Gradual Path to Awakening

This is a case study of a person gradually becoming awakened from hearing the Buddha’s teachings. It is presented in various forms in DN as well MN and in parallel versions in the other canons.

9M/3.7 Cūḷahatthipadopamasutta

1030. Just as, brāhmaṇa, here in the world, a Tathāgata arises, an Arahant, a Fully Self-Awakened One, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, fortunate, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, the Awakened One, the Bhagavā. He, having directly known and realised this world — with its deities, Māras, and Brahmās, its generation of ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans — proclaims it. He teaches the Dhamma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and the right phrasing; he makes known the utterly complete and perfectly pure holy life. A householder or a householder’s son, or someone else born in some family, hears that Dhamma. Having heard that Dhamma, he gains faith in the Tathāgata. Possessed of that faith, he reflects thus:

‘Confining is the household life, a path of dust; open is the going forth. It is not easy for one living at home to practice the holy life utterly complete, utterly purified, polished like a conch shell. What if I were to shave off my hair and beard, put on saffron robes, and go forth from the home life into homelessness?’

So, at a later time, having given up a small or large fortune, having given up a small or large circle of relatives, he shaves off his hair and beard, puts on saffron robes, and goes forth from the home life into homelessness.

1031. Having thus gone forth, he lives endowed with the training and livelihood of bhikkhus. Abandoning the taking of life, he abstains from it; he lives with rod and weapon laid aside, scrupulous, compassionate, sympathetic for the welfare of all living beings.

1032. Abandoning the taking of what is not given, he abstains from it; he takes only what is given, expecting only what is given. He lives pure in himself.

1033. Abandoning unchastity, he lives chaste, living apart, abstaining from sexual intercourse, the village custom.

1034. Abandoning false speech, he abstains from it; he is a speaker of truth, a truth-finder, firm, reliable, not a deceiver of the world.

1035. Abandoning divisive speech, he abstains from it; what he hears here, he does not repeat there to break up those people; what he hears there, he does not repeat here to break up these people. Thus, he is a reconciler of those who are divided and a preserver of those who are united; he delights in concord, rejoices in concord, is fond of concord, and speaks words that promote concord.

1036. Abandoning harsh speech, he abstains from it. He speaks words that are gentle, pleasing to the ear, affectionate, heartwarming, courteous, desired by many, liked by many.

1037. Abandoning idle chatter, he abstains from it; he speaks at the right time, speaks what is true, speaks what is beneficial, speaks the Dhamma, speaks the Vinaya; he speaks words worth treasuring, opportune, reasoned, conclusive, and connected with benefit.

1038. He abstains from harming seed-and-plant life. He eats only once a day, abstaining from food at night and from untimely food. He abstains from watching dancing, singing, music, and dramatic performances. He abstains from garlands, perfumes, and unguents, and from adornments and embellishments. He abstains from high and luxurious beds. He abstains from accepting gold and silver. He abstains from accepting raw grain. He abstains from accepting raw meat. He abstains from accepting women and girls. He abstains from accepting male and female servants. He abstains from accepting goats and sheep. He abstains from accepting chickens and pigs. He abstains from accepting elephants, cattle, horses, and mares. He abstains from accepting fields and land. He abstains from engaging in messages and errands. He abstains from buying and selling. He abstains from cheating with scales, weights, or measures. He abstains from bribery, deception, fraud, and crookedness. He abstains from cutting, beating, binding, robbery, plunder, and violence.

1039. He is content with robes sufficient to protect his body and alms food sufficient to fill his stomach. Wherever he goes, he takes only his belongings with him. Just as a bird, wherever it flies, flies with its wings as its only burden; even so, a bhikkhu is content with robes sufficient to protect his body and alms food sufficient to fill his stomach. Wherever he goes, he takes only his belongings with him. Endowed with this noble aggregate of virtue, he experiences blameless happiness within himself.

1040. When he sees a form with the eye, he does not grasp at its features or details. He endeavors to restrain that eye faculty, through which, if it were unrestrained, evil, unwholesome states of covetousness and distress might invade him. He guards the eye faculty; he undertakes restraint of the eye faculty. When he hears a sound with the ear… when he smells a scent with the nose… when he tastes a flavor with the tongue… when he touches a tangible with the body… when he cognizes a mental phenomenon with the mind, he does not grasp at its features or details. He endeavors to restrain that mind faculty, through which, if it were unrestrained, evil, unwholesome states of covetousness and distress might invade him. He guards the mind faculty; he undertakes restraint of the mind faculty. Endowed with this noble restraint of the faculties, he experiences unmolested happiness within himself.

