Sotapanna

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A Sotapanna (Pali, Sanskrit: Srotapanna) is a partially-enlightened person, who has eradicated the first three fetters of the mind, that prevent freedom. Sotapanna literally means "one who enters (āpadyate) the stream (sota), after a simile that compares attaining enlightenment with crossing a stream and reaching the further shore. Sotapannaship is the first of the four stages of enlightenment.

Buddha said that a stream-enterer will surely attain full enlightenment (Arahant) within no more than seven successive rebirths, possibly in this current life. The stream-winner can also be sure that he or she will not be reborn in any of the unhappy rebirths (that is, as an animal, as a preta, or as a being in hell (Niraya). The stream-enterer has attained an intuitive grasp of Buddhist doctrine (samyagdṛṣṭi or sammādiṭṭhi, "right view"), has complete confidence in the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, and follows Buddhist morality (sila). The stream-enterer is said to have "opened the eye of the Dharma" (Pāli dhammacakkhu), which means that he has seen Dhamma and, as a result of that, can see it (his eye is open now, not closed any more).

The three specific chains or fetters (Pali: saṃyojana) of which the Sotapanna is free are:

  1. Sakkāya-diṭṭhi (Pali) - Belief in self
  2. Vicikicchā (Pali) - Skeptical doubt
  3. Sīlabbata-parāmāsa (Pali) - Attachment to rites and rituals

The conditions which lead to the achievement of Stream-entry (sotāpatti or srotaāpatti) are: (citation needed)

  1. through an association with good people
  2. through hearing the Dhamma
  3. through proper attention of the mind
  4. and through practice of the entire Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma.

The fifty-fifth samyutta of the Samyutta Nikaya is titled the Sotāpatti-saṃyutta, and concerns Sotapannas and their attainment.

Dhammapada 178:
Sole dominion over the earth,
going to heaven,
lordship over all worlds:
the fruit of stream-entry
excels them.
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