19 (Day) Notes | Sutta Study @ Buddhist Maha Vihara, Brickfields | Bhante Dr. G. Chandima

 

1. What does it mean to become a sotāpanna? Four prerequisites for becoming sotāpanna Link

2. Why was Aññā-Kondañña the first to attain sotāpatti?

He was given the surname Kondañña by his family. He was well-versed in the three Vedas and excelled at physiognomy. At the time of bodhisattva's birth, the Kondañña was one of the eight Brahmins (the others being Rāma, Dhaja, Lakkhana, Mantī, Bhoja, Suyāma and Sudatta).

He then lived in anticipation of the Bodhisatta's renunciation. Following this, he left the house with four others, who became known as the Pañcavaggiyā. When the Buddha visited them at Isipatana after the Enlightenment and delivered the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, Kondañña and eighteen crores of brahmas attained the Fruit of the First Path. Having attained Dhamma awareness before any other human being, the Buddha bestowed upon him the reverenceful appellation "aññāsi vata bho Kondañño" twice; thus, he gained the appellation  Aññata Kondañña.

He attained arahant five days later when the Anattalakhana Sutta was preached. He was the first to be ordained using the formula "ehi, bhikkhu" and the first to be elevated to higher ordination. Later, in front of a huge crowd of monks at Jetavana, the Buddha declared him to be the best among those who first understood the Dhamma. He was also regarded to be the foremost among long-standing disciples (rattaññūnam).

Aññā Kondañña attained sotāpanna first since he had completed all prerequisites in his previous lives. Early discourses allow us to judge, and it appears that attaining stream entry does not necessitate the earlier development of absorption attainment, which appears to be required for progress to the two higher degrees of waking, non-return and arhatship. Given that Aññā Kondañña and his friends are introduced as adherents of asceticism, it is reasonable to assume that they will require some time to train in concentration, which would fit best after stream entry but before complete awakening.

3. What's the link between becoming a sotāpanna and the rise of dhamma cakkhu? 

The sotāpanna is claimed to have an intuitive knowledge of the dharma—this wisdom is known as right view (sammā diṭṭhi)—and unwavering trust in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha. The Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha, which are frequently considered the triple gem, are also cited as objects of recollection. In general, however, firm trust in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha is regarded as one of the four prerequisites of stream-winning (sotāpannassa angāni). The sotāpanna is said to have "opened the eye of the Dhamma" (dhammacakkhu) because they understood that whatever arises will end (impermanence). Their trust in the true dharma would be unshakeable at this moment.

4. Why does attaining sotāpanna have a direct link to understanding the dependent origination?

The Buddha’s teaching called paṭicca samuppāda, usually translated as “dependent origination”, is fundamental to the Dhamma (Truth) awakened to by the Buddha on the night of his enlightenment. The Buddha is recorded to have said (MN 28):

One who sees dependent origination sees the Dhamma. One who sees the Dhamma, sees dependent origination.

Furthermore, the understanding of dependent origination is an integral part of the delusion-shattering insight that brings one to the state of “one who has entered the stream” (sotāpanna), destined for full enlightenment within a maximum of seven more lives. It is stated by the Buddha that one who has entered the stream may be considered as possessing five attributes (SN 12.27; AN 5.25):

1. Unshakeable trust in the Buddha, as opposed to other religious leaders.
2. Unshakeable trust in the Dhamma, as opposed to other religious beliefs.
3. Unshakeable trust in the Sangha, the enlightened members of the monastic community.
4. Very high standard of morality, “dear to the enlightened ones”.
5. Accurate understanding of dependent origination, and its corollary idappaccayatā (dependent origination).

Therefore it is fair to say that the correct understanding of dependent origination can only be known by the enlightened ones, that is by the stream-winners, once-returners, non-returners, and arahants. This goes a long way to answering the question of why there is so much difference of opinion on the meaning of dependent origination.

For the dependent origination flyer https://patisota.blogspot.com/2021/06/twelve-links-dependent-origination.html

5. What exactly is dhamma cakka in this context? Refer to (Day 18 notes) https://patisota.blogspot.com/2023/10/sutta-study-bmv-bhante-dr-gangodawila-chandima-notes-day.html

6. A textual transmission issue."appativattiyaṃ (cannot be turned back)" or  "appavatiyaṃ (cannot be turned)".

Another peculiarity of the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta in relation to the celestial repercussions of the turning of the wheel of Dhamma is that the devas proclaim that this wheel cannot be turned back by anyone in the world. Most of the Chinese parallel versions instead indicate that this wheel had not been turned by others or that others were unable to turn it. The idea that others might try to interfere with the turning of the wheel is found only in the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta. 

This could be the result of an error in transmission, whereby an original reading “cannot be turned”, appavatiyaṃ. , became “cannot be turned back”, appativattiyaṃ.

7. What exactly is a cry here?

8. Six heavens and the link to the cry