Cycle of Birth and Death (samsara) in Theravada Buddhism

 

Cycle of Birth and Death (samsara) in Theravada Buddhism

By Dr. Ari Ubeysekara

 

 

Introduction

Buddhism consists of the teachings of Lord Gautama Buddha who lived in Northern India during the sixth and fifth centuries BC. The word Buddha means the “Awakened One” or the “Enlightened One”. Prince Siddhartha, who eventually became Gautama Buddha, was confronted with realities of life such as sickness, old age and death for the first time in his life at the age of twenty nine. Following these experiences, prince Siddhartha became disenchanted with life and left his royal palace to become a homeless ascetic in search of an explanation and a way out of human suffering.

Then followed six years of severe austerity and self mortification but that did not bring him any closer to the path he was looking for. He realized through personal experiences that, neither the self mortification he underwent as an ascetic, nor the sensual pleasures he had indulged in during his princely life had helped him to find the way out of human suffering. With that in mind, he decided to follow the “Middle Path”, which was to become one of the salient features of the Buddha’s teachings. Ascetic Gautama then sat under a Bodhi tree (ficus religiosa) at a place known as Bodh Gaya in Northern India, with the firm determination that he will not get up until he discovered the path of liberation and started meditating on the mindfulness of breathing (anapanasati). At the age of thirty five, having realized the four Noble Truths (chathur ariya sacca) ascetic Gautama became fully enlightened on the night of the full moon day of the month of May and came to be known as Gautama Buddha.

According to Buddhist scriptures, it is believed that through meditation, the Buddha gained first hand knowledge of rebirth and the cycle of birth and death (samsara), before declaring it to the world. During the process of attaining full enlightenment through deep meditation on that night, the Buddha is said to have developed three special types of supreme knowledge, two of which revealed the knowledge of rebirth. During the first watch of the night, the Buddha developed the supreme knowledge (pubbenivasanussati nana) through which it was possible to recollect the past lives that the Buddha Himself had gone through during the cycle of birth and death including the details of where He was born, name, occupation, etc. in each previous life. During the second watch of the night, the Buddha developed the divine eye (cutupapatha nana), which revealed how from an inconceivable beginning, other beings were reborn into happy or unhappy existences dependent on their previous skilful and unskillful actions, based on the natural law of cause and effect (kamma).

The literal meaning of the word “Samsara” both in the Pali and the Sanskrit language is “wandering on” and “continuing on”. According to the Buddha, we have been wandering on in this cycle of repeated birth and death (samsara) with no evident beginning for an inconceivable length of time. Samsara is not a place or a particular plane of existence, but a process fuelled by ignorance (avijja), craving (tanha) and the volitional actions we perform (kamma) through which we continue from one existence to another. All existences in the cycle of birth and death bear three universal characteristics of existence; impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha) and lack of substantiality (anatta).

The cycle of birth and death (samsara) can also be described as the process of re-becoming of the five aggregates of clinging (pancha-upadankkhandha) from one existence to another. The five aggregates of clinging are the constituent parts of the Psycho-physical unit of name and matter (nama-rupa) known as an individual, a being or a personality

The five aggregates of clinging

1. Form or matter (rupa)
2. Feeling or sensation (vedana)
3. Perception (sanna)
4. Mental formation (sankhara)
5. Consciousness (vinnana)

During the process of gaining full enlightenment, the Buddha realized the four Noble Truths (chathur ariya sacca) and the fact that all worldly existence is unsatisfactory and subject to suffering.

The four Noble Truths

1. Truth of suffering (dukkha sacca)
2. Truth of the origin of suffering (samudaya sacca)
3. Truth of the cessation of suffering (nirodha sacca)
4. Truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering (magga sacca) (1).

The Buddha in His very first sermon called “Dhamma Chakkappavattana Sutta”, meaning “Turning the Wheel of the Truth” to the five ascetic companions, explained the suffering that every sentient being is bound to experience during the journey through the cycle of birth and death.

