Post # 38 – Developing ‘Right View’ by the Lay Householder- Part 5

If you are visiting this Blog for the first time, it would be good if you could start by visiting the 1^st Post to know about this Blog and then read the others in sequence. 

In this Post we will discuss Pala Samma Ditthi (deeper understanding about the fruition in the path to enlightenment/ Nibbana). This has to be read in conjunction with Post # 37-Marga Samma Ditthi (a deeper understanding about the steps in the path to enlightenment/Nibbana). This is the last part of Right View in the Noble Eightfold Path.

We saw that there were four steps in the Path to Nibbana. They were -  Stream Entry (Sotha Patthi), Once Returner (Sakudhagami), Non Returner (Anagami), and Noble One (Arahant).  Continuing on developing in the Noble Eight-fold Path and realization of the respective Path Knowledge, help us to eliminate the various fetters or shackles (sanyojanas) that chain us down to the Samsaric process (the cycle of birth and death). When this happens fruition in the path steps is attained. The Fruition Knowledge (Phala Nana) thus attained follows Path Knowledge automatically.  It is also a supra mundane knowledge taking Nibbana as the object and right view becomes fulfilled with the accompanying spiritual attainments.

Fruition in the Stream Entry Path (Sotha Patthi)

The observance and practice of the virtuous qualities, of associating with noble friends; learning the Dhamma; developing unwavering trust in the Noble Triple Gem and  seela (moral restraint), and being always mindful and acting wisely with clear comprehension in accordance with Dhamma; and following the noble eightfold path are the requirements to develop in the Stream Entry Path (Sotha Patthi).   Advancing in the Path he/she sees  three fetters that tie a ‘being’ down to the Samsara. They are Sakkaya Ditti (view and an attachment to a notion of self- a I, Me, Mine, or a personality view), Vichikichcha (speculative doubt about the Noble Triple Gem), Seelavrutha Paramasa (trust and reliance on worldly rites and rituals for liberation).  You also begin to see how meaningless these fetters are, their futility and their unwise nature. In other words see them as mere notions without a real basis. As this understanding grows these fetters fade and die in our mind. While mundane vippassana knowledge only suppresses these defilements, fruition in the Path destroys them. This is the first supra mundane vippassana knowledge which takes Nibbana as the object. These were discussed before.

Then you have the experience that you have left the mundane (Puthujana) or worldling state and are on course to enter the state of a Noble One (ariya). We also saw that once  you  are  established  in  the Stream  Entry  Path ,  the  virtues   of Saddha (trust in the Noble Triple Gem), Viriya (ardent effort),  Sathi  (mindfulness),  Samadhi (concentrated attention) and  Panna (wisdom for understanding reality),  develop as faculties and strengths progressively to higher levels.

By regularly engaging in Dhamma practice as above, one attains fruition in the path of stream enterer with the elimination of the three fetters referred to above. As we saw before you will also reach an important intermediate mile-stone before you attain fruition in Sotha Patthi. That is attaining either a state of a Sadda-nu-sari (one driven by trust in the Noble Triple Gem) or Dhamma-nu-sari (one driven by the understanding of the Dhamma) or both.  Either of these intermediate states is quite achievable in this life. These help you to achieve Sotha Patthi fruition in this life itself.

The fruition state ensures that you avoid being born in the unhappy or hell realms, avoid coming within the grasp of teachers with wrong view, avoid committing ananthriya kamma (the kamma whose results or consequences of a birth in hell realms are inevitable and cannot be prevented by other means) and attaining the Arahant state in this life or within the next seven re-births.  In other words such a person will not have an eight re-becoming in Samsara.

The path knowledge and the fruition in that step that follows are automatic. 

