"There is the case where a warrior is skilled in his stance, able to shoot far, able to fire shots in rapid succession, and able to pierce great objects…
"And how is a monk one who is able to fire shots in rapid succession? There is the case where a monk discerns, as it actually is present, that ‘This is stress.’ … ‘This is the origination of stress.’ … ‘This is the cessation of stress.’ … ‘This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.’ This is how a monk is one who is able to fire shots in rapid succession. The Warrior (Yodhajiva sutta) AN4.181
According to the above sutta the Four Noble Truths (4NT) are penetrated sequentially and rapidly. One may fully appreciate it only after the fact (see my next post). The person who comprehensively understands suffering (aggregates, three marks etc) naturally develop insight into phenomena which attacks the cause of suffering (craving and delusion), which when is removed, the entire Dependent origination starts collapsing (‘cessation,cessation’) and Nibbana is realized. It is only after that that one can know the Buddha’s path of practice -the Noble Eightfold Path (N8FP), is effective in stopping suffering.
So the when comprehension of suffering reaches a pinnacle, insight (vijja) reaches a pinnacle, ignorance (avijja) is suppressed (stream entry) or eradicated (full enlightenment) which results in an experienced of Nibbana and after emerging from it one can know that the N8FP works. This is my understanding of how the 4NTs happen in quick succession. Further reviewing knowledges (paccavekkhana nana) may arise after realization of nibbana to show that defilements are fully eradicated (asavakkhaya nana), suffering is ended, no more births etc.
Realization of Nibbana happens in an instant, but there are other precedent and antecedent events around it.
with metta