– Birth is suffering
– Ageing is suffering
– Illness is suffering
– Death is suffering
– Sorrow, lamentation, grief, pain, and despair are suffering
– To be connected with what one dislikes is suffering
– To be separated from what one likes is suffering
– Not getting what one desires is suffering
– In short, the five aggregates connected with clinging are suffering

There are three different types of suffering or dukkha described in Buddhist teaching namely:

1. Dukkha dukkha, includes the most obvious physical and mental experiences that are commonly considered as suffering or dissatisfaction which will include any type of physical and mental distress and pain.
2. Viparinama dukkha, means the dissatisfaction caused by the fact that everything including the happy and pleasant experiences are not stable, but are transient, and subject to change.
3. Sankhara dukkha, is the suffering or dissatisfaction due to constant change inherent in any conditioned phenomena arising as a result of certain causative factors. For example, a being or personality consisting of the five aggregates of clinging. Sankhara dukkha is perhaps the type of dukkha that most people will find difficult to comprehend (2).

Explaining the inconceivable length of the cycle of birth and death (samsara) which has no evident beginning, the Buddha in the Assu Sutta of the Samyutta Nikaya (collection of the Buddha’s connected discourses) has stated that;

• The amount of tears that one has shed during Samsara, from crying and weeping as a result of being joined with what is displeasing and from being separated from what is pleasing is greater than the water in the four great oceans.
• The amount of tears that one has shed during Samsara, over the death of one’s mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter and relatives, due to loss of one’s wealth and due to disease is greater than the water in the four great oceans (3).

Addressing a group of thirty monks, the Buddha has also stated in the Timsa Sutta of the Samyutta Nikaya that the amount of blood one has shed through one’s head being cut off during the Samsara while being born as cows, water buffaloes, rams, goats, deer, chickens, pigs, village thieves, highway thieves and adulterers would be greater than the water in the four great oceans (4).

The concept of rebirth (punabbhava)

An understanding of the Buddhist concept of rebirth is essential to gain proper understanding of how sentient beings travel from one existence to another in this beginning-less and endless cycle of birth and death (samsara). The Pali word for rebirth, punabbhava, means to “re-become”, but it is generally referred to as rebirth in the Buddhist writings. Contrary to reincarnation described in certain other Eastern religions, where an enduring entity called the “soul” transmigrates from one body to another following death, the Buddhist concept of rebirth involves only a constantly changing stream of consciousness influencing a new stream of consciousness in the subsequent birth.

During one’s life there is a recurring succession of streams of consciousness. Each unit of consciousness goes through three stages. Consciousness originates (uppada), persists (tithi), and ceases (bhanga), all in a very little moment in time only to be followed by the origin of another unit of consciousness. On cessation of one unit of consciousness it will transmit its kammic energy over to the next consciousness. The subsequent unit of consciousness is completely new and not the same as its predecessor. However, it is not completely independent of the predecessor either, as the new consciousness is triggered and influenced by the kammic energy of the previous one.

Therefore, the process of birth and death takes place from moment to moment throughout one’s lifetime, with no involvement of an enduring entity called the soul or self. The recurring stream of consciousness is said to continue on between the end of one life process (death of one life as we know it) and the beginning of another life process (birth of one life as we know it). Other than this continuous process there is no soul or a permanent self that transmigrates from one life to another. The newly born being in the next life is described as being neither the same person nor a different person. This process has sometimes been equated to what happens when one candle is lit from another candle where nothing substantial passes from the first candle to the second, but still the first candle is the cause of the flame in the second candle.

Thirty one planes of existence

According to Buddhist teachings, there are thirty one realms or planes of existence into which one can be reborn during the cycle of birth and death (samsara). Rebirth in one of these thirty one planes of existence is determined by the volitional acts that one has committed (kamma). Rebirth in any one of these planes would still be temporary and once the force of the kamma that caused the rebirth in a particular realm is exhausted a being will again go through death and be reborn in yet another plane of existence depending on the remaining kamma.

The thirty one planes of existence can be divided into three groups;

1. Eleven planes of sensuous existence (kama loka)
2. Sixteen planes of fine material existence (rupa brahma loka)
3. Four planes of immaterial existence (arupa brahma loka)

Eleven planes of sensuous existence

Planes of sensuous existence (kama loka), are so called as those who are born into these planes of existence have the capacity to receive sensual pleasures through the sense organs. The eleven planes of sensuous existence consist of;

1. Four planes of deprivation (apaya)
2. One plane of human existence (manussa loka)
3. Six planes of celestial beings (deva loka)

The six planes of celestial beings and the human plane are described as favourable destinations, while the four planes of deprivation are described as unfavourable destinations.

