññindriyaṃ—imāni kho, bhikkhave, pañcindriyāni. Imesaṃ kho, bhikkhave, pañcannaṃ indriyānaṃ samattā paripūrattā arahaṃ hoti, tato mudutarehi anāgāmī hoti, tato mudutarehi sakadāgāmī hoti, tato mudutarehi sotāpanno hoti, tato mudutarehi dhammānusārī hoti, tato mudutarehi saddhānusārī hoti. Iti kho, bhikkhave, paripūraṃ paripūrakārī ārādheti, padesaṃ padesakārī ārādheti. ‘Avañjhāni tvevāhaṃ, bhikkhave, pañcindriyānī’ti vadāmī”ti.
Translated:
“Bhikkhus, there are five indriya: Saddhindriya, vīriyindriya, satindriya, samādhindriya, paññindriya. One who has fully cultivated them is an Arahant. One who developed them less is an Anāgāmi,.. akadāgāmi, …Sōtapanna, …dhammānusārī, …saddhānusārī, “.
3. From #1 and #2 above, we can see that a Sōtapanna Anugāmi is either a dhammānusārī or a saddhānusārī.
- This is confirmed in the following sutta, which also confirms that one MUST start comprehending the anicca nature to become a Sōtapanna Anugāmi.
More on Dhammānusārī or Saddhānusārī
4. From the “Cakkhu Sutta (SN 25.1)“:
“Cakkhuṃ, bhikkhave, aniccaṃ vipariṇāmi aññathābhāvi; sotaṃ aniccaṃ vipariṇāmi aññathābhāvi; ghānaṃ aniccaṃ vipariṇāmi aññathābhāvi; jivhā aniccā vipariṇāmī aññathābhāvī; kāyo anicco vipariṇāmi aññathābhāvi; mano anicco vipariṇāmī aññathābhāvī.
Yo, bhikkhave, ime dhamme evaṃ saddahati adhimuccati—ayaṃ vuccati saddhānusārī, okkanto sammattaniyāmaṃ, sappurisabhūmiṃ okkanto, vītivatto puthujjanabhūmiṃ; abhabbo taṃ kammaṃ kātuṃ, yaṃ kammaṃ katvā nirayaṃ vā tiracchānayoniṃ vā pettivisayaṃ vā upapajjeyya; abhabbo catāva kālaṃ kātuṃ yāva na sotāpattiphalaṃ sacchikaroti.
Yassa kho, bhikkhave, ime dhammā evaṃ paññāya mattaso nijjhānaṃ khamanti, ayaṃ vuccati: ‘dhammānusārī, okkanto sammattaniyāmaṃ, sappurisabhūmiṃ okkanto, vītivatto puthujjanabhūmiṃ; abhabbo taṃ kammaṃ kātuṃ, yaṃ kammaṃ katvā nirayaṃ vā tiracchānayoniṃ vā pettivisayaṃ vā upapajjeyya; abhabbo ca tāva kālaṃ kātuṃ yāva na sotāpattiphalaṃ sacchikaroti’.
Yo, bhikkhave, ime dhamme evaṃ pajānāti evaṃ passati, ayaṃ vuccati: ‘sotāpanno avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyano’”ti.
Translated:
“Bhikkhus, (the arising of) cakkhu is of anicca nature. (same for sōta, ghāna, jivhā, kāyō, manō). For details, see “Aniccaṁ Vipariṇāmi Aññathābhāvi – A Critical Verse.”
One who believes these phenomena are this way is called a faith-follower (saddhānusārī). He/She has entered the Noble plane (sammattaniyāmaṃ), has entered the realm of Noble Persons (sappurisabhūmiṃ), and transcended the realm of the humans who are unaware of the true nature (puthujjanabhūmiṃ). He is incapable of doing any deed by which he might be reborn in hell, in the animal womb, or in the realm of hungry ghosts. A saddhānusārī is incapable of dying until he realizes the Sotāpanna stage.
