Levels of accomplishment?

[Ngawang Drolma.]

In Mahayana there are bhumis, or levels of attainment. In Theravada is there any such system?

Thanks,
Drolma

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Drolma,

The Noble Ones are categorised as follows...

Arahant - final destruction of ignorance, no more becoming
Non-Returner - a trace of craving results in becoming, but never again to the human realm
Once-Returner - born once more, before attaining arahantship
Stream-Entrant - maximum of 7 lifetimes to go but the destination is assured

Somewhere, venerable Dhammanando has an excellent table that shows what fetters are eradicated at each stage. Hopefully he sees this thread and can provide you a link to it.

Metta,
Retro.

[Ngawang Drolma.]

Thank you Retro

I couldn't help but notice that full buddhahood was missing from the list...

How is it different from an Arahant? Is the difference that a Buddha will teach?

Thanks,
Drolma

[Element]

There are many distinctions & synonym in Theravada regarding these two words.

However, generally Buddha is self-enlightened with no teacher whilst an arahant is help-enlightened because they are guided by the Buddha's teaching.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Drolma,

In the fourfold scheme of the Noble Sangha (eightfold if you wish to distinguish between bhikkhus and bhikkunis)... the Buddha is classified alongside the arahants. He is often referred to as "The Arahant". What is true of the arahant is true of the Buddha... it just happens also to be that the Buddha both created a dispensation, and had developed his faculties far beyond the minimal level required for the cessation of suffering.

Metta,
Retro.

[kc2dpt]

sotapanna eradicates:
self-identification views (sakkaya-ditthi)
uncertainty (vicikiccha)
grasping at precepts and practices (silabbata-paramasa)

sakadagami eradicates those three and significantly weakens:
sensual passion (kama-raga)
resistance (vyapada)

anagami eradicates those five

arahant eradicates those five plus eradicates:
passion for form (rupa-raga)
passion for formless phenomena (arupa-raga)
conceit (mana)
restlessness (uddhacca)
unawareness (avijja)

Those are the ten fetters (samyojana) which bind one to the cycle of birth and death.

[thecap]

Hi Peter

Thank you for the list.

resistance (vyapada) ... google says vyapada is ill-will/hatred.

But what about having resistance like Gandhi against someone who has ill-will/hatred?

"Vive la Résistance!"

[kc2dpt]

What about it?

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

It seems as if vyapada is more commonly associated with ill-will per se.

Vyāpāda

Vyāpāda [fr. vyāpajjati. See also byāpāda] making bad, doing harm: desire to injure, malevolence, ill -- will D i.71, 246; iii.70 sq., 226, 234; S i.99; ii.151; iv.343; A i.194, 280; ii.14, 210; iii.92, 231, 245; iv.437; Vbh 86, 363 sq., 391; Pug 17 sq.; Dhs 1137; Vism 7; DA i.211; VbhA 74, 118, 369. ˚anusaya M i.433. ˚dosa M iii.3. ˚dhātu M iii.62. ˚nīvaraṇa M ii.203. See under each affix. -- Cp. avyāpāda.

Source: http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philol ... li.1427689" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Metta,
Retro.

[Dhammanando]

Hi Retro,

Somewhere, venerable Dhammanando has an excellent table that shows what fetters are eradicated at each stage. Hopefully he sees this thread and can provide you a link to it.

I don't have a link to the E-sangha thread where I posted it, so I'll upload it here. It presents the elimination of defilements according to the Abhidhamma.

Eradication.jpg (126.91 KiB) Viewed 6038 times

Best wishes,
Dhammanando Bhikkhu

[retrofuturist]

Greetings venerable Dhammanando,

Do you know where the explanation for the eradication of "envy" and "avarice" as a component of stream-entry originates?

I expected to see Doubt and Wrong View in the list, but am more familiar with Silabbatupadana (attachment to rites and rituals) appearing as the third feature of stream-entry.

Metta,
Retro.

[Dhammanando]

Hi Retro,

Do you know where the explanation for the eradication of "envy" and "avarice" as a component of stream-entry originates?

The extended list of fetters is from the Dhammasaṅgaṇī and Cullaniddesa, and the account of when each is eliminated is from the commentaries to the same (Atthasālinī 376-7, = Expositor II. 483; Saddhammappajjotikā 140). It's also given in the commentary to the Vatthūpama Sutta (MN. 7), which has an even longer list of kilesa (perhaps the longest of all) and when each is eliminated.

I expected to see Doubt and Wrong View in the list, but am more familiar with Silabbatupadana (attachment to rites and rituals) appearing as the third feature of stream-entry.

"Misapprehension of precepts and vows" (as I prefer to translate it) is included in the fetter of wrong view.

Best wishes,
Dhammanando Bhikkhu

[gavesako]

Thank you Retro

I couldn't help but notice that full buddhahood was missing from the list...

How is it different from an Arahant? Is the difference that a Buddha will teach?

For a good explanation, see
Arahants, Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas by Bhikkhu Bodhi

http://www.buddhanet.net/budsas/ebud/ebdha335.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[retrofuturist]

Thank you venerable Dhammanando.

Metta,
Retro.

[Ngawang Drolma.]

Thank you