There are four planes of deprivation or extreme suffering (apaya) into which rebirth can take place due to unwholesome or unskillful actions of varying severity. These four planes are;

1. Plane of immense suffering (niraya)
2. Plane of animals (tiracchana yoni)
3. Plane of hungry ghosts (peta loka)
4. Plane of demons and titans (asura loka)

Rebirth in the human plane is considered to be very rare, and it happens only as a result of wholesome or skilful volitional actions performed during one’s previous existence.

There are six planes of celestial beings (deva loka), in which rebirth takes place due to highly meritorious, skilful, and wholesome volitional actions performed during one’s previous existence;

1. Plane of the four great guardians (catumaharajika deva loka)
2. Plane of thirty three Gods (tavatimsa deva loka)
3. Plane of Yama devas (yama deva loka)
4. Plane of contended devas (tusita deva loka)
5. Plane of devas who delight in creating (nimmanarati deva loka)
6. Plane of devas enjoying the sense pleasures created by others (paranimmita vasavatti deva loka)

Sixteen planes of fine material existence (rupa brahma loka)

There are sixteen planes of fine material existence (rupa brahma loka) in which rebirth takes place when one passes away while in one of the first four deep absorption states (rupa jhana) through concentration meditation (samatha bhavana). The last five planes of fine material existence are the five Pure Abodes (suddhavasa). Those who pass away having attained the third noble stage of the Non Returner (anagami) will be reborn and attain Nibbana in these planes. The beings reborn in the fine material worlds are believed to possess extremely refined, subtle and light bodies and enjoy refined degrees of mental pleasure. They will also enjoy enormously lengthy life spans at the end of which they will be reborn in another plane of existence.

The sixteen fine material planes (rupa brahma loka) are;

1. Retinue of brahma (brahma-parisajja)
2. Ministers of brahma (brahma-purohitha)
3. Great brahmas (maha brahma)
4. Devas of limited radiance (parittabha)
5. Devas of unbounded radiance (appamanabha)
6. Devas of streaming radiance (abhassara)
7. Devas of limited glory (parittasubha)
8. Devas of unbounded glory (appamanasubha)
9. Devas of radiant glory (subhakinna)
10. Very fruitful devas (vehapphala)
11. Devas with only the body and no mind (asanna satta)
12. Durable devas (aviha)
13. Untroubled devas (atappa)
14. Beautiful devas ( sudassa)
15. Clear sighted devas (sudassi)
16. Peerless devas (akanittha)

Four planes of immaterial existence (arupa brahma loka)

Rebirth in one of the four immaterial or formless planes (arupa brahma loka) takes place by passing away while in one of the four immaterial states of deep absorption (arupa jhana) through concentration meditation (samatha bhavana). The beings reborn in any of the four immaterial planes possess only the mind with no physical body or sense organs and hence they are unable to listen to any dhamma. They remain in a blissful and refined state in extremely lengthy life spans but will then be reborn in another plane of existence once they exhaust their kamma to remain in that plane.

The four immaterial or formless planes (arupa brahma loka) are;

1. Plane of infinite space (akasanancayatana)
2. Plane of infinite consciousness (vinnanancayatana)
3. Plane of nothingness (akincannayatana)
4. Plane of neither perception nor non-perception (nevasannanasannayatana)

Causes of re-birth in the cycle of birth and death (samsara)

In the Anubhuddha sutta of the Anguttara Nikaya (collection of the Buddha’s numerical discourses), the Buddha has described four reasons for wandering in the cycle of birth and death (samsara) for such a long time:

1. Not understanding and not penetrating noble virtue (ariya sila)
2. Not understanding and not penetrating noble concentration (ariya samadhi)
3. Not understanding and not penetrating noble wisdom (ariya panna)
4. Not understanding and not penetrating noble release (ariya vimutti) (5).

Three main factors that are responsible for one’s rebirth and continued existence in the cycle of birth and death (samsara) are;

1. Ignorance (avijja)
2. Craving (tanha) and
3. Volitional actions (kamma)

Ignorance (avijja)

Here, ignorance means lack of proper understanding of the four Noble Truths.