After pondering with wisdom, one who has accepted that these phenomena are this way is called a Dhamma-follower (dhammānusārī)…” (The rest is the same as for a saddhānusārī).
One who knows and sees that these phenomena are this way is called a Sotāpanna. He will never again be born in the apāyā, headed for the Arahanthood.”
- Note that 11 suttā (AN 25.1 through AN 25. 10) state the same in various ways.
Sotapanna Anugāmi Will Attain Sotapanna Stage Before Death
5. Therefore, from the above suttā, we can make the following deductions:
- A Sotāpanna is never again to be born in the apāyā and is headed for Arahanthood.
- A Sōtapanna Anugāmi is either a dhammānusārī or a saddhānusārī.
- In #4 above: “A saddhānusārī (or a dhammānusārī) is incapable of dying until he realizes the Sotāpanna stage.” Therefore, a Sōtapanna Anugāmi will attain the Sotāpanna stage within that lifetime.
- Once getting to the Sōtapanna stage, there would be only seven maximum number of “bhava” left, within which one WILL attain the Arahant stage. See “Paṭhamaabhabbaṭṭhāna Sutta (AN 6.92).” The English translation there incorrectly translates “bhava” as “rebirth.” The verse “..abhabbo diṭṭhisampanno puggalo aṭṭhamaṁ bhavaṁ nibbattetuṁ.” should be translated as “And they can’t generate an eighth bhava.” The translator does not understand the difference between bhava and jāti: “Bhava and Jāti – States of Existence and Births Therein.”
Who Has Avecca Pasāda?
6. Another sutta that provides more information is “Paṭhamasaraṇānisakka Sutta (SN 55.24)“. It is a long sutta, and a reasonably good translation is “Sarakaani Sutta: Sarakaani (Who Took to Drink).”
Here are the relevant verses, which again describe the types of Noble Persons:
(1). “Mahānāma, take the case of a person endowed with unwavering devotion (avecca pasāda) to the Buddha (heva kho buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti), the Dhamma, the Saṅgha, and has attained the Arahanthood. By the destruction of defilements, he has gained release through wisdom in this very life. The man is entirely released from the hell-state, from rebirth as an animal. He is free from the apāyās.
(2). “Take the case of another man. He has unwavering devotion (avecca pasāda) to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha. He has wisdom but has not yet gained full release, but has destroyed the five lower samyōjanā (an Anāgāmi). Upon death, he will be reborn spontaneously in a Brahma realm where he will attain Nibbaana without returning from that world. That man is also entirely released from the apāyās.
(3). “Take the case of another man. He has unwavering devotion (avecca pasāda) to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha. He has wisdom but has not yet gained release. By destroying the first three Samyojanā and weakening kāma rāga, paṭigha, and avijjā, he is a Once-returner (Sakadāgāmi) who will return once more to this kāma lōka. That man is entirely freed from the apāyās.
(4). “Take the case of another man. He is endowed with unwavering devotion (avecca pasāda) to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha. He has the wisdom but has not gained release. By destroying three fetters, he is a Stream-Winner (Sōtapanna), not subject to rebirth in apāyā, assured of Nibbāna. That man is entirely freed from the apāyā.
Sotapanna Anugāmi Does Not Have Avecca Pasāda
(5). “Take the case of another man. He does not have unwavering devotion (avecca pasāda) to the Buddha (na heva kho buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti), the Dhamma, the Saṅgha. He has not yet gained wisdom and has not gained release. But he has the following things to some extent: the faculty of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom (saddhā indriya, viriya indriya, sati indriya, samādhi indriya, paññā indriya). He understands, with insight at least moderately, the Dhamma of the Tathāgata. That man does not go to apāyās.
(6). “Take the case of another man. He does not have unwavering devotion (avecca pasāda) to the Buddha, the Dhamma, or the Saṅgha. He is not joyous and swift in wisdom and has not gained release. But he has the following things to some extent: the faculty of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom (saddhā indriya, viriya indriya, sati indriya, samādhi indriya, paññā indriya). He understands, with insight, at least slightly, the dhamma of the Tathāgata. He, too, will not go to the apāyā.
