Enlightenment and Stream Entry

The Watercooler
1

In order to achieve enlightenment we need to cultivate the 7 factors of awakening.

7 Factors of Awakening
  1. Mindfulness(Sati)
  2. Analyze of qualities(Vitakka-Vicara )
  3. Effort(Viriya)
  4. Joy(Piti)
  5. Tranquility(Passadhi)
  6. Concentration(Samadhi)
  7. Equanimity(Upekha)

After developing the above factors we need to examine and be aware of the dependent origination.

Ex: Breath → Touching (Passa) → Feeling(Pleasant, Unpleasant, Neutral) → Craving(craving to exist , not exist,see/feel more) → Grasping(Self view) → Exist → Formation → Consciousness → etc.
Notice that we need to directly see and know the series of events happening.

Next we need to examine everything else(5 skandas - body, mind,feelings,perception, consciousness) to make sure that they also arise and cease through dependent origination.

After seeing this, he will be disenchanted with the self view(I/My/Mine) and starts seeing through the Dharma eye - eyes of dependent origination. Notice that this Dharma eye is permanent and after you achieved Dharma eye you are Stream Entry.

Next as you get gradually more familiar with the operating mechanism of 5 skandhas, you also discover origin of fabrications, perceptions, feelings. You also discover the cessation of fabrications. Once you see through all the fabrications, you have achieved enlightenment(Arahant).

Requirements for Stream-entry/Enlightenment?

I have seen many people are confident that they need to achieve Jhana to enter stream-entry. I have also seen people argue over that there is no meditation needed in some suttras.
The answer is simple: You only need to develop 7 factors of awakening.
You need to develop them enough to be able to see the dependent origination clearly.

How to develop 7 factors?

Jhana is one way to develop 7 factors. Through achieving deep concentration, we try to cultivate the other factors needed.
Mindfulness based meditation is also a way to develop 7 factors. Metta/Compassion/Equanimity/Joy meditation is also a way to develop 7 factors.
In addition, you can cultivate each factor alone and combine them to realize dependent origination.

How about achieving stream-entry while listening to dharma?

Through discernment(Vitakka-Vichara) they analyze the dharma. They develop faith in seeing the accuracy of dharma. They develop Joy in the correctness of Dharma. In this way they also develop mindfulness, concentration and other factors. After developing 7 factors they examine dharma more deeply and realize the dependent origination thus achieving stream-entry.

Cessation Experience?

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The most common notion of “Stream-entry” held by this forum, is the event of a black-out “cessation/fruition/path-moment” where all conditioned phenomena cease and all that remains is the sole “Unconditioned Dhamma” considered to be Nibbana, which stands in contrast to all the conditioned phenomena, not being an object of any of the Six Sense Bases (or the “All” as the Buddha described it in the Sabba Sutta). There are some variations on this of course. Some say there is no Awareness/Consciousness whatsoever in this path-moment. Some say that there is a “supramundane ultimate Citta” which is that which “takes Nibbana (the Unconditioned dhamma) as its object.” In both cases, it is difficult to see how this can match to the suttas.

Many modern Buddhists and Venerable take this cessation moment/experience to be the fruit/path of Stream-Entry. Cessation experience in my opinion is a single instant where you see/know the dependent origination. A skillful person will apply this skill(to see) to every other sensation/experience to see their dependent origination and come to the conclusion that there is no self.

How to check if you are Stream-Entry?

From Kosambiya Sutta - MN 48((MN 48  Kosambiyā Sutta | In Kosambī)

He discerns that, ‘There is no subjugation unabandoned in me that, subjugated by which, my subjugated mind would not know and see things as they have come to be. My mind is well directed for awakening to the truths.’ This is the first knowledge attained by him that is noble, transcendent, not held in common with run-of-the-mill people.

That is after discernment he finds that Dharma eye(see and know DO) will not be hindered by ill will, delusion, craving etc. He finds no possibility of such and finds Dharma eye to be permanent.

He discerns that, ‘When I cultivate, develop, and pursue this view, I personally obtain tranquility, I personally obtain unbinding.’ This is the second knowledge attained by him that is noble, transcendent, not held in common with run-of-the-mill people.

He discerns that, ‘There is no other contemplative or brahman outside (the Dhamma & Vinaya) endowed with the sort of view with which I am endowed.’ This is the third knowledge attained by him that is noble, transcendent, not held in common with run-of-the-mill people.

He finds that this path(Noble 8 path) leads to tranquility and nirvana(cessation of ignorance/aversion and greed) and only this path lead liberation. He finds that Jaina/Vedic/etc meditation doesn’t lead to nirvana.

View: When the Dhamma & Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata is being taught, he gains understanding of the meaning, gains understanding of the Dhamma, gains gladness connected with the Dhamma.

A disciple of the noble ones thus endowed with seven factors has well examined the character for the realization of the fruit of stream entry. A disciple of the noble ones thus endowed with seven factors is endowed with the fruit of stream entry.

