According to Sutta Sotapanna is a person who has eliminated self-view, doubt, and clinging to rites and rituals.
There were many discussions in this forum about the meaning of these three status.
Venerable Ven. Alawwe Anomadassi Thero gave a very interesting explanation.
1)Self-view: taking five clinging-aggregate as I, me, and myself. (This explanation is similar to a common understanding)
2)Doubt: Doubt eliminated as to whether " I was in the past, I will be in the future or am I here now" etc
3)Clinging to rites and rituals. Many people practice Sila with the fear of an unfavorable rebirth. But Sotapanna practices Sila for the non-remorse and for the attainment of a heightened concentration. In this case, Sila does not mean five precepts. He understands that he is free from woeful states. He also understands precepts alone will not lead to Nibbana. He does not practice Sila for not his well being. He may break the precepts but not for his well being (not with the though I, me or myself).
He uses the following from Ratana Sutta.
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .piya.html"Any evil action he may still do by deed, word or thought, he is incapable of concealing it; since it has been proclaimed that such concealing is impossible for one who has seen the Path (of Nibbana).[8] This precious jewel is the Sangha. By this (asseveration of the) truth may there be happiness.
What is your thought on this?
The video is in Sinhalease language.