The four Noble Truths:

1. Truth of universal suffering (dukkha sacca)
2. Truth of the origin of suffering (samudaya sacca)
3. Truth of the cessation of suffering (nirodha sacca)
4. Truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering (magga sacca)

The first Noble Truth is the fact that all forms of existence are subject to unavoidable and inevitable suffering, both physical and mental.

The second Noble Truth is the cause of suffering which is craving (tanha). The Buddha has described three types of craving:

1. Craving for sense pleasures (kama tanha)
2. Craving for becoming or existence (bhava tanha)
3. Craving for non-becoming or non-existence (vibhava tanha)

The third Noble Truth is the cessation of suffering by attaining the state of Nibbana through total abandonment and elimination of all forms of craving (tanha). Nibbana is the final state of liberation from suffering and the repeated cycle of birth and death (samsara). Nibbana can be attained in this life itself, here and now, and hence it is not a state that can be attained only after one’s death.

The fourth Noble Truth is the path leading to the cessation of suffering which is the Noble Eight-fold Path. The Noble Eight-fold Path provides practical steps to be followed to attain Nibbana.

Noble Eight-fold Path:

1. Right view (samma-ditthi)
2. Right intention (samma-sankappa)
3. Right speech (samma-vaca)
4. Right action (samma-kammanta)
5. Right livelihood (samma-ajiva)
6. Right effort (samma-vayama)
7. Right mindfulness (samma-sati)
8. Right concentration (samma-samadhi)

Ignorance can also include ignorance of the three marks of existence (tilakkhana) namely impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha) and not-self (anatta) as well as ignorance of Dependent Origination (paticca samuppada).

Craving (tanha)

Ignorance leads to the development of craving. It is craving that drives sentient beings from one existence to another in the cycle of birth and death (samsara) through volitional actions (kamma) that one performs. In the Buddhist teachings, craving (tanha) has sometimes being likened to the seamstress. Similar to the seamstress who sews pieces of cloth together, craving is able to keep sewing one life to another through the cycle of birth and death. In His first sermon to the five ascetic companions (dhammachakkappavattana sutta) the Buddha declared the cause of suffering as craving (tanha) which leads one from birth to birth, which is accompanied by pleasure and greed and which finds ever fresh delight now here, now there. In the same sermon, the Buddha described three types of craving that can lead to suffering:

1. Craving for sense pleasures (kama-tanha)
2. Craving for becoming or existence (bhava-tanha)
3. Craving for non becoming or non existence (vibhava-tanha)

Craving can develop in relation to the sense objects received through the six sense doors of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and the mind.

1. Craving for forms through the eyes
2. Craving for sounds through the ears
3. Craving for smells through the nose
4. Craving for tastes through the tongue
5. Craving for touch through the body
6. Craving for mental objects through the mind

Volitional actions (kamma)

The word kamma in Pali means action. Not all actions but intentional, volitional and wilful actions will lead to consequences sooner or later. The mind (citta) by itself cannot perform or direct any mental, verbal or physical action. It is the intention, will, mental effort or the volition (cetana ) that directs any mental, verbal or physical action. Thus the Buddha declared;

“Cetanaham bhikkhave kammam vadami”
“It is volition that I call kamma, by volition one performs kamma through body, word or mind”

According to the basic qualities that lead to a particular bodily, verbal or mental action, volitional actions can ethically be divided into two types;

1. Unwholesome or unskillful action (akuasala kamma), based on roots of greed (lobha), hatred (dosa) and ignorance (moha), which is spiritually harmful and morally blameworthy. An unwholesome action will lead one to unfavourable future births and to unhappiness, pain, anguish and other negative experiences.
2. Wholesome or skilful action (kusala-kamma), based on roots of non-greed, loving kindness and wisdom, which is spiritually beneficial and morally praiseworthy. A wholesome action will lead one to favourable future births and to happiness, satisfaction and other positive experiences.