Fruition in the Path of the Once Returner

With the fruition in the Sothapatthi step of the Path, and continuing in the development in the Noble Eight-fold Path including development of right concentration and right mindfulness, one sees two other fetters that tie a 'being' down to the Samsara. They are kamma-raga (sensual desire)  and patigaya (ill-will). This path knowledge reveals to you of their meaningless nature and their futility. This realization helps to weaken and suppress these two fetters.   The moral restraint (seela) that is cultivated and the Path Knowledge thus gained about the nature of the above fetters ingrained in the mind, we are able to overcome some gross tendencies such as craving, desire and obsessive lust as one group and anger, dislike and aversion  as the other.  These have been a part of our habitual traits. That is restraint from indulging in lustful actions and similarly in hateful deeds, as their consequences are now well understood, is what is meant by weakening and suppressing the fetters. It however means that while their gross manifestation is suppressed, their roots are still ingrained in the mind in dormant state. With this path knowledge and the fruition in that step you enter the next step of the path, that of Non Returner.

Once Returner upon death will only return once more to the sensual worlds. (Human, Deva or , Brahma worlds with form).Their Samsaric journey is thus limited as above.

Fruition in the Path of the Non Returner (Anagami)

The process of experiencing this step in the Path, the way to cultivate and realization of Path Knowledge is similar to those of the Once Returner. With this path knowledge that weakened the manifestation of kamma-raga and patigaya (sensual desire and ill-will), you would continue following the Noble Eight-fold Path to develop right concentration and right mindfulness further. The ability thus gained for a penetrative vision and mindful awareness, reveals to you additionally the impermanence, non-self and unsatisfactory nature of these fetters. This realization helps to see the roots conditioning these fetters and enables us to destroy them. With that attainment the two fetters that were weakened during the Once Returner step in the Path are now completely destroyed never to return. Gaining this path knowledge and the fruition brings you to the threshold of the next step of the path, that of an Arahant (Noble One).  And a Non- Returner upon death will never again take rebirth in the sensual worlds.

 Fruition in the Path of the Arahant (Noble One)

With the destruction of the above five fetters that were more weighted towards a birth in  lower realms, there remains five other fetters that are more directed to births in higher planes. These are very subtle and require a well concentrated mind to spot them. These fetters are rupa raga  (craving for material form which include craving for a state with a form, in the next birth),  arupa raga (craving for concepts devoid of material form which also in addition  includes birth in formless states),  manna (ego), uddachcha  (restlessness),  avidya (ignorance).

With the development in the Path beyond Non Returner (Anagami) state by following the Noble Eightfold Path and developing right concentration and right mindfulness further, you begin to see the above subtle fetters which are remaining that tie you down to the Samsaric process. Also you recognize their meaningless nature and their futility. With the elimination of one of these fetters you enter the Path of the Arahant (Noble One). Continuing on with the Noble Eightfold Path and developing right concentration and right mindfulness further you destroy the remaining fetters and reap the fruition in the step to become an Arahant (Noble One). This Fruition Knowledge is a very important part of the wider understanding of supra-mundane Right View.

These six ways of developing the understanding of right view with Nibbana as the focus is how one would progressively develop right view that the Noble Ones hold about the phenomena of this world.

Dhamma also refers to two more factors beside the eight in the Noble Eightfold Path that the Arahant acquires in this process. They are vidya vimukthi nana (knowledge of the freedom that can be gained from psychic irritants and fetters that tie you down to samsara)  and the vidya vimukthi nana dharshana (realization or view that this freedom has been attained).

These ten factors are the fulfillment of Arahanthood, and the ending of the Samsara.

 It must now be clear that we should engage in a regular and effective Dhamma practice. Then we can draw comfort from the fact that this Dhamma will lead us to deliverance from the unsatisfactory Samsara and give us the necessary protection we need for this purpose.

In this Blog I have attempted to list out the activities that  fall in line with this requirement. Developing the factors of the Noble Eightfold Path while observing the Ajeewa Astamaka Seela as the platform, along with serenity and insight meditations dealing with right concentration and right mindfulness, and contemplating on right intentions and thereafter right view as above on a daily basis, you as a busy householder are in this right practice.

Please await a Post on Patticca Samupadda  (Dependent Origination or dependent co-arising)