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February 11, 2019; revised February 12, 2019; September 4, 2019; April 12, 2020; major revision August 29, 2022; September 22, 2023 (#4)

A human who attains a magga phala will never be reborn in an apāya (one of the four lowest realms). An Arahant will not be reborn in any realm. An Anāgāmī will be reborn only in a Brahma realm. A Sakadāgāmī is born only in a deva realm, and a Sotāpanna only in a deva or human realm. A Sotāpanna Anugāmi is also free of the apāyā. Here, we discuss the evidence from the Tipiṭaka that is indeed the case.

Eight Types of Noble Persons

1. The “WebLink: suttacentral: Patipanna Sutta (SN 48.18)” describes the eight types of Noble Persons:

“Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, indriyāni. Katamāni pañca? Saddhindriyaṁ … pe … paññindriyaṁ—imāni kho, bhikkhave, pañcindriyāni. Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ samattā paripūrattā arahaṁ hoti, tato mudutarehi arahattaphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno hoti, tato mudutarehi anāgāmī hoti, tato mudutarehi anāgāmiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno hoti, tato mudutarehi sakadāgāmī hoti, tato mudutarehi sakadāgāmiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno hoti, tato mudutarehi sotāpanno hoti, tato mudutarehi sotāpattiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno hoti. Yassa kho, bhikkhave, imāni pañcindriyāni sabbena sabbaṁ sabbathā sabbaṁ natthi, tamahaṁ ‘bāhiro puthujjanapakkhe ṭhito’ti vadāmī”ti.

Translated:

“Bhikkhus, there are five indriya (faculties): Saddhindriya, vīriyindriya, satindriya, samādhindriya, paññindriya. One who has fully cultivated them is an Arahant. Someone who developed them less is an Arahant Anugāmi. One who has even less is an Anāgāmī,.. Anāgāmī Anugāmī, ..Sakadāgāmī, …Sakadāgāmī Anugāmi, …Sotāpanna, …Sotāpanna Anugāmi. Those who have not yet begun to cultivate the five faculties are ignorant humans (puthujjanabhūmiṁ) who are unaware of the true nature (Tilakkhaṇa).

▪One on the way to becoming an Anāgāmī is “anāgāmī phala sacchikiriyāya paṭipanno,” etc. One on the way to become a Sotāpanna (or Sotāpanna Anugāmi) is “sotāpattiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanno.”

▪The eight Noble Persons (Ariyā) are also listed in other suttā too including “WebLink: suttacentral: Paṭhama Puggala Sutta (AN 8.59)” and in “WebLink: suttacentral: Puggala Sutta (AN 9.9).”

Sotāpanna Anugāmi Is Dhammānusārī or Saddhānusārī

2. An important way of classification of the Noble Persons (Ariyā) relevant to our topic is given in the “WebLink: suttacentral: Tatiyasankhita Sutta (SN 48.14)”:

“Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, indriyāni. Katamāni pañca? Saddhindriyaṁ … pe … paññindriyaṁ—imāni kho, bhikkhave, pañcindriyāni. Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ samattā paripūrattā arahaṁ hoti, tato mudutarehi anāgāmī hoti, tato mudutarehi sakadāgāmī hoti, tato mudutarehi sotāpanno hoti, tato mudutarehi dhammānusārī hoti, tato mudutarehi saddhānusārī hoti. Iti kho, bhikkhave, paripūraṁ paripūrakārī ārādheti, padesaṁ padesakārī ārādheti. ‘Avañjhāni tvevāhaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcindriyānī’ti vadāmī”ti.

Translated:

“Bhikkhus, there are five indriya: Saddhindriya, vīriyindriya, satindriya, samādhindriya, paññindriya. One who has fully cultivated them is an Arahant. One who developed them less is an Anāgāmī,.. Sakadāgāmī, …Sotāpanna, …dhammānusārī, …saddhānusārī, .”

3. From #1 and #2 above, we can see that a Sotāpanna Anugāmi is either a dhammānusārī or a saddhānusārī.

▪This is confirmed in the following sutta, which also confirms that one MUST start comprehending the anicca nature to become a Sotāpanna Anugāmi.

More on Dhammānusārī and Saddhānusārī

4. From the “WebLink: suttacentral: Cakkhu Sutta (SN 25.1)”:

“Cakkhuṁ, bhikkhave, aniccaṁ vipariṇāmi aññathābhāvi; sotaṁ aniccaṁ vipariṇāmi aññathābhāvi; ghānaṁ aniccaṁ vipariṇāmi aññathābhāvi; jivhā aniccā vipariṇāmī aññathābhāvī; kāyo anicco vipariṇāmi aññathābhāvi; mano anicco vipariṇāmī aññathābhāvī. Yo, bhikkhave, ime dhamme evaṁ saddahati adhimuccati—ayaṁ vuccati saddhānusārī, okkanto sammattaniyāmaṁ, sappurisabhūmiṁ okkanto, vītivatto puthujjanabhūmiṁ; abhabbo taṁ kammaṁ kātuṁ, yaṁ kammaṁ katvā nirayaṁ vā tiracchānayoniṁ vā pettivisayaṁ vā upapajjeyya; abhabbo catāva kālaṁ kātuṁ yāva na sotāpattiphalaṁ sacchikaroti.