Based on the path or the channel through which a volitional action takes place, kamma can be divided into three types;

1. Bodily action ( kaya kamma)
2. Verbal action ( vaci kamma)
3. Mental action (mano kamma)

Volitional actions (kamma) are also known as sankhara. There are three types of rebirth producing volitional actions:

1. Meritorious actions (punnabhi-sankhara) including the fine material deep absorption states (rupa jhana) which will lead to rebirth in happy existences such as human, celestial (deva) and fine material brahma worlds (rupa loka)
2. De-meritorious actions (apunnabhi-sankhara) which will lead to rebirth in unhappy existences such as hell, animal, ghost and demon worlds
3. Imperturbable actions (anenjabhi-sankhara) which are the four immaterial deep absorption states (arupa jhana) resulting in a rebirth in one of the formless brahma worlds (arupa-loka)

Fermentations or cankers (asava)

In the Buddhist teaching, a group of three mental defilements called “fermentations”, “cankers” or “taints” (asava in Pali language) has been described which keep sentient beings bound to the cycle of birth and death (samsara).

1. Fermentation of desire for sensual pleasures (kamasava)
2. Fermentation of desire for continued existence (bhavasava)
3. Fermentation of ignorance (avijjasava) (6).

In some suttas, a fourth fermentation of wrong views (ditthasava) has also been described, but some Buddhist scholars believe the fermentation of wrong views is contained within the fermentation of desire for continued existence (bhavasava). By cultivating the path of liberation formulated by the Buddha, one must eventually destroy these four fermentations to attain full enlightenment and stop the cycle of birth and death (samsara).

Dependent Origination (paticca samuppada)

Dependent Origination or Conditioned Arising (paticca samuppada) was described by the Buddha as a pragmatic teaching and a statement of universal law to explain the mechanism of the cycle of birth and death (samsara), as well as the arising of suffering. Dependent Origination is a process without a first cause or beginning and is not meant to describe the origin of life or the evolutionary process of the world. It follows the natural law of cause and effect or action and reaction in relation to all physical and mental processes in the universe with no exception. Events in the universe arise not due to chance or creation by a Creator, but due to the existence of certain supporting conditions. One has the opportunity to change the outcome of that process by altering those conditions.

Having fully realized the exact mechanism of Dependent Origination during the process of attaining full enlightenment, the Buddha declared the conditioned process of Dependent Origination which leads to existence of beings in the cycle of birth and death and to their suffering. The twelve conditioned and conditioning factors which are interdependent begin with ignorance and end with suffering.

Forward chain of Dependent Origination:

avijjapaccaya sankhara
Conditioned by ignorance arise mental formations

sankharapaccaya vinnanam
Conditioned by mental formations arises consciousness

vinnanapaccaya namarupam
Conditioned by consciousness arise mind and matter

namarupapaccaya salayatanam
Conditioned by mind and matter arise six sense bases

salayatanapaccaya phasso
Conditioned by six sense bases arise contact

phassapaccaya vedana
Conditioned by contact arise feeling

vedanapaccaya tanha
Conditioned by feeling arise craving

tanhapaccaya upadanam
Conditioned by craving arise clinging

upadanapaccaya bhavo
Conditioned by clinging arise becoming

bhavapaccaya jati
conditioned by becoming arise birth

jatipaccaya jaramarana-soka-parideva-dukkha-domanassa-upayasa
Conditioned by birth arise ageing-death-sorrow-lamentation-pain-grief and despair”

The ten fetters (dasa samyojana)

The Buddha has also described ten mental impurities or fetters (dasa samyojana), which act as chains or shackles to keep sentient beings bound to the cycle of birth and death (samsara). These fetters act as obstacles for gaining enlightenment and are gradually eradicated as one attains the four noble stages of enlightenment and escape the cycle of birth and death (samsara).

1. Illusion of self (sakkaya ditthi)
2. Sceptical doubt (vicikicca)
3. Attachment to rites and rituals (silabbata paramasa)
4. Sensual desire (kama raga)
5. Ill-will (patigha)
6. Desire to be born in fine material worlds (rupa raga)
7. Desire to be born in formless worlds (arupa raga)
8. Conceit (mana)
9. Restlessness (uddacca)
10. Ignorance (avijja)

The first five fetters are called lower fetters (orambhagiya samyojana) as they bind one to the lower sensual worlds. They are totally eradicated at the third stage of Non -Returner (anagami). The next five fetters are called higher fetters (uddhambhagiya samyojana) as they bind one to the fine material worlds or the formless immaterial worlds. They are eradicated only when one attains Arahanthood.

Liberation from the cycle of birth and death (samsara)

Having attained full enlightenment on that night of full moon day of the month of May, the Buddha uttered the following two expressions of joy (udana) to indicate that He has finally destroyed the cycle of birth and death (samsara) and attained the state of Nibbana with no further rebirth.