2

It’s not necessary to know anything about DO as it happens automatically. What is necessary is to exert effort in a positive direction to have insight into impermanence as that doesn’t arise without work, and is the element which penetrates ignorance (Anguttara Nikaya 2.30):

[Ven. Sariputta:] “A virtuous monk, Kotthita my friend, should attend in an appropriate way to the five clinging-aggregates as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self. Which five? The form clinging-aggregate, the feeling… perception… fabrications… consciousness clinging-aggregate. A virtuous monk should attend in an appropriate way to these five clinging-aggregates as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self. For it is possible that a virtuous monk, attending in an appropriate way to these five clinging-aggregates as inconstant… not-self, would realize the fruit of stream-entry.”

—Samyutta Nikaya 22.122

3

It’s not necessary to know anything about DO as it happens automatically. What is necessary is to exert effort in a positive direction to know impermanence as that doesn’t arise without work.

DO does happen automatically. The problem is that it happens automatically without any awareness(ignorance). Seeing how DO works you will understand the arising and ceasing of consciousness/feelings/perception etc and understand the impermanence nature of them. See the nature of suffering in DO. See the origin of suffering and cessation of suffering.

4

Stream entry (magga) only needs to have these 4 conditions, SN 55.5:

  1. associating with true persons, (ariya)
  2. listening to the true teaching,
  3. yoniso manasikara (focus attention to the source)
  4. practicing in line with the teaching.

Stream enterer also has seen/known another nobles, MN 2:

But take a learned noble disciple who has seen (known) the noble ones, and is skilled and trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve seen true persons, and are skilled and trained in the teaching of the true persons. They understand to which things they should focus the mind attention to and to which things they should not focus the mind attention into. So they focus the mind attention to things they should and don’t focus the mind attention into things they shouldn’t.

No need the know fully (fully developed into full wisdom) the 7 factor awakening factors yet. But the 7 awakening factors need to be activated.

5

And that means recognition of the opposing dynamics of calm & insight:

"In the same way, monks, on any occasion the mind is sluggish, that is the wrong time to develop calm as a factor for awakening, concentration as a factor for awakening, equanimity as a factor for awakening. Why is that? The sluggish mind is hard to raise up by those mental qualities.

"Now, on any occasion when the mind is sluggish, that is the right time to develop analysis of qualities as a factor for awakening, persistence as a factor for awakening, rapture as a factor for awakening. Why is that? The sluggish mind is easy to raise up by those mental qualities. Just as if a man, wanting to make a small fire blaze up, were to place dry grass in it, dry cow dung, & dry sticks; were to blow on it with his mouth and not smother it with dust. Is it possible that he would make the small fire blaze up?

"Yes, lord.

—Samyutta Nikaya 46.53

6

No. The sutta that you are quoting for other subjects. That one is already try reactivating & reaching full development of Satta Bojjhanga for one already enter the stream and going higher level.

Before one enter the stream, one can’t do that yet.

When one is hearing true dhamma, one needs to focus their mind to the dhamma. See MN 56. See Upali is seeing and conversing with Buddha while entering the stream by listening to his preaching. That is all how people enter the stream.

… And when he knew that Upāli’s mind was ready, pliable, rid of hindrances, elated, and confident he explained the special teaching of the Buddhas: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.
…

Also See SN 46.38

When, bhikkhus, a noble disciple listens to the Dhamma with eager ears, attending to it as a matter of vital concern, focus his whole mind to it, on that occasion the five hindrances are not present in him; on that occasion the seven factors of awakening go to fulfilment by development.

7

Incorrect. Progress also entails one’s own mental choices:

“Monks, there are these two conditions for the arising of right view. Which two? The voice of another (and reading) and appropriate attention. These are the two conditions for the arising of right view.”

—Anguttara Nikaya 2, 125-6

Also see my quote above from Samyutta Nikaya 22.122

8

Ah… It is ok to have other opinions. But I haven’t seen anything that like you describe in Sutta.

It is like a baby (a common folk) suddenly being taught a university (arahant) class. I highly doubt a baby can even understand any word yet.

I haven’t seen “a reading” in Sutta. Clearly you add it.

If you connect the 4 factors of stream entry which I show above you will see. The requirement is one needs to associate with or know or see the noble. Converse/have discussion with them about dhamma with focus mind.

9

“He attends appropriately, This is stress… This is the origination of stress… This is the cessation of stress… This is the way leading to the cessation of stress. As he attends appropriately in this way, three fetters are abandoned in him: identity-view, doubt, and grasping at precepts & practices. These are called the fermentations to be abandoned by seeing.”

—Majjhima Nikaya 2

10

Ah… But you forget to quote these 2 paragraphs:

Take an unlearned ordinary person who has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve not seen true persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the true persons.

They’re not freed from suffering, I say.
…
But take a learned noble disciple who has seen the noble ones, and is skilled and trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve seen true persons, and are skilled and trained in the teaching of the true persons.
…
Because of not focusing the mind attention to what they should not and focusing the mind attention to what they should, unarisen defilements (asavas) don’t arise and arisen defilements (asavas) are given up.

They focus their mind attention to: …

Are you saying someone who hasn’t seen a noble can enter the stream? But I haven’t seen that in Sutta.

Also the above clearly said a noble disciple can focus their mind into 4NT, but an ordinary person can’t do that yet.

It is also clearly said ordinary person is unskilled yet in noble training. Still like a baby.

11

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/into_the_stream.html#association

12

Well I guess we are in agreement now. Associate with noble is needed for stream enterer. Good.