Only When the Defilements Are Purified

Without understanding the truth (sacca-dhamma), one cannot become a Sotāpanna, Sakadāgāmi, Anāgāmi, or Arahant. However, when the Buddha taught in a way that leads to Sotāpatti (Stream-entry), he first prepared the mind of the listener through gradual instruction. He began by teaching the virtues of generosity (dāna-kathā), encouraging refinement of character. He praised dāna as the cause for rebirth in the human and celestial realms, saying that attaining such existences is due to generosity. To promote long life and wellbeing, he then taught the virtues of morality (sīla-kathā). After generosity, he taught morality; after morality, he taught the benefits of celestial rebirth, praising the glories of heavenly realms. This is the usual sequence in the Buddha’s graduated discourse (anupubbi-kathā). But once the glories of the heavenly realms are described, the listener’s mind becomes enraptured with sensual desire (taṇhā), conceit (māna), and wrong views (diṭṭhi) toward human and divine pleasures. Only then did the Buddha speak about the drawbacks of sensual pleasures (kāmānaṃ ādīnava-kathā), exposing their faults. After realizing these pleasures are ultimately sources of suffering, the Buddha taught the blessings of renunciation (nekkhamma-kathā). How did the Buddha reveal the faults of sensuality? He gave examples: the happiness one feels in relation to children, spouse, or relatives is like a dog gnawing on a dry bone—there’s no real essence. Affection toward children, spouse, or relatives brings no true satisfaction—only fatigue and mental torment. Thus, human and divine sensual pleasures are just like chewing on a bloodless bone. The Buddha illustrated how these are harmful. When people begin to see the faults in sensual pleasures, delight in them begins to fade. They start to feel, “I must be free from these five sensual pleasures.” At that point, the defilements (kilesa) in the listener’s heart begin to be purified. Only then did the Buddha teach the Threefold Wisdom: sacca-ñāṇa (knowledge of truth), kicca-ñāṇa (knowledge of task), and kata-ñāṇa (knowledge of what has been done). These cannot be taught while the listener is still under the influence of kilesa. The truth can only be taught when the defilements have been purified. The Buddha compared sensual pleasures to holding a torch of burning grass against the wind: it will burn your own hand. If you let it go, you are safe. If you don’t let it go, it burns you. Likewise, those who cling to sensuality suffer because they can’t let go. The burning is due to clinging; if one lets go, there is no burning. This teaching clearly shows the harmfulness of sensual pleasures. Upon realizing this, people begin to see that sensual pleasures are truly dangerous. Consequently, lust (rāga), hatred (dosa), and delusion (moha)—the defilements—begin to thin out. When that thinning happens, the Buddha then taught the Threefold Wisdom. He taught only when the heart (hadayavatthu) was purified. Because the truth is exceedingly subtle and pure, it cannot be taught to someone whose mind is still polluted with defilements. Just as a beautiful design can be clearly printed on a clean white cloth, the truth can only be impressed upon a purified heart. When the mind is pure, the teachings stick deeply. A person with a pure heart is able to establish Stream-entry. Stream-entry (Sotāpatti) means that the path knowledge (magga-ñāṇa) arises in the mind. If one is still overwhelmed with kilesa—defiled by greed, hatred, delusion, and indulgent in pleasures—the path knowledge cannot arise in the heart. If one’s heart is pure, however, the truth can take root. If the truth is taught at that moment, the threefold wisdom arises within the aggregates (khandhas), and Sotāpatti is attained. When the defilements have been purified and the Buddha teaches the truth (sacca), the truth takes hold in the heart. When he teaches the task (kicca), it also takes root. When he teaches the accomplishment (kata), it too establishes itself. Because of this, Upāli and Koṇḍañña attained Sotāpatti while listening to the Dhamma in this very sequence. Why so quickly? Because their minds were already pure before hearing the Dhamma. Therefore, it is crucial to purify defilements. One must not crave any sense object, not even heavenly or human pleasures. If one still has craving, the defilements will cling to the heart, and magga-phala (path and fruition) cannot be realized. When the heart is pure, and the Buddha teaches the truth, a moment of path knowledge that cuts off dependent origination and eliminates doubt and wrong view arises. Immediately following that is fruition knowledge (phala-ñāṇa). When magga ends, phala arises. After that comes knowledge of Nibbāna (paccavekkhaṇa-ñāṇa). At that point, the person has become a Sotāpanna. Dr. Ashin Parami