“Anekajati samsaram
 Sandhavissam anibbisam
 Gahakarakam gavesanto
 Dukkha jati punappunam”

“Through many a birth in samsara
Have I wandered in vain
Seeking the builder of this house of life
Repeated birth is indeed suffering”

“Gahakaraka dittho si
 Puna geham na kahasi
 Sabba te phasuka bhagga
 Gahakutam visankhitam
 Visankharagatam cittam
 Tanhanam khayam ajjhaga”

“O house-builder you are seen
You will not build this house again
For your rafters are broken
And your ridgepole shattered
My mind has reached the unconditioned
I have attained the destruction of craving” (7)

Here, the house builder is the craving, the rafters of the house are mental defilements, and the ridge-pole supporting the defilements is ignorance. To stop the cycle of birth and death (samsara), one has to eliminate ignorance which will then prevent the development of craving (tanha) and commission of rebirth producing volitional actions (kamma).

In the twelve factor forward chain of Dependent Origination (paticca samuppada), the Buddha showed how ignorance (avijja) is followed by the other eleven factors based on the principle of conditioned arising and resulting in rebirth in the cycle of birth and death (samsara). In the reverse chain of Dependent Origination, the Buddha showed how this process can be stopped with no further rebirth and suffering by eliminating ignorance with wisdom (panna) of real nature of all physical and mental phenomena.

Reverse chain of Dependent Origination:

“Avijja nirodha sankhara nirodho
With the cessation of ignorance mental formations cease

Sankhara nirodha vinnana nirodho
With the cessation of mental formations consciousness ceases

Vinnana nirodha nama-rupa nirodho
With the cessation of consciousness mind and matter cease

Nama-rupa nirodha salayatana nirodho
With the cessation of mind and matter six sense bases cease

Salayatana nirodha phassa nirodho
With the cessation of six sense bases contact ceases

Phassa nirodha vedana nirodho
With the cessation of contact feeling ceases

Vedana nirodha tanha nirodho
With the cessation of feeling craving ceases

Tanha nirodha upadana nirodho
With the cessation of craving clinging ceases

Upadana nirodha bhava nirodho
With the cessation of clinging becoming ceases

Bhava nirodha jati nirodho
With the cessation of becoming birth ceases

Jati nirodha jara-maranam soka-parideva dukkha-domanassupayasa nirujjhanti
With the cessation of birth, decay-death-sorrow-lamentation-pain-grief and despair cease”

In the Anubhudda Sutta of the Anguttara Nikaya, the Buddha went on to describe how one could cease rebirth in the cycle of birth and death (samsara) by;

1. Understanding and penetrating noble virtue (ariya sila)
2. Understanding and penetrating noble concentration (ariya samadhi)
3. Understanding and penetrating noble wisdom (ariya panna)
4. Understanding and penetrating noble release (ariya vimutti)

The path of liberation from the cycle of birth and death (samsara) is the Noble Eight-fold Path which is also known as the middle way (majjhima patipada).

Noble Eight-fold Path:

1. Right view (samma-ditthi)
2. Right intention (samma-sankappa)
3. Right speech (samma-vaca)
4. Right action (samma-kammanta)
5. Right livelihood (samma-ajiva)
6. Right effort (samma-vayama)
7. Right mindfulness (samma-sati)
8. Right concentration (samma-samadhi)

From a practical standpoint the above eight factors are divided into three groups;

1. Morality (sila), consisting of right speech, right action and right livelihood
2. Concentration (samadhi), consisting of right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration
3. Wisdom (panna), consisting of right view and right intention

When one cultivates the Noble Eight-fold Path successfully and attains Arahanthood, two more factors of right knowledge and right liberation are developed. Right knowledge is the review knowledge (paccavekkhana nana), that one has destroyed all the mental defilements. Right liberation (samma vimutti) is one’s experience of deliverance from all mental defilements.

Although the eight factors of Noble Eight-fold Path will not necessarily develop in the sequence stated above, the three practical stages of morality, concentration and wisdom may enhance the development of wisdom in that order, i.e. right moral discipline (sila) will lead to right concentration (samadhi) and right concentration will lead to right wisdom (panna).