Sotapanna Anugāmi Is Also Free of Apāyās
7. Note that in #6 above, for each of the four magga phala:
“Ayampi kho, mahānāma, puggalo parimutto nirayā parimutto tiracchānayoniyā parimutto pettivisayā parimutto apāyaduggativinipātā.”
“..That man is entirely free… from the apāyā.”
- For the last two types (Sōtapanna Anugāmi):
“Ayampi kho, mahānāma, puggalo agantā nirayaṃ agantā tiracchānayoniṃ agantā pettivisayaṃ agantā apāyaṃ duggatiṃ vinipātaṃ.”
“..That man does not go to the apāyā”. - Taken together with the statements in the suttā discussed above, that means the following. A Sōtapanna Anugāmi is also effectively released permanently from the apāyā.
What Is Avecca Pasāda
8. A key phrase in many of the suttā is avecca pasāda. It is frequently translated as “unwavering devotion,” as in the above translation. But it has a deeper meaning.
- Pasāda means a combination of “trust, faith, reverence.”
- That comes when one understands the deeper meanings in Buddha Dhamma. In particular, when one starts comprehending Tilakkhana, one can begin to see the unfruitfulness AND danger in trying to seek happiness in this world of 31 realms.
- Then one starts losing cravings (“ava” + “icca“) for worldly things. We remember that anicca is “na icca“; see, “Anicca – True Meaning.”
- Therefore, avecca pasāda, or “unwavering faith,” is connected to realizing the anicca nature or the “unsatisfactory nature” of worldly things. That craving for worldly things leads to suffering (dukkha). And that, in the end, leads to one becoming helpless (anatta), especially when born in the apāyā.
- One establishes avecca pasāda or “unwavering faith” in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha when one starts to comprehend Tilakkhana.
Four Qualities of a Sotapanna
9. Four qualities of a Sōtapanna are in all suttā in the Sotāpatti Saṃyutta of the Saṃyutta Nikāya (SN). The “Brahmacariyogadha Sutta (SN 55.2)” has a concise statement about the qualities or qualifications of a Sōtapanna.
“Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato ariyasāvako sotāpanno hoti avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo.
Katamehi catūhi? Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti: ‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṃ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṃ buddho bhagavā’ti. Dhamme … pe … saṅghe … pe … ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi … pe … samādhisaṃvattanikehi. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato ariyasāvako sotāpanno hoti avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo”ti.
Translated:
A Sotāpanna, never again to be born in the apāyā, has acquired four qualities:
(1) He has avecca pasāda in the Buddha, i.e., he understands the following verse. “‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṃ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṃ buddho bhagavā’ti.”
(2) He has avecca pasāda in the Dhamma, i.e., he understands the following verse. “Svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhī’ti.“
(3) He has avecca pasāda in the Saṅgha, i.e., he understands the following verse. “Suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, ujuppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, ñāyappaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, sāmīcippaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, yadidaṃ—cattāri purisayugāni aṭṭha purisapuggalā, esa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo anuttaraṃ puññakkhettaṃ lokassā’ti.
(4) He has the Ariyakantha sila of the noble ones. It comes with penetrating wisdom and is unbreakable. It leads to samādhi.
“Ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi acchiddehi asabalehi akammāsehi bhujissehi viññuppasatthehi aparāmaṭṭhehi samādhisaṃvattanikehi.”
Recital Is Not Enough
10. We note that those first three verses are the same as those in the supreme qualities of the Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha; see “Supreme Qualities of Buddha, Dhamma, Saṅgha.”
- Therefore, those verses are not just for recitation. They must be recited with UNDERSTANDING before any serious mediation session.
- From #4 and #5 above, we see that one gets a “Noble birth” when attaining the Sōtapanna Anugāmi stage. A Sōtapanna Anugāmi is one of the “attha purisa puggalā.“
The four qualities of a Sotāpanna are discussed in “Sotapatti Anga – The Four Qualities of a Sotāpanna.”