Yassa kho, bhikkhave, ime dhammā evaṁ paññāya mattaso nijjhānaṁ khamanti, ayaṁ vuccati: ‘dhammānusārī, okkanto sammattaniyāmaṁ, sappurisabhūmiṁ okkanto, vītivatto puthujjanabhūmiṁ; abhabbo taṁ kammaṁ kātuṁ, yaṁ kammaṁ katvā nirayaṁ vā tiracchānayoniṁ vā pettivisayaṁ vā upapajjeyya; abhabbo ca tāva kālaṁ kātuṁ yāva na sotāpattiphalaṁ sacchikaroti’.

Yo, bhikkhave, ime dhamme evaṁ pajānāti evaṁ passati, ayaṁ vuccati: ‘sotāpanno avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyano’”ti.

Translated:

“Bhikkhus, (the arising of) cakkhu is of anicca nature. (Same for sota, ghāṇa, jivhā, kāya, and mana). For details, see “Aniccaṁ Vipariṇāmi Aññathābhāvi – A Critical Verse.”

– One who believes these phenomena are this way is called a faith-follower (saddhānusārī). He/She has entered the Noble plane (sammattaniyāmaṁ), has entered the realm of Noble Persons (sappurisabhūmiṁ), and transcended the realm of the humans who are unaware of the true nature (puthujjanabhūmiṁ). He is incapable of doing any deed by which he might be reborn in hell, in the animal womb, or in the realm of hungry ghosts. A saddhānusārī is incapable of dying (separating) from that Noble birth until he realizes the Sotāpanna stage (and thus eventually gets to the Arahant stage).

After pondering with wisdom, one who has accepted that these phenomena are this way is called a Dhamma-follower (dhammānusārī)…” (The rest is the same as for a saddhānusārī).

One who knows and sees that these phenomena are this way is called a Sotāpanna. He will never again be born in the apāyā, headed for the Arahanthood.”

▪Note that 11 suttā (AN 25.1 through AN 25. 10) state the same in various ways.

Sotāpanna Anugāmi Would Not “Die” From Ariya Birth

5. Therefore, from the above suttā, we can make the following deductions:

▪A Sotāpanna is never again to be born in the apāyā and is headed for Arahanthood.

▪A Sotāpanna Anugāmi is either a dhammānusārī or a saddhānusārī.

▪In #4 above: “A saddhānusārī (or a dhammānusārī) is incapable of “dying” (separating) from that Noble birth until he realizes the Sotāpanna stage.” That does not mean a Sotāpanna Anugāmi will attain the Sotāpanna stage within that lifetime. Once “born as a Noble Person” one will not die from that Noble birth, i.e., one WILL get to the Arahant stage without ever getting a rebirth in the apāyā.

▪So, a Sotāpanna Anugāmi may be born many times a human until getting to the Sotāpanna stage (may even have many human bhava, each with many human jāti).

▪Once getting to the Sotāpanna stage, there would be only seven maximum number of “bhava” left, within which one WILL attain the Arahant stage.

Who Has Avecca Pasāda?

6. Another sutta that provides more information is “WebLink: suttacentral: Paṭhamasaraṇānisakka Sutta (SN 55.24).” It is a long sutta and a reasonably good translation is at, “WebLink: accesstoinsight.org: Sarakāni Sutta: Sarakāni (Who Took to Drink).”

Here are the relevant verses, which again describe the types of Noble Persons:

(1). “Mahānāma, take the case of a person endowed with unwavering devotion (avecca pasāda) to the Buddha (heva kho buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti,) the Dhamma, the Saṅgha, and has attained the Arahanthood. By the destruction of defilements he has gained release through wisdom, in this very life. The man is entirely released from the hell-state, from rebirth as an animal. He is free from the apāyā.

(2). “Take the case of another man. He has unwavering devotion (avecca pasāda) to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha. He has wisdom but has not yet gained full release, but has destroyed the five lower saṁyojanā (an Anāgāmi). Upon death, he will be reborn spontaneously in a Brahma realm where he will attain Nibbāna without returning from that world. That man is also entirely released from the apāyā.

(3). “Take the case of another man. He has unwavering devotion (avecca pasāda) to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha. He has wisdom, but has not yet gained release. By destroying the first three saṁyojanā and weakening kāma rāga, paṭigha, and avijjā, he is a Once-returner (Sakadāgāmī), who will return once more to this kāma loka. That man is entirely freed from the apāyā.

