Sotapatti
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Sotapatti is the first of four levels of Buddhist sainthood that people may strive to attain, the second being Sakadagami, the third being Anagami, and the fourth being Arahat, in that order.
The student walking in the Sotapatti path must destroy three sanyojanas (fetters): 1. The animistic superstition that inside the body there is a permanent soul or a ghost, who sees, hears, smells, taste, etc.; 2. The superstition that without austerities and bodily mortifications heaven could not be got; 3. Doubt of a future life, or a future world and of the Karma doctrine with its corollary the law of causality.
If he succeeds in the path he enjoys the fruit of Sotapatti. He has entered the threshold of Nirvana, and no more can he again enter the samsara. He is a niyato sambodhiparayano. The gates of hell are closed for him for ever. Nirvana is assured for him either in one more birth, or three or seven. The rest of the term of life he may return to the earth, or he may be born in the devalokas and pass onwards from devaloka to devaloka till he realizes Nirvana. Countless billions of years he may enjoy the celestial pleasures of the higher heavens. A Sotapatti never violates the moral law. He is incapable of destroying life, consciously, and he is incapable of dishonest gain, and can never be adulterous, nor can he tell lies, and drink intoxicants. However, a Sotapatti has not the wisdom of a Sakadagami, not to speak of the higher estates. Thousands of laymen and women in the time of the Blessed One realized the Sotapatti state. Till the end of the Buddhasasana good people who follow the path, and made the effort to destroy the three sanyojanas can reach the Sotapatti state. But they must make the effort. Those who make the effort now are born with better upanissaya karma for the realization of Nirvana in the future births. The very effort to walk in the path by observing the five silas, and the rules of brahmachariya on the sabbath days helps to create the upanissaya karma. It is necessary when creating good karma in this life the aspirant should have an aim. Aimlessly he should not proceed.