1041. He acts with clear comprehension when going forward and returning; he acts with clear comprehension when looking forward and looking around; he acts with clear comprehension when bending and stretching; he acts with clear comprehension when wearing his outer robe, bowl, and robes; he acts with clear comprehension when eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting; he acts with clear comprehension when defecating and urinating; he acts with clear comprehension when walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, waking, speaking, and remaining silent.

1042. Endowed with this noble aggregate of virtue, endowed with this noble contentment, endowed with this noble restraint of the faculties, and endowed with this noble awareness and clear comprehension, he resorts to a secluded dwelling: a wilderness, the foot of a tree, a mountain, a ravine, a hillside cave, a charnel ground, a forest grove, the open air, a heap of straw. After his meal, having returned from his alms round, he sits down, folding his legs crosswise, setting his body erect, and establishing awareness in front of him. He abandons covetousness for the world and dwells with a mind free from covetousness; he purifies his mind from covetousness. He abandons ill will and hatred and dwells with a mind free from ill will, compassionate for the welfare of all living beings; he purifies his mind from ill will and hatred. He abandons sloth and torpor and dwells free from sloth and torpor, perceiving light, mindful and clearly comprehending; he purifies his mind from sloth and torpor. He abandons restlessness and remorse and dwells undisturbed, with his mind inwardly peaceful; he purifies his mind from restlessness and remorse. He abandons doubt and dwells having crossed over doubt, without perplexity regarding wholesome states; he purifies his mind from doubt.

1043. Having abandoned these five hindrances, these imperfections of the mind that weaken wisdom, he enters and remains in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by reflection, with consideration, born from seclusion, filled with joy and pleasure. This, too, brāhmaṇa, is called a mark of the Tathāgata, and what the Tathāgata frequents, and what the Tathāgata finds delightful. Yet, the ariyasāvako has not yet reached the conclusion: ‘The Bhagavā is fully self-awakened, the Dhamma has been well proclaimed by the Bhagavā, the Saṅgha of the Bhagavā’s disciples has practiced well.’

1044. Furthermore, brāhmaṇa, reflecting and considering, calmed down, with the subsiding of reflection and consideration, personally confident, having a purposeful mind, he enters and remains in the second jhāna, single minded, without reflection, without consideration, born from composure, filled with joy and pleasure. This, too, brāhmaṇa, is called… the Saṅgha of the Bhagavā’s disciples has practiced well.’

1045. Furthermore, brāhmaṇa, dispassionate from joy etc., he remains equanimous, aware, thoughtful and clearly comprehending; and he personally experiences comfort with the body, of which the noble ones declare — ‘Equanimous, attentive, at ease’ — he enters and remains in the third jhāna. This, too, brāhmaṇa, is called… the Saṅgha of the Bhagavā’s disciples has practiced well.’

1046. Furthermore, brāhmaṇa, with the letting go of previous pleasure or pain, subsiding of satisfaction and dissatisfaction, possessing purification of awareness by equanimity that is neither pleasant nor unpleasant, he enters and remains in the fourth jhāna. This, too, brāhmaṇa, is called a mark of the Tathāgata, and what the Tathāgata frequents, and what the Tathāgata finds delightful. Yet, the ariyasāvako has not yet reached the conclusion: ‘The Bhagavā is fully self-awakened, the Dhamma has been well proclaimed by the Bhagavā, the Saṅgha of the Bhagavā’s disciples has practiced well.’

1047. With his mind thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of defilement, pliant, workable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines his mind to the knowledge of the recollection of past lives. He recollects his manifold past lives, that is, one birth, two births… and so on, with their details and features, he recollects his manifold past lives. This, too, brāhmaṇa, is called a mark of the Tathāgata, and what the Tathāgata frequents, and what the Tathāgata finds delightful. Yet, the ariyasāvako has not yet reached the conclusion: ‘The Bhagavā is fully self-awakened, the Dhamma has been well proclaimed by the Bhagavā, the Saṅgha of the Bhagavā’s disciples has practiced well.’