According to Buddhist teaching, one who cultivates the Noble Eight-fold Path with diligence, will sooner or later pass through four progressive stages of spiritual development finally attaining full enlightenment or Nibbana.

Four progressive stages of spiritual development:

1. Stream Enterer (sotapanna)
2. Once Returner (sakadagami)
3. Non-Returner (anagami)
4. Arahant (arahat)

 Stream Enterer (soatapanna)

Stream Enterer is one who through the development of right understanding (samma–ditthi), has attained the path and the fruit of the first stage of enlightenment and has thus entered the stream that is the Noble Eight-fold Path leading to full enlightenment.

The Stream Enterer has eradicated the first three fetters of illusion of self (sakkaya ditthi), sceptical doubt (vicikicca) and attachment to rites and rituals (silabbata paramasa) and has also destroyed the fermentation of wrong views (ditthasava). The Stream Enterer has also weakened the unwholesome mental factors of greed (lobha), ill-will (dosa) and delusion (moha) to such an extent that he or she will never again be born in a lower unhappy realm of existence and will only be reborn in the human or a celestial realm of existence. According to Buddhist teaching, a Stream Enterer, through further cultivation of the factors of the Noble Eight-fold Path will continue to progress in the spiritual path and attain full enlightenment within a maximum of seven more births.

Once Returner (sakadagami)

Once Returner is one who, having attained the first stage of Stream Enterer has significantly weakened the next two fetters of sensual desire (kama raga) and ill-will (patigha). A Once Returner will be reborn in the human or celestial realm only once before attaining the full enlightenment.

Non-Returner (anagami)

The Non-Returner has attained the third stage of enlightenment by having completely eradicated the five lower fetters of illusion of self (sakkaya ditthi), sceptical doubt (vicikicca), attachment to rites and rituals (silabbata paramasa), sensual desire (kama raga) and ill-will (patigha). But the five higher fetters still remain with him. The

Non -Returner has also destroyed the fermentation of the desire for sensual pleasures (kamasava). As the fetter of sensual desire has been completely eradicated the Non -Returner will not be reborn in the human or celestial realm, but will be reborn in one of the five brahma worlds called Pure Abodes (suddhavasa) and attain full enlightenment there.

Arahant (arahat)

Arahanthood is the final stage of the enlightenment. One who has attained this stage is awakened and fully enlightened and enjoys the bliss of Nibbana. An Arahant has destroyed the remaining two of the four fermentations namely, the fermentation of desire for continued existence (bhavasava) and the fermentation of ignorance (avijjasava). The last five of the ten fetters; desire to be born in fine material world (rupa raga), desire to be born in formless immaterial world (arupa raga), conceit (mana), restlessness (uddacca) and ignorance (avijja) need to be totally eradicated before one attains the Arahanthood. As all ten fetters that bind one to the cycle of birth and death (samsara) are eradicated, an Arahant will not be reborn in any of the thirty one realms of existence following death (parinibbana).

In Theravada Buddhism, the cycle of birth and death (samsara) is the process with no evident beginning. All unenlightened sentient beings continue to move from one existence to another in any of the thirty one planes of existence that the Buddha has described. The root causes of this continued existence are ignorance (avijja), resulting in craving (tanha), and rebirth producing volitional actions (kamma). The good news is, the Buddha has shown that one can escape from this cycle of birth and death (samsara) and attain the deathless state of Nibbana where there is no more birth, ageing, death or suffering. It can be achieved through one’s own effort by cultivating the path of liberation that the Buddha re-discovered which is the middle way or the Noble Eight-fold Path.

References

1. Thanissaro Bhikkhu, 1999, “The Four Noble Truths: A Study Guide” Access to Insight (Legacy Edition), November 2013.
2. Bhikkhu Bodhi 1999, Dukkhata sutta, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.
3. Bhikkhu Bodhi 1999, Assu sutta, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.
4. Bhikkhu Bodhi 1999, Timsa sutta, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.
5. Bhikkhu Bodhi 2012, Anubuddha sutta, The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha, Anguttara Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.
6. T. H. Perera 1967, The Four Cankers (Asavas), Bodhi Leaves No: 35, Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy, Sri Lanka.
7. Narada Thero, 2000, The Dhammapada, Verses 153/154,  Buddhist Cultural Centre, Dehiwala, Sri Lanka.

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