(4). “Take the case of another man. He is endowed with unwavering devotion (avecca pasāda) to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha. He has the wisdom but has not gained release. By destroying three fetters, he is a Stream-Winner (Sotāpanna), not subject to rebirth in apāyā, assured of Nibbāna. That man is entirely freed from the apāyā.

Sotāpanna Anugāmi Does Not Have Avecca Pasāda

(5). “Take the case of another man. He does not have unwavering devotion (avecca pasāda) to the Buddha (na heva kho buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti,) the Dhamma, the Saṅgha. He has not yet gained wisdom and has not gained release. But he has the following things to some extent: the faculty of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, wisdom (saddhā indriya, viriya indriya, sati indriya, samādhi indriya, paññā indriya). He understands with insight, at least moderately, the Dhamma of the Tathāgata. That man does not go to apāyā.

(6). “Take the case of another man. He does not have unwavering devotion (avecca pasāda) to the Buddha, the Dhamma, or the Saṅgha. He is not joyous and swift in wisdom and has not gained release. But he has the following things to some extent: the faculty of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom (saddhā indriya, viriya indriya, sati indriya, samādhi indriya, paññā indriya). He understands with insight, at least slightly, the dhamma of the Tathāgata.. He too will not go to the apāyā.

Sotāpanna Anugāmī is Also Free of Apāyā

7. Note that in #6 above, for each of the four magga phala:

“Ayampi kho, mahānāma, puggalo parimutto nirayā parimutto tiracchānayoniyā parimutto pettivisayā parimutto apāyaduggativinipātā.”

“..That man is entirely free… from the apāyā.”

▪For the last two types (Sotāpanna Anugāmi):

▪Taken together with the statements in the suttā discussed above, that means the following. A Sotāpanna Anugāmi is also effectively released permanently from the apāyā.

What is Avecca Pasāda?

8. A key phrase in many of the suttā is avecca pasāda. It is frequently translated as “unwavering devotion,” as in the above translation. But it has a deeper meaning.

▪Pasāda means a combination of “trust, faith, reverence.”

▪That comes when one understands the deeper meanings in Buddha Dhamma. In particular, when one starts comprehending Tilakkhaṇa, one can begin to see the unfruitfulness AND danger in trying to seek happiness in this world of 31 realms.

▪Then one starts losing cravings (“ava” + “icca”) for worldly things. We remember that anicca is “na icca”; see, “Anicca – True Meaning.” [avecca :[adv.] certainly; definitely; absolutely; perfectly; having known.]

▪Therefore, avecca pasāda or “unwavering faith” is connected to realizing the anicca nature or the “unsatisfactory nature” of worldly things. That craving for worldly things leads to suffering (dukkha). And that in the end, leads to one becoming helpless (anatta), especially when born in the apāyā.

▪One establishes avecca pasāda or “unwavering faith” in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha, when one starts to comprehend Tilakkhaṇa.

Four qualities of a Sotāpanna

9. Four qualities of a Sotāpanna are in all suttā in the WebLink: suttacentral: Sotāpatti Saṁyutta (SN 55.1 ~ 55.74) of the Saṁyutta Nikāya (SN). The “WebLink: suttacentral: Brahmacariyogadha Sutta (SN 55.2)” has a concise statement about the qualities or qualifications of a Sotāpanna.

“Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato ariyasāvako sotāpanno hoti avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo.

Katamehi catūhi? Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti: ‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā’ti. Dhamme … pe … saṅghe … pe … ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi … pe … samādhisaṁvattanikehi. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato ariyasāvako sotāpanno hoti avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo”ti.

Translated:

A Sotāpanna, never again to be born in the apāyā, has acquired four qualities:

(1).He has avecca pasāda in the Buddha, i.e., he understands the following verse. “‘Itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā’ti.”

(2).He has avecca pasāda in the Dhamma, i.e., he understands the following verse. “Svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī’ti.”

(3).He has avecca pasāda in the Saṅgha, i.e., he understands the following verse. “Suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, ujuppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, ñāyappaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, sāmīcippaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, yadidaṁ—cattāri purisayugāni aṭṭha purisapuggalā, esa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassā’ti.”

(4).He has the Ariyakantha sīla of the noble ones. It comes with penetrating wisdom and is unbreakable. It leads to samādhi.’

Recital Is Not Enough

10. We note that those first three verses are the same as those in the supreme qualities of the Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha; see, “Supreme Qualities of Buddha, Dhamma, Saṅgha.”

▪Therefore, those verses are not just for recitation. They must be recited with UNDERSTANDING before any serious meditation session.

▪From #4 and #5 above, we see that one gets a “Noble birth” when attaining the Sotāpanna Anugāmi stage. A Sotāpanna Anugāmi is one of the “attha purisa puggalā.”

The four qualities of a Sotāpanna are discussed in “Sotāpatti Aṅga – The Four Qualities of a Sotāpanna.” [aṅga : [nt.] 1. a constituent part; 2. a limb; 3. quality.]