1048. With his mind thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of defilement, pliant, workable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines his mind to the knowledge of the passing away and reappearing of beings. With the divine eye, purified and surpassing that of humans… he understands beings as they pass away and re-appear according to their deeds. This, too, brāhmaṇa, is called a mark of the Tathāgata, and what the Tathāgata frequents, and what the Tathāgata finds delightful. Yet, the ariyasāvako has not yet reached the conclusion: ‘The Bhagavā is fully self-awakened, the Dhamma has been well proclaimed by the Bhagavā, the Saṅgha of the Bhagavā’s disciples has practiced well.’

1049. With his mind thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of defilement, pliant, workable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines his mind to the knowledge of the destruction of the non optimal flows. He understands as it actually is: ‘This is suffering.’ He understands as it actually is: ‘This is the origin of suffering.’ He understands as it actually is: ‘This is the cessation of suffering.’ He understands as it actually is: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ He understands as it actually is: ‘These are the non optimal flows.’ He understands as it actually is: ‘This is the origin of the non optimal flows.’ He understands as it actually is: ‘This is the cessation of the non optimal flows.’ He understands as it actually is: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of the non optimal flows.’ This, too, brāhmaṇa, is called a mark of the Tathāgata, and what the Tathāgata frequents, and what the Tathāgata finds delightful. The ariyasāvako has not yet reached the conclusion, but rather reaches the conclusion: ‘The Bhagavā is fully self-awakened, the Dhamma has been well proclaimed by the Bhagavā, the Saṅgha of the Bhagavā’s disciples has practiced well.’

1050. When he knows and sees thus, his mind is liberated from the influx of sensuality, his mind is liberated from the influx of becoming, his mind is liberated from the influx of ignorance. With liberation, there arises the knowledge: ‘Liberated.’ He understands: ‘Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.’ This, too, brāhmaṇa, is called a mark of the Tathāgata, and what the Tathāgata frequents, and what the Tathāgata finds delightful. To this extent, brāhmaṇa, the ariyasāvako has reached the conclusion: ‘The Bhagavā is fully self-awakened, the Dhamma has been well proclaimed by the Bhagavā, the Saṅgha of the Bhagavā’s disciples has practiced well.’

Comparison with Madhyama-āgama parallel

Analayo has compared Cūḷahatthipadopamasutta with it’s parallel MĀ 146 at T I 656a-658a - “the discourse on the simile of the elephant’s footprint” (象跡喻經) and notes:

While the Majjhima-nikāya version’s account of the gradual training culminates in the three higher knowledges, the Madhyama-āgama discourse proceeds from the attainment of the fourth jhāna directly to the destruction of the influxes. This presentation is noteworthy, since standard descriptions of the gradual path in the Pāli discourses usually mention the whole set of three higher knowledges, or even the six higher knowledges.

From a practical perspective, however, to proceed from the attainment of the fourth jhāna directly to the destruction of the influxes would be possible, as the early discourses do not consider recollection of past lives and the ability to directly perceive the passing away and reappearing of beings according to their deeds as necessary requirements for the destruction of the influxes. Yet, in the present instance the Buddha is describing his teaching to a Brahmin visitor. In view of this, it would fit the context well if he were to bring in all of the three higher knowledges (tevijjā), thereby describing what constitutes the Buddhist counterpart to the three knowledges valued by contemporary Brahmins. Another difference between the two versions is that the Cūahatthipadopama-sutta presents insight into the four noble truths as the way to reach complete confidence, while the successful destruction of the influxes is the point at which complete confidence has been reached. The Madhyama-āgama version does not have such a distinction, but simply treats insight into the four noble truths and the destruction of the influxes together.

According to the commentarial explanation, the finerJ distinction introduced at this point refers to the difference between path and fruition attainment, since at the path moment the noble disciple is about to reach complete confidence, whereas with the fruition moment of full awakening he has completely done so.

Yet, according to the standard commentarial presentation already the path moment eradicates the defilements. Thus, the commentarial explanation does not seem to fit the passage it purports to explain so well, as in the Cūahatthipadopama-sutta the eradication of the influxes takes place only at the point that according to the commentary would represent the fruition moment of an arahant.